HOW TO: PACK FOR THE HOLIDAYS LIKE A PRO

Welcome to the longest post I have written. But bear with me! It's full of great tips. Today we're going to tackle how to pack for the Holidays. I have (luckily!) done quite a bit of traveling in my day, and subsequently have gone from an uninformed overpacker to a travel pro.

First off, lugging around a huge suitcase just sucks. Taking it on public transportation sucks. Getting it in and out of cars sucks. Taking it up and down stairs sucks. Pulling it off the luggage carousel sucks. Dragging it over curbs sucks. Pulling it through crowds sucks. So don't bring one. Learn to pack lightly and carry a small bag, or something like that.

One key is to wear your heavy items on the plane. Seriously, if it's winter you will find me carrying my peacoat and wearing boots on the plane. It saves you SO MUCH space in your suitcase. Besides that, wear your ever day jewelry thats easy to slip off for security. Never forget your sunnies and a big tote that fits your laptop and magazines. I also like to wear jeggings since they are more comfortable than jeans.

Peacoat, Mango $190 - Sweater, H&M $40 - Jeggings, American Eagle $34

Boots, Franco Sarto $159 - Tote, Zara $36 - Aviators, Zero UV $10 - Glasses, Zero UV $3 - Scarf, Topshop $36

Triangle Necklace, Club Manhattan $27 - Initial Necklace, Kate Spade Saturday $30

Stackable Rings, Robert Lee Morris $48 - Nail Ring, Les Pommettes $20 

Like I said, I used to overpack like crazy. I obviously always wanted perfect outfits, and I wanted lots of options so I could dress for my mood. Rookie mistake. Instead, pack versatile pieces that you can mix and match.

My essentials list:

 Tops
-A leather Jacket
-Utility Jacket
-One Dressy Top
-One Patterned Top (obviously plaid for winter!)
-One Nice Dress

Bottoms
-Boyfriend Jeans
-White, Cream, or Black Skater Skirt

Accessories
-One Statement Necklace
-One Pair of Tights
-One Clutch

-Three Bangles

Shoes
-One Pair of Heels
-One Pair of Flats
-One Pair of Ankle Boots (optional)

Leather Jacket, Forever21 $25 - Utility Jacket, Maurices $49 -Boyfriend Jeans, H&M $49

Skater Skirt, River Island $20 -Dress, Fashion Union $41 - Flannel, TideShe $32 - Tank, Miss Selfridge $21

Heels, Daily Look $35 - Ankle Boots, Madden Girl $50 - Flats, ASOS $36 - Tights, Zara $17

Clutch, Forever New $40 - Necklace, 2B Stores $14

Orange Bangle, Kate Spade $32 - Gold Bangle, Bauble Bar $32 - Skull Bracelet, Karma Loop $20

Being in California my list is obviously a bit different than much colder climates, but you can adapt it as you see fit. Pretty much all these pieces can be dressed up or dressed down, which is really important because I never really know what I will be doing at home. The nice dress is also optional, but I have a nice Thanksgiving dinner and an engagement party this break so it was a necessary piece for me.

A few ways to mix and match these...

Day Looks

Night Looks

Are you traveling this Holiday season? Share your packing tips in the comments!