Pack in a Snap for Your Summer Sojourn!

If there’s one thing I love more than fashion, it’s travel.

You can tell by the way I save up for my trips. No, I don’t limit my cellphone usage or cap the number of times I visit Coffee Bean (because coffee is a basic human necessity). But for a few months—which honestly feel like a few years—I’ll put the kibosh on shopping.

I’ll shun all the swanky stores and even my affordable sukis, lest I give into the temptation of an impulse buy. I’ll avoid shoe displays altogether—well, I look but don’t touch. Sometimes, the most difficult things to abstain from are the accessories, because in my head I’m saying, “They don’t count, right?” I’ll find myself drawing closer and closer to those beckoning baubles, like some sort of a predator. And then I’ll think of my budget and snap out of it.

Really, I won’t spend a dime on clothes unless I have gift certificates for them. When I cash my paychecks, I just pay my bills, take a little pocket money, and leave the rest in the bank for safekeeping. Shopping allowance? What’s that?

That’s how much I love to travel.

Of course, once I’ve saved enough for the budget, those frugal floodgates whip open. Blink and you’ll find me at my favorite boutique, checking if that dress I drooled over last month is still up for grabs. (Oh, look, a cute pair of sandals to bring on my trip...)

In any case, all that holding back pays off when it’s finally time to go on vacation. I’m one of those people who relish the preparation for a trip as much as the trip itself; it just gives me a sense of satisfaction once every detail has been settled, and everything I need is in perfect order. It will probably come as no surprise that I love to pack--yes, some of you may already know from reading my column, but I’m a packing expert!

After years of prepping for local trips and overseas vacations, I’ve worked myself into a sort of packing groove. I know when I should over-pack, when I can get away with under-packing, and how much space to leave for things I buy abroad without exceeding the tricky weight limit. I can also intuit what to bring to certain destinations; it’s automatic now, like ticking off a checklist.

All saved up and itching to pack your bags? Take a peek at my checklists for four summer getaways—you might just need them where you’re headed. Each “quick list” contains just five items, but remember, that’s not the limit. The idea is to use the checklist as your foundation and build the rest of your travel wardrobe around it.

Ready, jet set, go!

(All flashbox photos from sxc.hu: beach, city skyline, mountain range, meadow. All fashion sets created by Stephanie Castillo via Polyvore.)