With summer right around the corner, you’re probably getting excited about taking a vacation, especially if you haven’t been anywhere for the last couple of years due to the global pandemic.
While many of us find packing a bit of a pain, it’s essential to get this component of your trip right if you want your time away from home to be as wonderful as you’ve hoped. Read on for some packing tips plus-sized ladies can follow in 2022 and beyond.
Choose the Right Suitcase
Picking the right suitcase to fill for your trip is always important, but as a curvy lady, this is often even more so. You’ll likely find that most plus-size clothing has more fabric and thus takes up more room than other types of gear. It is weightier, too.
It pays to choose a suitcase that can accommodate all your items okay, and that’s as light-weight as possible so you don’t go over your weight allowance provided by the airline or other transport carrier.
Don’t Rush the Process
Another way to pack effectively is to give yourself plenty of time to get organized. Don’t rush the process, as this is a sure-fire recipe for forgetting things or packing too many items you don’t actually need. Come up with a checklist of items you know you want to take away with you, including toiletries, accessories, tech tools, and documentation, then follow this list when it’s time to put everything in your bags to ensure you don’t miss anything.
Giving yourself plenty of days or weeks to pack will also make it easier to go out and buy new things if you realize you need them as you plan for your time away from home. There’s likely to be at least one or two things you have to replace or replenish for your trip, so it’s crucial to allow enough time for browsing, buying, and, in many cases, shipping, too.
Pick a Smart Yet Comfortable Outfit for Travel
Apart from what you plan to put in your suitcase(s), you’ll also need a stylish yet comfortable travel outfit for the plane, train, bus, or to wear in your car, etc. It pays to select something you’d want to have with you while you’re away anyhow, thus making the most efficient use of your travel wardrobe possible.
When selecting your preferred plus-size clothing for your time in transit, it pays to choose structural items with some weight and bulk to them so they don’t take up unnecessary room in your suitcase. Pick something that will transition okay from day to night if needed and that you won’t feel too slovenly in if you get upgraded or enter an airport lounge or need to go straight from an arrival destination to a meeting or somewhere a bit swanky.
Try to Mix and Match
Another smart packing tip for you to follow is selecting clothing that can mix and match well. Try to take as many items as you can that will work together in multiple combinations. This way, you can create many different looks from the same few pieces and leave more room in your bag to do some shopping while you’re away.
Test Out New Items Before Your Trip
If you need or want to buy some new gear before heading off on your travels, always spend the time needed to “break” items in before leaving. The last thing you want is to be on vacation or going from meeting to meeting, etc., with sore feet from nasty blisters due to new shoes or feeling like you have to suck your stomach in or constantly pull clothes up or down since they aren’t as well-fitting or comfortable as expected.
You need to test underwear out before you leave home, too, especially bras that could annoy you or provide too little support and clothes made from materials that could irritate the skin due to scratchiness or an allergy.
Some other packing tips to keep in mind as a plus-sized female traveler is to choose your accessories with care since they really tie an outfit together (or don’t, if you get it wrong), and use travel-sized toiletries rather than bulky, heavy, standard ones.
Being on the move again is exciting, especially after you’ve likely been at home more in the last few years due to the global pandemic. While packing may not be a part of your trip you look forward to, it is an essential one. Get this right, and your trip will start off on the right foot every time.
