HOW TO PACK A BACKPACK FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY

I used to be one of those people who would pack nearly everything they owned whenever they went anywhere. The thought of needing something and not having it was too overpowering to ignore, and I would end up traveling for a weekend trip with a full-sized suitcase.

At some point that changed. It may or may have not have happened when I first moved to Boston for college and started traveling around on my own. Weekend trips no longer consisted of throwing my bag into a car and having it carry my possessions all the way to my destination. From now on I would be responsible for carrying my bag to the subway, from there to the bus or train station, to another public transportation system… bringing less really became the rule.

Especially in the last few years since moving to New York City, I’ve become a big fan of backpacks. I used to be a tote type of girl, but carrying all that weight on one shoulder really took on my body. Having the weight evenly distributed on my back, as well as bringing less, made a big difference.

What I’m Bringing

I found that the key to bringing less is to bring only the items that you will specifically need. For a three day trip, I am bringing:

  • Two pairs of pants

  • Two tank tops

  • Two cardigans

  • One sweater

  • Two dressy tops

  • One pair of shoes

  • PJ’s

  • Underwear

  • Toiletry bag

  • Makeup bag

  • Hair straightener

  • Computer

  • Chargers for my computer & cell phone

  • Overcoat

  • Scarf

  • Jewelry

A good number of these items I will be wearing while traveling, leaving very little to be packed inside the actual bag. I got a decent-sized backpack off Amazon (and the only reason I am not linking to it is because the seams separated very quickly, which I did not appreciate), and it fit everything I needed it to with a little room to spare. The key to fitting everything nicely is to pack all the structured or bulky items first, and fill in the gaps in the bag with the softer, smaller items.

Be sure to watch the video for more tips and a great toiletry-packing hack! Comment below and let me know the one item you can never leave at home when you go on a trip.

Thanks for watching!

TravelFernanda VazquezPacking, Backpack, Weekend, HacksComment