What to pack for a trip or extended stay

[fashionista-ta]

Originally Posted by Melisande

All right, I'm going to be living traveling and working out of a suitcase...a SINGLE suitcase, Holly Golightly style, for approximately a year, maybe more... Has anyone ever done this?? Any advice?? Unfortunately I'm not going to be in warm climates, so that limits me...I don't know what I'll do without my shoes and books...

Strangely, I just found out that my best friend will also be setting off to live out of a single suitcase for a year, from exactly the same day as me......going in opposite directions of the globe.

TIA!

I have resisted so far, but if I were going to be doing this, I'd promptly get a Kindle

I wonder if you could pack say 4 suitcases for the year, and trade them out each quarter? The other 3 could be boxes that you could have someone ship you ... You could ship back if necessary. (You will probably wear some things out since you're going to be wearing them intensively.)

I'd definitely pick a color scheme ... or rather, do key pieces in black and have an accent color or two. In my case I would probably do red or purple.

I don't wear scarves anymore, but this situation might convince me to do it.

Whatever your favorite item of jewelry is (ring? earrings? watch? ...), you might buy a new one before you leave. I'm thinking the challenge will be to keep yourself from getting bored.

So you want each item to be exquisite, and then you want to have some punches of color to accent with, I'm thinking ... that's what I would do anyway.

[Melisande]

Ta-ta, that is such excellent advice...thank you so much!
Packing a few boxes to be sent to me before I leave is a brilliant idea.
I'll do that.

I do have a lot of scarves, and the majority of my accessories are in the red/purple ranges, so that would work for me!

I guess now it's down to choosing a base color. I have items in all sorts of colors...
I always wish I could stick to black (least staining, best matching) but it's not the best for my complexion...and I've got shoes and bags in both black and brown..not to mention my boyfriend just surprised me with a gorgeous plum LV handbag as a going-away gift, which both elevates and complicates things...

A big challenge, but it's a great opportunity to get my wardrobe act together. I wish I didn't have such limited funds to do it. If my first base for the next few months weren't Paris of all places, it wouldn't be so bad! It's times like these I wish I didn't love fashion so much.

Okay, I'm rambling.

I looked up Kindle...wow, never knew such a thing existed. It's def. a great space-saver. It looks like they have some version for iPhone, I'll look into that.

[MulletProof]

Having your boxes shipped is definitely a valuable advice.
I got my winter basics shipped to me when I was abroad. and I shipped back all the unnecessary formal clothing that I carried god knows why.. I struggle to dress down, apparently.

I did accumulate more than 40 kilos of.. material/new clothes/books/etc, which I didn't ship back when I could.. terrible terrible mistake. The first thing I did when I came back and was able to move my fingers again (ok, a little dramatic!) was sitting down for a long day and think of a smart wardrobe I can physically move, combine in many ways and work throughout most types of weather.. it still needs editing but at least I'm not the mess I used to be!.. I basically limited it all to 5, 5 of everything, hopefully less but never more.

[CaitlinC]

I like the 5 of everything rule.

I would pick items that can easily be combined in many ways and can be more versatile through time of day or season.

If you are going somewhere, make sure to check the area where you are going and see what the weather will be like during your stay. Plus, get an idea on how people dress. Will give you a better idea on what to bring.

Whenever I go to hotels, I make sure to ask for extra toiletries. I stock up on those bad boys and save them for other trips or going to a gym.

[fashionista-ta]

Originally Posted by Melisande

Ta-ta, that is such excellent advice...thank you so much!
Packing a few boxes to be sent to me before I leave is a brilliant idea.
I'll do that.

I do have a lot of scarves, and the majority of my accessories are in the red/purple ranges, so that would work for me!

I guess now it's down to choosing a base color. I have items in all sorts of colors...
I always wish I could stick to black (least staining, best matching) but it's not the best for my complexion...and I've got shoes and bags in both black and brown..not to mention my boyfriend just surprised me with a gorgeous plum LV handbag as a going-away gift, which both elevates and complicates things...

A big challenge, but it's a great opportunity to get my wardrobe act together. I wish I didn't have such limited funds to do it. If my first base for the next few months weren't Paris of all places, it wouldn't be so bad! It's times like these I wish I didn't love fashion so much.

Okay, I'm rambling.

I looked up Kindle...wow, never knew such a thing existed. It's def. a great space-saver. It looks like they have some version for iPhone, I'll look into that.

Well if you're going to Paris I retract my advice about buying anything at all before you leave Any and all necessary shopping should definitely be saved for when you get there

And I love your boyfriend's gift ... it will serve the purpose I was thinking of with the jewelry ... something special you love & can wear all the time. And I would say he has just helped determine your color scheme

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I had a most interesting discussion once with a guy who was delivering furniture. My front door opens into my living room, which is primarily decorated in purple. I live 3 miles from my alma mater, whose colors are purple and white, and most people assume that's why the purple. This guy walked in and said, Ah, you must be a spiritual person ... purple (and of course white) has the highest vibration of all the colors. I just love coming across people like that!!

Black isn't the best for most of our complexions (esp as we get older), but it has so many other advantages

I object to the Kindle because it's not a book! You can put 'comments in the margins' a la Acrobat, but I want to write in my book, darn it ... I want to hold it in my hands, and turn the pages. I don't listen to audio books either.

But there are several advantages to it. It actually draws the pages in real ink--kind of like an advanced Etch-a-Sketch, I guess. So the resolution is purportedly identical to the printed page. This would be a big advantage over the iPhone. I have also heard from people with arthritis that it's much more comfortable to hold & use.

I heard what I thought was a pretty ultimate irony, though--apparently there were copyright issues with 1984 & it was erased from everyone's Kindles. No one can erase anything from your bookshelf, obviously ...

[Melisande]

Mullet, the smart wardrobe is my dream as well. I love the five of each rule. Although I think I only have room for three of each right now...

Ta-ta, that is too funny about 1984. Kindle doesnt sound like something I'd like to snuggle up with in bed with a mug of tea although the name tries its best Very interesting about the resolution and size, it does seem to be important. I have the complete works of Shakespeare on my iPhone and do I read it? ...no...basically, it's too small. I like audiobooks though, especially narrated by Stephen Fry. I think I'll have to make friends with libraries worldwide, which is appealing too.

I love your idea of taking a meaningful item, and it's so true that the purple bag has helped narrow things down quite a bit. Fascinating furniture guy...You'd really love Japan...people here love conversation like that!

[chanelnumber5]

^Stephen Fry narrated audio books make me happy (I listened to the Harry Potter ones on repeat for months... after a while I used his voice used to narrate my thoughts, it was lovely! My Stephen Fry obsession is slightly creepy, sorry). I think the library idea is a good one, I think in the UK all you need is a utility bill with your address on it to set up an account, but anyone can go in and read the books if you couldn't do that.

As for packing, personally I would probably try to aim for a minimalist look, as it tends to be high 'impact' without needing lots of garments, and is also much less noticeable when you re-wear outifts. Having said that, if minimalism isn't really your thing then ignore that advice - what sort of clothes do you like? What kind of things do you need to wear for work, do you need to have smart outfits for meeting etc., or can you get away with more casual outifts?

Small accessories such as scarves are an excellent idea, as are meaningful pieces of jewlery - which I imagine would be very nice to have with you everydayif you get a bit homesick. If I could only bring three bags I would choose: a 'smart' bag for everyday for work which is big enough for everything you need (I'm imagining the LV would fit in this category), a more 'casual' bag for weekends - maybe an across the body leather one similar to this http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/46205 - and a versatile evening bag. And I would bring a big-ish holdal as part of hand luggage is possible too if you go somewhere for just a few days. I don't think I could narrow down shoes to three pairs though!

I would probably avoid buying too much if possible, and 'shop' my wardrobe, as I figure the clothes I love most and are most comfortable/able to style are already in there.

ta-ta my grandma used to love purple (I actually read the 'When I am old I shall wear purple' poem at her funeral - it was too appropriate to not include) and wear at least one purple item in every outfit as she thought it was a spirtual colour, and that it sent out good 'vibes'.

[Melisande]

Originally Posted by chanelnumber5

^Stephen Fry narrated audio books make me happy (I listened to the Harry Potter ones on repeat for months... after a while I used his voice used to narrate my thoughts, it was lovely! My Stephen Fry obsession is slightly creepy, sorry). I think the library idea is a good one, I think in the UK all you need is a utility bill with your address on it to set up an account, but anyone can go in and read the books if you couldn't do that.

As for packing, personally I would probably try to aim for a minimalist look, as it tends to be high 'impact' without needing lots of garments, and is also much less noticeable when you re-wear outifts. Having said that, if minimalism isn't really your thing then ignore that advice - what sort of clothes do you like? What kind of things do you need to wear for work, do you need to have smart outfits for meeting etc., or can you get away with more casual outifts?

Small accessories such as scarves are an excellent idea, as are meaningful pieces of jewlery - which I imagine would be very nice to have with you everydayif you get a bit homesick. If I could only bring three bags I would choose: a 'smart' bag for everyday for work which is big enough for everything you need (I'm imagining the LV would fit in this category), a more 'casual' bag for weekends - maybe an across the body leather one similar to this http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/46205 - and a versatile evening bag. And I would bring a big-ish holdal as part of hand luggage is possible too if you go somewhere for just a few days. I don't think I could narrow down shoes to three pairs though!

I would probably avoid buying too much if possible, and 'shop' my wardrobe, as I figure the clothes I love most and are most comfortable/able to style are already in there.

ta-ta my grandma used to love purple (I actually read the 'When I am old I shall wear purple' poem at her funeral - it was too appropriate to not include) and wear at least one purple item in every outfit as she thought it was a spirtual colour, and that it sent out good 'vibes'.

Oh my God, I'm so glad I'm not the only creepy Frygirl here...he is the only "celebrity" who has ever incited such reverence in me. Hee hee! Embarassing, but there you go. I too have been on the HP repeat drug for almost a year now... I wonder if I can sleep without it . Jeeves&Wooster and ABOFry&Laurie on Youtube always cheer me up too.

Great idea about bags...I think I can do it...the prospect is probably more daunting than the reality. And shopping my wardrobe, yes. I need to save every bit I can...
Your grandmother and the poem, what a lovely story. I also have been noticably wearing a lot of purple for some reason...don't know how that happened. I think it chooses me more than I choose it.

[kytila]

I'm moving tomorrow, and have had several panic attacks whilst trying to pack. I'm moving back to the uk after spending way too long in nyc (fashion grad school/work), again I have that panicky feeling I did when I moved here. The only difference is that then, because the move had been planned for ages, I stopped shopping about six months earlier, knowing the exchange rate will make it easier to shop here, and so even though I cried when leaving behind my favourite coat for example, I brought only what I needed, capsule like, knowing I will shop.


My style is pretty chill, I buy quality over trends and spend a lot of money on shoes, bags and jackets.. Then have like a million jeans with different cuts, and the rest is american apparel tanks and tees, vince sweaters for layering.

My wardrobe consists of shades of dark blue, gray and black... So I look similar every day yet not the same. Only colour on very special items.

I have looked into the ways others edit, throw out things I don't love, havent worn in a year etc.. I have done this, but still I feel like I have so much stuff... And paying so much for extra luggage is crazy.

If you had to edit your wardrobe into two suitcases, what will you take? Keep?

[gateau]

I am in the same situation as you- except that I still have a year before I move... and Christmas sales only made the situation worse lol..

Have you considered ordering a box from one of those freight overseas delivery companies? It might be an alternative and some of the prices are not as bad as you think...

If I had to pack my entire wardrobe into two suitcases, I would take the most expensive/unique/valued items first because you can probably buy another american apparel tank and tee in the uk... That means your prized posessions (that dream dress/bag/shoe you have been waiting to buy for ages), the clothing with the most emotional attachment (first dress you wore on your first date? lol) and just clothing you can't live without. I would also dump most of the stuff I brought from uk to nyc as they are probably old/worn/items you are tired of. Ultimately, my suitcase would be stuffed with shoes, which is still a problem since some of them are big heavy wedge boots

My other problem is that I have been buying magazines and I refuse to dump them... oh dear...

Hope that helped

[Aqua Tofana]

I wouldn't care about what do I think is pretty or expensive. Just look at the clothes and try to count which are the ones you worn most times. Statistics never lie, because no matter what you might think, if you haven't worn that thing, you'll probably never wear in any country...

[lafindesiecle]

Moving to Prague for a year and having to condense my entire life into 2 suitcases more or less changed my life in the best of ways. I honestly had to pick a 'wardrobe' of what I had -- like, okay, of these 4 pairs of skinny black jeans, which one fits the best and is most versatile? Of my 923810 scarves, which two match both coats? Do I really need this many boots? Which cardigan sweater do I wear most often and is most comfortable, warm, and quality?

It stressed me out a lot, but it helped SO much -- I was also 19 at the time, and it ended up being the best way ever to purge my high school/teenage style and start working on collecting and wearing more grown-up/classic pieces. I still ended up coughing up that extra $75 for overweight suitcases, but I fit it all into those 2 25 kilo suitcases or whatever, and was fine.

Packing tight also helps -- I'm sure you can google this stuff, how to most efficiently fold/roll clothes etc -- that way you might have to pay more for your suitcases being HEAVY, but you won't have to buy another one and pay to check an entire separate bag.

The shipping thing is another thing to consider that others have mentioned -- it's also expensive and sucks, but is always an option if there are some things you just CAN'T be without and can't pack.