jam packed

Y’all, anything is possible if you just cram. But really, if I, Julia O’Hearn can survive in a carry on for two weeks abroad in Europe, then I guarantee you can do it too! I decided to share my tips and tricks on how I managed a carry on for 2 weeks abroad to get you ready for your next big trip this summer! Read below to uncover the secrets of packing light for an over-packer…

Tops:

nine shirts: 2 tanks, 6 t-shirts & 1 button up. I highly suggest packing at least one button up(super versatile). I only packed two tanks because it was still pretty cool but you can add more tanks instead of shirts to survive in the heat of summer. It’s all about the color scheme. Clearly if you are packing in a carry on for this long, you will have to repeat items(Lizzie Mcguire outfit repeater whoops). Therefore, you have to only bring clothes that are interchangeable with one another. For my Europe trip, I decided to bring a lot of whites, blues and blacks that make up a perfect capsule wardrobe.

Dresses:

2 dresses & 1 jumpsuit. It’s hard to narrow down your dresses because you have so many you love but trust me, only bring 2 or 3 dresses and add a sweater or button up over them the second time around to change it up. Only bringing these three pieces saved me A LOT of room.

OMG SHOES:

4 shoes, that’s it. This was the hardest part for me because #shoeperson but this is where you will waste too much space if you don’t choose wisely. Sandals are great because they don’t take up too much space but with all the walking you’ll be doing, I would bring back up. I also brought a pair of flats for my dressier looks and these chestnut mules basically went with everything I brought. I brought two pairs of athletic shoes: necessities. I brought these slip on converse that were much more comfy than my sandals/flats but were still fashionable. Lastly, I had to bring my gold Nikes. I wore these on the airplane to save space but I wore these a lot more than I expected to during my trip because comfy.

Outerwear:

1 jacket, 1 rain jacket, 1 sweater & 1 sweatshirt. Don’t forget a rain jacket, it saved me.

Travel Bags: 

1 small makeup bag & 1 small night time bag. You cannot bring your normal size make up bag on a trip like this. Basically everything has to be mini in order to fit. I snagged these two bags from TjMaxx right before my trip for under $20.

Pants:

1 jean, 1 black jean & 1 dressy pant. Because we had washer/dryers at several Airbnb’s we stayed at, we were able to only bring a few pairs of pants. I suggest a light pair of jeans and a dark pair(I chose black) and one dressier pant.

Bags:

1 cross-body purse & 1 clutch. I recommend a neutral cross-body purse for traveling because it is more secure and you don’t have to hold it. I also brought a clutch for dressier dinners.

Well, that’s the secret to packing in a carry-on for two weeks abroad, you are ready to GO! Happy traveling & Happy Monday!

XOXO, LPOC