Travel Light, Thrift on Arrival

Ever try to play Tetris with your suitcase, shoving in clothes while desperately hoping there's room for those vintage boots you just had to thrift on your trip? Yeah, me too! As a travel addict with a serious thrifting habit, I feel your pain. But fear not! Over the years, I've become a pro at packing light and snagging amazing finds on the go. Get ready to ditch those extra baggage fees and learn my secrets to a light-packing, thrift-scoring adventure.

Less is Always More

When in doubt, bring less. This is honestly my #1 tip and although it may seem obvious, I can’t even count how many times I’ve brought something on my trip that I never used. If you’re having trouble pairing down, just think about how much space that item is taking in place of something better you could buy on your trip.

Get the Right Luggage

I often take only a backpack to carry my own things and an empty carry on suitcase, to save on luggage fees but still have room to buy things on my trip. Having a backpack specifically for travel, that opens up all the way like suitcase, makes it easier to see everything you’ve brought and stay organized. I currently use this one from Rangeland, but there’s tons of options out there. If you can afford the higher price point, Cotopaxi is a more sustainable option made from reused fabric.

Start With the Essentials

I like to start with the absolute necessities first and build from that. These are things like a tooth brush, phone charger, medication, etc. The things you can’t leave home without. Once you have all these items collected, you’ll see how much space you have left to work with.

Build Your Travel Capsule Wardrobe

Typically for a two week trip I’ll bring two bottoms (shorts and/or pants depending on the weather), four tops of varying warmth, one sweater, one jacket/coat, and plenty of underwear & socks. Of course, this may vary depending on the purpose of your trip or the length. Keep the items simple and all in the same color palette, so you can easily interchange them.

Packing Cubes Are Your Best Friend

Packing cubes changed my life and that’s no exaggeration. I recently took a two and a half week trip to Italy and I couldn’t believe how much more fit into my backpack using these compression packing cubes. Not only will it condense the items in your bag, but it also helps you stay organized!

Study the Weather Forecast

Aim for the best, prepare for the worst. Make sure the items you’re bringing are appropriate for the weather and not aspirational. That tank top might be super cute, but you’re gonna regret it when it ends up being 40 degrees and rainy. Keep an eye on your destination’s forecast leading up to your trip and adjust accordingly.

Layers on Layers on Layers

Make sure the items you bring can be layered for different temperatures. Even if the forecast calls for warm days, you might need a sweater for chilly nights. And if you’re flying, the more bulky clothes you can wear onto the plane, the better. You might end up looking like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, but it’ll be worth the space you’re saving!

Schedule Laundry Days

Plan out your trip as much as you can in advance and decide if there’s a halfway point when you can do a load of laundry. If so, you can just keep rewearing the same outfits without having to forego hygiene. Or just be a dirtbag. That works too.

Create a Thrifting Challenge

Sometimes it’s fun to think of a thrifting challenge and structure your trip around that! Maybe you’ll decide to bring just one pair of pants and a shirt, but thrift the rest at your destination, building your wardrobe along the way. Hot tip though: ALWAYS make sure to bring enough underwear and socks - this is a non negotiable.

Hit the Thrift Stores

Time for the best part! Have fun exploring a city through the unique vessel that is the thrift store. It’s always exciting to see how different stores can be based on region. You’ll often find more of certain items (ie: workwear in Portland and tropical wear in Miami). As a bonus, your thrift finds become part of your wardrobe to wear the rest of the trip.

Ship if You Need To

As a last resort, you might want to ship things home that you bought along the way. Sometimes it actually ends up being cheaper to ship a box home than to pay for an extra suitcase, but make sure to check all your options. For shipping, I love using Pirate Ship to get the best rates for larger boxes. Especially for resellers moving bulk stock, this site is the best kept internet secret.

Happy Thrifting! Can't wait to see your scores!