I left Canada.
It happened.
I am sitting here sending this to you from the beautiful island of Aruba.
This trip had been three months in the planning and I finally got to leave and it has been a minute since I packed a whole weeks worth of stuff between a carry-on and a personal item. But, I’m still DAMN good at it, thank you.
This is how I broke down my packing list for this trip:
2 x sandal, 2 x comfy dress, 3 x romper, 2 x leggings, 10 x shirts (comfy and little dressy mix), 5 x shorts, 2 x purse thingy, 4 x bathing suit — I should mention, I’ll be wearing the sneakers on flight, one pair of leggings, a t-shirt and a hoodie.
3 x bra/sports bra, underwear, 2 x socks, toiletries, charger(s), plus my laptop so I can work on the blog sometimes. I’m even surprised I got ALL of this to fit and be able to close my carry-on (the black bag) and my personal item (the green bag).
The other notable items to mention that I always travel with are (links embedded in names):
- 20L Waterproof Dry Bag Backpack – I use this as my carry-on for hot weather and cold weather trips. The material is thick and the bag is waterproof and it is the 20L size. Hasn’t let me down yet, and I really love the durability of it and again, WATERPROOF YES.
- Zomake Ultra Lightweight Packable Backpack – This can be used as your personal item or your day bag when you take day trips. I use it as both (especially when doing fun catamaran or beach things). It has two mesh side pockets and also two zipper-sealed pockets for your other items. This folds up into a tiny little bag as well, so when you have no use for it you can just fold it away.
- Portable Door Lock – Whether you travel alone or in a group, BRING THIS WITH YOU! It can attach to damn near every door and it’s just a nice extra piece of safety (or peace of mind) when you’re in your hotel room or AirBnB. I’ve tested out how strong it is, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Totally brought enough clothes for a hot-weather place. This time I had a SHORT layover getting from Toronto to Washington to Aruba so the chance of checked-in luggage was a chance I was definitely not going to take. I rather just pack small and keep all my items with me and ensure I make my connection. Yes, I am paranoid.
I will note that one big blessing I had on this trip is having access to a washer and dryer on premises. Can’t say I miss hand washing things in the sink like I’ve done on previous trips.
Happy packing everyone!
– Mirna
Great article