What's in My Bag: Packing for a Long Weekend

Woo HOOOOO it's time for a mini-vacation. Steve and I embark on a road trip tomorrow for a nice long weekend in Charleston and I thought I'd share what and how I'm packing for a few days away.In a previous life my approach to packing was a simple, three-step process:

1. Throw everything that looks good into your bag, regardless of need and without consideration of activities.
2. Add some more just-in-case items. These include, but are not limited to: that sparkly dress you'll never wear, the thing with the tags still on, and another pair of jeans in case you magically start liking more than one pair of your jeans.
3. Add a few things to your husbands bag for good measure.

But in recent years my attempt to streamline my style, and Steve's attempt to streamline how much stuff we collectively own, I've worked to drastically pare down how much I pack. Here is how I prep for a weekend away:

Create an Outfit Mood Board via Pinterest. 

I regularly pin a bunch of inspo outfits to Pinterest (check out my Style board here) so I usually skim through and pick looks with a similar color scheme and style. This makes it's easier to create multiple outfits from only a few items.Then I check my closet to see what I already own. I try to use what I have on hand, and only purchase extra items as a last resort. I also make every effort to purchase classic styles I'll reuse over and over again. 

Plan Outfits for Each Day

After I have the pieces I want to use, I make a list of the days I'll be away to see how many outfits I'll need. Then I plan out an outfit for each day, taking into consideration weather, activities, and comfort. It looks something like this:Once all outfits are packed I add pajamas, undergarments, and shoes. Since our AirBnB has laundry facilities it makes it even easier to repeat outfits and pack less. THANK YOU, SWEET AIRBNB HOSTS.My current weekender bag that holds all of these items is the Sole Society Lacie.

Double Check and Add Extras

After my bag is packed I double check everything and usually add something to lounge in just in case. Then my makeup bag, toiletries, iPad, and jewelry go into my purse. I am currently using this tote from H&M. I lay out the clothes I plan to wear for traveling, and call it a night.And that's it! I know it sounds like a lot of work but it really helps make packing more efficient, and it saves a ton of time, space, and energy in both the packing and unpacking process.Here is a little slider of most of the items going with me for this weekend:If you have any other packing hacks that have saved you time and headaches, I'd love to hear them. Also, I'm sure I'll be oversharing our trip on insta, so click here if you'd like to follow along.Have the best week!xoKatie