As some of us get ready to head back to school this weekend or next weekend, it has dawned n me how impossible it will be to cram everything in my bags and hop a bus back to campus. Coming home in December, I could barely zip my bags shut with all the clothes I was bringing home. But now, after much winter break shopping, I am coming back to school with several more tops and accessories, a couple pairs of jeans I had left at home at Thanksgiving, and four more pairs of shoes than I came home with (I know, I'm horrible!). I'm also very partial to the layering look, which means I always overpack and want every article of clothing with me at school because I might want to layer it with something!

I'm sure I'm not the only one worrying about how to pack up all my stuff without having to leave anything at home, so here's a few helpful packing tips I've compiled for everyone who's heading back to campus soon:

-Start by organizing now. You probably have much more stuff to take back to school this time around, and it probably is scattered all around your house as opposed to your tiny dorm or apartment, so start early by getting eveything together to make sure you don't forget anything. If it helps, make a checklist to keep everything organized

-Pack as you go. If this is your last week of winter break, you're probably busy seeing old friends, spending time with family, and cramming in last-minute errands, so do a little bit of packing everyday so it doesn't overwhelm you. Everytime you do laundry, pack a few more things.

-If you're taking a plane, don't forget the TSA regulations on liquids and gels. You do not want to be the girl who has to throw away her entire makeup bag in the airport.

-Make sure you have an extra-sturdy, cushioned, extra-protective laptop bag. You don't want anything to happen to that precious laptop while in transit.

-Make the most of luggage limits. I'm taking a bus, and the bus only allows one large suitcase to be thrown under the bus, one carry-on, and one purse, which is not really a lot. So I plan to maximize that by taking the roomiest suitcase I can find in my house, stuffing as many little items as I can into the side pockets and extra spaces in my oversized laptop bag, taking a tote as a purse so I can fit more stuff in there, and taking one more carry-on than the bus allows since they never bother me about it. If you're taking a plan, train, or bus, make the most of what you're given! If you've got a car....well, you're a lucky girl!

-Make sure your rolling suitcase has sturdy, high quality wheels. One time on a vacation, one of the wheels broke off my suitcase, making it an absolute pain to drag around. Don't let that happen to you!

Enjoy the rest of your break if you're still at home!

Labels: advice, college fashion, college life, how to, packing