Shopping for Your Next Trip
Let’s go shopping- are the three letter words I can't ever say no to. They almost sound better than “I love you”.Seriously, who says no to shopping? Surprisingly, some people are not into shopping or fashion. If you ask me, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that or them. However, if you ever hear me say no to shopping, make sure to call 911 because something is definitely wrong with me. I’m heading to my next trip soon therefore, I decided to share a few tips on how I normally get ready.
Many trips ago, I developed this expensive habit of traveling. I’d plan a trip but before leaving for my trip, I’d go on a shopping spree. Don’t ask me why, I have yet to find the answer to that question. I’d purchased a new bag, a few shoes, new clothes etc.. And when I reached my destination, I’d go shopping again. Like I said, I’d never say no to shopping. What I've realized is that, first of all, I am spending way too much money. Second, I am buying new clothes to go somewhere no one knows me or ever even seen me before. Therefore, I decided to fix it.
I am going to share a few tips on shopping for any trip. This can be applied to whatever time of the year you are traveling. If you are like me who travels multiple times during the year, you need structure in your life. So here we go!
SHOPPING:
Weather: The first rule in shopping for an upcoming trip is to check the weather forecast at your desired destination. You need to know if you should be ready for rain, snow, lots of sun or storms. The RIGHT preparation is key. The last thing you want is to be wearing summer clothes when it’s winter. I don’t know about you, but I hate being cold. Don’t ask me why I live in NYC.
Itemized List: Make a list of items you are going to need. Your list should include everything from toiletries to every single clothing you will wear each day. Majority of the time, you’ll have some things on the list already, but make it anyways. At the very least, you’ll know what you need to buy and what you won’t need to purchase again.
Events: Next major rule is shop by event. I may be the only person who does this, but I think it's absolutely important. I usually create an itinerary for each trip (including going back home to Miami). I’m a planner by nature- DON’T JUDGE ME! I know how many dinners I plan on having, I know who and what I plan on seeing , I know what I want to experience so on and so forth. For every occasion planned so is an outfit. I’m not saying pile a bunch of things to do in one day and change for each one. What I am saying is If you plan on doing a tour, shopping and attending an Opera show; use one outfit for the tour/shopping, freshen up and change to another outfit for the Opera show.
When to shop: This is probably just as important as rule number one. Many of us make the mistake of shopping right before a trip ( the old me). I don’t think that's beneficial to us. Here is my secret- I shop by seasons. I am going to share this with you, hopefully it makes your life easier. I don’t know about other cities, but NYC sale seasons usually overlaps from June to July and December to January. THIS is your window to shop. I know some of you are ballers shot callers and don’t care for sale season( this rule does not apply to you). My theory is why pay full price when I can get the same item 50% off? You tell me. Does that makes sense to you? NOW: don’t be surprised if you run into me at Bergdorf Goodman or any mall in March or October, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little retail therapy.
How much shopping should you do? Ok this is a very tricky one. This depends on your budget and your length of stay. Personally, I refuse to purchase more than 4 outfits for any trips or use more than 4 new outfits from my season batch. Reason being is because I shop when I get to my destination. The great thing about shopping abroad is you’ll have something unique added to your collection. I can’t tell you how many times someone complimented me on a clothing item that I purchased from somewhere outside of the US. Not only does it make me feel good, it’s also a conversation piece. I get the opportunity to share my experience with someone else through a compliment.
Online vs. Store: This is a good one! I have 24 hours in a day but it seems like I only have 12. I used to hear people say “I have no time to do such and such” I would automatically think they are lying. Now, I feel like I’m the president of the “no time” club. It’s almost impossible to get 6 hours of sleep- forget 8 I Just want 6. With that being said, I have no time for store shopping. Most of my shopping is done online. I know my measurements well enough to do that. I also tend to stick to the same stores which makes it easier for me. However, online shopping Is not for everyone. Some people feel more comfortable when they have the ability to try on the item or feel the material. If that person is you, by all means continue to do that.
Now that you are set in terms of shopping, you’ll need to pack. Let me tell you a secret, I always pack the night before or the day of my trip. For me that is the easiest part of traveling. It may not work for you. However, after doing this so many times, it becomes second nature. If you read my blog on Cruise Essentials, you should have an idea of how I usually pack. If you haven’t read that blog I’ll tell you the top three categories I focus on when I’m packing.
Number one is Toiletries, second is clothing and last is miscellaneous. I encourage you to read the details of that blog. I promise it will make your life a lot easier.
I hope the tips shared above helped you with your upcoming trip. If it did please comment below and let me know how. Don’t forget to subscribe for more updates.