I am doing my packing planning for our upcoming trip.
I’m taking into account:
- The weather – totally unpredictable. It can range from cold and rainy to hot and humid
- The settings – varies between cities (Amsterdam, Florence, Genoa) and more laid-back Mediterranean locales
- Access to laundry – the apartment we rent doesn’t have a washer, so we rely on a local laundromat. It is both expensive and time consuming, so we try and limit our visits to once a week
- Appropriate clothing – as a traveler, not a tourist, I prefer to try and fit in. Italians of a certain age don’t ‘do’ athleisure (which I live in at home), so I need to think more along the ‘casual sportswear’ line
First, my luggage:
I will be taking a larger bag to check. I also have a rolling backpack as a carryon (both pictured in the lower right of today’s collage). Since I don’t want to bring another backpack, I did make one purchase. While I love Longchamp bags, they have no built in organization or easy way to hook to my luggage. I found a Baggallini hobo tote I am pretty enamored with (pictured in the lower middle). It is a good size without being ginormous and it has both a luggage sleeve and spots for a small water bottle and umbrella. I think it will be great for the plane and for days I am roaming around cities. I don’t like carrying a backpack around. I am just not a backpack person and they don’t feel that secure to me. ☹.
Now clothes:
I am trying to ‘shop my closet’ for this trip and not buy anything that I wouldn’t wear here.
Note: One of the best investments I ever made was getting my colors done! Everything seems to go together 😊. It is like having grown up Garanimals in my closet, all in my autumn palette. For this trip, I am going with shades of beige/brown and navy.
I tend to be a ‘uniform dresser’ for most occasions here and when I travel– pants; sweater/tee; necklace/scarf/cowl; earrings. I throw a jacket/vest/sweater on if needed. And I love my many variations of sneakers! Thank heavens sneakers are now common in Italy.
I always bring 2 pairs of PJs and I like having an ‘apartment/hotel’ outfit (comfortable pants and a comfortable top) that I can relax in but can also wear to take a walk or grab a cappuccino.
I want to bring enough clothes for about a week , knowing I will do laundry about once a week. The hard part is thinking about the weather and the range of clothes I may need.
So far, I have landed on (not including my travel and apartment outfits):
- 2 pairs of pants (one in linen in case it gets toasty) + one pair for hiking
- 1 sweater and 1 cardigan
- 4-5 short sleeve tops (also 1 in linen) + 2 for hiking
- 2 long sleeve tops
- Outerwear – a raincoat and a vest
- 3 scarves
- Swimsuit and cover-up
Of course, this list is all subject to (many) changes 😊
“Just in case” is the curse of packing.
Alexandra Potter
Allene
So excited for you! Looks like your planning is going great!
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