I Don't Golf Though...

For those of you who follow the PGA, you probably know that the PGA Championship is this week, and it just so happens to be in Louisville this year.  My work office just so happens to be very close to the golf course, and the company I work for just so happens to own a lot of the surrounding undeveloped land.  Open land + a major sporting event = parking galore.  So, we were given the opportunity to go check it out for the day.  It was pretty neat to see and be able to say that I've been.  I don't golf though...

xoxo,

Amanda

According to Amanda: Tips and Tricks for Traveling with Just a Carry-on

So you've decided to take the plunge and go carry-on only.  Your first thought is probably "how the hell am I going to cram everything I need into a 45 linear inch bag?"  Before panic mode ensues, take a deep breath and think of the $50 bucks you're probably saving (not to mention the time waiting around to check the bag and pick it up from baggage claim).  Now think of what else you could buy with that $50...makeup, a new handbag, food, drinks...you get the idea.  That should put your mind at ease a bit. 

Trust me, with my recent trip for work I was very nervous about surviving with just a carry-on size bag.  If you look up over-packing in the dictionary, my picture would be right there.  I managed to make it work, though, and wanted to share my tips and tricks for all of the other serial over-packers out there.

1.

Make a list

(and check it twice) of everything you

need

to bring, from clothes to toiletries to electronics and other miscellaneous things.  This way, when the time comes to actually pack your bag, you can mark things off and not have to worry about accidentally forgetting something.  For toiletries and makeup especially, I mentally walk myself through my morning and night routine and write down each and every product I use.  Then, a day or two before the trip, as I use these products, I keep them out and to the side so that when the time comes to pack, everything is right there.

2.

Pack exactly what you need first and foremost

, then see if you have room for extras.  So, if you need four days worth of outfits, plan out just that many outfits and not a single extra shirt.  If you still have some room left after everything is packed, you can throw in some "just in case" items.  Speaking from experience, I know that it may be hard to not give yourself options, but if you take the time to do this a few days before your trip you should be perfectly happy with the clothing you've chosen.

3.

Roll your clothes

rather than fold them.  Not only does this conserve space, but it also keeps clothes from getting as wrinkly.

4.

Use a tote bag as your second "personal item"

and bring a small purse that will fit inside that, plus other things.  I like to keep my liquids in this bag to have them handy at security, plus electronics and anything else I want at my feet rather than in the overhead bins.  We all know how much of a pain those are to get to, especially if you've got a window seat.  You could also stuff an extra shirt or pair of pants in this bag if it won't fit in your main bag.

5.

Save up any travel size products

you get your hands on through the year, so that you can have your favorite things in the appropriate sized containers.  I like to store mine in a plastic tote under my sink so that I can easily sort through it went the time comes for a trip.  Remember, the TSA requires liquids be 3.4 ounces or less and fit in a quart size zip-lock bag, so you have to get crafty to be able to bring everything you need.  Target also sells empty TSA-compliant containers that you can use.

6.

Take advantage of hotel amenities

provided in your room, such as lotion, shampoo, and body wash.  This can help cut down on the amount of liquids you bring with you, meaning more space for other things.  And by the same token,

buy liquids that you need more of when you get to your destination

.  I think sunscreen would be a big one for this, because chances are a small little tube of that will not be nearly enough anyway.

7.

Always keep a luggage tag on your carry-on bag

, because you never know if it may end up being checked at the gate or even checked through to your destination once you get inside and through security.  I had this happen on my recent trip, because the plane was small and could only accommodate a certain number of roller bags versus 3 times as many passengers.  So yeah, there's that.  But hey, I got to check my bag for free and since it was the return trip I didn't really mind.  Plus, it was nice not having to lug that thing around.  I did, however, keep my tote bag with me and that had everything I needed when I was waiting for my connecting flight. 

I have to mention, I really wanted the title of this to be "The High Maintenance Girl's Guide to Surviving with Just a Carry-on" but I decided on something a little less stereotypical.  While I'm not afraid to embrace my high maintenance tendencies, I know everyone might not be so open and honest about it.  No matter how long you take to get ready or how much crap you lug around with you, I hope my ideas will help make your next trip a little bit less stressful.

What are some of your tips for traveling efficiently with just a carry-on?

xoxo,

Amanda

Taking Stock

For the month of July, I didn't really have any specific favorites that I absolutely

loved

.  This was probably because I was living out of boxes and a suitcase for much of the month and went with the easiest beauty routine possible.  It was actually a nice break, but I am definitely ready to find some new and old favorites for August.  To cap off July, though, I found this awesome

post

from Kate with The Small Things Blog so I thought I would share my own thoughts!

Making: two orders for my Etsy shop

Cooking: meatloaf and mashed potatoes

Drinking: water...so much water

Reading: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Wanting: my dishwasher to be fixed

Looking: for furniture for my porch

Playing: Ingrid Michaelson radio on Spotify

Wasting: time online when I should be working...

Sewing: I don't sew :)

Wishing: I had some time this weekend to relax!

Enjoying: the gorgeous fall-like weather we've been having

Waiting: for next week to roll around...so many fun things going on

Liking: mushrooms.  lately I feel like I've been wanting to put them in everything

Wondering: if it's really

that

necessary that I work this weekend, hmm

Loving: the Givenchy lipstick I picked up from Sephora recently

Hoping: the weather stays nice next week when I go to the PGA Championship with work

Needing: a vacation to somewhere tropical

Smelling: my delicious mason jar salad

Wearing: skinny jeans, chambray shirt, statement necklace and sandals

Noticing: that I should probably shave my legs soon, ha

Knowing: that everything happens for a reason

Thinking: about waiting another day before I wash my hair.  dry shampoo is my best friend

Feeling: settled into my new apartment

Opening: all of the mail that's accumulated from my old place.  oops

I encourage everyone to try this post, and share below if you do!

xoxo,

Amanda

Update: Where the Heck Have I Been?

In case you missed my excitement from previous posts, I've been moving!  Add in a trip to Minnesota for a few days and this girl has been all over the place.  Literally - Louisville, Dallas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, and back home again.  Most of my time back home has been focused on getting my new apartment in order.  I wanted to show some pictures of the empty space before jumping right into a bunch of home décor posts so you can get an idea of what I'm working with.  I've been making a lot of progress and I am so excited to be able to share all of my tips and tricks with you!

My friends are pretty awesome for helping me move!  But the day wouldn't have been complete without another joke played on Amanda.  Remember when I thought someone stole Chelcey's phone at Churchill Downs?  Yeah, well let me tell you about round two.  After all of the furniture was moved in and my cable had been set up, we were all sitting around watching tv.  I noticed a couple of times that the tv turned itself off and back on again.  My first thought was that something might have happened to the tv on the move over to the new place or that the power strip had too many things plugged in, so I got up and messed around with that for a little bit.  And of course my friends were agreeing that that

must

be the problem, or I better call the cable guy back and have him come look.  Obviously that was not the problem.  Funny thing too, only the tv was going off and on, not the cable box or anything else plugged into the same power strip.  Since I couldn't figure anything out, I sent a text to my dad asking if anything had happened to the tv, since he moved it over in his car.  That's when my wonderful friends finally told me that, in fact, they had been controlling the tv with an app on their phone the whole time.  I was fully prepared to have to go buy a new tv the next day, so that was such a relief!  And I was quite proud of myself for

not

losing my cool this time. I'm still gullible when it comes to things like this, but I'm making progress, people!  Maybe next time you tell me that the sky is purple, I won't actually look up.

xoxo,

Amanda

Ten Things I Learned from Traveling to Minnesota

1. Flying is just like riding a roller coaster.  For my first flight from Louisville to Dallas, I was so anxious and nervous the whole time.  On the second leg to Minneapolis though, I was actually able to fall asleep.  I'm the same way when it comes to roller coasters when I haven't been on one in a while.  I'll be scared to death for that first ride but then I'll be racing to get back in line and go again.


2. Speaking of Dallas, airline routes make absolutely no sense sometimes.  One bad thing about Louisville is that most of the time you won't find a direct flight where you are going, unless Atlanta (a major Delta hub) happens to be your destination.  Since I was flying American this time, I was routed through their hub, which is Dallas.  Don't get me wrong, their airport was really nice and all but I would so rather go at least in the general direction of my destination.


3. Speaking of other cities' airports, Louisville's airport is teeny-tiny.  This is a good and bad thing.  It's good because when you're flying out it's not usually crazy and crowded.  It's bad because it doesn't prepare you for the mass of people, terminals and gates you will find when you get to your next city.  When I arrived in Dallas, I started walking in the wrong direction to my next flight, only to find out I only had to go one gate over.  I was actually kind of hoping to have to ride the subway train thing to another terminal.  Go figure.


4. An adorable little child in front of you on a plane is probably the most precious thing ever.  Ever.  Especially when he keeps looking at you with his big brown eyes and curly hair, laughing and blowing you kisses.  Seriously, my heart melted.  I wanted to take a picture but I thought that might be creepy.


5. On the other hand, you have some passengers that have no filter or need for privacy when it comes to their phone calls.  These are the people who have to make a call as soon as the plane lands.  Because, you know, they just had to call their friend to discuss their "cycle" and the fact that they must be ovulating.  No offense to anyone who needs to make a call when you land, just save the bodily function conversations for anywhere but the runway.


6. People in Minnesota really do have that typical Minnesota accent.  For this sometimes-I-let-my-southern-drawl-slip girl, it was quite an adjustment to get used to hearing, but I'm sure they would be thinking the same thing if they came to Kentucky.  Everyone I met at the hotel also couldn't believe I was from Kentucky because I didn't have an accent.  Sigh. 


7. No one understands what you mean when you say "Luhvuhl."  I think I repeated myself about 5 times when my driver at the airport asked where I was from.  We finally had that light bulb moment when I said, "it's where they have the Kentucky Derby."  Ding ding ding.  And I'm sorry, but I cannot bring myself to pronounce it as "Looeyville" or "Lewisville" ... it makes me cringe.


8. You will get sick of ordering room service for every single meal.  I promise, it's not as glamorous as they make it out to be in the movies.  For me, it was simply a convenience thing because my work was at the hotel itself.  Plus, there weren't really any options close enough to the hotel that I could walk.  Totally gave me a new appreciation for having a car.


9. Caffeine is essential if I'm going to function as an actual human being.  I made the mistake of not having coffee my first morning I was there, and boy could I tell the difference.  Thankfully I could fake it with some under-eye concealer, but I totally crashed in bed at 10 that night.  And those 9 glorious hours of sleep were so worth it.


10. I could actually survive just fine with a carry-on only, if it weren't for the damn liquids rule.  I understand why they have it, but it makes things tough for us high maintenance girls.  I mean, you have to count all of your liquid makeup, skin care, etc., and if you wear contacts or need shaving cream then just forget it!  However, I did manage to make it work.  Look out for a post soon with my tips for surviving on just a carry-on bag.


xoxo,
Amanda