Packing for 2 weeks in a carry-on

Travel Series Part 1: The mental benefits of being prepared, what I packed for a trip to Italy, and the best t-shirts.

“Look what sunshine, look: it's swelling the stone.”

—Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli

This is Part 1 in a 3-part series on travel.

Part 2: Travel guide to Italy

Part 3: Taking your nervous system on vacation

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Hello! I was in the thick of a manuscript revision the last time I wrote and took a much-needed break because… I went to Italy! I’ll talk more about this revision in an upcoming newsletter, but today, for fun, we’re starting a three-part travel series because even though I didn’t write much on this trip, I arrived home with lots of things to say.

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In old travel journals I used to record every last detail: the way a building reflected light in the afternoon, the flavors of my favorite dish at a restaurant, musings while looking out a train window, and snippets of conversations overheard at a cafe.

In Italy last month, I did none of that. I certainly didn’t saunter through Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood the way poet Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli did, to pen sonnets about the city’s beauty.

In fact, I hardly wrote a single word save for a few haiku because when you’re traveling as a family, you might have about fifteen minutes of alone time per day while you’re taking a shower before bed.

Even though this wasn’t a trip where writing was a priority, I was able to be deeply present much of the time (which was a priority). I attribute this to an enormous amount of pre-trip planning combined with the nervous system healing I’ve done over the past few years.

As a lifelong organizer, I love a good packing list and it brings me an immense amount of satisfaction to have a reliable capsule wardrobe when I travel. It means less to carry, helps reduce decision fatigue when you’re in a new environment, and perhaps most importantly, allows you to think less about your clothes and spend more time in the actual moment.

Here’s the plan: Today’s focus is packing (one of my secret joys). Next I’ll share all my favorite restaurants and sights, and finally, we’ll talk about traveling with anxiety and caring for your nervous system away from home.

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A few general notes before my actual packing list:

—For this trip we were spending time in major cities (Rome and Florence) as well as the countryside. Our itinerary involved lots of walking, a little bit of lounging, and dinners out but nothing super fancy. The weather was mild, with possible patches of rain.

—Picking a color palette is pretty standard advice but works because the beauty of capsule dressing is that everything fits together. If a piece can’t be worn with at least two different outfits, it doesn’t earn a place in my suitcase. My core colors are black and gray. Yours might be navy and white. Or black and olive. Pops of color are ok! You just want to maximize your outfit-making possibilities and keep things as simple as possible.

—Read travel blogs and you’ll inevitably find someone talking about how merino wool is the best fabric for travel because it’s naturally odor-absorbing and moisture-wicking. I was a little skeptical but am now a merino evangelist. A few caveats: You have to order things and try them on to see how you feel, of course. Merino is also an investment. T-shirts aren’t cheap (they can be anywhere from $50-$80) but you can literally wear them for days and they stay fresh, which is amazing. You don’t need to wash merino regularly, but when you do, be sure it’s on a gentle/delicate cycle, or you can have it dry cleaned—it will absolutely shrink in the dryer. But if you dream about packing light, consider adding a few merino pieces to your wardrobe. I’ve started with tops and plan to add more over time.

White tee, gray sweater, travel bag, and Natalie Borton necklace (linked below).

—I admit to spending more mental energy than I would have liked on figuring out how to not look like a tourist. But you know what? Especially in major cities, there are thousands of tourists everywhere! No one cares what shoes you have on. Unless you’re invited to a black tie event or going to a very fancy dinner, wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Repeat outfits with confidence—even members of your own family won’t notice, and as we discussed above, it reduces the mental load.

—If this sounds fun to you, the Indyx app lets you upload pictures of all your clothes, create outfits, and add them to a calendar. I did this before my trip and even though I didn’t follow it 100%, it helped me see what was possible with the clothes I was bringing—even for similar outfits—like swapping out a t-shirt but wearing the same pants, for example.

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Now, here’s my packing list!

CLOTHES

• 1 pair of dark wash jeans

• 1 pair of trouser pants

• 1 pair of silk pants (mostly for dinners; mine are the Andy silk trousers from Elizabeth Suzann and they fold up to practically nothing)

• 3 t-shirts (a slimmer crewneck for layering under sweaters, and the pocket tees—I sized up for a more oversized look)

• 2 sweaters (1 crew neck—similar—and 1 v-neck) (Note: During the trip, I realized I could have survived with only one sweater! I’d opt for the v-neck because it’s more versatile for layering.)

• 1 long-sleeved shirt (mine was old in navy)

• 1 silk top (mostly for dinners; an old Elizabeth Suzann style that matches my pants)

• Pajamas (I splurged for merino PJ’s with no regrets)

• 2 shoes (sneakers for sightseeing and flats for dinners or anytime we didn’t walk more than 10 minutes to a restaurant—this was also my pop of color and they feel like slippers)

• Compression socks (for the plane and a few walking days)

• A light scarf—always chic

• 1 quilted jacket

• Jewelry: I kept it minimal, but packed this necklace from

  Natalie Borton
  (pictured above), and these hoop earrings.

• Plane Outfit: I wore what I call my “house pants,” the pair I literally live in M-F but also look put together enough for arriving at the hotel after an overnight flight. I also wore one of my t-shirts and a cashmere cardigan for comfort. This outfit also worked for hotel breakfasts and lounge time.

Different tee, same sweater, this time thrown over the shoulders.

TOILETRIES

• This magnetized toiletry bag is also an investment, but it permanently replaces the plastic quart-size bag you need when bringing liquids in a carry-on, so I see it as a long-term addition to my travel collection.

• It probably goes without saying that I try to get mini sizes in just about everything and simplify my routine as much as possible (this face cleanser doubles as a body wash, for instance, and I’ve used it for years).

• I ordered a set of UV toothbrush sanitizers for everyone for extra germ protection.

• We brought two types of travel wipes: Clorox for wiping down train/airplane seats and flushable wipes, which came in handy when cleaning melted gelato off of mouths/hands. We also packed tissue paper packs.

EXTRA COMFORTS, TIPS & FAVORITE THINGS

• These laundry sheets dissolve almost instantly in water and made it easy to do some light laundry in the sink.

• I normally wear slippers at home and love the extra cozy factor, so I brought a pair for the plane and hotel room. They pack flat!

• We all brought the 12 oz. Kinto water bottles with us, and I used this hack from Samantha Brown to wash them on-the-go. Genius!

• At the last minute, I ordered a travel cork massage ball and it was the sleeper hit of the trip. It’s *very* small and helps relieve tired feet and muscles after a long day.

• My backpack is from Nomatic and it has so many pockets I probably haven’t even found them all yet. When you’re doing carry-on, a backpack needs to do some heavy lifting because it’s your secondary space for organization.

• We have these packing cubes to match our suitcases. I like that they’re taller than some others we’ve tried and make it easy to group items of clothing together.

• Sunglasses I’m wearing in photos.

• I did a lot of research before settling on a travel bag and I’m so happy with the one I chose. Not all slings are large enough to hold a water bottle, which was my non-negotiable. This one holds it all—a small water bottle, mini umbrella, snacks, phone, hand sanitizer, etc. There are lots of pockets and it packs flat when not in use.

What are some of your favorite travel tips and packing must-haves?

Until next time,
Nicole

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