suitcase

Fashion Files – Spring Break Edition

Posted on April 17, 2025April 16, 2025 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Yesterday, I shared a quick recap of our spring break trip to Isle of Palms, SC.

As I started to unpack, I do what I’ve been doing at the end of most trips…putting together what I actually wore to show myself that those outfits would fit in a smaller suitcase…and then I keep telling myself that maybe one day I won’t over-pack on a trip. That being said, I pack a medium suitcase, so it’s not like I go completely overboard. I still swear by packing cubes to keep me organized and free up some space in my suitcase.

I do have a few packing lists that I use depending on where I’m going, and I update those lists once I return. I also give a list to the kids, but they tend to be pretty minimal as to how much they pack. Most the time we are traveling by car, so I don’t feel bad having my medium sized suitcase.

Once I pulled out the clothes I did wear, I tossed them in this laundry basket because I wanted to snap pics in the outfits.

Maybe in the future, I can use this laundry basket as a gauge on whatever fits in the basket will fit in a smaller suitcase!

The condo we stayed in didn’t have a full length mirror and this Fashion Files idea only came to me once I went to unpack my suitcase. Please forgive my hair in most of these pics as I snapped them after my Saturday morning workout.

I’m linking up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.

Most of what I packed is either SSYS or Amazon!

Monday car ride:

I wanted to be comfortable. I wore a pair of my SSYS scallop hem leggings, my Amazon sandals, black SSYS tank and Amazon cardigan. (This “apricot” color cardigan was a new purchase…I now own it in four colors, and I love it so much! This cardigan was actually the MVP of the trip as I wore it the most!)

In regards to the sandals, I’ve had them for almost four years, and I wear them more than my actual Birkenstocks. I think I will buy another rose gold pair this summer as these have been worn so much that a new pair is probably a good idea. (I did size up to a 10 from my regular size 9)

For dinner that night, I wore my black SSYS Sophia set and the same tan cardigan. These sandals are from Target last year, and they are the “nicer” pair that I turn to the most for wearing when “dressing up” a bit.

Tuesday:

For my Tuesday morning walk, I just wore the same leggings and black tank from the drive on Monday as well as a sweatshirt.

For time on the beach, I wore an Amazon swimsuit that I’ve had forever (This seems to be the same one, but with more patterns), an Amazon cover up (I did size up to an XL in case it shrinks a bit in the wash), Havaianas rose gold flip flops from Nordstrom (I have two pairs of these, and have had them for years), and my hat is from Etsy.

For dinner with friends, I wore this dress from Target that I’ve had for a couple of years, the tan cardigan, and Target sandals.

Wednesday:

For my Wednesday morning walk, I wore SSYS leggings and SSYS long sleeve frill neck top. My Nike Air Maxes aren’t my usual walking shoes, but I brought them because they are my faves to wear with leggings.

On Wednesday morning, Hadley and I went out for breakfast (well, more like brunch!). I came home from the walk a bit sweaty, so I changed into navy SSYS scallop leggings, an over-sized Amazon t-shirt, my SSYS “shacket,” Amazon sandals and my Coach cross body purse.

Later that afternoon, my friend and I walked around a few shops and got a drink and I wore the same leggings and a sweatshirt I brought.

Once back to the condo, I showered and put on this outfit (SSYS leggings and tank, Amazon cardigan) to hang out on the balcony and read for a bit.

For dinner, I wore my new Amazon short sleeve sweater, Old Navy kick flare pants, SSYS shacket, and Target sandals. (Y’all – I only paid $14 for both of my sweaters, but a couple of colors are $9.99! This is such a great closet staple!)

Thursday:

For my Thursday morning walk, I wore SSYS leggings, pink SSYS frill neck tank and Target scuba material jacket.

Thursday was the best beach day. I wore my Amazon one shoulder swimsuit under my Amazon cover up. For this trip, I did buy a new beach hat. I still love my Nordstrom one that I’ve had for years, but this was does have a strap…

…which is sometimes needed with the beach winds!

Also, my Amazon sunnies are still my favorite shades to wear. Plus, if I lose them, they are very inexpensive to replace!

For dinner, I wore this SSYS dress along with the MVP of the trip…my cardigan!

I wore the same strappy Target sandals that I wore with “nicer” outfits.

Friday drive home:

For the drive home, I wore my Old Navy kick flare pants and my new “Charleston” sweatshirt, as well as my Amazon Birks. I like to be comfy on car rides.

This photo is actually me right when I got home, started unpacking, and thought to myself “I wish I had documented what I wore on vacay!” haha

In this post, I am missing an outfit or two–but just shorts for lounging, a sweatshirt, and my other pair of Old Navy kick flare pants. Also, I packed three pairs of PJs, but only wore two. While it’s obvious that I packed enough clothes and didn’t really repeat an outfit, I do wish I’d packed this set. It would have been perfect for walking around the shops and just hanging out on the condo balcony.

Our condo did have a washer and dryer, so we did laundry before we came home. It was nice to open our suitcases and just put clean clothes away.

What about you? Are you a good packer? I am glad that my kids seem to not over-pack, so I’m the only one with suitcase issues.

Signed, a permanent over-packer,

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Not Just a Mom

Posted on August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? We had a really good one. Well, I was asleep by 9:30 on Friday night, and I predict I will do the same this Friday. Those early alarm clocks and long days caught up with me.

On Saturday evening, we went to Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah, and we had so much fun with our friends too.

Sunday was all about getting back into a routine including church, groceries, laundry and more.

Anyway, it’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m linking up with some of my favorite bloggers for our Not Just a Mom post.

This year, we’ve discussed:

Introductions in January
House rules in February
Day in the life (weekend edition) in March
Cleaning hacks in April
Pet peeves in May
How we became a mom in June
Top 5 favorite family activities in July

This month’s topic is what’s in my handbag…

Well, I’ve shared this crossbody/belt bag a few times this summer, and it’s been my “go to” bag all summer. (I tend to switch out bags per season –I usually carry my “hobo” crossbody bag in the fall and spring and then my bigger Barrington tote in the winter)

Anyway, this crossbody has truly fit my needs this summer.

…and what’s inside? Not much!

The white zip pouch holds my credit cards, some cash, lip glass, chapstick, and Airpods. I also always have a pair of sunglasses, a pen, my phone, and my Invisalign case…and that’s it.

I continue to be impressed with myself (haha) for packing a carry-on suitcase, not once, but twice this summer, so I’m going to share about that today too!

So, I’d packed my medium sized suitcase to go to KC because I didn’t have a smaller one for myself.

When I flew to Florida, I borrowed Trav’s carry-on suitcase, but he needed his, so I borrowed Hadley’s once we got to KC. She’d packed using packing cubes, so she just used those when I had her suitcase in California.

The kids have had these suitcases for a couple of years, and they’ve held up nicely.

Since I’m still a “chronic” over-packer, my mom let me use her “compression” packing cubes. I’d never even heard of those! She said she saw them on the Today Show and has used them for travel.

I really was able to pack a few more things because of them.

Here’s how they looked in the suitcase:

Under the biggest one, I was able to put a pair of heels (that I didn’t end up wearing), my tennis shoes (that I only wore once), and my crossbody purse.

My flip flops and flat sandals were under the other packing cubes on the other side of the suitcase.

The only “downside” to these cubes is that they aren’t mesh/see-through to know what’s in them. That being said, I was able to remember what was in each one because I still grouped clothes together.

From top to bottom:

Biggest –5 dresses and crepe top/shorts set
Medium –2 swim suits, 2 pjs, cap sleeve sweater
Medium/large – 2 swim cover-ups, 2 workout leggings, 2 workout tanks, a pair of black shorts, one t-shirt
Small –underwear, bras, socks

I also packed a long sleeve light-weight sweater and light-weight sweatshirt that I just put on top of the packing cubes.

I wore most everything – I guess I didn’t need the heeled sandals, and I probably could have done without my tennis shoes, but I wanted to commit to working out at least one day (and I did). Also, sometimes we go for hikes, but we didn’t this time. I did get a long walk in two days, but that was mostly on the beach, so I didn’t need the tennis shoes.

There was one dress I didn’t wear, but otherwise, I did a pretty good job wearing what I packed.

I also used my Walmart bag that I got earlier this summer as my other carry-on again. Honestly, this bag was packed full and kind of heavy, but it fit right on top of the suitcase when I pushed it through the airport.

I even got lucky and on the flights back to KC, there was room in the overhead bins for both my suitcase and my bag, so I had a lot more space to stretch my legs.

In my travel bag:

I bought these clear zip travel bags last summer, and they’ve come in handy for all of us when we travel.

White jewelry pouch
Two books, Word search book
White cosmetic bag – makeup, medicine, deodorant, toothbrush, etc.
Brush and curling iron,
Clear zip pouch – chargers (phone, Kindle, watch, and portable charger)
Kindle
Clear zip pouch – skincare products
Sound machine
Then- I usually wore my cardigan, and put my hat on top of the bag

Overall, I know it’s easier to pack in the summer because the clothes are lighter, but I’m so glad I figured this carry-on suitcase out. It was so nice to just get on and off the plane…especially when we landed in KC after midnight!

I can’t wait to read others’ posts about what’s in their handbag…but bear with me as I’m sure this week will be hectic getting back to school with students!

Next month’s topic is about sharing our hobbies. We hope you’ll join us then too whether you are reading our posts or blogging.

Today definitely feels like a Monday; we still have two more work days, and then the students come on Wednesday.

Thanks for reading,

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Travel

What I packed for vacay

Posted on July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, I had hoped to share part 1 of our vacation with you today, but time has just gotten away from me.

Re-entry has been hectic. Travis went to work early Sunday morning for a horse sale this week, and I’ve been unpacking, doing laundry, prepping for the kids’ activities, and more.

Funny story: I went to Walgreens early Sunday morning. When the worker said, “hello,” I responded with ,”Hola!” #oldhabitsdiehard

On Sunday, Hayden ate Ruffles chips we bought at the Cancun airport and made a turkey sandwich with turkey that was opened before we left, and we had Panera for dinner. So, I felt like I needed to get some groceries yesterday, to say the least!

Also, you know when I shared with you that I’ve taken over 700 photos of Homer since we got him three years ago? Well, I apparently love turquoise blue water just as much! So, I need to sift through my photos and get going on those posts.

I did get my suitcase unpacked yesterday (everyone else’s got unpacked Sunday along with laundry), and I decided to finally look at what I packed and make a master list/template for me to use in the future.

Like my closet re-organization post, this may be more for me than anyone else, but I know I will like having this as a reference point.

Packing (and unpacking) was a bit easier thanks to having my closet and drawers organized. It was easier for me to see what I had in order to pack. I bought a few new things, but overall, I went with most of my favorites, some of which I’ve had for months or years.

So–a little back story. I’m a chronic over-packer. That’s it. End of story. Going in to this vacay, Travis knew I’d be the only one to check a bag. This was true, but good news is I used to over-pack a large suitcase. This time, I over-packed using my new (for my birthday in January) medium sized suitcase. #babysteps.

Anyway, nothing like travelling internationally to make you want to just walk off the plane and straight to customs rather than wait a half hour for your bag putting you middle to back of the customs chaos line. (For the record, it was chaotic in Cancun and quiet (but slow to get bags) in Cincinnati.)

So, once we got home, I did what I’ve always said I wanted to do. I took out what I didn’t actually wear on vacay, and then repacked what I did use in to Hadley’s suitcase to see if I could ever actually be a carry on packer…

…and…

TA. DAAAA! (Well, I did have to sit on it to zip it, but a good amount of stuff is in there.)

The clothes on the left are what I didn’t wear, and then that’s Hadley’s suitcase.(My mom got the kids these suitcases (20 inch carry on size) for Christmas 2020, and they’ve been perfect.) Travis got me a new medium sized one from Macy’s during an after Christmas sale. #perksofJanuarybirthdayshopping

Now, real talk –a few of my shoes aren’t in there, but they weren’t ever in my suitcase. Thankfully, Hayden is a very light packer, and my few sandals were in his suitcase.

I still swear by packing cubes, but have you seen these Ziploc Space Saver bags? Travis picked up two at Home Depot, I believe. I used one for the dresses I took, and he used one as well. On the return trip home, I still used one for my dresses, and then we used the other for most of our dirty clothes (seen below)

My carry on was my Weekender bag from Target. I bought it in May; I’ve used it a few times, but this was my first time using it on a plane.

In it, I packed a beach bag, a couple of pairs of sandals, two books, my Kindle, my curling iron, two purses, three hats (beach hat, sun visor, and ball cap)and a few other random odds and ends. I told you…it holds a lot, and it wasn’t even packed to the brim.

It seems to go in and out of stock, and I think there are a couple of variations, but it’s a great bag.

Now on to the real point of this post….my checklist for future beach vacations in hopes that I can become a carryon girl.

On the plane:

I wore my long black muscle tank dress from Target that I’ve had for years along with my favorite Amazon cardigan. I also wore my faux Birks.

Essentials:

underwear, bras, sports bras, socks (I didn’t over-pack in this department)

Pajamas:

one pair of lightweight pj pants
night gown
t-shirt
pink pj set (from Target)…these have been my favorite this summer. (top // bottom)

Workout:

The gym was so nice, and I’d set a goal of working out three times, but hit the gym for the elliptical twice. That being said, on our boat day, I swear we swam half a mile on our snorkeling tour, so that counts as exercise!)

2 shorts: black and gray
black tennis skirt
2 workout tops

Tank tops:

Black
Navy
Tan

Shorts:

One black pair and one army green pair of lightweight shorts to wear with tanks.

Swim:

4 swimsuits
3 coverups (including my favorite new blue one and the green one I purchased earlier in the summer)

Dresses:

8 dresses (really seven dresses because I wore one on the plane) (I originally packed 10 dresses…I know, I know…too many!)

Shoes:

Faux Birks (I wore on the plane to and from as well as other times)
Braided heel sandals
Tennis shoes for working out
Flip flops for pool and beach
Two pairs of flat sandals (I definitely could have just brought one, but sandals are light-weight and easy to pack!)

Purses:

On the plane, I used my cross body shoulder bag purse.

These were in the Weekender bag:

Lululemon belt bag (I used this so much…when we went to breakfast, lunch, excursion, and it fit easily in the beach bag)
Favorite Amazon crossbody purse (I have it in beige, and it’s on sale!) I used this every night when we went out to dinner and to watch the entertainment in the evenings)

Hats:

I packed these in my carry on bag:

Beach hat. The one I have, I bought two years ago from Nordstrom. It’s my “go to” beach hat. (Usually on vacay, I feel like I have to wash my hair every day (which isn’t something I usually do) because of the salt water and heat. This trip, I got away with every other day because of dry shampoo, and I even wore this hat a couple of times to lunch or dinner). I don’t see mine on Nordstrom’s site, but this one looks similar.
Ball cap — I have so many, but usually bring my Patagonia one on vacay.
Sun visor – I got this one last summer and love it. It’s easy to pack because it rolls right up. Sometimes, my head gets hot when wearing my other hat, so this visor is perfect for blocking the sun and letting my head breathe. (If they makes sense?)

Makeup/Skincare:

I always pack my makeup bag, but then I usually pack one or two more other travel bags with travel size things, skin care, etc. This time, I just put everything I needed into the makeup bag, and just used one travel bag for my Dime Beauty skin care products for day and night. (We used some of other bags in this set to hold our passports, medicine, etc.) My cosmetic bag fit perfectly into the corner of the suitcase.

Plane Ride Home:

This dress came in a couple of days before we left, and I love it. I wore it to dinner one night and then on the plane ride home with a gray sweatshirt. (I usually get cold on the plane.)

….and that’s it. Well, that was still a lot, but it’s less than what I brought.

Things I packed that I didn’t wear:

3 blouse shirts/sleeveless tops
2 swimsuits
workout leggings and top
white jeans (I love white denim and will wear in the summer, but I guess I’m more of a dress person, especially on vacation)
one tank
2-3 dresses
Denim shorts
long sleeve shirt
and a couple other things, I’m sure!

Now, I know there will be quite a few who read this list and will still think I packed too much…and you are not wrong. 😆 Others, will be super impressed that I condensed my packing down to these items in my packing cubes.

Shew! It’s such an effort for me to pack that I always put it off. Honestly, more than packing, it’s the other odds and ends that leave me scatter brained (all the chargers for all the things, books, Kindle, medicine, swim goggles, etc.)

I hope to share about the first part of our trip later this week!

What are your packing tips? I clearly need to add them to my packing routine. I will thank you…and so will my family! 😂

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