Pack Light, Tight, and Right

June 23, 2023

The Dressucation Dr. in Greece 

Pack Light, Tight, and Right! 

Hey Ladies! 

It’s been a really long time since you have heard from me, but I’m back, on track, 

and here to provide information to help you PACK!


Let’s talk about how to Pack Light, Tight, and Right! This blog post is a compilation 

of my packing tips and those from my fabulous travel companions that I met on 

my trip to Greece last month. Hopefully these gems will help you to be sane, calm, 

comfortable, and stylish on your future travel adventures! I have to admit that 

even though I am aware of many packing hacks, I still remain guilty of traveling 

too heavily. I am hoping that I can cut down on the weight as a result of the tips I 

have received from the women in my Greece Tour Family! 


Let’s get started. First, I like to keep a running Trip Countdown To-Do List. My list 

covers everything from arranging for airport transportation to reminders to check 

the weather forecast of my destination, and all that I need to pack.  I find this to 

be extremely helpful. Some of you may think this is crazy, but I start packing for a 

trip at least three weeks before departing.  Doing this keeps me from forgetting 

anything as I am continuously adding things to my suitcase when I think of them. 

 

Speaking of luggage,  fortunately, lightweight luggage is available, and seems to 

get lighter every few years.   


Best Lightweight Luggage 

Click Here

If I am pressed for space which is usually the case,  I won’t pack a pair of shoes 

unless they go with two or more outfits, especially if they are heavy shoes.  Next, I 

don’t pack them in pairs. Instead, I fit them wherever I can in my suitcase. 


Bag in a Bag- I needed a lightweight tote bag to use as my personal carry-on item, 

and found a nice one at TJ Max. It easily fit under the seat, but what I really liked 

about it was the inner bag that can remain snapped in or used separately. Very 

practical! 

Rolling vs. Folding- When you roll your clothes, less space is used in your suitcase 

than folding them.  If possible, pack as many ready-to wear clothing items as 

possible to avoid ironing! 


Utilize those corners- These are great places to pack your small items. 

Once you get to your destination (if staying at the same location, and ironing is 

necessary, do them all at the same time, if possible. If you can find out ahead of 

time if an iron is available at your hotel(s) but if not, consider taking a lightweight 
portable steamer. 


Dresses, tops, and swimsuits with built-in bras- can be filled with socks or rolled 

up underwear to keep their shape. Do this for your bras too! 


Hats-are a must on many trips- Here’s a great hat-packing tip I found in a hat I 

purchased from Kohl’s: Take your hat with you wherever you go. Place it upside 

down in your suitcase, stuff the crown and support the brim. 


Creams, gels, lotions, and potions- Rather than packing the entire tube or 

container, use stackable cosmetic containers. I love them!  You can find these in 

drugstores, dollar stores, Ali Express, and Amazon. 

Hanging Toiletry Travel Bags- keep all your cosmetics and toiletries organized. 

Tips from my Greece Tour Family 


Lisa, Florette, and Evon are fans of Packing Squares/ Pods to keep everything 

organized. 

Florette and Rikki recommend putting dryer sheets in-between some of your 

clothes to keep them smelling fresh and using Bounce 3 in 1 Release Spray for 

removing wrinkles. 

-Rikki says, “Packing cubes are a lifesaver” and  “Clothing you can layer is a must”. 

This was definitely the case on our trip as temperatures fluctuated throughout the 

day! 

-Terri uses lingerie washing bags in both checked and carry-on bags to keep small 

  things together in groups.     

 

I am in awe of Marisa who traveled with ONLY a carry-on piece of luggage and her 

handbag!  She said she had everything she needed. Here’s how she did it: 

-“I did check the weather a couple of days ahead so I was able to visualize what   

      I’d wear and I tried everything on to make sure I was happy with the tops & 

     bottoms.” 

-Packed four pairs of pants with cotton tank tops that she would wear 
under her tops to keep warm or use as layers under shirts.  She used the same   

pants for evening but paired them with a nicer top. 

-Packed one bathing suit, two pairs of linen shorts, two pairs of shoes,  a purse 

which is designed for travel, a jean jacket and light nylon jacket that fit into the 

side slot of her suitcase, and one cotton sweater that went with all pants. 

-Rolled up one lightweight dress but never wore it, underwear and lightweight 

bed clothes.   

-Brought a pillow case to store soiled clothes 

-Marisa explained, “I took very little makeup. I'm OK with it. Plus, I take the 

attitude of observing when on vacation so I don't think of being stylish, only 

comfortable.” 

-She added, “My Keen sandals were great and looked OK with everything.” 

 

Additional Packing Tips  

Evon recommends ALWAYS keeping your essentials in the same place (passport, 

chargers, headphones. etc.) I think this is valuable advice and pure common 

sense, but sometimes we just don’t do it! 

She also likes to use IKEA ISTAD Bags for shoes.  They are sold at IKEA and on 

Amazon. 

Evon acknowledges that unfortunately, bad things can happen to our luggage, and 

suggests always keeping an outfit, including underwear, in your travel bag just in 

case your luggage is delayed. She recommends writing your name on a piece of 

paper and taping it on the inside of your bag. That way, if all the tags come off 

your luggage or the handle is damaged, they can clearly see that the bag belongs

to you. 

If you order from Amazon on a regular basis, save the plastic bags, especially the 

ones with the zip lock. They come in very handy for your shoes and other items. I 

do this all the time! 


For your comfort - If you are like me, your feet and ankles swell on long flights. 

Compression socks are a must, but even so, if you are prone to swollen feet, it still 

may happen to some degree. 

Evon uses a neck pillow and  foot sling. 


Other helpful tips- To ensure that your phone’s battery does not die while you are 

taking your amazing keepsake photos, invest in a portable phone charger. I 

purchased one from Amazon and it’s great! 

Last but certainly not least, you might want to purchase a luggage scale to use at 

home, so that there are no surprise additional baggage fees at the airport. You can 

purchase one for $10-$15. 

I hope this blog post has been helpful! Please leave your comments and additional 

tips in the comment section below! 

 

Happy Travels! 

 

 COMING SOON 

What Lies Beneath – Part 3 

What Lies Beneath - Part 2

March 22, 2022
THE DRESSUCATION DR. HELLO LADIES! Spring is Here! Let's talk about WHAT LIES BENEATH ... PART 2

CREATING A COMPLIMENT-WORTHY WARDROBE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND BEYOND

December 17, 2021
The Dressucation Dr.

MASK UP WITH STYLE – PART 3

August 30, 2021
I was hoping there would be no need to do another blog post about masking but unfortunately, I WAS WRONG! Summer is quickly coming to an end and I don’t know about you, but there are a whole bunch of things I envisioned myself doing that clearly aren’t going to happen until this Covid 19 situation greatly improves. I really believed there would be more circumstances that masks would not be a necessity.
Dr. Janet L. Kiley

A LOOK AT POST- PANDEMIC EMPLOYMENT

July 9, 2021
Things have changed significantly in the world of work since the onset of the Covid 19 Pandemic, giving the advantage to those who are currently working or seeking employment.

Let’s talk about Getting out of the Pandemic “Comfort Zone.”

June 17, 2021
I hope you are safely reacclimating to life now that the pandemic is seemingly under control in the U.S. My plan is to safely have as much fun as possible this summer and I plan to do it “stylefully”!

IT’S TIME TO GET READY FOR POST-PANDEMIC LIFE AND STYLE!

February 12, 2021
We aren’t quite there yet but reports indicate that if we continue to mask up, wash our hands frequently, social distance, and people are largely vaccinated we can get back to normal life sooner than later.

Mask Up With Style - Part 2

September 30, 2020
Ladies, it looks like we are going to be wearing masks for quite some time; even after a safe vaccine becomes available. Let’s make the best of it! After several months of living with COVID 19, finding masks in various colors and styles is not difficult. If having a mask to match most of your outfits is your thing like it is mine, go for it! Just be sure to wear masks with at least two layers of fabric.

Mask Up With Style

July 29, 2020
Hello Ladies!   I know it has been a while since you’ve heard from me but I was definitely experiencing the “Pandemic Blues”. All the time in the world to write but totally unmotivated and felt like the rug had been pulled from under me! Can you relate??   Who would have ever thought we would be wearing masks for anything other than a costume or masquerade party? Well, any occasion good or bad can warrant a fashion statement and while I am no expert on masks, I have learned a few things since the pandemic began.    The first mask I wore was the type similar to an N95. The elastic goes around the head and it has a metal bar across the top. I felt like I was going to a construction job. I happened to have a few in my house that my mother had given me many months ago when I was cleaning out my basement. Although I was happy to have them and they served the intended purpose, they were uncomfortable and completely “uncute”! They also left marks on my face that took a while to go away. Another way to look at it might be that they fit very close to the face which is probably a good thing.  Recently I have seen many beautiful masks made of various fabrics and prints: African print, lace overlay, cotton, smiley face, the American flag, and you can even have the bottom half of your own face printed on a mask! (I did as you can see above.) Some masks are made with removable filters (possibly an added benefit) and others with valves which are not recommended by experts. Do a Google search and see for yourself. Folks have gotten very creative!  Fashion is important but safety is even more important so be sure to only wear masks that are constructed with multiple layers of fabric. Experts recommend at least two layers. 

HELLO LADIES!   Let’s talk about  WHAT LIES BENEATH… Part 1

March 9, 2020
Have you ever seen a woman wearing a stunning outfit with the WRONG UNDERWEAR? It’s a “look killer”, is it not?

Hello Ladies! I AM A "MEMORABILIA SPECIALIST"

February 21, 2020
I save clothing, shoes, vinyl records, early cell phones, “stuff” from grade school, and did I say clothing? I prefer to use the term self-proclaimed (although others would surely agree), Memorabilia Specialist rather than Hoarder. Hoarder just sounds BAD. Memorabilia Specialist has a nice connotation just sounds so much better! It’s been a while since our New Year’s resolutions were made and now we have all noticed that the days are getting longer, daffodils and other flowers are starting to peak through the soil, and the groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter when he did his thing on February 2nd. Spring is on its way which means it’s time to start working out more (I’m heading to the gym today after an embarrassingly long hiatus) so that we can fit into last year’s spring and summer gear or buy new outfits. If the latter is the case, you might need to make room in your closet! A recent review of my secondary closet revealed a boat load of clothing that I had forgotten about! There are all kinds of pants and jeans ranging from slim cut to boot cut to all out bell bottoms along with a ton of leggings, jeggings, and gym wear. I couldn’t believe how many similar items I purchased over the years! That’s the way it is. When we like a particular style or color, we tend to buy what at a glance seems to be the same item over and over. The truth is, I could wear black pants every day for two weeks and to a non-discerning eye, it would look like I’m wearing the same pair. Let’s move on!