With such limited space for this trip, we were faced with the daunting task of narrowing our wardrobes down into the elite pieces we wanted to bring. Luckily, we were heading into Summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so clothing is tiny! Though it still baffles me how quickly itsy-bitsy bikinis can add up. 

The true secret is packing cubes. My coworkers were adamant about how useful a set can be when you are trying to pack light. For me, it wasn’t so much packing light, but more keeping organized. In the end, the rumors were true! The cubes were awesome and the size of each cube offered a helpful suggestion of how much of each category I should bring. 

Starting with bottoms: two jeans both light wash; two jean shorts,one black, and of course my perfect pair. Then four soft shorts. Lots of tank tops, some for going out, some for casual. But this trip, unlike when we went to Hawaii and I was always wearing the most colorful thing I could find, I am leaning toward basics. 

My favorite thing to wear and pack during summer is a sundress. I brought five. But since it’s one and one, I consider that space saving. Other notable mentions: a large linen shirt from my grandma which serves as the perfect beach cover up, one white light-weight sweater, and a kantha beach blanket. Three types of shoes: running shoes, cute sneakers, and flip flops. Overall, I feel I covered all the bases. I did my best, but in no way was this a light pack. In fact, it was a heavy pack. 

Here are some tips from Erin’s bag: 

I chose a Marie Kondo style of packing for this trip. I went through my entire wardrobe and said “does this spark joy? Does this say Australia?” All of my yeses went into the first draft pack. From there, I cut options I thought were unnecessary. The method had a varying level of success. 

For example, how many white shirts does one person need for a vacation? I haven’t had my color analysis done, but even I know white isn’t my best color. Yet, is it not the perfect simple outfit to wear a white tee, tank, or blouse with a pair of denim shorts? After narrowing it down, I ended up with six items that COULD be considered a white shirt. Recommendation: do what feels right. 

I used an Alohas bag that I got for free at a breathwork-in-the-park event as my “packing cube” for my bikinis. Double utility. I used the same method for choosing swimwear, but I think the 12 options will serve me well on this beach-focused adventure…

Toiletries were my hardest pack. Skincare is an absolute must for looking and feeling good on vacation. But even if tiny bottles pass through TSA, they weigh A LOT. I chose to put those in my carryon backpack to save weight in my larger suitcase. Bad for the spine, good for the max pack. 

Non-clothing essentials: 

The most Frugal Wench thing to do is pack 50 pounds and say a Hail Mary.