Packing Light for a Winter Trip to New York
Packing light with just a carry-on has made travel a lot easier than I thought it would; not having to worry if my luggage made it after changing planes and not having to wait at the luggage carousel is amazing in and of itself!
Let me start by saying that I am not a minimalist. I aspire to be one, but I am nowhere close! Though, one thing I have improved on this year is packing all of my stuff in a carry-on for our last several trips. You can read my general tips for packing a carry-on in this post.
At first I was unsure of attempting to pack a carry-on for my trip to New York because this was one of the first winter trips I had taken this year. Coats and boots take up a lot more room than shorts and flip flops! Once I began packing I was surprised at how easy it was to just pack a carry-on for even a winter trip. Here are my tips for packing light for a winter trip to New York City!
Make a List
Making a list sounds very simple but you’ll be surprised at how it helps get your mind set on what you truly need for your trip. I usually make a list without any limitations, and then as I start to think about my trip more (with the below tips in mind) I narrow my list down.
Bring One Coat
I had originally wrote on my list that I planned on bringing 3 coats, which immediately made me panic. How am I going to bring 3 coats? They’re going to take up my entire carry-on space!
When I checked the weather to see how cold it was, I knew that my only coat I would most likely wear was my large puffer coat that goes past my knees. Being from California and knowing I was going to experience 20-degree weather made me think less about what is fashionable and I began to think practical…who cares if all of my photos show me in my one coat? At least I will be warm!
I wore my one coat on the plane, which left a lot of room in my suitcase for other items! On the way home I was able to fit my coat in my suitcase more easily than I thought. I recommend a puffer coat because all of the air squishes out of it so it took up less space than I imagined.
Check the Weather
As I mentioned above, checking the weather may dramatically change your list. If it is planning to rain or snow, you may not want to bring those suede shoes. If you are going to do a lot of walking, you may not want to attempt to wear a new pair of shoes.
Bring No More Than Two Pairs of Shoes
Do not be dumb like me. Do not bring only cute shoes.
I had no idea the amount of walking we would be doing on our trip to New York, and I wanted to attempt to look fashionable, so I brought one pair of cute waterproof boots and one pair of booties. I regretted not bringing a pair of my running shoes after we walked 27,000 steps the first day!
Try to make accessories work with multiple outfits you plan to wear on your trip. Instead of bringing that third pair of shoes for one particular outfit, bring two pairs that could work for your entire trip!
Once you choose which pairs of shoes you want to bring, try wearing the larger/bulkier pair on the plane, as the smaller pair takes up less room in your carry on.
Remember, You Can Buy it There!
“Pack half as much as you think, and bring twice as much money”
I saw this quote on Pinterest and I love it! I didn’t think it really applied to me when I traveled to China. It would be more difficult for me to buy things like shampoo or medication as I don’t speak or read Chinese and the brands would be different. But, New York is a different story! In NYC if you forgot your shampoo or need some extra socks, there are stores everywhere!
If you use these tips along with my general tips for packing a carry-on in my other post, you are guaranteed to fit all of your items in your carry-on! If you have any questions or any other tips that have helped you, please share them in the comment section below!
