Do you stress about travel preparations…packing, planning and leaving your home? I LOVE to travel but I TOTALLY go nutzo in preparing! Here are a few things I’ve learned to let go of and simplify to properly ease into a vacation.
CONFESSION:
I may or may not have been known to stay up all night before even just a weekend trip, packing, cooking and cleaning my whole home to spotless perfection. EW! I’ve changed. HA!
ORDER TAKEOUT
Order in the night before so that kitchen cleanup is out of the equation. I am big on cooking a full-on meal nearly every night. I really feel like it’s my job to make homemade meals for my fam. I also get overwhelmed if I have to do this the night before a trip.
STOCKS
I have a travel toiletry bag pretty much ready to go at all times.
OK, confession, I kind of have a zippered carryon bag ready to go too. Refill your Airborne tubes etc as soon as you get home from the trip so it’s rearing and ready for the next one!
SHOP FOR FUN ITEMS
I always make a shopping trip to get a few fun new things for the vacation arsenal. Here are a few of my faves for this trip:
Bite in Madeira high pigment pencil. A girlfriend whipped one of these fancy, smooth twist pencil hues out on a shopping date a while back and I stumbled upon it at Sephora. LUSCIOUS!!! I LOVE the texture this stuff and the twist/pencil design is really cool.
My sister once said she had a MAC lipstick that was basically the exact color of her lips and loved it. THIS is what this color looks like on me. If I were a celebrity doing one of those “makeup free” ads, technically I could wear this and not be wearing makeup.
Maison Du Soir Ibiza Floral “dress.” This is going to be a beach coverup, day cruising casual dress and possible a nightgown as well. SO easy to wash in the sink and so comfortable. Heck, “SO HOT RIGHT NOW, Hansel!” I based my mani and pedi on it yesterday.
Bowtie for Grant (Target). Similar HERE.
Today we are cruising in the Caribbean for a week and then we have a week in Florida. My husband has turned me into a cruiser! I had heard about it for years from my friend, Linda who does an annual ladies cruise with her girlfriends. I had avoided them because after my Navy days, sailing around for a week was work! Well, now I get it!
Please share your trip prep rituals!!!
Christina Warren says
Oh the amount of time I soend packing for the baby is crazy!! Ha! I want to hear how your weekend goes. It is getting less overwhelming with each trip. Congrats!!!
Andreea Belc says
I stress a lot before a trip as well. This weekend is our first one away from home with the baby. I am going nuts thinking of all the things we need to take, even if it is only for 2 days. Have fun on your trip!
Christina Warren says
Oh the amount of time I spend packing for the baby is crazy!! Ha! I loved your Milan post…oh if only we could drive to MILAN!!! LOVE!
Chelsea says
Ordering takeout the night before is GENIUS!
Christina Warren says
Girrrlllll…I order takeout now more than ever all around! HA! I feel guilty but that is quickly slipping away! lol
Elisa says
Lists! I make lists for everyone. If I am attending a specific event, like a blogging conference, I spend a few weeks (neurotic? yep) considering my options and come up with outfits and pack around those. I use template packing lists so I don’t forget any of the basics. And then I divide my usual necessaire contents into “must have/pop into a ziploc bag” and “this can go in the checked luggage” groups. I don’t know why but the security peeps here in Europe always look surprised when I show up with my own ziploc bag.
On a side note, I love that print and the nude lipstick is awesome! My fave nude lipstick is also from MAC.
Christina Warren says
YES!! I’m a listoholic too!!! I love your packing style! Thank you for the tips!!! OK, MAC is always so awesome! So many options, always something new and very affordable.
Rowena @ rolala loves says
I tend to stress before traveling too. It doesn’t help that my husband and I are usually such homebodies. I keep a travel toiletry bag packed at all times too. I started doing that after Hurricane Sandy though so it’s more for emergencies. I have a little check list i go through before trips just to make sure I don’t forget anything. Have lots of fun on your cruise Christina!
Rowena @ rolala loves
Christina Warren says
Rowena, we are total travelers but turning into homebodies!!!! AH, yes, emergency packing! We are into that too! My father-in-law gave us lots of disaster preparedness food packs etc for Christmas! HA! You know, I never thought about the toiletry bag for that reason! Great idea!!
Seriously, the coconut oil on my legs has been a game changer. Thank you again!
Krista Williams says
You are finally going to be on my coast! What part of Florida will you be in while you are here?
Christina Warren says
KRISTA!!! We actually changed our flights to come home a day early bc we were so sick with the flu! AH! It looks like my parents will be living there for a few years, so a trip will surely happen again! I would love that! We were wiped out on this trip! PS Your son’s bday looks like a dream!!!!