Woah, hold the phone, two posts in a row! Yeah Yeah I know I’m seriously slacking but I suddenly feel in the mood for writing, I have been “tongue” tied and sloppy for months! Remember way back when I said I was going to keep my writing skills up to snuff by writing a post everyday….that worked out well.
Ok so no one is perfect, but tonight I am here to tell you how to organize and pack for weekend get aways like a champ. Granted I have dropped the ball on this one this summer as well and basically lived out of the trunk of my car but sushhhh those you can’t do…teach.
Last night I did 4 loads of laundry, pulled all the bags of random “junk” out of the car and got my life back in order (at least for the mean time). Here’s how it’s done:
Start with a clean slate, empty your bags, pouches, purses or whatever “containers” you plan to use to house your STUFF. I love little makeup cases or purses and have accumulate quite a few over the years. These are the key to my success, when I use them.
The every day bag….
These are the staples that you put in a pouch and leave in your everyday bag, carry it with you. The “essentials” so to say.
- I pride myself on being a walking pharmacy, no one wants to be out and about with a terrible headache and no Advil. Also you can come to the rescue when you’re friend needs some. I like to buy the little travel tubes and refill when necessary.
- Hair Elastics and bobbi pins. I cannot stand hair in my face and after I had the terrible idea to get a short haircut last fall with BANGS it is even worse.
- Chap stick and hand moisturizer are another one of those things you never seem to have when you need them the most.
The nice to have bag….
This is usually the bag that I take with me when I am away for the whole day. I keep this close by but I leave it in my car when I don’t want the extra weight in my purse. I’m not a pack mule.
- Deodorant, never know when yours is going to fail you, especially on stuffy days in the office when you dress for the AC. (Yep- this happened Monday…ugh gross)
- Makeup removal wipes so you don’t look like a raccoon in the case of a makeup meltdown or ichy eyes (allergies make you forget all about that carefully done eye makeup)
- Earphones for those days where you just need to be in your own world or just need an extra pick up tune.
- Mascara, Eyeliner, Small Pallet and Concealer- I am often too lazy to put makeup on in the morning but regret it the minute I see my reflection in the florescent lights of the public bathroom. I just feel better when I feel but together. I don’t wear a ton so I only lug the basic with me.
- Small wristlet purse- for when I only want to carry around a credit card, some cash, my ID and my phone
- Sunscreen- I never know when I am going to be out in the sun for long periods of time, and take it from me, that SPF in your makeup or moisturizer is LIEING!!!
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
The weekend bag…
This is wear it gets tricky. If you are going on a trip that is planned this is ALOT easier because chances are you know what you are going to do, you have checked the weather and picked out your outfits. I spend my weekends with my family at the Cape, between the two sides of the family I bounce back and forth from two houses in a given weekend. I never know what I am going to be doing….”Oh BTW we are taking the family portrait this weekend” That is not what I wanted to hear, I brought only gross beach clothes and PJs. Not something I want to sit in a photo album for eternity. So this is how I do it….when I am doing it the right way.
- Lilly Pulitzer Shorts- these are cute but can be casual but classy enough to wear out and about.
- Jean shorts- can’t go wrong here, they are easy to mix and match with different tops.
- T-shirts- I bring 1 t-shirt with me to sleep in or wear around the house
- Sleep shorts- I just assume I am going to be hot at night, I can always put a sweatshirt on if its cold.
- Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt- while comfy it can be worn in a more put together look for the colder Cape nights
- Colorful Skinnies and Dressier top- this is for those unexpected dinner reservations or family photo. Dressy enough for the restaurant but easy enough to stuff in a bag and lug it around without worrying about dry cleaning.
- Swimsuit- enough said.
- Towel- this can be used for the beach and/or outdoor showers
- Tops- I stuff a bunch of different colored v-neck short sleeve tops in the bag to go with the shorts, sometimes I throw one I wore the day before on over my suit for the beach, that way I’m not creating more laundry and I’m just going to take it off anyways.
- Gym clothes, you can also wear these to the beach or to hang out in around the house
- Flipflops, Sperrys and Sneakers- flops for the beach and walking around, Sperry’s to go with the dressy outfit or to go out on the town with and sneaks for walking the dog or going for a jog
- My real makeup kit- bigger, heavier but has the works.
The entertainment bag….
With technology these days it is super easy to bring books, movies, music and magazines along for the ride.
- iPad Mini- I got this for Christmas and it goes with me EVERYWHERE. My “People Style Watch”, my entire library of nook books and favorite TV shows are in one place.
- Nook- I don’t bring my iPad to the beach to take on the elements, plus I cannot see it in the sun. My Nook has the paper-like e-ink that makes you forget you are reading on a “device”. No more pages flying in the breeze and sand dumping on you lap when you take the book out to read in bed.
The trunk of the car…
For that stuff you never use but may actually need one weekend.
- Sleeping bag- I keep it in the trunk for overnight sleepovers, sometimes I don’t need it but at least it is there.
- Air Mattress- I stick this in the trunk as well when I am not sure what the sleeping arrangement is, this way it is there if needed.
- Beach towel- for spontaneous trips to the beach or torrential downpours.
There you have it….totally just realized this is about the 100th post similar to “whats in my bag”….oh well.