Organization

Packing Tips for a Vacation

- thepeaberryagenda

Traveling is like an addiction. Once you’ve had a taste of it, you can’t stop. I try to go somewhere a couple of times a year. Last year in 2019, I travelled to over 10 locations. Some were just day trips, some were flying and some were overnight road trips. I had so much fun being away from my backyard and explore different cultures and environments. I want to do just that in 2020.

Traveling is like an addiction. Once you’ve had a taste of it, you can’t stop.
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The one thing that I dislike most about traveling is figuring out what to pack for each trip! My issue with packing is that I get paranoid that I may have under-packed or I would forget something. Or I might need something and I’d regret it if I didn’t pack it. So I started to make a list of things I want to bring with me based on the environment, weather and occasion. I also have to put myself in the mindset that less is more.

So for those of you who need some pointers on how to pack less, but efficient, keep on reading!

I make my packing lists aesthetically pleasing because it makes me happy and it’s something nice to look back on.
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Make a List – Whether or not you will actually be packing these items, it’s good to make a list of the things you want to pack and narrow it down to a reasonable size. I love making lists so this is definitely not an issue for me. It also helps me remember what to pack. I’m less likely to forget something if I make a list and check them off as they go in my bag. I’ve been using my Archer and Olive Bullet Journal to make my packing lists and I also have a little fun with it. I make my packing lists aesthetically pleasing because it makes me happy and it’s something nice to look back on.

Pack light! – When I am planning a weekend trip, I pack everything in my backpack; extra shoes included! But if you prefer to use a carry on roller bag or duffel, go with what you are most comfortable with! Being a minimalist in this way makes you stress less. It really helps you to really think about what is actually needed for your trip and what isn’t. I pack the exact amount of clothing items I will need and if for some reason something happens and I am short on clothes, I know there are stores around for me to purchase something if necessary. It isn’t the end of the world if you didn’t pack enough of something. As for toiletries, I condense a majority of my liquid face products into little contact lens cases. Did you know they are so versatile?! I’ve been doing this for over a year now since I’ve discovered this hack. Not only does it relieve a lot of space to pack more important things, but I can fit 5-6 of these contact cases in my TSA approved zip lock bag and not have to worry about getting my bag pulled out to the side and get inspected. If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is!

The Roll Technique – Not only does this help to save space, but it helps to pair your outfits together. How I like to do it is by layering a pair of pants and a top and roll them together to compress my clothes better and save space. Most of the time I only pack one pair of jeans and either one or two pairs of leggings as leggings are less bulky. I am not against rewearing clothes, so if you aren’t either, you’ll definitely save a lot of space by bringing one or two pairs of pants to last the whole trip. As for undies and socks, If I bring an extra pair of sneakers, I will roll them and put them in my shoes.

Wear your bulky items – Any large items of clothing or shoes should be worn on the plane if you are flying. Winter traveling is definitely harder to pack light for. When I was traveling to Banff in January, one of the things I was worried about was not being able to pack light. I wore as much as I could on the plane and carried my heavier jacket with me. It doubled up as a blanket when it got chilly. I have a Patagonia jacket that is made for travel. There is an inner pocket inside the jacket that is specifically made so you can tuck the jacket into the pocket and zip it right up! I like to clip this jacket to my backpack in case I need extra layers, saving space!

Keep Unnecessary Electronics at Home– I know, we all feel like if we don’t have our electronics with us, it’s the end of the world! But it isn’t. Don’t attempt to bring your laptop, tablet, phone, e-reader with you on the plane or road trip. You won’t need it. Plus the more electronics you have the longer it will take for you to get through TSA. I used to pack my laptop and my iPad into my bag because I always felt like I needed it just in case work calls. But you know what? If you are on vacation and are not obligated to work, then you shouldn’t have to worry about it. A tablet definitely helps to save space if you feel it is necessary to have something that can help you reach work. Your vacation is a time to relax and be away from real life obligations. So keep that in mind when you are planning your next trip!

Traveling more often in the last couple of years has taught me what works best for me when packing light. I used to worry about packing items that I might end up not wanting to wear, so I would pack more items of clothing. But I’ve learned to not stress the small stuff. I’m traveling for the experience, not to look amazing. No one is going to care about what you are wearing. And if you yourself care, then I would suggest packing basics instead of extravagant and bright colors. The reason being is because you can’t go wrong with the basics and they are forgettable and less noticeable.

I’m traveling for the experience, not to look amazing.
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I wish you all good luck and let me know in the comments how you travel light!

I Organized My Clothes Using the Konmari Method

- thepeaberryagenda

I was spending a quiet Saturday night with my fiancé, R, and stumbled upon an interesting show on Netflix, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.  Oh how it has changed my outlook on laundry.  I literally spent my Sunday reorganizing my drawers and closet.  Marie Kondo’s method of tidying is called the Konmari Method.  It is a method based on organizing your home with joy.  If an item sparks joy, you keep it.  If it does not, you thank it for having given joy and all that it’s done for you and prepare to send it off to goodwill and hope it will spark joy for someone else.  It is a simple concept that I don’t know how I never thought to do this naturally.

Marie Kondo currently has two books out that teach you the art of the Konmari Method called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing and Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up (The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up). If you’d like to pick up the books, click on the images and it’ll take you to the store!  Simply just googling Konmari Method will give you an array of information too, which was what I did.  To learn all the ways to fold clothes, you can google illustration charts, which I’ve saved to my phone and check out Marie Kondo’s YouTube Channel. 

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547531295&sr=8-1&keywords=marie+kondo
https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Joy-Illustrated-Organizing-Changing/dp/1607749726/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1547531295&sr=8-3&keywords=marie+kondo

I wish I took photos of my before closet and drawers! I was just too excited about this new system that I discovered I went right to reorganizing as soon as I could.  From what I’ve watched in the first two episodes of the show, I grasped a couple of great ideas that I now will be incorporating into my daily chore life.  I’ve focused my efforts in our bedroom first because I’ve always had issues with organizing my clothes.  Eventually, I will be tackling the rest of the home.  Keep on reading if you’d like to know how I incorporated the Konmari Method into my laundry routine!

The first thing we did Sunday before we began attempting the Konmari Method was go to HomeGoods to purchase some containers for our bedroom.  One of the ways Marie explains to organize miscellaneous items is to use boxes.  We purchased boxes for our underwear and socks as well as some smaller containers for some of my beauty products I have stashed in some of my drawers. 

One of the first things Marie taught us with tackling clothes was to put all our clothes and stack them into one mountain.  This would give you an idea of how much you have and kind of make you realize that you don’t need everything.  I ended up sectioning my items of clothing and piling it that way just in case I was not able to get through everything in one sitting, I didn’t have a pile of clothes just lying around.  I started off with my sock and underwear drawer.  I matched all the socks together (which I normally never do) and I separated them from my underwear.  I then separated the socks based on length.  I tossed any item that was worn even if it was an item I really liked.  I love socks with designs! Marie teaches us how to  properly fold our socks so they stand in an upright position.  When placed in our containers, we would be able to see every pair of socks we owned.  That was the whole concept of the method.  Whatever you owned, you should be able to see what it is.  As I was folding my socks and underwear, I noticed that the containers I was putting them in was running out of space! So I had to downsize my socks a bit more.  I had two small containers for my socks since socks take up more space than underwear.  Once I was able to fit all the socks I owned, I moved on to the underwear.  This may be TMI, so skip the undies section if you’d like!  I separated my undies based on what they are for.  Gym, period, intimate and everyday wear.  I then folded them as Marie taught us and organized them into my containers.  I did have to say goodbye to a couple pairs just so it would fit, but for me, it was okay.  I needed to downsize and using this method helped me downsize immensely.  What used to be a drawer that was difficult to close, was now a drawer that was so pleasing to look at!

My actual clothes were next.  I kept whatever items were hung still hung in my closet.  Anything in my clothing shelves I took out and refolded in the Konmari Method or donated.  Each item, I examined carefully to see if they sparked joy for me.  If it did not, I simply thanked it for all that it’s done for you and having given me joy and put them in the donating pile.  I ended up moving some clothes around for better access.  I had some beauty items in two drawers and I felt it was taking too much space so I moved them to the bottom of the shelf in my closet.  It worked perfectly!  With the little containers that I bought from HomeGoods, I was able to fit everything from the two drawers into one shelf! I folded my t-shirts and tanks to the two drawers. 

I did not realize how much space I now have by just implementing some steps from the Konmari Method.  I know I am not following it 100%, but that’s okay.  I made it work for my lifestyle.   I can’t believe I am saying this, but I actually enjoyed folding clothes.  I just hope it’s not just a hype thing for me and I truly do keep up with these organizational methods.  R is truly happy now that I found a laundry method that I am down to do.  I hated laundry before but I am definitely looking forward to my next load!

How do you organize your closet and drawers? Do you use the Konmari Method too?