Imagine you're getting ready for a long awaited trip.

You've been planning this for months now, and suddenly it's the week before.

Have you started packing?

Or are you one of those that waits till last minute?

Or have you been putting things aside, making notes on what you want to pack for the past few weeks because you don't want to forget anything?

Well, welcome to Solo Travel Adventures.

I'm Cheryl Esch, your semi-expert packer.

Well, I'm bringing to you some packing tips for you because right now I am actually packing for a trip that I'm leaving this week for.

I will share all about it when I get back.

I'm so excited.

But I will have a I have a confession to make.

But I'm gonna give you some tips on how I'm also still trying to keep it streamlined, and I'm hope that will help you as well.

And I will have to say, there is no right or wrong.

If you are one that likes to check a bag, you have a suitcase that you like and you check it.

Um, there's no judgment here.

And if you're a backpacker or carry-on only person, great.

I like to actually check a bag.

Um, not always, uh this time around, it's nice because now I don't need to worry so much about how many liquids I'm bringing with me, which always causes a little stress and anxiety for me as to determining how much I can take, what can I take, and how to change that up as far as limiting those liquids that I take through security.

So they do limit that.

So that is a downfall.

Um, but if you learn to pack with more solids or other things that don't count as liquids, or you plan to just buy some of your personal items once you get there, that's that works as well.

But I'm here to share because I'm super excited about a project that I've started in my own personal life, not just for packing, but it definitely applies to packing for travel.

I'm sure you've heard of it, it's been around for a while, and I was familiar with it many years ago.

I even tried it.

It's called Project 333.

It was developed by Courtney Carver, and I had actually heard about her from The Minimalist, and I had attempted to try it many, many years ago, like long before I started sort of just kind of purging and getting rid of stuff.

And it certainly has suited me just perfectly right now in my life, seeing that I am a little more nomadic and I have many of my items, my personal items are in storage.

So the idea of Project 333 and how it can apply to travel is kind of what I'm here to share with you.

So give you a little synopsis of Project 333.

It is uh you pick three 33 clothing items that you will wear for three months.

I know you think that's impossible, but actually, I put all my 33 items in a rubber made container, and it's actually a lot more than you think.

And so you also, when you put together a capsule wardrobe for travel, and the same goes for the project 333 that I started.

I made sure that everything, every clothing item coordinates or could be mixed and matched with something else.

So the same goes for travel.

I like to pick a base layer or color.

For example, maybe your base color is black, or maybe your base color is gray, or I've used uh beige a lot as my base color.

And then I pick, I personally then pick two complementary colors to add to my capsule wardrobe.

I'm not uh sometimes I dress monochromatically, but I like color to be honest, so I'll pick a sort of a base color.

Sometimes I've done navy blue as my base color, and then picked two colors that go with that.

So, for example, um my base colors that I'm working with right now in my personal wardrobe is the the beige or cream, just depending on the outfit.

And then my colors that I'm my pop colors, I like to say, is since it's kind of still fall here, is I have chosen um dark green and rust to kind of coordinate everything.

And so that's how I've coordinated my 33 outfits or 33 um clothing items.

But if you look at how you're gonna travel, first of all, uh pick those that base color, make sure everything can coordinate with it.

Now there's a system that I have seen utilized for travel, and they call it the 54321 system, and I'll share what that means and then how I've adapted that.

So five is for example, say you're going on a week to 10-day trip.

Mine is 11 days, and this is true.

I've already started packing, I already have my suitcase almost fully packed besides my personal items.

I have five tops.

So the five is for five tops that can interchange with the four bottoms that you're bringing.

Then number three is shoes.

Now I will say typically I only bring two pairs of shoes, meaning I wear one and I pack one.

However, for this place, this event, this uh travel uh that I'm doing, I actually do need three pairs of shoes.

I do need a dressy pair for some evening events.

And then, of course, because I'm gonna do some hiking, I have some hiking sandals that could also just be sandals, my Tevas, and then my tennis shoes, my more casual or low shoes.

So that would those are my three pairs of shoes that I'm taking.

Often it's just two.

Number two in your 54321 is two dresses or layers.

Now, for this trip that I'm taking, um, it is two dresses, but typically for me it's layers.

Um, so it's gonna be maybe a jacket or a sweatshirt that I'm gonna bring as a layer.

And then number one is an accessory for each category.

So that's gonna be for me, it's one bag, like a day bag that I can take on, you know, sort of my uh walks through that city that I'm gonna be visiting.

And then I could also utilize that.

It's actually a little day pack backpack, so when I do my hiking, I could use the same bag.

One hat.

I'm taking one hat, my sunglasses, of course, one scarf.

I always travel with a scarf because that could be utilized in many different ways.

I don't wear belts, but a scarf could act as a belt.

And then one jewelry set.

I keep it pretty simple, nothing too expensive.

Um, I do like to wear rings and earrings mostly.

I don't take necklaces with me.

And then I have a travel outfit.

Now, this to me this is even separate from your 54321.

However, it needs to be interchangeable with all the other items that you're taking with you so that you can, you know, create more outfits.

And usually when I travel, because I get cold on the plane, my travel outfit always is maybe sweatpants and a sweatshirt with a layer, you know, maybe a t-shirt.

I want to be comfortable, but I also don't want to be cold.

So that's sort of how I determine my travel outfit.

I use it for on the way there and on the way back.

Um, and if some of those pieces definitely will interchange, I have a couple other options for my outfits.

And if this idea of a capsule wardrobe is new to you, I recommend laying everything out on your bed.

I'm a visual person, so I will lay everything on my bed and I will mix and match and make sure my outfits make sense before I put them in my suitcase.

So try that.

Lay out all your items, make sure they do coordinate.

Make sure you love the outfit that you're gonna put together.

Um, we want to also feel confident and comfortable.

Make sure that uh the clothing item is comfortable on you.

You don't want to take something that is too small or that you just don't quite feel um confident in.

So picking items that you love and that they can mix and match very well together.

I do utilize packing cubes.

There is some people that believe in them and some that don't.

It is a personal preference.

I find it does save me space.

It also helps me to keep my items organized.

Um, for example, keeping all my undergarments in one packing cube is definitely beneficial.

And then maybe either all my tops in one, um, either rolled usually is the best way, and maybe all my bottoms in one so that I can keep things organized.

That's just how I like to roll.

But packing cubes, and depending on the type that you get, some of them do offer an extra, like there's a second zipper that helps you compress even more to give you space.

As you're packing, make sure you're packing ahead of time.

Those last-minute packers, they always are throwing in unnecessary things, and they'll say, Oh, just in case.

I will tell you, those just in case items rarely get used, and they just take up space, and then that's just more that you have to carry around, more weight in your luggage.

And if you have a backpack or carry-on, then it's harder to lug that thing around.

Also, you want to have space, leave room for souvenirs.

I have many times packed so tightly that I had no space to bring really anything home, and that's unfortunate, especially if you're going to some really cool places.

Um, maybe you're going to a market or bazaar and you're finding some really unique items that you would love to bring home.

Also, check the weather, even up to the day before, even though you may have looked ahead of time, it will often change, even up to maybe the day that you're leaving.

I'd say the day before, so that you are all packed the night before you feel less stressed, right?

That's all taken care of.

Your suitcase is ready to go maybe in the morning or the next day.

I like to say keep it simple.

Keep it simple so you avoid stress.

So I'm hoping that you can consider your next trip to pack with what they call that capsule wardrobe idea.

Making sure, again, everything coordinates.

Have some base layers or a base color.

For example, base layer, not just a color, but you have a basic black or beige pants, and maybe you have a basic black or beige undershirt or top that could be again layered that you could utilize or put a scarf to dress it up.

So thinking about those ideas for your next packing adventure.

If you're new to my podcast, thank you so much for listening.

You can also find me at Solo Travel Adventures50 on Instagram.

I recommend you follow me there.

I am leaving for a trip and you want to see where I'm going.

Although I will tell you my next two episodes after I get back are gonna be all about this trip.

I'm keeping it um a little secret.

I want a kind of a little teaser here so you will keep listening for those great um, I'll be sharing about my travel, my trip, but also I'll talk specifically about some of the places that I went to.

And speaking of which, just so you know what is coming up down the pike, we are almost at the end of the year, and I wanted to tell you what else is coming so that you will keep listening.

So next week I will actually not be recording.

You will not see a podcast from me next week.

It is the week of Thanksgiving here in the US, and I know a lot of my U.S.

listeners are probably a little swamped that week, and so I'm also taking a break.

I will also be traveling at that time.

But when I come back, as I mentioned, I will do two episodes in December about this trip.

And so I'm really excited to share all of that with you and everything that I've experienced, and even offer recommendations to you for specific places that I traveled this 11-day trip.

I know I'm not telling.

Maybe some of you know.

And then after that, I will have uh one more guest that will be coming on before the end of the year, and and then my favorite episode is the specific travel trends, not the one I did last week, but specific destinations that are popular in 2026 for I always do my research.

It's specifically for solo travelers and very safe for women.

I always keep that in mind.

And if you followed me for the past, well, going on four years now, I always do that at the end of the year so you can see kind of what's popular, also give you some ideas of where you can go in 2026, especially if you have not planned your trip.

And then again, I usually take off the week between Christmas and New Year, so no podcast that week.

Enjoy that end of your time with your family and friends.

And speaking of 2026 travels, you're interested in doing a wellness cruise in Europe, please reach out to me.

I'll also leave information in the show notes.

Hello at Cherylbeckesh.com through AMA Waterways.

There's an incredible wellness.

It's in August, the end of August in 2026.

It leaves out of Budapest and it goes up the Danube River, and it's a seven-day cruise.

Everything's included in the price, which is phenomenal.

All the excursions are included in the pricing.

So reach out to me if that's something you're interested in getting more information about.

I do have a travel agent that I'm working with that is coordinating all of those, all that planning for you.

So, sister travelers, I am excited to tell you more when I get back from my travels.

So have a wonderful, wonderful week, and I'll see you in two weeks.