Tricks to Simplify Packing & What I Took to Tulum

Going somewhere for the very first time can make packing a little challenging. I mean, you’ve never been, how do you know what the vibe will be? Whether people will be more dressed up or casual? It’s not enough to know that you’re going to place with a beach or that you plan on “just hanging” at the beach; there are super fancy beach destinations where everyone is in full face makeup and jewelry and there are your classic, VW van/surfer style beaches. How are you supposed to know what to pack without a little research? Thanks to blogs and social media, long gone are the days of being totally clueless so that’s where I like to start.

From the blogs and Instagram posts I came across I gathered that my outfits for Tulum should be minimal or based around my swimwear and breathable. A lot of the looks I saw felt very boho, feeding off of the very present boho vibes in most beach parts of Tulum with touches of Mexican flair and a beachy finish. Such a fun combination. The bloggers who most inspired me when I was looking for my own outfit inspiration were We Wore What and Sincerely Jules, but what’s new there? I knew they had been to Tulum in the past and started with their blogs. I had also read my good friend, Amanda’s post about her time in Tulum which gave me a better picture of the hangouts. Coupled with suggestions from the ongoing group text, I had a pretty good idea of what our itinerary was going to look like. Knowing what you’re going to do while on a trip makes packing for it so much easier.

Speaking of easier…Here are some packing tips:

• Something that has really helped me when packing is to do flatlay’s of the full outfits I’m planning, accessories and all. This gives me an easy reference once I’m there and scatterbrained.
• I also try to stick to a color scheme in case I decide to mix and match once I’m on location. Less pieces but more outfit combinations.
• Take an extra skirt or pair of shorts/jeans to mix and match in if needed. I always take one pair of jeans and typically end up wearing them on the flight home from every beach vacation.
• Look for a pair of low-mid heels that can be worn in both a day setting or with a night time outfit.
• Pack a swimsuit that doubles as a crop top or “bodysuit” to be worn site seeing (more on this later this week)
• Have fun with your accessories! On vacation I love to get fun, trendy, location-specific accessories. They don’t take up much room in your luggage but make a huge impact to your look.

My Tulum Flatlays

Most of my looks were either coordinating sets or a swimsuit with a skirt. I wasn’t “casual” per se but I did pack light in comparison to previous trips. A lot of our activities were based around being in the water so I basically lived in a swimsuit. I personally only packed one going out look for a dinner we had planned for Saturday night.

I hope this gives you a great starting point when packing for your Tulum trip.
Xx Sylvia