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Y! MyWebPacking light is easy with these tips
Thursday, May 01, 2008
For this upcoming trip, I vow I am absolutely, positively not going to take more than I need!
But, hmm, maybe I should take along that little black purse for evening? And what if it rains, maybe I'd better throw in a light raincoat and umbrella? And, hey, I'm not sure which of these two outfits I'd rather wear to the rehearsal dinner so maybe I'll take both and decide that night. And look, there's still room in the suitcase so it couldn't hurt to take one — or two — more casual tops, could it?
Extras
Delsia Taylor — manager of Talbots at The Greene and a seasoned traveler and expert packer — gave us advice for packing light.- What: Packing seminar
- Where: Talbots at The Greene in Beavercreek
- When: Ongoing from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8
- For information: Call (937) 320-1555.
Sound familiar? And do you also find yourself after the trip unpacking items that you've never worn?
Well, chances are the new airline regulations will convince you to keep those original vows. Currently, on most airlines we can check two bags per person free of charge. But that's changing.
Beginning Monday, May 5, many airlines will reduce the allowance to one free bag per passenger traveling in the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. On Delta Airlines, for example, your bag must weigh 50 pounds or less, and not exceed 62 inches when you total length plus width plus height. An additional bag will cost you $25.
Don't panic, it can be done. For advice, we turned to Delsia Taylor, manager of Talbots at The Greene, a seasoned traveler and an expert packer.
We invited Taylor to show and tell by assembling a weekend getaway summer women's wardrobe that would fit nicely into one bag.
"The biggest mistake people make is trying to take too much," says Taylor, who traveled frequently in her previous jobs and says she rarely even takes a carry-on when she flies. "We're afraid that we won't have what we need."
Taylor's best advice? Keep it simple." The way to do that, she explains, is to choose mix-and-match separates in a few key colors that can take you anywhere. To demonstrate, she chose these pieces for our make-believe four-day get-away:
The basics
A pair of black cotton sateen pants that can be worn dressy or casual.
Cropped denim jeans.
A colorful skirt.
A dressy white pant suit.
The tops
A white cotton stretch V-neck T-shirt.
A white sleeveless tank trimmed in lace.
A washable green linen blouse.
A striped sleeveless knit.
An envelope-neck striped sweater in a vivid color.
Accessories
Accessories included three pairs of shoes — one pair of sandals, a strappy white high heel and a black patent wedge — a belt and a crushable hat. The only other suitcase additions were cosmetics and toiletries cases, underwear, a nightgown or pj's. If needed, you can add a swimsuit or tennis outfit. If your destination is likely to require a raincoat or jacket, wear it.
On the plane
"On the plane, I'd suggest active wear in three pieces, so you can layer for warmth," says Taylor. "Wear sneakers so you don't have to pack them and so you'll be comfortable while traveling. And wear jewelry that's either gold or silver, you don't need both. And I wouldn't take expensive jewelry at all."
Packing it in
When it's time to pack, Taylor doesn't roll garments, use plastic bags or tissue paper, options often suggested for eliminating wrinkles.
"If you don't cram things into the suitcase and if you fold them nicely, all you'll have to do when you arrive is hang them up," insists Taylor, adding that many of today's versatile fabrics lend themselves to travel.
She never changes handbags and carries a totelike bag on the plane. If necessary, she says, you could take along a simple clutch for evening.
When she finished packing our demonstration suitcase, Taylor still had plenty of room left for shopping on the trip, and the suitcase weighed an unbelievable 18 pounds. Amazing! Taylor says she always throws in some extra zippered plastic bags for bringing home anything that might be damp.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
