We knew we were going to take a road trip to Florida back in the fall, but the exact timing remained a mystery. We wanted to travel when it was still cool in Florida but not snowy in New York. With that in mind, I started gathering ideas and making a packing list about a week out. But as the weather shifted, so did my wardrobe choices.
Packing for a 14-day trip (which turned into 15!) took me about two to three days. Why so long? Because I didn’t want to be the one rushing to pack at the last minute. Instead, I took my time, enjoying the unusually warm winter weather in New York, reading my spiritual books, tending to The Heart Center Sanctuary, and allowing the process to unfold naturally. That’s just how I roll—I’m not a “power through it” kind of person. I’m a “be present, savor the moment” kind of person. And I know that was the best approach for me.
So, without further ado, I share my packing strategies in hopes that they inspire you to create or tweak your own!
My Approach to Packing: Practical & Soulful
I’m a mix of Virgo Moon and Sagittarius Sun—I crave adventure and exploration, but I also need order and structure. So, I started with a solid packing list (very Virgo of me!) and stuck to it.
The Key to Travel Wardrobe Success? Layers!
Since we were traveling through multiple states with fluctuating temperatures, I knew layers were my go-to. Checking the expected temps in each place set the tone for what I packed.
But beyond function, my clothing choices had to reflect me. My style is Bohemian Romance with a dash of Mysticism. The boho side makes my wardrobe effortlessly flowy and comfortable, while mysticism shines through in my jewelry and accessories. (More on that in the next post!)
My Favorite Travel Outfits
Here are three of my absolute favorites:
- The Magical Gifted Pants
- A cherished pair of pants from my dear friend/student Nithya (gifted just two weeks before our trip) paired with a soft pink top. (I wore this in Drum Park in Charleston when visiting my nephew)
- The Multi-Purpose Midi Dress
- A Hot pink midi dress with black leggings and one of my favorite feathered bright scarves that another friend/client/student Peg gave me for my birthday last year. I wore both for drumming at the labyrinth and at Berkeley Springs—just by swapping out the scarf for a jean jacket later at night when it was cooler.
- The Dress-Up-or-Down Jeans
- A classic pair of jeans that I could easily dress up or down, depending on where we were. Here I am in Gettysburg with the infamous Abe Lincoln Statue nearby. You will see a tiny bit of green peeking out below (because let’s face it when you are in a place like Gettysburg you can use all the spiritual protection you can muster-and with Hawk being one of my power and protection animals-My hawk wing scarf was my go to wrapped around my neck and shoulders EVEN under my comfy jacket. Also very comfy for those days where you are traveling for hours in the car-I chose these as my first outfit going down paired with a dress up t-shirt and nice soft fuzzy rose pink sweater with flared out sleeves (another one of my favorites)
And because we extended our trip by one extra day, I had one outfit I hadn’t worn yet—a black midi dress, yoga pants for warmth, and a long, flowy, flowery sheet jacket. This was a bit of stretch (see I am actually stretching my arms out to the Sun too) for me because I had packed it thinking we were going to go some where I felt I needed to dress up-but honestly I was just as pleased wearing it at the local state park where I ended up drumming in a sacred grove of trees near a river after sharing a delicious Calzone Picnic lunch with Erick and the breeze just flowing through my hair.
Here is a little picture gallery for inspiration for you.
This was my “suitcase” of choice for this trip. I spent about 30 minutes looking online into those packing vaccuum capsules and even though they were relatively inexpensive, I chose to mix and match my outfits with all layers in large plastic bags-At the beginning of the trip they were all sealed and packed away just like this but as the days went by it became a little more dis-sheveled. However, the life saver of doing this, was at night when we were tired and ready to hit the hey at the nearest hotel-All I had to do was pull out what I was going to wear the next day that was neatly tucked away in these bags-throw it in another bag with all my night items and away we went. This got to be very handy-and at a couple points during the trip when we would stop at a rest area-before it got dark-I would already make sure that my “overnight hotel bag” was packed and ready to go-especially as it got later in the night and harder to function at full capacity. I really loved this entire idea and will be doing this from now on for all my trips.
I also wanted to let you know that I stopped in to a Hospice thrift store in Winchester VA, I knew exactly what I was looking for and made a bee line to that area-I scored two really nice light cardigans for a steal to wear as we ventured back to NY where the temps were starting to get a little cooler. What really made my heart happy is when I went up to the register to ask how much of the proceeds go to Hospice she said 100%. I said thank you and put even money into her tip jar as well.
Next Up: The Power of Jewelry
For me, jewelry is more than just an accessory—it’s a sacred adornment, a talisman, an altar piece. It’s an extension of my spiritual essence. It also tends to be a conversation starter—one of those instant “I see you, you’re my kind of person” moments.
But in the next post, I’ll share how I cloaked myself in intention through my jewelry—and the terrible tragedy of losing my precious family heirlooms the first day of our trip only to re-discover and reclaim them again on our very last night. After I had already made peace with losing them.
*If you want some more outfit ideas including how I used chatty catty to help me come up with what to pack and why-Shoot me an email at reneeguidelli@frontiernet.net and I will send you the list I used-including how the 3-2-2-1 capsule packing works complete with jewelry, scarves and specific handbags for various occasions.
Thanks for “riding along with us” <3
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