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Travel Blogger: How To Pack the Perfect Purse

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at STU (CA) chapter.

Hey Ladies, resident travel guru here!

Have you ever been packing for a trip and had the hardest time figuring out which purse or handbag to bring and what to put in it?  It’s the story of so many women on the go: how do I carry everything I need with me without having an obnoxiously oversized purse?  Well have no fear! With Spring Break coming up, I’m here to lend a few purse-sized tips and tricks!

Before we begin, here are the basics.  These are items you should always keep in your bag, no matter what the trip:

  • Wallet and passport
  • Maps and/or travel guides
  • A camera
  • A water bottle (This one is awesome it can roll up to fit in your pocket if you want!)
  • Any medications that you need – the time you need them is always the time you forget them!
  • Extra tank and swimsuit
  • Chapstick with SPF (I suggest staying away from gloss depending on your surroundings – it’ll either attract bugs, or your hair will get caught in it. If you do wear lipgloss, make sure it has an SPF of at least 15 so your lovely lips don’t get chapped on vacay! I suggest this one by Neutrogena.)

When you get down to it, there are two types of Spring Break trips:  

The Intellectual/Adventure Trip!

These one requires a few extras that the others may not need! For this kind of trip, I would suggest an over the shoulder satchel or tote. I have an excellent one from Roots that I carry with me all the time!  You can find it here!

This is the type of trip I’m usually drawn to – a little adventure and a little excitement as well as learning new things. I travel for an entire day so I usually keep everything I need for a full eight-to-eight day in my purse!

Your purse must-haves are:

  • A notepad and pencil
  • Granola or protein bars – if you’re a Collegiette on a budget, it’s a lot easier to snack on these bars so you can splurge on a nice dinner or breakfast!
  • A few Band-Aids
  • A hat – I wear baseball caps and cowboy hats when I’m traveling!

The Cruise/Resort Trip

I haven’t been on one of these trips since I was younger, but these are the kinds of trips where everything is literally at your front door – shopping, swimming, games, food and sightseeing! Across-the-body packs and handbags are good for these, because chances are you aren’t walking or carrying a whole lot. This one here can be a cross-body or a handbag depending on your mood!

Your pursemust-haves are:

  • Sunglasses
  • The perfect sunhat (I found mine here!)
  • A cute cover up if you’re lounging by the pool or beach
  • A great read for the week (I recommend this one!)

Hope this helps you on your future adventures! Do you guys have any travel tips and tricks for your purse? Comment below!