Packing for New York

4 Days/1 Backpack

Happy day, dear reader!

Hope you are having a peaceful day… I’m writing on Sunday, when I normally would be having a rest day, because, well, wedding. Between the trip to New York and trying to get the rest of the ducks lined up for our son’s wedding next month, I have a serious case of monkey-mind.

The (Unwanted) Challenge

It’s a daily battle. I am not in the present (Where I should be!), but thinking about the past and the future. So come join me in the past… Not too past, just last week! It’s a good time to share my mini-pack from my trip to the Big Apple. So here was my plan. Fly to Newark. Stay with a friend in New Jersey. Go into the city. Have you heard the expression “If you want to make God laugh, make a plan.”?

The idea was to spend two days walking in NYC visiting an exhibit at the Met, making notes, taking pictures, and soaking up culture and inspiration, and visiting with my friend when she was home from work in the evenings. We planned to play on Saturday, but weren’t sure what that might entail.

I wanted to travel with only a carry-on. Easy peasy! I can pack for a two week trip in a carry-on. Then I looked more closely at my super duper economy ticket. No full-size carry on allowed. (WHAT?!) Only one “personal item”… Maximum Dimensions 9″ X 10″ X 17”. Anything larger would need to be checked at the ticket counter ($25) or if you held out hope and checked it at the gate, it would run you $50. I wasn’t going to pay $25 for a carry on! (I may have used foul language when I read over the ticket restrictions. There were no witnesses.) All right, United. Game on. I was going to pack everything in my “personal item.”

The Logistics

So I did. I chose to wear one outfit, and pack another. Everything was mix and match. Bottoms were in darker shades to hide the dirt better. I don’t fly in white jeans. I’d love to be that woman, but I know me too well! The perks of staying with a friend are less toiletries: I can use her shampoo and hair dryer, and borrow anything else I’ve forgotten. And less clothes to pack: I can do laundry if (when?) I make a mess of my clothes. Toiletries were the bare minimum. Same for make-up and jewelry. I rolled up yoga pants and a tee to double as jammies and loungewear. With just these two outfits (6 pieces), I could make 10 or more “different” looks by switching them up, and changing my accessories. For travel, I wore my clunkiest shoes, my comfy Rose Gold Supergas, and packed the lighter weight and smaller loafers. Jeans were worn because they, too, are the bulkier item. My silk scarf dressed up the jeans and blouse, and I carried/wore my jacket, because I tend to get cold on a plane, and because the mornings were going to be much cooler up north than they are down here.

Sorry, no selfies! I wanted a break, but here’s the basics…

Day 1 (Travel Day): Jeans, Blouse, Jacket, Scarf & Tennies, Rose Gold Earrings, “Personal Item”

Day 2 (Museum Maven): Denim Shirt, Jacket, Grey Trousers, Loafers, Turquoise Colored Necklace, Silver Earrings, Crossbody

Day 3 (More Museum Maven): Grey Trousers, White Tee, Scarf as Belt, Jacket, Tennies, Rose Gold Earrings, Crossbody

Day 4 (Jersey Shore/Fly Home): Jeans, White Tee, Souvenir Scarf and Crossbody. I changed into my blouse for the trip home, and packed the Crossbody into my “Personal Item.”

Why this Worked

There were even more outfits I never tried; I could have created more combinations with just those 6! Were my outfits similar? Definitely! Did I care? Not a bit! Was there variety? Enough for me! I wasn’t there for fashion week. Nor was I trying to impress anybody. I needed to be comfortable for the train and subway, and able to walk miles and miles, and I was. The weather was cool and overcast both city days, and I didn’t get particularly hot or sweaty. I hung my clothes to air each evening, and didn’t make too much of a mess of myself. (Miracles never cease.).

So, I flew up to New Jersey, and stayed with my best friend. We visited each evening when I got back from the city, and she from work. Her sainted husband (who works from home) took me to the train both mornings and picked me up again in the afternoons, which made my forays into the city a breeze! (Did I mention that he made dinner the first three nights, as well? Saint, I tell you!) Along with the museums, window shopping, and delicious food both days, I walked through two exhibits at the FIT Museum, which were an unexpected joy! On Day 4, we drove down to the Jersey Shore and walked up and down the boardwalk soaking up the sun, sights and sounds, and sat down to a wonderful lunch on the beach.

And that’s that! More of a lowdown on the exhibits is in the works, but I am still trying to decide what to include…

How about you? Would two outfits for four days work for you? Or do you need more options? Or colors? What was your last trip? Did you overpack? Or underpack? What are your biggest travel packing challenges? I’d love to know! (And maybe I can help with a post about it!) Let’s start a conversation in the comments below…

Stylishly yours,