Sometimes, quick and dirty is the way to go. No, not like that – get your mind out of the gutter! I’m talking about this blog post. Unplanned, and somewhat unexpected, it’s definitely one I’m throwing together at the last minute. (But, you know… that is fairly typical for me.)
You see, I’m going on a vacation in the next few days, and as much as I love to travel, it’s always a bit overwhelming to try and pack. Did I forget something important? What about X, Y, Z… can I survive a week without that? Oh, shit, did I leave the stove on?
My anxiety-ridden friends out there – y’all know what I’m talking about.
So, in today’s post, I have a super quick and easy way of making sure you never forget anything again!
But First….
Here’s What’s New on the Blog!
I’ve made several changes over the last couple of days. If you’re a member of the Dating Bitch tribe, chances are you’re already aware of these updates, but if you’re not, here’s a quick overview of what’s new (and, if you want to subscribe now, that’d be lovely!)
☆ New FREEBIE Library – I’ve added a second Members-Only page to the blog, this one exclusively for my printable freebies. Don’t worry, the password for both pages is the same, but hopefully this way it’ll be a little easier to navigate.
Related Read: A Guide to Creating a Freebie Library by the wonderful Jenny
☆ New FREEBIES – I’ve added a ton of new printables (hence the need to keep the pages separated) including: a love language worksheet, a 30-Day Self-Love Challenge calendar, and a bundle of reading log journal prompts for the book lovers among us.
☆ Guest Posting – I’m accepting guest posts on the blog now! Even if you’re not actually a blogger, if you feel like you have something worthwhile to say and you have a streak of creative writing, I’d love to hear from you. For more info on guest posting, go here.
Previous Guest Posts for you to Read:
• The Importance of Finding Self Love
• Discovering Your Sexuality
☆ Advertising Services – I know you’ve seen this on other blogs before, so after months of wanting to do this, I decided to go ahead and try my hand at advertising for other bloggers.
Learn more about my Advertising Services here
And if you’re a subscriber, I have a special deal for you! Look for an email from me with the subject line New Announcement! Something Extra For My Blogging Friends. And, hey, if you weren’t subscribed already but want to take advantage of this deal, just join the mailing list and shoot me a DM letting me know you’re interested.
Phew. that was a lot, huh? Ok, let’s get on with the rest of the post, shall we?
What is a Vacation Essential?
Simply put, a Vacation Essential is something you would need whilst on vacation. Not necessarily something you use on a daily basis, mind you (I mean, you might use your yoga mat every day, but chances are, you’re not wanting to do downward dog on your next vacay – and, if you are, you probably don’t need to bring your own yoga mat to do it.) Your toothbrush, on the other hand… that’s something you’re gonna want to have on hand.
So, basically, your Vacation Essentials are the things you absolutely do NOT want to forget to pack.
Pin this Post for your next Vacation!
The ABC’s of Vacation Essential Packing
Packing can be stressful AF! You have to make sure you don’t forget anything super important.
You have to try and fit what you need for 5, 10, or (if you’re incredibly lucky) 15 days into one suitcase.
And, then, you have to worry about whether or not your stuff is going to get messed up in transit (ever had a bottle of shampoo leak all over your favorite pair of jeans? Not. Fun.)
Now, I can’t help you with that last one, but here’s a simple tip to make sure that you don’t forget anything you need. I call it the ABC’s of Packing.
A is for Advil: Vacation Essential #1
A is for Advil. Or, really, any medication (I just chose the word “Advil” so it’s easy to remember.)
This could include any prescription meds you take (just imagine forgetting your birth control on a steamy weekend getaway with your bae!) along with over-the-counter stuff. Think painkillers, Dramamine for a long car drive, or tums for all that shitty food you’re likely to eat.
Also important to take with you? First aid essentials (band-aids, neosporin, hydrocortisone cream for rashes, tweezers, etc.) along with your insurance card just in case you need to go to the hospital or something.
B is for Beauty: Vacation Essential #2
Beauty, for the sake of this list, means any and all toiletries.
Us ladies probably want to pack our makeup and hair products, but everyone needs to remember to bring certain toiletries (for example, a toothbrush, deodorant, sunscreen.)
You can probably leave your giant bottle of shampoo at home, but if you do happen to use a certain kind of shampoo (like, something specifically made for color-treated hair), pick up a travel sized bottle to bring with.
C is for Clothing: Vacation Essential #3
Ok, Ok. Obvious, I know. But I couldn’t very well leave Clothing off the list now could I?
When you’re packing for a trip, remember to count the number of days you’re planning to be gone for. Pack one extra pair of socks and underwear (because, you know… shit happens) so, if you’re going for 6 days, you should have 7 pairs of undies with you.
And then make sure to pack the appropriate number of shirts, pants, shoes, etc. That isn’t quite as hard-and-fast as the socks and underwear rule (jeans, for example, can be worn multiple times before needing to be washed) so use your best judgement.
Finally, bring what you think you’ll need based on weather and activities. Hiking boots, jackets, swimsuits, sandals. What you wear will depend on where you go.
Extra Vacation Essential: Entertainment
Yeah, I couldn’t think of a good word for the letter D. So, instead, the Extra Essential is Entertainment! In my last post, I wrote about how I always need to bring a book when I travel (read that one here), but even if you’re not a big reader, make sure you have some form of entertainment with you. Music, podcasts, a computer – anything you think you might want for a long car/plane ride.
Also, make sure you pack your cell phone charger! Your phone is likely going to be a form of entertainment as well as a camera, so that’s a pretty important thing to remember.
Conclusion
There you have it! A simple way to remember what you need to pack the next time you go on a trip.
See, packing doesn’t have to be so stressful! Just remember your ABC’s (Advil, Beauty, Clothing – plus the Extra: Entertainment!) You can even save it for the last minute, like I do.
And, here’s a quick visual cheat-sheet for you to pin too so that you have it for future reference.
Anyway, that’s it for me today. And come tomorrow, I’ll be on my way out of town with all these essentials in tow!
What about you? What Vacation Essential do you make sure to bring when you travel? Let me know in the comments below!
As always, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post. Your feedback is always appreciated.
xx
Katie
6 Comments
This is a creative and relevant post for this time of year. I personally will not be going on vacation this year *cries* so I will have to look back on this in the future. Nevertheless, some of this can be useful for day trips and beach days so this is still helpful for me! Great work.
Yeah, I know that not everyone is ready to vacation just yet which I totally understand. Hopefully you’ll get to go somewhere soon, though. And yeah, even just a day trip to the beach can be a relaxing getaway! No beaches where I live so that sounds like a dream to me.
This is such a great list and I love how you’ve put it together and made it easy to remember.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!!
such a creative way to remember what to pack! i love it! i also love the ross gif 🙂
i’ll have to keep this ABC’s to packing n mind on my next getaway.
I’m so glad you liked it!!