Travel Packing Tips (from an amateur)

So obviously I'm not a "world traveler" (yet), and a lot of you have done much more than I.  But in preparing for this trip, I've learned a few things I thought I'd share!

1.      Roll clothes instead of folding them. 

I have heard this technique for a while, but have never tried it until now.  In my mind, spreading clothing out completely flat seems like it would take up less room.  However, rolling your clothes saves space, as well as preventing undue wrinkles in your favorite outfit.  I tried this the other evening, and was surprised at how much extra room I have in my suitcase! (Maybe enough for a curling iron?) I have ended up packing mostly dresses and skirts made of jersey or rayon.  They will be soft and comfortable to wear, and won’t wrinkle. 

2.      Put dryer sheets in luggage.

Wherever you travel, you want your clothes smelling fresh and clean, right?  I’ve stuck several dryer sheets in with my clothing for this adventure, and we’ll see how fresh they smell when we arrive!  These are my favorite kind of sheets: Basil scented

3.      Put shoes in a shower cap.

This just prevents the gross bottoms of your shoes from coming in contact with your clean clothing.  In a pinch, I bet you could fasten the caps to your shoes during a random downpour.  If you were desperate. haha  A more cost-effective item to use would of course be the stash of plastic grocery bags you keep under your sink.  J 

4.      Pack foundation in contact lens cases.

This could quite possibly be my favorite tip ever!  It just seems so clever.  I bought a pack of 3 contact cases and filled them up with makeup foundation.  They’re secure, lightweight, and tiny.