Guest Author – Sarah Tinks Cross founder of MYVOS®
What is the best ‘Holiday Packing Question’?
“Would I realistically use this enough to justify carrying it away all week?”
That single mindset shift usually cuts overpacking in half; And people who pack slightly less often feel more stylish on holiday, because everything they brought genuinely works together.
So how do you successfully halve the packing and still have plenty to wear. My 5-Step guide has been tested on all types of holiday from exotic beach islands, cruises, city breaks, skiing, and honeymoons. Scroll down find out the steps, follow the tips. and watch the videos.
Perfect Holiday Packing
What to Take | How to Pack | Less to Unpack
Holiday packing always seems like a good idea… right up until you’re sitting on the floor surrounded by three pairs of sandals, a tangled pile of chargers and a suitcase that refuses to close.
The secret to stress-free holiday style isn’t packing more, or angsting over the perfect capsule collection; it’s about a tried and tested method I have broken down into 5 steps. A few clever tricks can make you feel polished from the moment you leave the house, keep your suitcase organised while you’re away, and save you from the dreaded unpacking chaos when you get home.
You’re simply helping customers connect what you sell with what they’re celebrating.
5 Steps to Perfect Holiday Packing
(… & stress-free unpacking on your return!)
coming up next 👇
Welcome to your style space, where perfect clothes meet you. I share tips and tricks to help you navigate your wardrobe dilemmas and dress with ease. No more ‘making do’, ‘ill-fitting clothes’, or chasing trends that leave you feeling disappointed.
Whether you’re refining your Wardrobe, deliberating over Colour, looking for Outfit ideas, angsting over fit issues, or even would like to start altering/sewing clothes, I’ve got you covered… this is the future of dressing.
5 Step Holiday Packing
How to pack what you Love & Need
1. Start with EVERYTHING
Sounds counter-productive when the goal is to pack less, but hear me out. You will have been planning your days and thinking about your holiday since the day you booked it. Gather everything you ‘think’ you want to take, and neatly place around you.
Top Tip: Start the ‘holiday pile’ whenever you feel ready, but don’t go crazy on buying new generic ‘holiday stuff’, and definitely don’t drag out everything you’ve taken in the past! Pop items on hangers at one end of your wardrobe. This will make it easier for the outfit building step.
Watch the 5-Step Video 👇
2. List Your Activities
Whether you plan to lie on a sunbed with a book and a cocktail, or hike mountains, make a list of what you are dressing for.
Top Tip: Start with specialist/practical must haves. If you are doing activity which requires specific attire then that’s a must. Remember to Google the climate/weather, and research cultural expectations for daily ‘walking about’ outfits.
3. Create One Best Outfit for Each Activity
As with Step-2, start with any specialist activities, ensuring you have the entire outfit including footwear, socks, underwear, bag, waterproofs, layers etc.
Move onto each activity, ensuring you have one complete outfit suitable for each. Remember to include sunglasses, hats, flip-flops… ONE ENTIRE OUTFIT for each activity.
Top Tip: If you don’t know what you are likely to be doing, or will be deciding when you arrive, here’s what you can do: Go back to your research stage to familiarise yourself with location climate/culture, what transport you are travelling by, think why you booked the holiday, watch YouTube videos to see what’s on offer (and what type of outfits are being worn), and make a guess based on what you enjoy.
4. Create Multiple Outfit Combos
Now you have one complete outfit, see which items in that outfit are the same for multiple outfits, such as footwear, hats, bags, accessories, jewellery, sunglasses, top layers, under layers etc. Add just one or two further items to create a whole new outfit for the activities you will repeat.
Top Tip: If you are doing the same thing everyday, and will be switching from day to evening, consider wearing fresh items in the evening and then dress down in an outfit in the day after. (This works well with beach dresses – click here to see how to wear a beach dress 5 ways)
5. Don’t Add any ‘extras’ or ‘Just in Cases’
It simple adds to more laundry, less space, more to carry, unnecessary confusion, and pieces that don’t make outfits.
Use your travelling outfit to wear any bits that you really think you can’t go without but are unlikely to wear. This is usually an extra layer or two, and a pair of comfy pair of shoes.
Top Tip: If you really, really, need some more clothes while you are away you can buy them in location. If you’re going somewhere off grid with no access to shops, you are likely to have a kit list to ensure you don’t forget any of the essential must haves.
Case Packing Tricks
Now you have one complete outfit, see which items in that outfit are the same for multiple outfits, such as footwear, hats, bags, accessories, jewellery, sunglasses, top layers, under layers etc. Add just one or two further items to create a whole new outfit for the activities you will repeat.
Top Tip: If you are doing the same thing everyday, and will be switching from day to evening, consider wearing fresh items in the evening and then dress down in an outfit in the day after. (This works well with beach dresses – click here to see how to wear a beach dress 5 ways)
I wore everything I packed. except my gym gear! and the few extra bits I added… YEP! you read it correctly. I did the ‘just in case’ thing, and it proved (yet a again) that Step 5 is true!
Let me know if you have any holiday plans this summer, and if yes, where are you going.
About the author!
Sarah Tinks Cross is a personal style expert, wardrobe management extraordinaire, author and founder of MYVOS® aka My Very Own Stylist.
She has one mission:
To elevate mood just by opening your Wardrobe door. Sarah’s methods include her signature ‘15-Item Formula’, ‘Level-Dressing’, and clever garment alterations that turn standard off-the-peg size garments into real body shape clothing.
