All My Bags are Packed

As you read this I am sitting on some beach, somewhere!

Packing can be a DAUNTING task when you are preparing to jet set. I learned long ago that I needed to lay everything out and look at it all otherwise I majorly over packed. Laying everything out allows you to have a bird's eye view of all your think you need. Typically, the experts (how one becomes a packing expert I do not know) say you should lay everything out and then remove a third.
One of the easiest things to over pack are shoes. I like to stick with the basics. I take one nicer pair for dinners or events. It is a neutral pair that can be mixed with a number of different things. Everything else is basic and perfect for the day time (sandals for this trip)!

While dresses and tops are something you usually only wear once (with the exception of basic button-ups and tees) bottoms can be worn numerous times. Pack bottoms that you can mix and match and than can be dressed up and down. For my beach trip this included white jeans and shorts. I brought some "fancier" tops which can be worn to dinner and then tees which I can wear during the day or on excursions.

Depending on the length of your trip, always bring at least one nice dress. Even if you do not intend to go out to a nice meal or an event you never know when your plans might change. Casual dresses can always be dressed up and down too. When at the beach, dresses are great as they can also be worn as a cover-up too.

The above photos are a poor example of packing as I am taking lots of beach clothing, but hopefully you can get an idea. Normally, I would pack many more solids and basics that can be mixed and matched, but this trip is all about fun in the sun!