Packing stresses me out so much it stresses out everyone I love even more. It's not that they're empathetic. It's actually that they're annoyed. Packing stresses me out so much I often put it off until the last possible minute, then spend hours destroying my closet and apartment only to overpack a checked bag that's bound to be overweight. My family and my boyfriend know this. They see it coming from miles away, and there's nothing they can do but brace for impact.
I travel a lot for work and for fun and quickly realized this just wasn't sustainable. It also wasn't fun to constantly be stressed hours before leaving on a trip that should be exciting and then be stressed on the return journey knowing that piles of things awaited me in my home. And so in the last year or so, I've completely revamped my packing routine.
Naturally, as a fashion editor, I decided this required investing in some better luggage and travel accessories. But it's been a game changer. I actually look forward to packing now instead of procrastinating because I have the tools to make it far more seamless. Not to mention I'm actually obsessed with everything from my checked luggage to my packing cubes, which also adds to the fun. Now when I see them, I feel a sense of giddy delight and not dread.
Below, the eight items that have completely changed the game for me—so much so that I can't imagine traveling without them.
The Checked Luggage
I know I was destined to work in fashion when I realized one of my core memories from traveling to Spain every summer as a child to visit my family was admiring the luggage and carry-on bags of chic passengers on the flight there. I promised myself than that when I was old enough to travel on my own, I'd have the greatest luggage and personal items anyone had seen. Of course, adult me quickly realized that was expensive, and I just carried around the standard.
Then came along the Tumi Extended Trip Packing Case in the most gorgeous shade of light-pink aluminum. It is the most stunning suitcase I've ever seen. I even have mine monogrammed at the top and am planning on covering it in stickers I pick up on my travels.
Since I still go to Spain every year with my family for around a month or so, it's important to have a checked bag that can sustain upward of 20 outfits. This suitcase is roomy enough to do so while also featuring great zip pockets and zipped dividers for easy organization. And of course, it's beyond easy on the eyes.
The Carry-On
A carry-on is super important to me because I often fill it with my most precious fashion items, like vintage grails I want to wear on vacation but that are essentially irreplaceable if lost. Sometimes, I struggle to fit everything I need in them, but this Casetify Custom Bounce Carry On is perfect. I often fill half with shoes and the other half with clothing. And like the Tumi checked luggage, this Bounce carry-on is so cute. I have mine personalized with my initials, and I enjoy rolling it around the airport as much as I enjoy packing it.
The Personal Item
The item I've probably struggled the most with in my years of traveling has definitely been my personal item. For the longest time, I'd pack a cute little purse, which wouldn't even fit my laptop. Of course that would leave less room in my carry-on for other things, which meant my checked luggage would be more stuffed, and overall everything was more difficult. Then, I started to use my studded vintage Miu Miu work bag, which is a pretty big leather tote that does fit my laptop, but not much else.
Then I got Tibi's incredible Re-Imagined Boat and Tote with a leather belt tied around the top. In classic Boat and Tote fashion, this bag can handle it all. It was built to be schlepped around and tossed. No matter what, it looks great, and it can hold EVERYTHING. And when I say everything, I mean it. This most recent trip to Spain, it carried both of my laptops, my cosmetics bag, a toiletry bag, a paperback copy of Valley of the Dolls (around 500 pages!), a notebook, some pet essentials for my pug, hand sanitizer, Chanel hand cream, and a neck pillow. Not to mention the bag comes with a leather belt that I then was able to wear on my trip?! It's the perfect bag and even more perfect somehow as a travel bag.
The Pet Carry-On
This past month, I traveled with my pug for the first time. I had always wanted to take her on my family vacation to Spain but was stressed about all of the logistics. I was mostly worried with how she would handle being in a bag by our seat since she is very much a lap dog who is essentially Velcroed to me at any given point.
I'd heard a lot about Beis's pet carry-on and seen notable pugs like Kuma (who has traveled on hundreds of flights) use it, so I decided it would be our best bet. And I wasn't wrong. The bag was incredible. Bjork loved it and actually went into it on her own a handful of times—which she has never ever done! It also had just the right amount of compartments to make carrying a antsy pug through a busy terminal breezy. There was a side compartment, which was great for holding her documents and making them easily accessible, the strap was comfortable to wear on my shoulder, and the bag itself slid perfectly onto my carry-on.
The Packing Cubes
My Virgo sister swears by packing cubes and insisted I give them a try after seeing the sheer amount of clothing I bring with me for any given trip. I was reluctant at first to add more bags to my packing routine, but these Away packing cubes have made packing the essentials far easier than it's ever been. I also often don't unpack whatever I put in the cubes, because it's a nice way to keep the hotel room or wherever I'm staying organized while on the go. I also love how the different sizes help me be strategic about what I'm taking with me. If all my pairs of underwear don't fit in the designated packing cube, I revisit my original thinking and see what I can remove. It helps eliminate unnecessary items I often just throw into my bag just because.
The Toiletry Bag
For some reason, the perfect toiletry bag has completely eluded me. Instead I've just thrown assorted skincare and beauty products into a zip-up bag and called it a day. This clear bag from Away has been a lifesaver. It fits all of my contacts, packets of medication, my entire travel-size skincare routine, a razor, and plenty of razor blades. I don't know how I've ever traveled without it. I also love that it's clear, so I can triple-confirm I have everything I actually can't travel without by just looking at it.
The Cosmetics Bag
For my makeup, I do need another bag, and this quilted Chanel cosmetics case is definitely luxe but really worth the splurge, IMO. It's what I use at home for my everyday products, so packing it just makes sense since I only want what I really need and nothing more on a trip. It's compact but fits at least 30 products comfortably, and in a pinch, I can empty it out and use it as a clutch on my travels.
