When you’re traveling to a festival, it can feel like you need to prepare for every possibility–what if it rains? What if I lose my hoody? What will look best in the photos? Before you know it you’ve stuffed your entire closet into an enormous duffel which you are then stuck waiting for at baggage claim and then hauling around a new city. It’s exhausting and not worth it. Don’t worry, we’ve put together some tips for getting everything you need into one airline approved carry-on.
Check the weather ahead of time
You might be traveling from a warm spot to a colder climate or vice versa, so check the weather at your destination to see what you’ll need. Desert festivals don’t usually require rain gear, but an accurate forecast might say otherwise. Save yourself guesswork by packing for the predicted weather.
Do some sole-searching
Shoes take up a ton of space in luggage, so cut down on how many pairs you have to bring. Sadly this means that your most distinctive shoes that only go with one outfit should be left at home in favor of a (still cute) pair that goes with all your clothing. Wear your biggest shoes when you travel–that way you’ll have more space in your suitcase for actual clothing and smaller shoes like flip flops. Pro-tip–stuff socks or other small items inside packed shoes to help them keep their shape without wasting space.
Plan your outfits and look for versatile layers
Instead of packing “options” decide ahead of time what you want to wear and only bring those items. And let’s be real: at a three day festival, you can’t wear the same thing every day. But there might be parts of your outfits that can be reused. A cool vest or jacket won’t get too sweaty and can be worn on the plane as easily as to a venue a few days in a row.
Budget to buy some things on arrival
Often the source of over-packing is fear–what if I lose my sunglasses? What if someone spills a drink on me and I can’t do laundry? What if there’s a hot tub at the hotel and I want to take a dip? So instead of packing like a boy scout–prepared for all possibilities–prepare yourself mentally to solve problems after you arrive. Unexpected rainstorm? Buy a cheap poncho at a drugstore. Colder than you expected? Dash into the nearest clothing store and buy a sweatshirt. Better yet, get some festival merch–functional and commemorative.
Travel-size isn’t just for toiletries
Definitely start with travel-size toiletries–easier for packing, easier for going through the security line at the airport. But keep in mind that certain clothing types pack better than others. Puffer jackets can be squished down way smaller than wool coats. Black leggings can be a good base for any outfit but take up less space than a pair of jeans. Using packing cubes or even gallon size ziploc bags for all your different categories–tops, bottoms, electronics, etc.–keeps your suitcase compressed and organized. No huffing and puffing as you attempt to zip it shut.
