The 5 Minute Packing Tip

The quickest packing tip, ever. I packed for my trip to Jamaica in 5 minutes flat!

I have a confession to make. I’ve known about my trip to Jamaica for a long time, and while I always pack the day of a trip (usually a few hours before), the day I left did not go as planned. It was one of those days that you hit every single red light, and things fall apart or arrive late, or you stab yourself in the face with a needle while hemming something (yeah I don’t know how that happened either). You know, those days?

Well now that I’m finally in Jamaica I can relax, but 15 minutes before my ride to the airport arrived, I still had not started packing. I just didn’t have the time to start yet and the whole day was very stressful and I was down to the wire. I did the quickest thing I knew how when it comes to packing, and packed almost all one color. I brought with me 2 long black dresses, 2 short black dresses, black leggings, a sweater, 2 camisoles (one black, one gray), 3 swim coverups, a pair of denim shorts, 2 black swimsuits, 1 gray swimsuit, a couple of sun hats, a black hat, black sandals, and black athletic shoes. That’s it.

It took me about 5 minutes flat to throw it all into a packing cube before getting the rest of my supplies together (which coincidentally takes longer than the clothes). So if you’re in a packing rush like this, try to stick to one color! I counted the number of days I needed and made sure I had the same number of outfits. Luckily going somewhere tropical is a little easier than a colder climate, so I had that on my side. I think this just goes to show that having a mostly black wardrobe paid off for me, ha!

Do you have any quick packing tips to share? I’d love to hear!

Photos by Kate Skogen for Hej Doll.

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Responses to “The 5 Minute Packing Tip”

  1. I can pack a week’s worth of stuff in my Louis Vuitton Keepall. I keep my wardrobe pretty small, which means packing is a breeze. I find the less I have, the less I obsess over what to wear or what to pack. Instead of buying tons of clothes, I own a few classics and invest in antique jewellery and designer bags. It really works for me. Have fun in Jamaica!

    1. Great job! I keep mine pretty small too, it just happens to consist of a lot of black, haha. I find my bigger problem now is not clothes taking up space, but laptops, chargers, cameras, etc.

  2. That’s a good tip! I’m returning from a trip in the middle of the night and leaving for another one the next morning soon. I’ll have to try this!

  3. Wow. It takes me forever to pack. I am amazed that you did it in five minutes…and I generally wear the same colors when I go to a conference or event! I’m impressed.

  4. Myteenguide

    Thank you for the tip 🙂 It makes me to be a better person and to be an early bird 🙂

  5. I think my biggest packing tip is to make a To Pack list. I always find it helpful. I segment mine by clothes, carry on bag, and toiletries. It helps me ensure I plan out what I need and don’t forget anything like my chargers or toothbrush. Another tip is to keep travel items in your toiletry bag that way you don’t have to worry about packing it every time. Samples are great for this.

  6. Kelly Reci

    Amazing idea, this will help me to avoid being late at many times 🙂

  7. Elizabeth O.

    I pack in advance just to make sure that I don’t leave anything. With twins to take care of, you tend to forget things that should have been in the bag. It’s awesome to be able to put things together at a much faster pace though.

  8. Melissa Bernardo

    What a great tip! I pack for four so it takes me like 2 hours to pack!

  9. I always have a small toiletries bag packed and in my suitcase with samples I get from Sephora all year. I keep a mini travel blow dryer in there, meds, and emergency supplies (tampons, sewing kit, etc). I have a section of my closet that I call the “Tried and True” section-basically I know all the pieces fit and look great together. Grab 5 things. I also keep my underwear drawer organized by type and color, always grab a black and nude and a handful of others. In my suitcase I also keep a pair of black jeggings and black tights…had the conveyor belt in security rip through the front of the 1 pair of jeans I was wearing for the whole week long trip once…being 5’11” never again. Always bring an extra pair of black pants.

    1. Sounds like an excellent (and quick) plan!

  10. Packing is not my favorite thing. The only thing worse is unpacking and doing all that laundry. I try to pick pieces that can be used more than one time.

  11. this is awesome! great tip!

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