" Be a Practical Packer "

It's that time of the year where a lot of us Take off for mini trips or our long awaited vacations....I tend to travel a few times a year and have learned to be a practical packer, there's nothing worse than being the person that holds up the line in the airport because of all the unnecessary packing, it's actually unplanned packing, I know vacationing should be relaxing & easy, But if you do some last minute planning through your packing...Your travel will feel like a real cost effective vacation instead of an expensive hectic tornado.Since we have our 3rd grand opening happening this week  in Hawaii, I decided to share my travel tips.... Here's 10 steps I take while traveling for a 5-day trip.

1. I keep it to a carry on and personal item, fees for check in bags start at $25 now a days, So I really try to plan my outfits to make this possible.

2.I try to treat my packing as if I were changing my store window mannequins, in other words I stick to a color scheme, and try to get (1) outfit for each day that i'll be traveling, each which that can be worn with the same shoe and accessories as the other outfits.If you see below, every outfit can be used with either of the shoes shown here, one more casual than the other depending on the plans we may have, as well as the accessories that can also be interchangeable between all the outfits.( This step will be your HUGE space saver)

3. In order to eliminate accessory tangling or breakage, I pack them in between my clothes, also I pack my undergarments on the very bottom, this way if you happen to be randomly checked through TSA, there's no embarrassing moments happening, Chones should be your secret, Not everyone else's.

4. I always add 2 tees, that can be worn with any of my bottoms that I've packed, a PJ bottom that I can use with any tee that I won't end up wearing and in my case a bathing suit just incase we can turn our business trip into a pleasure one. I also add (1) bonus outfit, Just incase something comes up, dinner, concert, luau's....etc. Remember to make sure it will go with your accessories and shoes that are already packed.If you notice i literally have 3 outfits, 2 tees, 1 bonus outfit & the one i'll be wearing while traveling, That's 7 outfits without having to check in a bag.

5. As far as my toiletries, I pack the ones that I won't need handy, such as lotion, face scrub, hair ties, hair treatments, mini perfumes, night creme...etc.

6. In my personal bag, I carry another makeup bag with lipstick, face wipes, a mirror, face powder & blush...as far as makeup while traveling I keep it light, this way there's not much to touch up & I don't look like a clown that took a nap. BB creams, nude lippies and zero eye shadows are my favorite way to go on a trip.

7. My personal bag is a tote, where I can fit a laptop, tablet, phone, headphones, makeup bag & small messenger bag...This way if I want to read, listen to music, watch a movie or work...It's all in one place. Plus if i don't want to carry it, I can pull out my small bag with my wallet & credentials....leaving the heavy stuff behind in one place.

8. I know this one sounds like a bit much, But I pack snacks....Airport/Airplane food is SO pricey, this is a HUGE $$ money saver, I take items in plastic containers that I don't mind tossing, as well as ziplock bags, This way once you eat you can toss right in the plane, and you have one less item coming off the plane, or in this case it's in your tummy already! Why spend extra money buying crackers on the plane when you can spend it on a great relaxing dinner on your destination? I stick to cheese & turkey rollups, chips, crackers & cut up fruit.

9. I usually have my boarding pass,and ID or passport paper clipped together for easy access.

10. Planning your outfits saves time,Space & money....No holding up the line or getting held up at Check point,no waiting at baggage claim, & no extra baggage fees. SO don't think twice about following these quick steps, If you just put a little thought into your packing....you won't need a vacay from your vacay.