Packing for 12 Days in France

That’s where I’m starting off this week, in Nice (pronounced like niece).

Here’s a backed up photo of where I will be, the south of French, or as some call it, the French Riviera.

Goodness, see how close it is to Switzerland, and Italy?  I really wish I could just stop there for a bit too…

I’ll be in Southern France for 12 days this month (2 are really travel days) – that’s quite a few outfits I’ll need to pack.

In fact, today is my first full day in France, just landed in Nice!  I’m going to attempt to blog while I’m there but I am not sure how my tablet will do for blogging – so no promises.  I will have wi-fi courtesy of Cellular Abroad and will try to post on social media (as that is my job as a blogger and going on this trip).

So back to packing.

Do you pack your chewy gummy vitamins, allergy pills and probiotics?  I do.

A few packing ideas:

• Consider outfit pieces are on the brink of the donation box (but are still cute) that you can somehow wear once more and leave behind.
• Pack pajamas that you can consider leaving there after worn (wear these first so you can already make room by day 3).
• All bottoms packed should be able to be worn twice.
• Leggings and silk tops and bottoms are great – keeps your luggage light!

I know the concept of leaving your clothes behind sounds crazy, but I know I will need the space for all the travel souvenirs I’ll be purchasing. Let’s be real – it’s just clothes.

For example, I am over this Calvin Klein maxi dress, but I’ll bring it and wear it, but cover it up with this CAbi knit sweater overlay.  Then, I’ll leave the maxi dress behind.  While I love fashion, I’m not slave to it, and I’m also not attached to anything, I can always buy another one.

My Calvin Klein tissue thin pajamas on the left, I found on sale at Macy’s.  Also the stack on the right I’ll leave behind, nothing fancy so I’ll wear those pj’s for the first few nights.

Last time I asked about international travel packing tips, a reader named Carissa gave me a great tip – to change my top once I landed.  It sort of refreshes you, I tell you, it was the first thing I did when I landed and it felt great!

When you pack, does your bed look all crazy like this?

Here are a few lightweight pants I just bought and packed with me:

Taupe Loose Pants / Garden Floral Pants

This post was inspired from running into my blogsphere friend Jessi (hi!) at Last Chance – a place I often bump into my readers, and she was preparing for her long Europe trip.  She asked how I packed lightly for Ireland and London last year – see this post.

If I can, I might try to post sporadically over the next two weeks to give an update, but I can’t promise.  I do have regular scheduled posts while I’m gone so my blog can keep you company.  We’ll call my travel posts BONUS posts.  I would love to hear from you as I’m traveling!! Find me on social media – or just see my Instagram feed on the right sidebar of this blog if you aren’t on IG!  xx

Diana Elizabeth is bringing some clothes she will only wear once this year because of this trip.  She’s not quite sure if that means she should leave those clothes behind, or save it for future getaways.  There’s something difficult about looking cute and practical while traveling but she’s getting better at it.