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I’m about to travel to New York and experiencing a serious packing dilemma since my next destinations will be milder in temperature. Learn how I use Trvl Porter to save me from having to pack bulky, winter clothing!
My New York Packing Dilemma
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I have a bit of a packing dilemma at the moment and I have to make a decision quickly!
I’m traveling to New York soon and the weather has an average between 41°F (5°C) and 53.6°F (12°C) this time of year, with temperatures dropping at night.
Normally, packing for cold weather like this would consist of thermals, my go-to winter coat, and waterproof boots. However, directly after this trip I am flying to San Diego and then on to Playa del Carmen. This means that I’ll only be spending one week in extremely cold weather and the rest of the time in warm to hot destinations.
I do not want to pack all my cold weather gear and then have to drag it around for the next while.
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Options to Solve My Packing Dilemma
After stressing out about this and disliking the idea of carrying around things I don’t need, I’ve realized that I have three possible options:
Option 1: Take Clothes to Giveaway
Since moving to England, I’ve accumulated a variety of quality winter jackets and clothing. However, with the hope of only owning the things I need and not accumulating a bunch of things I don’t use, I’ve started putting away a pile of items I can donate to a homeless shelter.
One of my options is to bring some of the items I planned to give away then donate them in New York before departing. The items I’d bring to donate are the brand new Merrell snow boots I bought on sale at Nordstrom Rack then bought to England but haven’t worn because it hasn’t snowed much since I’ve lived here.
I’d also bring one of my slightly used red winter jackets I got on sale at Sierra Trading Post. I wanted to infuse color into my wardrobe then decided I didn’t feel comfortable with such a bold color.
This is why it’s important to buy only the things you love vs. things that you think you should wear. This has been one of the biggest lessons learned in the past couple of years of trying to refine my wardrobe so I stop wasting money on things that I won’t wear all the time. I’m getting much better at this now.
I’m shopping less and spending a bit more on quality items I can re-wear on a weekly basis. That’s why you see me in so much of the same clothing. I’m wearing things that make me feel good even though they’ve cost me a bit more than I used to spend. In the end, I’ve saved more money because I shop less.
Another smart traveler secret is to re-wear clothing more than once without washing. Read more tips about this strategy here!
Option 2: Rent Clothes
Earlier this year I met Stefanie from Trvl Porter at the Women in Travel Summit show in LA. WOW I was floored at how awesome of a business she has!
Trvl Porter allows you to rent a travel wardrobe that is delivered directly to your hotel. You create a free profile and choose your style preferences then they create a look book for you to review so you can select the clothing you want to wear for your trip.
This is perfect for a trip like this! I signed up for this last minute and chose a warm jacket and a couple of dressier pieces I could wear. Not only would this help alleviate some of the cold weather items I’d need to bring but I could also wear nice clothing for a conference I am attending that I won’t wear again for the rest of the trip.
I was super impressed by the selection of clothing they included in the look book for me (shown above)! The clothes were chic, stylish, and mid to high-end brands (I wouldn’t normally splurge on)! The colors are based on your personal preferences.
Stefanie gave me a discount code if you’d want to try this service for one of your trips. Use FIRST-TRVL-WARDROBE to get $40 off your first wardrobe. They require a minimum of 2 items to make it a wardrobe.
Learn more about Trvl Porter here!
Option 3: Ship Clothes Back Home
In the past, I’ve shipped boxes home during my long-term travels but they were usually filled with souvenirs. For this trip, I plan to ship home a few cold weather items such as my thermals, winter gloves, merino wool socks, scarf, and warm hat. These are small but good quality items that pack a punch in warmth.
All, in all, I’m feeling much better about my packing plan. I really wish I could bring all my favorite items, but by using a combination of renting, donating, and shipping, I’ll be able to pack much lighter and more efficiently.
Read these tips on packing for mixed weather or cold weather.
My Solution
The weather was forecasting snow, rain, and a low of 15F (-9C). Because I was traveling to sunny and warm destinations for 3 months directly after New York, I didn’t want to pack a bunch of cold weather gear that I would then have to lug around.
My solution to this was either 1) bring cold weather clothes I could donate, 2) use Trvl Porter to rent a travel wardrobe, or 3) ship a box of stuff back home.
Blondo Villa Waterproof Ankle Boot
I ended up using Trvl Porter and brought a few of my favorite cold weather essentials such as my thermals, Blondo ankle boots, and winter accessories.
Renting a coat, warm vest, and long-sleeved top with Trvl Porter was a game changer! I’m now obsessed with this and the idea of renting clothes for everyday life, too.
Stay warm in winter with the best thermal underwear for women!
These are the three items I rented: faux fur vest, red top, and coat.
Upon checking in at the Hotel Indigo (I highly recommend it), they handed me a package with the items I’d selected from the lookbook Trvl Porter provided me, and voila! Instant travel wardrobe for New York provided!
I was able to layer the faux fur vest over or under the coat to change up my look for the first part of the trip then on the last day it was warm enough that I no longer needed my cold weather layers.
Secret: I had my merino wool thermal top layered underneath my olive blouse and my merino wool thermal bottoms underneath my jeans.
Our readers suggest the best merino wool sweaters!
This first look was perfect for a day spent out exploring NYC! From Central Park to Times Square, I felt cute and cozy rocking the outfit Trvl Porter curated for me. Layers were a must with daily chilly temps–the faux fur vest, sturdy coat, black H&M blouse and J. Crew Tippi merino sweater (layered underneath everything) did the job perfectly.
Of course, a trip to NYC wouldn’t be complete without a stop at a classic deli. Katz most certainly lived up to its hype (not pictured – the incredible reuben sandwich I feasted on not once, but twice, during this trip!) and luckily, I had a great outfit to go along with it too.
The second look was a cozy Trina Turk sweater with skinny jeans, ankle boots, and a lightweight coat. An added plus to the sweater? Its on-trend choker detail and beautiful red color! All together, it was comfortable, stylish and warm enough to get me through the day’s festivities.
After Katz? Well, the Brooklyn Bridge of course! I’m so glad I had time to squeeze in this NY must-see on one of my last days in town. Not only did I get to admire it from afar, but I was also able to cross it and enjoy a pleasant stroll in the sun. The perfect way to spend a nice afternoon in the city!
When I checked out, I handed the concierge the package of clothes in the included pre-paid return envelope and that was it. So easy!
If you’d like to try out this service, use the code FIRST-TRVL-WARDROBE to get $40 off your first wardrobe. They require 2 items to make a wardrobe and I could’ve probably gotten away with renting just the coat and vest, but I liked the look of the top and wanted to add a pop of color to my looks.
Learn more about Trvl Porter here!
Disclaimer: I received my first two items complimentary to test out and paid for the additional items myself.
What is your greatest packing dilemma? Please share and comment below!
For more packing tips, read these posts:
- 75 Packing Tips that Will Make Your Travels So Much Easier
- 60 Travel Packing Tips from the Experts
- Top 5 Packing Tips for a One Week Trip
- What to Wear in the Snow: Packing List and Packing Tips
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The city is always difficult to pack for, I find. Layers, layers, layers! You did a great job! Renting clothes-who would’ve thought!! Great concept! That blue jacket and those fun ankle boots – whose are they?
Hi Margo, so glad you enjoyed the article, thank you! The boots are the Blondo Villa Waterproof ankle boots which you can find here: https://amzn.to/2Ws7eD2. The jacket is from Zara, I purchased it when I traveled to Paris a few years ago. When I visit Paris I love to visit the Zara stores as they are so fantastic. Hope this helps. Happy travels! ?
Alex – which boots do you have on with the red shirt? They look textured ( like snakeskin or other print)
Hi Jenn, thank you for reaching out. I am wearing the blondo boots: https://amzn.to/2q9DUBU Although, I’ve just found a similar version with a shorter heel that would be better for longer sightseeing days: http://bit.ly/2r3VGqV I’m curious about trying these out instead with the shorter heel. Happy travels! ?