A Simple Guide To Planning A Travel Wardrobe Without Overpacking

Planning a travel wardrobe is pretty simple. But the idea of traveling, packing, and bringing everything you need can make it feel more complicated than it is. On top of that, there are endless tips and hacks on the internet that many of us try to follow while packing. Which in my opinion, can lead to overpacking.

On this blog, one of my main missions is making travel simple, practical, and fun. This is why I wanted to put together this very simple guide to planning a travel wardrobe without overpacking. In this guide, you’ll learn my personal strategy to planning a travel wardrobe without the need to bring my entire closet.

Determine how many outfits you’ll need.

The first thing you need to do is determine how many outfits you’ll need. Take all circumstances into consideration such as weather and actives. There could be days you’ll need more than one outfit depending on what you have planned.

It’s very common for travelers to have a very active day planned and want to go out for a nice dinner later in the evening. This is why you need to know exactly how many outfits to pack. This tip will come in handy when we get to the next point.

I usually plan one outfit per day. This works well for me because I’m am a very active traveler with very long days at my destination. It’s not my style to do very fancy dinners or nights out when I’m at a destination; unless of course I’m going to a resort or doing an all inclusive beach vacation.

So think about your travel style and be realistic and practical about planning what to wear. Don’t plan outfits just for the sake of it or because you think something is cute.

Mix and match to create different looks.

If you want to get the most out of your wardrobe, choose options that match well together. This will give you the option to mix and match items you pack. If you know how many outfits you’ll need, you can better plan your wardrobe while mixing and matching pieces.

The best items to use while mixing and matching are jeans, pants, dresses, and sweaters. These items can easily be worn more than once on your trip and can be combined with other clothing items to make new looks.

Plan a wardrobe theme when mixing and matching.

When I plan a travel wardrobe, I love to create a wardrobe theme. The theme consists of a color scheme and overall general look.

For example, when I went to London, my wardrobe theme was pink, blue, and denim. My overall look was jeans with button downs. Since it was cold, I knew I’d be wearing my coat most of the time so I tried to wear clothing that would feel comfortable underneath.

Creating this theme made it much easier to pack and get dressed while I was in London. This idea will be perfect for you if you are like me. You want to look chic and put together, but you don’t want to spend a lot of time getting ready to go out.

Mixing and matching in hotter climates.

Mixing and matching your wardrobe can be an issue in hotter climates or if you will be on a very active trip. Being comfortable is the number one priority and should be considered when planning your travel wardrobe.

Things to consider in hot climates:

Are you able to wash while you are on your trip?
Remember, fabrics like denim can often be worn several times before washing.
Will you be outside in the heat most of the day?

When taking these questions into consideration, you may need to strategize to mix and match your wardrobe depending on your circumstances.

Keep the amount of shoes you pack to a minimum.

You may not want to hear this but you don’t need a different pair of shoes for every outfit. Shoes unnecessarily take up a ton of space in your luggage. And to be honest, you probably won’t need more than 2 pair if you plan your wardrobe effectively.

Here is how I like to approach packing shoes:

Always pack a practical pair of shoes. This is a comfortable shoe, most likely a pair of sneakers, loafers, or a boot that will generally go with everything you pack. This will also be the pair you wear most of your trip and on travel days.
A special occasion pair of shoes for special dinners and nights out. This will be a pair of heels or sandals. If you have more than one of these nights, be sure to plan your outfits so you’ll only need to pack one pair of special occasion shoes.
If you plan to workout, a third pair would be your workout shoes.
Bouns, a pair of slippers or flip flops to walk around the hotel. As a germaphobe, I can’t walk barefoot on the floor of a hotel. It’s just a NO for me!

When I travel, I typically bring 2 pairs of shoes excluding the flip flops I bring to walk around the hotel room in. I have a pair of white sneakers and my workout shoes. And if I know I will not be working out, I leave those at home for a grand total of one pair, which is the pair I travel in.

“Travel Essentials” is a trap to get you to buy things you don’t need.

As a frequent traveler, I do have travel essentials. These items are important to making my travels easier and more enjoyable.

BUT.. I really don’t have that many travel essentials.

Travel essentials are items that are meant to be used over and over again. Which is what makes them an essential. If you are buying an item to use once that means it’s not an essential. You should also pay attention to how often you reach for an item when you travel. If you see a trend of always buying new items when you plan a trip, you are probably falling for the travel essential trap.

I have come across so many articles and videos about travel essentials. And in my opinion, 99 percent of the things on most of these lists are not actually essentials. They are just curated lists with Amazon links. Most of the things on these lists are not items that a person would wear or use time and time again.

I talk a lot about my white “Cole Haan Crosscourt Daily Sneaker“. I wear them every time I travel. I’ve even though about buying a second pair because I also wear them in my everyday life. They are comfortable, broken in, and are easy to clean. Which is why they have become an essential for me while traveling. I literally use them over and over again.

Now, I’m not telling you not to buy things you need. But I am telling you to be careful of items labeled as a travel essential. Really think about the type of traveler you are and would the item be beneficial to you.

Do not add last minute or just in case options.

The goal with planning your travel wardrobe it to pack everything you need. This should lower the urge to add last minute items you think you may need. If you plan effectively, everything you think you needed should have been included in your wardrobe plan.

I have to admit, I’m pretty bias about this point because I am more of a minimalistic traveler. So the less the better in my book.

For the most part, I know I can always wash, get something dry cleaned, or just buy the item I need while I’m at my destination. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than packing a bunch of stuff you won’t use.