I attended my first four concerts of the year last week, including Hanson (of course) and John Mayer! I share pics at the end of the post. :)

Jetting from NYC to LA last year following Hanson around on their RGB World Tour, I’ve mastered the glam-on-a-carry-on situation, so here’s how and what I’m packing for all this year’s musical rides.

General packing tips

If I hear one more person say packing cubes are the best packing essential I might puke, so let me say this: organizing your items within your suitcase is such a time-saver. Your items are easy to find, and it makes re-packing so much less stressful.

Tip #1 - Luggage first

It does no good to gather everything you want to pack if it won’t fit into the luggage you take, so start with you carry-on and personal item.

I have taken THIS CARRY-ON SUITCASE with me on countless trips, and it’s still in perfect condition. Bonus that flight attendants have taken opportunities to tell me how great the luggage company is!

For your personal item, maximize every inch of space you can. THIS BAG has been questioned for being too big, but it fits seamlessly under the seat in front of me. It has such well-thought out pockets, and can double as a gym or work bag when you’re not traveling.

Tip #2 - keep it separated

Pouches are a must. When you’re doing air travel, it can get tricky with the clear liquids bag, but all it takes is some rearranging once you get through security.

Speaking of the clear liquids bag, don’t settle for a plastic bag. THIS CASE is pricey, but has so many uses beyond air travel. Your items will also be secure, plus no chance of the bag busting open and causing a mess.

I’ve used THIS SET OF PACKING CUBES for as long as I can remember and, yes, they make life better. They are easy to clean, come with a wet bag, and each pouch has a zipper compartment on the back that I use for dirty clothes. You can arrange items by tops and bottoms, but I always plan my outfits around my itinerary. Then, I pack them last to first, so each outfit is just laying on top the next, and I can grab-and-go without thinking.

It’s also helpful to consolidate outfits, so my first outfit was comfortable enough for my 6am flight but felt cute enough should I run into Hanson before the show (they might have walked by while we had lunch!).

The second outfit was planned around an outdoor show, so running leggings and rain boots. I’m SO happy I went with this option because it poured during the first two shows before Hanson, All-4-One and They Fray (I know. They were incredible.).

My third outfit for the John Mayer show was based around wanting to wear flats, and my flight home outfit - so these pants and this top - was cozy enough to sleep in the night before but cute enough to roll out of bed and wear on the flight home (since we were going on two hours of sleep).

Finally, THIS MAKEUP BAG is the only thing I’ll take on a plane. It is compact but big enough to hold everything, has a few pockets (one is removable), and a removable brush bag. Perfection.

BEAUTY PACKING TIPS

So you have your outfits and accessories, but how do you squeeze in all your lotions and potions? If you travel enough, it’s smart to just keep your beauty kit packed with travel-sized goodies. But if you travel less often, those miniature products can spoil before you get to use them up.

Tip #1 - multitask

Instead of my usual mousse, volumizer, dry shampoo and hairspray, I invest in a travel-size of THIS ONE HAIR PRODUCT. It won’t give me my usual full-on results, but it’s good enough. When you multitask, you’ll use up one product more quickly, therefore not wasting money on unused product or space in your liquids case.

I’ll also use conditioner instead of shaving cream, and sleep in my workout clothes for the next morning to save an outfit. Pick shoes that go with multiple outfits, and cut down on beauty options like multiple lipsticks or blushes. Your FAVORITE BROWN EYESHADOW might double as brow powder, and remember products like Aquaphor have a myriad of uses.

TIP #2 - WORK WITH ONE MAKEUP “OUTFIT”

Instead of packing all your favorite makeup, work with one look. I tend to wear less makeup than I plan to during a trip, usually because I run out of time, so practice a look you can do quickly and pack the products as you finish using them. Not only will you not forget anything, but you can always mix and match the products to create more than one look.

On every trip, I’ve taken THIS EYESHADOW PALETTE because it has every shade you need for every imaginable look. To dress it up, you can add a METALLIC or GLITTER shadow topper.

I pack a go-to lip combination with LIPSTICK, LIP LINER and LIP GLOSS to mix and match. I’ll use all three for fancy looks, the gloss for quick touch-ups, and the liner plus gloss for every day.

tip #3 - kiss

I learned about the KISS method from a high school school science teacher: Keep It Simple, Stupid. :) While it’s so tempting to get a bunch of new stuff for an upcoming trip, the last thing you want is to have a reaction to a new product or not like the outfit you packed. Stick to your tried-and-true favorites to be so much happier!

TRAVELING HEALTHY

You won’t have a fun trip if you’re hungry, hungover and/or dehydrated. The biggest tips I can share are to keep up with whatever healthy habits you already practice so when you do indulge in the vacation fun, it won’t hit you as hard. In addition to my daily supplements, I also pack healthy PROTEIN SNACKS, nuts, ELECTROLYTES, and of course a reusable WATER BOTTLE. Finally, if you have the room, I cannot suggest packing a TRAVEL PILLOW enough. This one-time investment has already saved me so much pain and restless sleep!

I wish you safe and happy travels this summer! I have a few planned, but hope some more trips will pop. Now, please enjoy these sweet pics of some amazing artists!