Traveling Light but Packing a Punch

Being a minimalist is not a lifestyle I thought I would ever have to adopt but living overseas for three months with only one suitcase, one carry on and a backpack is hard for an overpacker. I spent two days unpacking and repacking my suitcases to make sure I was taking the essentials and nothing more. I eventually got it down to a science. Sixty percent of the things I packed were basics, thirty percent were trendy accent pieces and ten percent were accessories/shoes.I figured if most of the things I packed were basic tees, shirts, sweaters and jeans then I could wear each of them a few different ways. I make it sound like a piece of cake but you really have to get creative from what you pack to how you pack it. Most of my clothes are black so that already eliminated the issue of having to pack things that match. Besides getting super creative with styling each clothing item, another thing that really changes the look of an outfit is how you accessorize. Adding a different layer, earrings, bags, belts, ect. can be a huge help when you have limited options.

Since a study abroad experience would not be complete if you didn't take weekend trips to cool European countries, that's exactly what my friends and I did. That however, came with its own struggle of only being able to bring a backpack or small duffle bag. Packing for a trips that were sometimes 2-4 days long in just a backpack was not easy. We were going to such beautiful places so pictures in cute outfits were a must.

I had to learn to pack smarter, taking strictly the essentials and somehow manage to look cute enough to be deemed insta-worthy. Paris was my last trip and it was by far the most impressive bag I had packed, but I guess I picked up a trick or two by that point. I somehow managed to fit 2 pairs of jeans, two blazers, a T-shirt, a blouse, two tank tops, a belt, jewelry, a pair of shoes, bras and underwear, a purse, my makeup bag and all my toiletries. This might not sound impressive but keep in mind I got all of this to fit into a regular school sized backpack.

The secret to this trick is to put the shoes at the bottom of the bag then roll your clothes up rather than folding them, then fitting them together almost like puzzle pieces.

Here are just a few of the outfits I wore during my trip! I had a couple pieces that I crossed over from one outfit to the next but that's simply the trick to packing light but giving yourself a lot of variety!