I used the 5-4-3-2-1 Packing method for the first time this March when my friends and I went to Italy! You can read more about my first attempt with this method in a previous blog post: Efficient Packing Tips for Italy: Mastering the 5-4-3-2-1 Packing Method.
Johnny and I were going to Seattle for a wedding and then to Hawaii for a trip together… and you guessed it, we were packing in a carry-on again. This was a challenge because I needed to pack a wedding guest dress for the Pacific Northwest weather and tropical clothes for Maui.
Overall, packing was a success. I am actually sad we weren’t there longer. I didn’t get a chance to wear all the outfits I wanted. On the bright side, it meant I had options and looked cute even when getting a coffee.
As a reminder, with this method, you pack the following:
- 5 tops
- 4 bottoms
- 3 dresses/rompers
- 3 pairs of shoes
- 2 bags
- 2 bathing suits
- 1 accessory of each kind (think hat, watch, and sunglasses)
- Unlimited underwear, socks, and jewelry.
How I Used the 5-4-3-2-1 Method
To plan my outfits, I used Canva and Pinterest. You can see a tutorial on my Instagram or at the bottom of this blog!
For this trip, I focused mainly on my Maui outfits. We were in Seattle for such a short time that I knew I would be able to create an outfit out of whatever I packed. The dress for the wedding was not included in the list since it was for one specific event. This was not an accurate assumption because it was COLD. I made it work by wearing a lot of layers.
I tried to find outfits that were my style, had a similar color palette, and were primarily clothes I owned. I paid for Canva PRO to remove the background of the clothing images and make the image less cluttered.
Here are the selected pieces!
I did not follow the guidelines exactly. For example, I brought three bathing suits, not two. Another deviation was I didn’t bring jackets, but instead brought sweaters.
The Outfit Combinations
I made possible outfit combinations based on the items in my packing list. I did have to edit the list since some items were only used once and that was not good used of my carry on space.
I tried to make as many combinations as possible to have options.
Going to the beach meant I needed beach “outfits” and something else to wear at night. This made it slightly more challenging compared to packing for Italy.
How it Worked Out
Even though my carry-on barely closed, this gave me more outfit combinations than I needed. When packing, I did add some athletic attire for working out and a dress and purse specifically for the wedding.
Unfortunately, I could not fit the straw beach bag and did not buy the vest. Instead, I used the beach bag given to me by the Westin when we arrived and brought basic white tops.
I wish I had made some of the outfits more “bridal” since this was sort of our honeymoon. I will take that into consideration when we go on our actual honeymoon next year!
Here are some of the outfits that made it out of Canva!
Yet again, you think I would be better at documenting my outfits. Here’s to hoping I’m better at it next trip. LOL.
Sustaining Nicole 
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