The 3 Day Packing Method: The ONLY Packing Method You’ll Ever Need
It only took us 10 years of traveling to 40 countries to finally create a packing method that works for anyone and works for anywhere. A packing method that would work whether we're hiking in Iceland, vacationing in Maui, or visiting home for Christmas.
If you're anything like us, you are frustrated with overpacking, probably forgetting something, or just having that feeling of lack, like you can't bring everything that you want on the trip.
Spoiler alert… you can and you are going to love our three day packing method.
Even if you don't believe us now, by the end of this article, you will see how you can pack for any trip by just packing for three specific days.
Watch along as we pack for an trip to Europe using the 3 Day Packing Method.
The Method Behind The Packing
Before we get into the right way to pack, we need to touch base on the ways that you might be currently packing incorrectly.
The 3 ways we see people get packing wrong:
Starting with a suitcase
Grabbing a suitcase that is too large for your needs means you’re going to fill it, no problem.
Starting in the closet
This is how you get overwhelmed by packing because is causes such a feeling of lack. If you feel overwhelmed by packing, maybe it's because you're starting in the closet.
Trying to fulfill a specific “number”
We see this a lot. “Bring three tops and three bottoms” or “five tops and two bottoms”. We don’t think of our wardrobe numerically, so you shouldn’t when packing! This also doesn't account for special occasions or specific days what you’re planning for.
The 3 Day Packing Method
The 3 Day Packing Method works by pulling everything you could possibly need for 3 specific days of your trip.
The Essential Day
The Every Day
The Travel Day
By pulling everything you’ll need from the moment you wake up to the moment you climb into bed for these 3 days, you’ll have everything you need for any length of trip.
No matter where.
The Essential Day
The first day to pull for is The Essential Day. To get yourself thinking about what to pull for this day, ask yourself, “If you could only pack for one day of this trip, what would it be?”
Is there a special event?
Are you going to your best friend's wedding?
Are you sitting in your pajamas on Christmas morning?
This could mean a variety of items are needed. Maybe this means you’re bringing a down coat or alternatively, a couple of bathing suits.
For our example, we’re going to pack for a summer vacation in an ambiguous European country.
THE ESSENTIAL DAY OF YOUR TRIP
Let’s say you’re traveling for your anniversary trip to Paris. The Essential Day you’re packing for is your actual anniversary which includes sightseeing, a picnic at the Eiffel Tower, and a fancy, romantic dinner. You’re going to start pulling everything you need for this entire Essential Day.
A. THE MORNING OF YOUR ESSENTIAL DAY
Start by thinking about what you wake up in.
This could mean pulling your:
Pajamas
Maybe a sleep mask
A robe you bought for the trip
The pulling process isn’t just about clothing. It includes everything.
Serums for your morning skin care routine
Your hair dryer (and converter)
Any medications you take
TIP: If you’re packing too early for your trip to start packing your toiletries, continue to use your toiletries, but after you use them, place them in a specific area on your counter or dresser next to your toiletry set to be sure you’ll pack them when it is time.
B. THE AFTERNOON OF YOUR ESSENTIAL DAY
A day of sightseeing and a picnic lunch calls for comfort. For the afternoon of your Essential Day, you may pull from your closet:
Casual shorts
A light top
A sweater, in case your shoulders need to be covered
Walking shoes
Socks for these specific shoes
Underwear for this outfit
A tote bag for groceries
Your favorite sunglasses
A small cross-body purse
Do you need any accessories for this outfit? Don’t forget your belt, any jewelry, and the specific bag you want to be carrying with you on this day.
C. THE EVENING OF YOUR ESSENTIAL DAY
This night is the whole reason that you considered this day to be your Essential Day. You purchased a specific dress to be worn for this specific dinner reservation in this specific city. So you need to bring it!
Pull everything you need for the Essential Day plans:
The dress
Shoes to go with your dress
Undergarments for this dress
A fancier purse
Earrings we got as a gift from the anniversary before
Have you thought about a sweater? Does your sweater from earlier in the day work with this new outfit?
This is where you would pull the toiletries for this night as well. You may not think you need different toiletries because you already packed your morning routine… think again!
The lipstick we want to wear this night
A special perfume
Hair pins
All of these items that you typically are scrambling to find at the drug store in a different country with 5 Euros in cash.
D. THE NIGHT OF YOUR ESSENTIAL DAY
The Big Day of your trip has come to an end and it’s time to get ready for bed.
Do you put on the same pajamas that you woke up in? If not, add another set.
Do you have a different skin care routine for the evening? Do you have separate medication to take?
During this method, take it day by day. You do not need to think about the rest of the trip at this point.
Just make sure you are perfectly packed for this single day.
2. The Every Day
Just like we are packing for a trip to an ambiguous European country in our example, you are going to now pack the perfect ambiguous day at your location.
What does your Every Day look like?
If you're sitting there daydreaming about your trip, what are you doing on this trip?
Do you and your travel partner love to always grab coffee in the morning?
Are you so excited to swim in this destination?
Is there an epic hike here that you’re going on?
Are you a foodie and you know that you're going to be hitting some of the top restaurants in the city?
To ensure you are packing everything you need for your trip, begin by taking your Every Day from morning to night.
A. THE MORNING OF YOUR EVERY DAY
In the morning at this ambiguous location, we are going to enjoy a long breakfast. There’s nothing like a leisurely morning on vacation.
For this morning, we’re going to start with another pair of pajamas and work our way out of the Airbnb.
A lounge set for breakfast
A pair of slip-on sandals
A darker shade of sunnies incase we can feel last night’s cocktails
One thing about us on vacation, we’re going to be in the water. Spending time poolside requires a few more items to be added to the morning of your Every Day:
A swimsuit
Sunscreen (unless we plan to purchase at our destination)
You might be asking, “That’s it?”
Yep. That’s it.
We noted some other items we may have wanted at the pool like a cover up, sandals, sunglasses, and a tote bag. Turns out, all of these items had already been added in previous steps!
You could use our breakfast outfit as our pool cover up and the tote bag we used for our picnic lunch from our Essential Day was a perfect way to double up it’s usage.
B. THE AFTERNOON OF YOUR EVERY DAY
Alright, after a nice breakfast and a little swim, we'll probably do some more sightseeing in this location.
For a day out and about, we’re thinking:
A pair of favorite jeans
A T-shirt type of top
Another pair of underwear for after swimming
A pair of go-to white sneakers
Will your afternoon of sightseeing inevitably end with tapas and spritzes? We sure hope it does.
A light linen button down to throw over
A pair of loafers to feel a bit more… European
TOILETRIES
This is your Every Day which also means your every day makeup routine. Pack up your makeup, skin care, and hair essentials that you will be using every day of your trip.
C. THE EVENING OF YOUR EVERY DAY
Let's say we go back to the hotel to change from our afternoon out to go to our dinner reservations.
Obviously another set of underwear
A nice top
A quintessential black leather jacket
Staple gold necklace and earrings
And now we have a whole evening outfit pulling from what we’ve already packed.
TIP: By sticking to one familiar color scheme, you’ve just created a capsule wardrobe! This makes mixing and matching parts of outfits so much easier. Think of the fashion possibilities!
This is an ambiguous day.
You’re packing for a day that will more likely than not include things you’ll be doing at your destination.
3. The Travel Day
By now you’ve pulled for the Essential Day, the Every Day, and now it’s time for the…
Travel Day!
No, it doesn’t start with and E, but just go with it.
No matter how you’re planning to get to your destination (airplane, car, train, bus), you’re going to need a travel outfit.
A. THE TRAVEL DAY OUTFIT
The length of your travels will be a factor in what your travel day outfit looks like. A quick roadtrip might mean you’re wearing the same thing in the car that you’ll wear for your Every Day.
Since we are planning for our ambiguous trip to Europe, we have a long travel day ahead of us.
What to wear for long haul flights?
DURING THE FLIGHT
Stick to something comfy but that you still feel confident in! Think a matching lounge set with a hooded jacket and comfortable pants.
Layers are key because you never know if it’s going to be freezing or boiling hot on the plane.
END OF THE FLIGHT
After a long flight, nothing feels better than getting out of your travel clothes! Help relieve this feeling by packing a change of clothes into your personal item.
Even if you don’t change your entire outfit, changing your underwear, socks, and maybe your T-shirt will have you feeling fresh during your first few hours at your destination.
B. THE TRAVEL DAY ESSENTIALS
The Travel Day is about way more than just the outfit, though.
For the Travel Day, you’re going to pack everything that you need from the moment you leave your house to the moment you get to your hotel.
Some of these items include:
Wallet
Passport
Universal plug adapter
Power cord
Headphones
Neck pillow
Snacks
Everything that you need should be pulled at this point. Right now you'll notice that we're you still have not officially “packed”, only pulled everything that you’ll need.
C. HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PERSONAL ITEM
At this step, you can look back at what bags you have already pulled. Will any of these bags work for you Travel Day personal item?
Fo our ambiguous trip to Europe, we have already pulled 3 bags:
Tote bag
Cross-body purse
Fancy clutch
None of the really fit what we need for our personal item.
Instead of reaching aimlessly for another bag to use, remember to fit your personal item to your destination.
If you’re going to a beach destination, choose a bag that can double as your beach bag.
At this point, we might look back at our Essential Day tote bag and realize that a zippered cooler bag would work better for our picnic lunch
Great! We ditched the tote bag and chose our zippered cooler bag. The cooler bag has now turned into our personal item and all of the items we pulled can go right into the cooler.
A great way to keep your personal item organized, especially in a bag without many zippered compartments, is to keep your items in a travel pouch.
4. What If?
Okay, but wait, wait, wait. Don't freak out here. There's a little bit more.
There's one last step in this three day method that you're going to love.
There is a step in everyone's packing process that they don't necessarily know that they're doing it, but everyone does it and nobody has articulated what it is.
The 3 Day Packing method has allowed for this feeling. The feeling of “what if?”
What are some common What If questions?
What if it is raining?
What if my feet hurt?
What if I’m cold?
What if I’m overdressed?
What if I’m underdressed?
What if I get sick?
What if it is buggy?
A. THE “WHAT IF’S” OF PACKING
During this step, you are allowed to go run and grab one “What If” item or outfit that satisfies your what if questions and fits onto each day.
For example, what if it's raining?
Weather happens! Pull an item for each day that will alleviate this feeling.
An umbrella may be more suited for your Essential Day so that you’re not wearing a raincoat on top of your evening dress.
A raincoat may be more suited for your Every Day so that you’re not wrestling to close an umbrella every time you enter a museum.
B. THE WHAT IFS OF THE TRAVEL DAY
Travel day “what ifs” are big because anything can happen with travel.
What if there’s a delay?
What if they require more documentation?
What if I began to stink?
These are all valid feelings! Print off additional forms, and add in a T-shirt change
Completing the 3 Day Packing Method
The 3 Day Packing Method is designed to pack for your three most important days.
To have the feeling of abundance and not lack while still packing minimally by tailoring all of your favorite items to fit your specific trip.
By pulling for just these three days: The Essential Day, The Every Day, and the Travel Day, you end up with so many items.
There will easily be over 50 different ways to pair and style the items that you’ve pulled differently throughout your trip.
This will easily get you through a week and definitely two weeks with just one load of laundry.
Download the free 3-Day Packing Method
Get yourself packed with ease by following the 3-Day Packing Method download.
The moral of the story and the beauty of this method is that if you started listing the number of these items, “Ok, I’m going to just pack 5 shirts, 5 pants, and 2 pairs of shoes for my 5 day trip”, there's no way you would feel as prepared for your upcoming trip.
The Method to Packing Your Suitcase
We're only halfway there.
None of this is in a suitcase yet.
All we've done is pull it and put it on the bed. So you'll need to come back to part two for the right way to pack a suitcase.
Will it be carry-on only?
Stay tuned!
