Tuesday, May 7, 2013

PACK SMART - SHOP MUCH! (Part II)

 LOOK VERY FAMILIAR??   Bursting wardrobe....


Travellling is a good time to de-clutter.  I always keep my clothes using "CURRENT", "ARCHIVE" and "WRITE-OFF" piles.

"CURRENT" means I am wearing it now....

"ARCHIVE" means I still keeping it until I can let-go or when I need capacity...

"WRITE-OFF' means I am waiting to throw it when I remember...


During every trip, I will packed for the entire family and this is how I select the packing list :

  • Every change of hotel or every 3 nights, 1 pyjama set : select from the "WRITE-OFF" pile. Definitely a throw after you worn.  So whenever you change hotel, you dump one set in the morning, this means you just need to pack your toiletries in that urgent morning due to checkout.
  • 50% of the total packed clothes should be from the "ARCHIVE" list.  Coordinates the outfits with some updated "CURRENT" pile.   50% of the bundle will be thrown during the trip. Remember, if you do not make space, you cannot shop.  Your wardrobe is bursting, your luggage will burst too and your wallet will be painful when you need to pay additional luggage weight.
  • Pack by luggage, and I do not mean by YOUR luggage or HIS luggage.  Use all luggage to pack by DAY. That way, you only need to open ONE luggage at anyone day and pack up ONE luggage before you get out of the room.  Mixing up the clothing also ensured you that should luggage is lost during flight, you still have other clothing in another luggage.
  • COMFY vs STYLE : I will bring 2-3 pairs of footwear for a longer trip,  I will wear the biggest area pair (sneaker), pack in a slipper (fitflop) and bring in a "ALMOST ARCHIVE" heel. Since I wear leggings most of the time during travel, the almost archive heel will work for me for a few hours of "special" dinner.   At end of the trip, it joins the pile to the "dump" portion.
Remember to put all the worned "ARCHIVE" clothings into the dustbin with a plastic bag. This way, hotel will not sent the clothing back to you and charge you the shipping.   Usually the Housekeeping will bring it home and pass it on to others who do not mind its second hand for those "ARCHIVE" portion.   This way, your once-loved gets a second life too.



Bring your MEDICINE                   .....................                                 bottles when you going for the trip.   Recycle them by pouring your SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER, FACE WASH, BODY WASH.   The marking is useful to gauge how much you should bring.   Usually for each shampoo/shower, you will need around 10ml per pax.      I usually packed by hotel, so I can leave the empty bottle behind and lighted my day-trip bags.



Bring MULTI-TASKED skincare during your trip --- SHEET mask that is full of SERUM is a good choice for the night, that way, you only need
STEP 1 CLEANSING
STEP 2 EYECREAM
STEP 3 FACIAL MASK FOR THE FACE AND NECK and BODY (we will talk about multi-tasking that one sheet in another post)

During the day, I will bring samples size of the skincare that is suitable for the WEATHER over at destination.  Sunblock is a MUST!    




Now, have you start packing?

Remember, you will have the following extra space when you come back from the trip for all your shopping ....
  1. A full 29" luggage that is totally empty when you depart Singapore http://www.silkmineral.blogspot.sg/2013/04/how-to-travel-smart-before-travelling.html
  2. Half of your cabin size luggage through your donation of "ARCHIVE" clothing/footwear. These include lingerie too.  Note that its recommended to dump your inner wear every 18months.  Yes, its a recommended and I follow this guide!
  3. A foldable shopping bag.

Sounds great right.....       I bet you will be looking at your "ARCHIVE" pile now and trying to think of the next trip...       

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

PACK SMART - SHOP MUCH! (Part I)

How to travel smart??

Choose a 29" luggage that is hardcase, this is your check in luggage. Its need to be durable and have big wheels.


Then put in a 21" fabric luggage. This will be the luggage that you bring your clothings for the trip and the worned clothings when you return from the trip.  By putting into the bigger luggage before travelling, you will be forced to pack lesser and wiser, and have a full 29" luggage capacity to bring back shopping items.  This need to have wheels too, You are going to check in the 29" during the return trip and this is the 7kg carry-on luggage.

 
 
 
Then, put in a foldable shopping bag. This shall be your shopping bag during the trip and you can use it during your check in when you buy tidbits and toys.
 

Remember you probably have some spare shoe-bags?  Bring it along and put all your toiletries in it. You can just take the whole shoe bag and hang it with a S-hook in the hotel bathroom.
You have a lot of spare zipper pouch collection?  Use the vary designs and identify them for different purpose :  Medicine, cosmetic, skincare. sock, hair accessories, jewelleries, battery charger, etc
Ok, now you are really ready for shopping.  You have a 29" empty luggage, a 1/3 empty 21" luggage and  a shopping bag.
 
Next
Lets talk about how to pack for skincare.