How to Pack for a Warm-Weather Getaway in a Weekender

Isn’t it mind-boggling how some unicorn people can be like “Here I am for my four-week trip and I packed it all in this small cross body purse aren’t I amazing?!” And you know what, they are amazing. I am amazed by them. I try to be a minimalist but I’m really a maximalist with an omg-so-messy-person rising. So I reached out to our contributor Lauren, who was about to venture on a trip to Maui with just a lil weekender (*sigh* unicorn) about her top ticks for packing big style into small luggage.

And don’t miss our warm-weather getaway capsule! Perfect for last-minute summer travel, a Labor Day trip, and any other lovely sunny travel you’re planning as fall gets teasingly closer.

Tips for Packing a Lot in a Small Space

1. Create a Color Theme

This sounds incredibly ~extra~ but packing a neutral capsule with an accent color or a colorful capsule in the same complimentary shades will help you mix and match for the best outfits-to-number-of-clothes ratio. Doing so will help you narrow down and eliminate unnecessary items, ensuring that you don’t arrive at your destination with a bunch of tops and bottoms that don’t work at all together.

2. Write Down Everything You are Packing

And cross each item off as you go. By the way, when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Chargers, underwear, earrings, oh my. I know you’re thinking, “Kelly, I am an adult, I can pack without a list and remember everything” but I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: You won’t. Your hubris will cost you and you’ll end up in Maui with no bikini bottoms like a noob. Don’t let this be you.

3. Protect Your Clothes

Since everything is smushed together in a small weekender bag, you want to make sure that your clothes aren’t coming in contact with anything that muck them up before you reach your destination. Try slipping your shoes into shower caps or plastic bags to protect your clothes from the dirty soles of your shoes or sandals (essential when you’re going to be in a destination with sand). As for perfumes or other spill-able liquids, pop them into socks to cushion the glass, then wrap the entire thing into a plastic bag to prevent leaks. Or keep them in sealed cosmetic bags so that if they do burst (nooooo) they don’t ruin your clothes.

4. Roll (Don’t Fold)

Rolling your clothes (and socks and underwear and basically errything) will allow you to stuff a heretofore unheard of amount of crap into your tiny weekender. Rolling will also keep hard creases out of delicate fabrics.