Packing!

I am a textbook over packer. I've always over packed clothes, shoes and makeup! I can't help it, I always think "what if?" and half the time I don't need all of the things that I pack. Since I am leaving for a 2 week trip on Tuesday, I decided to try my bet not to over pack this time. 
I'm not going anywhere new, therefore this trip is a very casual trip where I do need to worry about packing fancy clothes or heels or too many necessities since I know if I forget anything I will have them on hand or simply buy them. 
At the same time I know that we won't be going out as much as I would if I was going on regular trips to sight see and what not, So let's see how I did on not over packing, shall we? 

First! The Clothes! 

I am a very indecisive person, therefore I usually pack extra clothes so that I have a chose and have a variety of things I can choose from. This time around, I decided to just pick really regular, casual things. Things I can wear for anything and mix and match. I have two casual dresses that I can also wear out at night. Some work out clothes since I do plan on working out. One pair of shorts and two big shirts for my pajamas. Some tops, one pair of jeans, a pair of funky pants, one pair of overalls and two pairs of shorts - regular jeans shorts, and a high-waisted pair. I also included camis with my tops. These tops can be worn with jeans as well as my shorts. (Not included is my airport outfit, therefore I'll have more options with those as well). 

Also included are my bathing suits and shoes!

I have two bathing suits, regular bikini and one with a high waisted bottom. A pair of running shoes, flats and sandals. And this is my carry on bag.
Since I tend to over pack, I decided to change up my carry-on bag. Instead of carrying a rolling suit-case that has more room for me to over pack, I decided to use a weekender bag that will limit the room I have, therefore I have to pack less. I got this bag from Target! You can just use the handles or use the strap and put it over your shoulder. 

For my shoes, I want to keep them separate from my clothes, so I just put them all into these two Toms bags.

Aside from that, I also need to pack some makeup and undergarments - panties, bras, socks. 

Because I am not using a rolling suitcase I don't have a mesh bag to throw them in so I just use an over sized makeup bag to keep it tidy, hidden away and altogether. I also have a makeup bag and an empty bag to put my dirty laundry into. Don't worry, the bag looks small but it's expandable. 

I also tend to over pack my makeup, therefore I decided to try to cut that down as well. I wanted to keep my makeup brushes and tool seperate from my actual makeup so inside my Aladdin makeup bag I have smaller makeup bags.

This way I keep my makeup tidy and together and then I can keep my makeup brushes on the outside of these bags but still altogether in one bigger bag.

These are all the non-liquid makeup. I am bringing ONE trio from Wet n Wild. That is unheard of for me! I usually need to bring at least a palette! haha I did bring a color tattoo in tough as taupe, just in case I need to deepen my eye shadow for a night time look. I have a color tattoo, one NYX blush in Dusty Rose that is buildable, one NYC bronzer, my Dream Matte powder, a NYX eye shadow that I use for my eyebrows, one black eye liner and two lipsticks. A bare minerals one in Moxie for an every day lip and a Revlon Matte lipstick in Really Red for night time look. 

Lastly, I have my backpack that I will put underneath the seat. 

Included I have my "Take Charge" (How cute Right??) bag that has all my chargers. It has my phone, ipad, and camera charger as well as an external charger just in case and some ear buds. I have my electronics (not included is my phone). I have my glasses and contacts case that also has a mirror in it. My wallet, sunglasses and liquids zip-loc bag. Unfortunately my reusable TSA approved bag has broken :( so I am back to using zip loc bags. 
I also have a mini bag that includes, my inflatable travel pillow, eye mask and ear buds all in one place! And finally, the last thing I have is my travel binder. It's pretty much a notebook I use to write about my travels and what not. 

And that's it! Hopefully that wasn't too much! ;) 

Lastly, some tips I used to narrow down my packing!

1. Choose a smaller bag so that you don't feel like you need to "fill" up your suit case. 

2. Pick out shirts that you can wear with most of your bottoms. Same thing with shoes. Make sure you can wear your shoes with more than one outfit. 

3. Don't pack a bunch of single eye shadows! Pick a palette and/or trio that has more than one shadow all in one place. 

4. Use bags or shower caps to hold your shoes so you don't get your clothes dirty

5. Check the weather of your destination before you pack 

6. Wear a scarf/cardigan/jacket with your outfit when you travel. Planes and airports can be rather cold and you save room in your carry on and also have more options! 

7. Use a wristlet as a wallet, it's not only small but you can also carry that around wherever you go. 

Chicago is my kind of town!

Howdy!

On to the third part of my "Flash Back Friday" Series! This time we are heading over to Chicago! I was lucky enough to be able to see Steven Colbert's commencement speech at Northwestern university and decided to spend the weekend in Chicago! It is a beautiful city and I love the Gothic architecture. Not to mention, the weather was amazing! I'm so use to Houston's summer where it's humid and hot, but it felt great in Chicago. Alright! Onto the good stuff: The Pictures!!

(Cue "My kind of Town" by Frank Sinatra) 

Only have 2-3 days to spend in Chicago?? Well, here are somethings you should definitely do, especially if it's your first time!  

Walk the city! I love the architecture and the buildings! 
Walk through DePaul University, or go see where they filmed the famous batman scene where he's speeding down the street under the bridge!  

Hungry from all that walking? Get some deep dish pizza! Places like Gino's East Pizzeria. Not only was the pizza delicious, they also had IBC Root beer, my favorite! The walls inside are all painted chalkboard with words written from people from all over the world! 

Not a fan of Pizza? Try Rick Bayless' Xoco. Keep in mind, both of these places are extra busy! We had to stand in a line that wrapped the corner for both. Also Rick's is a smaller place than Gino's. Both were delicious! 

After eating, head on down to the Navy Pier! There's shops, games, food, and live music! Not only that, but there is also a Children's Museum! Spend sometime exploring around or if you're tired, there's an IMAX theater, stay inside and rest your feet while watching a new movie! You can even rent bicycles or take a cruise. Dinner time? Don't worry, Navy Pier has a variety of restaurants as well. Not to mention, it looks beautiful at night. 

Next day? The Willis tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) is a must! It's not a whole lot of walking so you'll be taking a break from the day before. You'll be getting a mini history lesson as well, and that view? You won't want to miss that! 

For those brave souls out there, don't forget to step out on the sky deck! I'm afraid of heights and was afraid to step out, but I'm so glad I did and was able to cross that one off my bucket list.

On to the next one! It was nice being able to stay inside all morning but how about some fresh air? Stroll on down to Millennium Park! 

Come on the right day and you'll be able to see a live performance! 

Don't forget to get your photo-op at The Bean! 

Want a relaxing evening? Take a Chicago boat tour! You get to learn a lot about all the different buildings, when they were built, and when they were renovated. At the same time you learn about the architecture as well as history of Chicago and fun little facts. If you don't care about that? Well the views are still worth the ride. 

Of course there are many other things to do in Chicago but don't forget to add these on the list!

This was my first time in Chicago and although it was limited, I had a great time in the windy city! I know this post was a little different from my other ones. I hope you guys enjoyed it and possibly found it somewhat useful :) 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Adventure is out there ;)

- Laura