Pack Light: A Week in Disney With a Carry On
“Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.” These famous words by Yogi Bhajan have been quoted countless times and always cross my mind now and then, especially when packing for a trip. I try and heed his suggestions about traveling light and often find that this is the number one key to having a stress free vacation.
I am headed to Disney World in 3 days and am so excited to share some travel tips with you all! I am a firm believer in packing light and, while all of these tips are useful when traveling, this post was written with a Disney trip in mind. Feel free to tailor these suggestions to meet your vacation needs!
My number one travel philosophy is: Never ever check a bag if you can help it. Now before you argue let me just say I speak from experience. In college, Leah and I went on a 2 month study abroad to Valencia, Spain. It was an amazing experience except for our luggage fiasco on the return trip. Our checked bag was lost and took months until it was eventually found and sent to us. However our souvenirs were damaged and we wasted hours of our lives waiting on the phone and at the airport trying to resolve the issue. It was then that we both swore to travel with a carry on only.
The following summer, we took a month long trip around Europe and didn’t even pack a normal carry on. We fit everything into backpacks and still ended up taking way more than we actually needed. If you pack specifically to your needs, you can save yourself a whole lot of luggage pain.
Toiletries
wide tooth comb
lotion
foundation
blush
mascara
eyeliner
lipstick
eye shadow
foundation brush
blush brush
body wash
texturizing gel
contact case
contact solution
compact mirror
hair dryer
difussor
coconut oil
shampoo
conditioner
deodorant
face cleanser
hairspray
When flying, make sure to double check with TSA regulations before heading to the airport. Also, make sure that your liquids are in 3 oz containers or smaller and can fit in a clear quart size bag. I always keep this bag in my purse/tote so I don’t have to tear through my luggage at security.
One thing that I would suggests, especially when traveling in the summer, is to pack sunblock sticks. You apply them kind of like deodorant, except on your entire body! Neutrogena has several varieties including water resistant. These re great and don’t count as a liquid so bring as many as you’d like!
Many of you also would not need to pack a hairdryer as many hotels provide them. However, my diffusor only fits with this dryer so it’s a must for me!
Clothes
Tennis shoes
walking sandals
socks
underclothing (not shown)
jean jacket
raincoat
bathing suit
earrings
3 pairs of shorts
exercise leggings
flippy skirt
maxi dress
8 tops
Kindle
watch
glasses
Pack neutral bottoms that can easily be interchanged with the tops you bring. Also, darker shorts can be a good idea when you are sitting on public rides. I definitely wouldn’t wear my favorite white shorts for a trip like this! As Disney is hot hot hot, I chose several linen V-neck T-shirts to stay as cool as possible. I also like having a neutral skirt in case I get tired of shorts or want to change for dinner etc.
Although we’re taking a very casual trip, it’s always nice to have a comfortable dress just in case! I like to opt for accessories that can go with all outfit options. Plus, I don’t like the possibility of losing jewelry while on Disney rides. I also don’t want to spend my time thinking about my jewelry when I want to be enjoying Disney!
For shoes, I packed a pair of exercise shoes and a supportive sandal. Franco Sarto has some amazing leather sandals that you can walk in all day! This pair carried me 1 million miles in Europe and still look brand new!
Please comment any questions you may have! Happy traveling and happy summer!
~Sarah
