HOW I PACK

I travel a lot. Whether it’s visiting stores across the country, attending trade shows in New York, Dallas, Atlanta, and Las Vegas, or working on product design in Italy, I’m on the go at least a few times a month, and I’ve gotten packing down to a science. Here’s my process:

First, I review my itinerary. I think through the various events on my travels, and I lay out groups of clothes to form outfits. I truly love clothes and enjoy outfit planning, but I’m also very practical, and so after I lay out everything I might want to bring, I cut my selection in half. I only pack items that are very versatile and can be mixed and matched with other things I’m packing. I tend to pick a color palette and pack only clothes in those colors to make this easier. If I’m headed to Italy, I generally bring three pairs of slacks and a handful of tops in black, navy blue, and white. I pack a few bright patterned scarves to bring some visual interest to my outfits, and I bring a black cashmere sweater no matter the season. 

I used to fold my clothes and pack them in plastic bags, but I’ve been converted to the clothes rolling philosophy. I still start by folding my clothes, but I then roll them up into little logs and stack them like bricks on one side of my suitcase. I find that clothes wrinkle less this way, and I can more easily see what is in my bag. I double-bag liquid toiletries and put them along with my chargers (also in bags) on the other side of the suitcase with my shoes. I tend to have a uniform for flights. I like to wear black pants, a white blouse that doesn’t wrinkle, and a comfortable poncho-type sweater to stay warm in the air. 

When I arrive at my destination, I like to get settled, and so I immediately unpack and hang everything. It’s then that I often discover a few notes that my sweet husband, Bill, has hid in my suitcase. Those little bits of thoughtfulness mean so much, especially when I’m far away from home and missing him. I like to travel with the perfume I always wear too, as the smell of my Fragonard fragrance makes me feel comfortable no matter where I am.