Are You An Over Packer?

There’s one word that will ignite joy in the hearts of everyone who hears it – VACATION!
 
I’ve been looking forward to my vacation for months now and it did not disappoint!  I traveled back to the beach community I’m from and had a wonderfully relaxing time.  I slept in late, ate too much seafood, lounged on the beach, enjoyed wine every night, and I over packed.
 
Like most Americans, I usually over pack.  I try to plan for an outfit a day and then at the last minute I throw a few “just in case” items in my suitcase.  But I thought this trip would be different! 

I mean, I haven’t bought ANY clothes in the last 7 months and I’ve gotten really good at mix/matching my pieces.  I even took 5 items out of my suitcase at the last minute. 

​But I still did it – I still over packed!
 
Since the amount of clothing I own and use are on my mind right now, I did something I've never done before - I kept track of what I packed and what I actually wore.  Here’s the list:
 
What I Packed:                                                What I Wore:
2 pairs of shorts                                              1 pair of shorts
2 pair of capris                                                1 pair of capris
1 pair of yoga pants                                        1 pair of yoga pants
1 sun dress                                                       1 sun dress
7 tops                                                               3 tops
2 tank tops                                                      2 tank tops
3 t-shirts                                                          1 t-shirt
2 swim suits                                                     2 swim suits
2 swim suit cover ups                                    2 swim suit cover ups
3 pair of shoes                                                 2 pair of shoes
6 pairs of earrings                                           3 pairs of earrings
1 necklace                                                         1 necklace
 
Writing down what I packed and comparing it to what I actually wore has been such an EYE OPENER! 

Normally I pack even more (especially shoes) but I made myself pack less this time and I still didn’t wear it all.  I don’t typically like to check my bag at the airport, so I’ve always made myself use a medium sized carry on, but I could have used only half my suitcase for this trip.
 
So, what would I have done differently?
 
Well, I realize I only need one pair of shorts and capris.  I wore my denim ones and they went with everything.  I would have left half my tops at home.  I don’t know why I think I need a different top for each day.  I ended up just rotating my favorite three and the others stayed in the drawer. 

I didn’t need the sundress either.  I know I wore it, but it’s because I made myself wear it!  I figured I packed it, so l probably should wear it.  But it wasn’t really needed.  I could have done with one swimsuit, but if you’re going to the beach for 7 days…having 2 swimsuits is probably a good idea.
 
I will admit that even though I didn’t wear my “fancy outfit” (because we didn’t go out for drinks or anything) it’s still probably a good idea to pack one.  There’s nothing worse than being invited out and feeling underdressed.
 
And I think the key to saving space is packing versatile shoes.  Of course, I packed a pair of flip-flops but the other pair of sandals I packed could be worn with any nicer outfit.  I knew I wasn’t going to need tennis shoes or heels on this trip, but sometimes those are needed.  Just try packing shoes that can be worn with multiple outfits!
 
The most important lesson I learned is this – if I don’t wear it at home, I’m not going to wear it on vacation.  I treated my vacation closet like my home closet.  I immediately went for the items I like and bypassed tops that are snug or I don’t feel comfortable in.
 
I would suggest everyone keep a Packed vs Wore list as least once.  I bet you’ll never pack the same way again!