Along with everyone else, we’ve had a bit of travel to visit friends, celebrate weddings, giggle at Grandson #1’s first birthday last year, and welcome Grandson #2 this year. Nothing exotic like many people, but after the travel restrictions we all endured for a couple of years, just traveling to be with family and friends is quite enough for now. One thing I realized is that, with our travel being so curtailed for a bit, I have forgotten some of the simple packing tips and techniques that used to be second nature. To wit…

Always Pack a Lightweight Jacket and/or Puffer Vest

This goes beyond packing a jacket to coordinate with a specific outfit or two. I used to always pack my black puffer jacket, rolled up and tucked into my carry-on, where it takes up very little space. It would come in handy on the plane, which tends to always be cold…it was useful in homes or hotels that were cooler than I am used to, and to throw on over my workout gear to run down to the lobby to get morning coffee…if the weather changed, it allowed me to adapt without having to purchase something new. Well…I forgot to pack it on a few trips, and it was definitely missed. I’ve shared here before the puffer vest I love, and it is so affordable, but I’ll share again. It’s from Uniqlo and comes in many colors. (Click here.)

Plan for Smaller Cosmetics

I really tend to overpack on my cosmetics, and I hadn’t thought for some time about downsizing what I bring until it was too late. One thing that takes up a lot of space is perfume, and prior to my most recent excursion, I found a wonderful little travel atomizer that opens up more room in my cosmetic case. It is SO easy to use and SO inexpensive, and holds a lot of perfume. It comes in a pack of 4, so you can use it for all of your favorite perfumes or give them out to friends. (Click here to see.)

One thing we have done is to drive to as many reasonably drive-able places as we can. (I don’t know about you, but with travel back in full swing, airports and airlines are becoming increasingly difficult and, dare I say, annoying to deal with. It feels like everyone lost their manners during Covid. But I digress…) So…since we can pack the trunk full, I’m a bit back to my overpacking ways. I’ll keep working on that for our next airplane trip.

I can’t close without a picture of our grandsons’s birthday party – what’s better than a 1-year old’s birthday?!

Thanks for reading – stay safe and stylish!