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Life > Experiences

Lighten Up, Travelers! Expert Tips for Packing Smart and Stylish this Spring Break

Amber Peterson
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.

As spring break is approaching fast, I thought I would share some packing tips for traveling. I understand how easy it is to overpack, but hopefully, these tips will help minimize your load to allow you to bring souvenirs back. 

  1. Plan ahead
    1. Planning your trip ahead of time will help you vastly. Look at the weather, plan excursions you’re going to do ahead of time, and look at the time frame of the trip. 
  2. Multipurpose Outfits
    1. Now that you have seen the weather and know the gist of what the plans are for the trip, you can start putting together outfits. When I go on vacation, I pack clothing items that can be paired with different pieces. For example, workout shorts can be worn to walk around Disney all day and to work out at the hotel gym. A swimsuit can be worn twice on a multiple-day vacation. 
  3. How much of what to bring?
    1. To figure out how many outfits to bring, try to have a top and bottom planned for every day and additionally anything that caters to the location you’re headed to and plans you have. For example, in a tropical climate, you’ll probably want a raincoat or a fancy dinner you’ll want to pack your best attire. For shoes, typically bring one or two pairs. Tennis shoes and sandals are usually the way to go for active, fancy, and beach plans. 
  4. Accessories
    1. As far as accessories go, I wear the earrings and necklace that I want to wear for the entirety of the trip. For purses, only bring one that caters to your activities. I can tell you that you only need one pair of sunglasses and one hat if needed. 
    2. You don’t need to bring all your hair tools, such as beach wavers, curling iron, and straightening iron. If you need one, try to stick to only one. 
  5. Hygiene
    1. For liquid products, make sure the products you’re bringing follow the 3-1-1 rule. In a carry-on, liquid can not surpass 3.4 fl. oz. There’s only 1 bag that all liquids must fit in and 1 zip-top bag per person (Golly & Lynne).  

There are so many components that go into trying to pack light, but I hope this helped lighten your load. 

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/traveling-light.html

I am a senior at the University of Tampa – Sykes College of Business. I am majoring in Entrepreneurship. My goal is to go into the world of business with starting off a career in management and/or marketing. I want to have one of my business ideas created or in the works by the time I graduate. Career-wise, I am a server, desk assistant, and a marketing intern right now. My other interests include spending my free time with family/friends by playing sports (mostly tennis, soccer, and volleyball), hammocking with a good book in my hand, taking trips to the beach, and traveling when I get the opportunity to.