The Art of Packing

A detailed (perhaps too much) guide for packing that will hopefully be useful to you and at the very least, myself.

For this trip, I will break my habit of overpacking.  Or for a better word, inefficiently packing.  Not only because I will be gone for 2 months, but also because hauling around those 30 extra pounds of shoes and clothes that I never end up using does not sound very appealing aside from the strength training.  Efficient packing is especially important because after studying in Madrid, we will be traveling from hostel to hostel across Spain and hopefully to Paris and back.  If it comes down to it and we have too much stuff to haul around, we will rent a storage space.  However, I don't want to have that mindset because for this trip, I want to embody simple living.  

To the point--learning the art of packing.  From advice and travel blogs, I keep hearing these 2 tips:

1.  Pack basics and mix and match

2.  Don't fold clothes, roll them

The hardest part now is picking out the basics.  I've probably spent way too much time planning what basics to bring and what outfits I can make out of them--but hey, it's a lot better than studying for my 2 finals I have coming up.

I'm justifying spending so much time on style because of several reasons: 1) Spaniards, and in particular Madrileños, are known for being very fashionable and are rarely seen in public looking drab, 2) Fashion is an important part of learning about new cultures, 3) I want to avoid looking American at all costs!  I want the locals to speak Spanish to me and not take advantage of me, and finally, 4) I am hoping for fashion refreshment, inspiration and transformation for myself.  I am definitely burnt out on the typical college wardrobe of nike shorts, leggings, big T-shirts, and tennis shoes.  

I plan on posting some photographs of locals and their fashion throughout my trip.

Summer Basics for Women (~2 month trip):

• 1 plain white t-shirt/blouse
• 1 plain black t-shirt/blouse
• 1 black tank top
• 1 white tank top
• 1 neutral colored button-up dress shirt (casual or dressy)
• 1 neutral cardigan (good to have for museum/church dress code entry)
• 1 pair of nice, dark jeans (forget the destroyed look)
• 1 pair of black pants (or capris/ankle pants)
• 1-2 pair of shorts
• 1 Bathing suit
• 1 neutral colored skirt
• 1 casual cotton dress (consider bringing spandex shorts for underneath for windy days...)
• 1 black dress (versatile for formal or casual)
• 1 light jacket (if possible, use cardigan or shawl instead)
• 1 belt
• 1 set of workout clothes 
• ~5 pair of socks
• Undergarments to last about 10 days
• Sleepwear
• 1 pair comfortable walking sandals
• 1 pair of neutral colored flats
• 1 pair tennis shoes/hiking boots
• Accessories (watch, minimum jewelry, fashion scarf...)

It may look very plain with all the "neutral colored" items, but this allows you to mix and match easily. However, everything doesn't have to be black, grey, brown, or white--especially in the Summer.  Incorporate some color if you wish, just make sure the colors go well together so you can pair those items.  As an example: having the skirt be a green/turquoise color, 1 dress being coral, the button-up being a light denim, exchange either the white-T or the white tank for a cream color... there are many different pleasing color palettes you can use to spunk up an "essentials-based" travel wardrobe.  

An example of some colors that work well together

Just a thought: buy wardrobe accents (fashion scarves, jewelry, hats...) in Spain.  This will allow you to get the colors of the culture so you can sport them there and take them back as a souvenir as well as unique touches to your wardrobe at home.  Which I swear, more than half of the time that I ask where someone got their scarf or shirt... the answer is somewhere in Europe!

Of course, clothes and accessories aren't the only things in your luggage, taking these items into account may have an affect on just how many basics you can bring:

• Folder with important documents and copies
• Make at least 2 copies of passport, one to be kept with you, one with your luggage in a safe compartment
• Before leaving the states, make a copy of any credit cards/debit cards FRONT and BACK and leave a copy with someone you trust incase you need to cancel a card--the credit card companies provide a number to cancel the card...however it is on the back of the card.  Also keep a copy in a safe place in your luggage and one with you.
• Copy of your insurance card/information (medical, traveling, etc...)
• List of important numbers/addresses (make a copy to keep with you incase you loose your phone)
• Maps
• Outlet converters**
• Laptop + carry case + charger + any connective cords (my advise is to back up the computer on an external hard drive before the trip and leaving it at home and either using a flash-drive or emailing yourself important documents.  For photos, immediately uploading your favorites to your social network/blog/image hosting site to ensure that, forbid if anything happen to your laptop or camera, you still have your prized photographs!
• Camera + charger + extra battery + extra memory card + any connective cords/equipment
• Headphones
• Phone (for our program, each student is required to buy a pay-as-you-go cell phone, which they claim is the most cost effective)
• Glasses + case (+ extra pair just incase, bring in carry-on)
• Contacts + solution + case (be sure to bring a bit more than you expect to need incase of tearing, losing. Bring case/solution in carry-on)
• Prescription Medicines (in their original container w/ your name, put in carry-on for flight)
• Other medications/supplements (If you must bring, keep in original container. Most should be available at destination if needed)
• Small basic First Aid Kit (Advil, Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, Benadryl, cold-medicine, antiseptic wipes/cream, bandages, thermometer)
• Cosmetics (suggest bringing in carry-on 
• Toiletries* (in a bag, good idea to pack liquid containers in ziplock bags + some extra ziplocks)
• toothbrush, toothpaste, floss (consider sharing paste with roommate)
• shampoo/conditioner (If you want particular brand, otherwise buy at destination. Share with roommate)
• soap
• deodorant
• razor(s)
• hairbrush
• hair products (or buy there)
• hair dryer (coordinate with roommate)
• hair straightener (coordinate with roommate)
• face wash + moisturizer
• sunscreen
• feminine products
• lotion 
• small container of perfume     

*Make sure that if you are any liquid containers in carry-on meet TSA Standards, otherwise just pack them all in your checked luggage.

• Umbrella (just incase, b/c vendors jack up prices for tourists if/when a downpour may occur)
• Towel (if not provided, this can always be bought at destination as a souvenir)
• Sheets + pillowcase (if not provided--my program requires students to bring their own)
• Backpack (for carry-on, classes, and weekend travel)
• 1 small purse + wallet (preferably a cross-body strap with a zipper for extra mug-protection, especially in Spain right now b/c of high rate of pick-pocketing)
• 1 travel alarm clock + batteries (or use cell phone)

Here is a packing list for studying abroad in the Summer in Madrid to print out and manually check off while packing.