In the days leading up to an overseas trip, the mental checklist can begin to spiral. What should I pack? Will I regret leaving that favorite scarf behind? How can I take what I need without hauling half my closet through customs? Fort Worth’s Josie Villa-Singleton has mulled those very questions over for decades and answered them in her stylish travel blog, Travelista.com.
After years of trial, error, and international carry-on experiments, her digital guides offer strategies for packing light without sacrificing personal style. We caught up with Villa-Singleton to hear her advice for travelers feeling overwhelmed by the age-old dilemma: what to bring and what to leave behind.
Your journey into smart packing started with a backpacking trip across Europe. What inspired you to ditch traditional travel clothes and build your own packing system?
This started when I was in my late mid to late 20s. Late 1990s. This was before we had kids. [My husband] Russ and I decided to take a six-week backpacking trip to Europe. It sounded cool until my husband went to buy 60-liter backpacks. I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I’m supposed to get all my clothes and other stuff into this?’ At that time, there was not a lot of information online about packing. I did not want to wear camping-type clothes. I thought, ‘OK, I’m going to try and find the clothes that pack down the most.’
I researched regular clothes and spent a couple of months making a list and deciding what I needed: a pair of pants, a skirt, and tops. It was a very streamlined list. I refined the process over time. I started the blog to teach other people about this and how to do it. You have to be smart about what you pick and choose. Everything has to have a function.
What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when packing for an overseas flight?
One of the biggest mistakes people make is packing those ‘just in case’ items. Before you begin putting things together, look at the weather and consider where you are going. If you are going to Thailand, your clothes are going to look way different than Paris. Be honest about your itinerary. If you are just going to be a typical tourist and walking around all day and grabbing a bite at night, you do not need high heels and a dress for going out.
Another thing is not to pack bulky items when thinner items could do. Let’s say you are packing sweaters. Try and choose the thinnest version of that sweater versus your big, thick, knit sweater. The biggest mistake people make is waiting until the last minute to pack. You’ll end up overpacking and having to check a bag. My philosophy [guides people] to only need a carry-on.
What’s the Travelista 12, and how can just 12 items become more than 40 outfits?
The packing method I’ve come up with is called the Travelista 12. If you pack like this, I guarantee you have more than 40 outfits. Here is how it breaks down: four tops, three bottoms, two midlayers (sweaters), two outerwear pieces, and one dress. A lot of what I do with the blog is showing how to mix and match. You need to choose clothing items that are more neutral in color. Also, the simpler, more classic silhouettes are easier to mix and match. Synthetic blends pack well.
For spring travel, you pick your outerwear and shoes first. The weather can change easily, so rely on your layers. If it gets warm during the day, you can take off a sweater and wrap it around you.
Why do you prefer carry-on only, even for longer international trips?
With one carry-on, you are going to save on luggage fees. You don’t have to pay to check your bags. You won’t have to worry about your luggage getting lost. The fewer clothes you have, the less decision fatigue you have. You don’t have to worry about choosing between 30 pieces of clothing. A lot of my advice is steered toward Europe because traveling to Europe is a different kind of travel than domestic traveling. You are going to be riding public transit more. If you have these massive suitcases, it will not work well. A lot of European hotel rooms are small. Your luggage can’t take up a lot of room, and a lot of hotels do not have elevators. I’ve had to carry my luggage up five flights of stairs before, and it was pretty painful. Those are just a few of the benefits of packing light.
What’s your ideal airport outfit, and what final tips do you have?
I’m not a fan of the sweatpants as an airport outfit. I like tech pants or something from Athleta that looks like regular pants. They have that stretchy, comfortable material. Everything has to have a function. You need a carry-on-size suitcase. I always suggest packing cubes for organizing. I like to use a luggage scale to weigh my suitcase to make sure it is under 22 pounds.
Take photos of yourself wearing outfits before you leave. If your hotel doesn’t have a full-length mirror, you can refer to those photos when deciding what to wear out. Finally, don’t chase perfection. Packing is about progress, not perfection. If you are a serious over-packer, the idea of packing only 12 items is going to scare the living daylights out of you. Trust the process and have a checklist before you leave.
For more great tips, follow Villa-Singleton on Instagram at @Josie_Travelista.