Packing Tips and Tricks for a Fall Trip

Thanks to Kate of Kate the {Almost} Great for guest posting + sharing these amazing packing tips and tricks for a fall trip! 

With Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran’s Day, the fall is actually a great time to take a long weekend and get away. Some are also lucky enough to travel for a week or more (cough Jenn cough). In my opinion, packing for anything can be difficult. But after years of traveling cross country on a regular basis, I have finally mastered it, so today I’m bringing you the benefits of my years of struggle: a packing checklist.

Traveling to somewhere warm, with a summer-like climate? Check out my post about packing for a summer trip! Trying to figure out how to live from 1 suitcase for 2 weeks? I can help you with that, too!

Packing Tips and Tricks for a Fall Trip

– Pack items that you can mix and match

– Start with basics and then add statement pieces

– Check the weather! This may seem like a no-brainer, but I’ve definitely not done this before and then suffered the consequences after assuming what the typical weather is like.

– Start with a list of things you’re definitely doing. Are you going to go out to a nice restaurant one night? Are you going hiking? Are you going clubbing? Are you going to the gym? Also may seem like a no-brainer, but it makes a huge difference.

For the sake of this post, we’re going to assume that you are traveling for a week or two. I recently packed for 2-4 weeks in Boston in September, so I had to plan for temperatures from 50-90 and for many different settings.

The Order to Pick Clothes

Like I said, start with basics like bottoms, tops, dresses, and shoes in neutral colors like black, navy, and white. Then, add items in bright colors and patterns. Again, the key is picking items that can mix and match. If you’re packing a pair of fun patterned shorts or pants, make sure that you have several tops that would work.

Once you have all clothing items picked (bottoms, dresses, tops), it’s time to move to accessories. Fall brings back some of my all-time favorite accessories – tights and scarves! I would pack out some neutral accessories first (a navy scarf and a pair of black tights, for example), and then grab some fun ones. I love wearing a dark skirt with crimson tights or jeans, a white top, and a fun printed scarf. I’ll say it over and over again: the most important element is mixing and matching.

When I packed for my trip to Boston, I grabbed my favorite pair of printed shorts and made sure that I could create 4 different outfits with them. When it came time to choosing which scarves to bring (I may have a scarf addiction), I was able to assign my favorite printed infinity scarf from Lilly Pulitzer with 9 outfits. This gives you so many options with a fewer number of clothes and therefore a lighter suitcase!

Last but not least are shoes and jewelry. You know the drill by now: neutrals then fun and make sure they can mix and match. I’ll leave the rest to this image that ties it all together. Let me know if you have any questions, and I’d love to hear if this helps you at all!

Kate Mitchell the creator and writer of Kate the {Almost} Great, a lifestyle blog. She believes in strong coffee, good books, and the Boston Red Sox.

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Thanks Kate for fabulous packing tips and tricks for a fall trip! Do you have any great tips for packing for a trip in general? I’d love to hear them!