Vintage suitcases in East Nashville
This summer I felt like I was on the road more than I was off. From the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest to the heat of West Palm Beach, I was a one-woman zig zag act as I made my way to various beaches, cities and forests. And no matter how much I’ve traveled, one thing is always constant – I hate, I mean I really hate packing. In fact I’m supposed to be packing right now for Toronto, but I’d rather write about how much I hate packing than to actually pack. So if there’s anything at all that makes packing even a tiny bit more tolerable, I’m all about it. Whether I’m headed to an improv festival, or an outdoor adventure in the middle of nowhere or an urban getaway weekend, chances are I’ll always have these three things:
- Tiny foldable shopping & duffle bags
Laundry bags, shop bags & duffle bags – oh my!
Tiny bags make me so happy! Why? Because they solve so many problems? Need a beach bag? Check. Need a grocery bag? Check. Need a bag to carry all the local art you bought that doesn’t fit in your suitcase? Check. They take up almost no space, and, they are so a-maz-ing-ly useful! My newest find is the Otavalo Duffle from Montem. I’m now ready to return to the Pacific Northwest to purchase (even) MORE local art.
- Tiny foldable laundry bags
When you’re on a trip that has you moving around a lot, it’s hard to remember what’s still clean. Cue foldable laundry bags! They pack up into almost nothing and they keep dirty socks where they should be – away from everything else in your suitcase. I always carry two foldable laundry bags wherever I go, as they’re great for any kind of messy items because they can also go into the washing machine.
- Tiny and not-so-tiny packing cubes
Packing cubes = little angels in your suitcase
Ever get to that point in your packing process where you’re feeling good because everything you need is laying out, so all you have to do is put it in the suitcase? Except then you go to put it in the suitcase and it doesn’t fit. Cue the packing cubes! Roll up your t-shirts and stuff them in a cube and chances are you can even bring an extra T. These things are the miracle workers of packing – and, yes, they can be used in backpacks too!
Let’s face it, packing is the pits, so do yourself a favor by having a few tools on hand to keep the cursing to a minimum. You’re welcome!
