Once upon a time, you had a carry-on to pack… for a week-long vacation. Cue the panic!

As luck would have it, life hacks like this are totally our bag, baby. So we’ve scoured the web, tapped into our frequent flyers, and flight tested the best packing tips on the planet. Read on for jet-setter-approved tips to get over your packers-block.

1) What to Pack

Carry-ons fill up fast. Make space by packing items that perform double- and triple-duty. The easiest way to achieve this is by packing a mini capsule wardrobe. Lay everything out beforehand to ensure you can mix and match each piece into several outfits. Stick to a simple colour pallet and closet staples, and have fun with accessories to complete each look!

A Perfectly Packed Week Looks Like…

Clothes:

• 1 Casual dress/skirt
• 1 Dinner dress/skirt
• 1 Dress pant
• 1 Casual pant/short (weather dependent)
• 1 Pair leggings
• 5 day shirts
• 2-3 dress tops
• 1 Light sweater, cardigan or blazer
• 1-2 pairs pj’s
• 8 pairs underwear
• 2 bras
• 1 sports bra
• 1 sports top & bottom
• 8 pair socks (weather dependent)
• 1 bathing suit
• Max 3 pairs of shoes: 1 casual, 1 dressy, 1 sporty

 Lotions, Potions & Cosmetics:

• Travel-sized lotions & potions to maintain your beauty routine
• Toothbrush, travel-sized toothpaste, and dental floss
• Cosmetics essentials

Organization & Grooming:

• Hair brush
• Gleener On the Go Travel Fuzz Remover to keep lint, pet-hair and fabric pilling at bay
• 1 Medium & 1 Large Swet by Gleener Wet/Dry Bags for wrangling lotions, potions, dirty laundry, and wet swimsuits
• Travel-size laundry detergent for little emergencies 

2) How to Pack it

Maximize space and minimize wrinkles with these tried and tested pack hacks. 

1. Roll your clothes instead of folding them to save space.
2. Try Bundle packing! Roll each item of clothes within the next, creating one bundle you can easily pack/unpack.
3. Keep dresses, blazers, slacks, and skirts in their dry cleaning bags or wrapped in white tissue paper to avoid creases.
4. Stuff your shoes with socks to preserve their shape and save on space.
5. Invest in storage. Swet Wet/Dry Bags are great for packing underwear, socks, damp bathers & laundry!
6. Pack your Gleener On the Go for wardrobe touch-ups!
7. To avoid tangles: string necklaces through straws or plastic wrap and clasp at the end.

3) Bonus Hacks

1. Prepare for the unexpected! Pack fundamentals in your purse, like your toothbrush, toothpaste, a change of underwear, and deodorant/antiperspirant.
2. Bring a stain removal stick to remove pesky grease spots and stains acquired during in-flight meals.
3. Unpack as soon as you get to your destination to prevent stubborn wrinkles from setting in.

Article & photo by: Arielle Szpiro