For me, it's I'm a really good about charger For some reason.

Again, I think it's anxiety of like mostly like my kids iPads, like rinning out of juice on the plane.

So I'm like, I do not want to deal with that.

No, so I bring I'm always have chargers, and I always have portable chargers too, like at least one or two.

More more, more Better, corner, a little more better, more you start.

Welcome to More Better, a podcast where we stop pretending to have it all together.

And embrace the journey of becoming a little more better every day, or at least trying to.

That's most of Room Marrow, and that's Stephanie Beatrice.

Hey girl, what's going on?

Hey girl?

How you do it?

Heye girl, I'm fucking freezing.

The weather change amazing, Oh my god, I mean listen, Am I excited to get my little layered out that's going Yes?

Am I cuzying in my apartment or my apartment, my office.

Yes, I'm fucking cool.

I've busted out my old school Patagonia.

Yeah, it's sweat a weather.

It's sweat a weather.

It's sweat a weather, and I am so excited about it.

I am done with the heat.

No more.

Well, it is going to be eighty degrees later today, I know.

It's gonna be No, We're probably gonna have like two more fucking hot heat waves before the cool finally settle.

What sorry that I just yawned.

I need to drink more coffee.

What have you done lately?

That's more better?

Well?

What have I done lately?

That is more better?

I feel like I've been really stressed out the last few weeks.

Oh, and you know sometimes when you get into these cycles of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, but you just kind of keep moving.

So I'm trying to be more better at like clocking.

Oh, I feel overwhelmed right now.

I feel really stressed out.

What can I do about it in this moment instead of just like trucking through, like just trying to be more conscious, whether it's like I literally go to the bathroom and like take five deep breaths, like the kind where you like inhale for four, hold it for four, exhale for four.

Sometimes even just acknowledging it and just being like what is it about?

What?

Oh?

Look at me, I'm stressed, Yeah, look at me.

I feel really stressed out.

About Is it actually about anything or is it just I don't know, a reaction to my kid playing the trumpet too loud?

You know, your kid lay their trumpet.

Yeah, and So started a band this year his school.

It's a great music program, and he wanted to do the drums, but too many kids pick the drums.

So we convinced the music teacher emailed all the parents, was like, hey, if you can get them excited about it the instrument.

I think he just didn't want like really upset kids who couldn't play the drums.

So, uh, David has a cousin, actually, Quiso Fumero, who played with like Tito Puente, and he's a trumpet player, professional trumpet player, and so we showed him some videos of Quiso, and uh got him excited about trumpet.

And I regret my decision.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, that's.

Your own doing, dude, that's me.

It's my own doing.

I think I thought that maybe he would still get the drums, but oh, he's excited about excited about that trumpet.

Yep.

So but you know what, he's not bad, he's not.

I mean, he just started and like he's he's playing, he's actually playing some notes.

It's when he just blows on it super hard and lowed to be funny that oh yeah, yeah.

Yeah, sorry to this man.

Sorry to this man that you have a funny kid.

What have you been doing lately?

That's more better.

I removed myself from the situation this morning when Roz threw something at me and then kicked me.

I oh, I will say, I removed myself.

She ran into her room crying.

I was like, Rosaline, you know you're not allowed to do that, to throw that at me, or actually I was like ros Like I looked at her like whoa bitch?

Whoa fuck?

Yeah?

Yeah, And then she ran out of the room into her bed and like put the covers over her head and I was like I sat down and I like gently touched her.

I was like, hey, yeah, we don't care.

We don't throw things in our house.

Yeah, And I was going to continue my gentle parenting.

And then she fucking nailed me in the leg with her foot and I was like Rosaline, you know, like I said her full name, and I was like, we do not and like I raised my voice like to not like I tell, but like I was scary.

I was like low and scary.

You know, you rose a das her I did, and it scared out of her and she cried for like, I mean I left the room.

I was like, I laid it down.

I left the room, yep.

And uh then I steamed my shirt in anger, and I steamed another shirt.

I have a steamer, guys.

And then I came back like about ten minutes later, and I was really glad I left the room.

But I was also glad I wasn't.

My mom used to do this thing, and it's you know, we all deal with like all of our familial trauma in different ways, but like my mom used to do this thing where she would she would like close up like remove her love from the room, you know, remove herself and also remove her like and so you'd be like, I'm sorry, I upset you, and she'd be like cold dead to the world, like just like a fucking garage door had come down.

And there was a moment where I felt like fucking fucked our kid.

But I didn't, yeah, remain in there.

I like went back in there and I was like, hey, I'm ready to talk whenever you're ready, and like, honestly, I didn't even say anything at first I just like rubbed her back a little bit, and then she like crawled into my lap and then we talked about it.

That was okay, okay, It's great.

Myself though, when I like when my voice like went like, here's.

My not going to get into like parenting things.

But my main beef with like and I think general parentsing's great and I do it somewhat with my kids, But the thing that my main beef with it is I think it often makes parents feel like they failed if they raise their voice or yell or lose control or have feelings right, and at the end of the day, that is unsustainable, that is impossible.

We are also human beings.

Our kids are going to be fucking dicks, especially because us we're raising them in this better, more empathetic, more connected way.

They feel safer, they feel sometimes like they can do some ship and sometimes we're gonna lose it.

But we are human beings and it's important for them to also see that their actions or choices have consequences in like how it makes a person fucking feel sometimes your actions have consequences, and like your actions consequences if you choose to throw your little toy at me, and then kick me in the leg, like I might get really fucking upset because I'm a person and anybody something that me.

Back the fuck up.

I'm gonna warn yes, like yes, bro, I'm laying it down right now, like this is I'm drawing a line in the sand, like you can't fool Like.

No, you can't like that, you cannot because that's.

Also the other thing is like again not not getting too deep into the parenting world because heaven forbid, but have verbid we do not like there are I mean part of me teaching her like you can't throw a shit at I mean, you can't kick kick me.

Is like you can't go out there in the real world and be acting a fool because some other fool punch you in the face.

Like some other fools, the other fool out in the world is not going to be like oh I need you to not understand, like they might hit you back, like you know, so I just think that it's you know, I used to feel so guilty when I would lose it.

And you know, a therapist, a child therapist that I very much respect, once told me it was like you get to be a human being, Like it's okay for your kids to see you're not perfect, Like it's not very Actually.

It's necessary actually, like yes, as long as you're like reconnecting and repairing after the thing that has happened, Like that's actually the most important moment.

That's what.

That's what I'm saying.

Like though, that's the part that my mom would like.

Right right.

I think most of our parents, Yeah, I don't think our parents knew, oh you know, to to do that like connect and repair.

Yeah, And then we're all adults being like having a fucking hard time apologizing for shit and like you know, or like having I don't I'm messed up and I don't know how to talk about it now, Like how do I fix this with my friend?

You know?

So I think that's like the biggest thing that we're giving our kids.

But like, yeah, man, I freaking are you kidding me?

I got two wild ass boys.

I lose my shit all the time.

They fucking know how to get me to the brink.

Yeah, And I try not to give.

I try.

I have days where I'm really good because I'm also like, don't take the bait.

Don't take the bait like they're trying to do it like they're trying to get a reaction out of me.

But sometimes it's also like you have to put your foot down and be like, oh, you can't stand up, Like that's not.

A way, absolutely not.

You know what you're doing.

I'm not an idiot.

I know what you're doing.

You have to stop.

Yeah.

Yeah, anyway, you're a great mom.

Thanks.

Thanks.

I do feel like I am the greatest mom, the number one you are.

You're a great mom.

We are all doing great.

We are more better.

What are we talking about to today, Melissa.

It's totally unrelated.

It's totally unrelated.

Uh, we're talking about packing, getting more better at packing.

And I'm excited because I feel like you are so good at packing.

And I have a lot of thought better.

But I know and I'm That's why I'm excited.

Please please tell how you became such a good packer, because you really are such a good packer.

When you went to Europe?

Was that the past summer.

Last year to Italy?

Maybe it was last year, Yeah, it was Italy trip.

I remember texting or calling with you while you were packing, and you were showing you pictures of what you were packing, and it was so thoughtfully laid out.

I was like, God, damn it, I need to learn how to do that.

I mean, so to start, I would say, like I don't consider myself like a good packer.

I will say that I enjoy the process of.

Like I don't enjoy the leaving it to last minute and being like fuck, because like it's actually quite a big job to condense your wardrobe down to like don't underestimate it, right, Like it is quite a big deal to condense your wardrobe down to like a trip of like yeah.

What you need, what you'll use, and.

We can discuss, you know, the benefits.

And like I hate checking bags.

Sometimes I have to do it, but I really loathe doing it because it just makes me like nervous.

It's like all fee into my anxious energy of I don't want to I don't want to lose the stuff that I am traveling with, especially if it's like for press or something like that, where like I have to show up and look, you know, represent like I.

Represent the show you that because like especially for work stuff or like whenever you have to bring like a lot of makeup or hair products, like like how you have to check a bag, Well you.

Do, and you don't like I always want so okay, so okay, I think for work stuff.

Okay, this is such a big thought.

But okay, let me give you this this example of like I used to be an overpacker.

I would be like I need this, and I need this and I need this, and I would just like start throwing stuff in the suitcase and and like making up outfits in my mind and being like, oh, that'll look good, that'll look good, right, and then you're traveling with this ginormous suitcase.

The first time I realized that this was a huge mistake was a trip that I took to Paris and luckily there was an elevator, but like getting the giant suitcase like out of the out of the airport into the train.

I think I took the train to the airbnb that I was staying at, getting it up into the airbnb, getting it down.

Then I took one of those like uh train, those fast trains to London or maybe it was vice versa nightmare nightmare struggling with this giant bag, like lifting it up onto the nightmare, total nightmare.

I was like, something has to something has to change, right, So.

To me, the perfect trip packing is a small carry on suitcase and a small not too heavy personal item, right, and I usually go for like a tote.

I know people like backpacks, but like you, I can never.

I can never ruin the line of my jacket or coat.

Absolutely not, absolutely not.

I like having everything.

So like, let's say I'm going on a work trip, right, like, and I know I have to do press.

I pack the press outfit in the carry on because that way I know I have it.

Because that's the most stressful situation that I'm going to be in, and I know that I have it on me.

I take all the jewelry and put it in my personal item.

I've got everything with me.

I'm not checking a bag and then going and then arriving in New York and being like fuck, I have to like shop for an outfit tonight because my bag didn't show up.

That's a night, oh god night, man's yeah.

A hell escape, right, But what I do know is that I'm probably gonna get hair and makeup done, so like I don't need to bring any of that stuff.

Like how much makeup do I wear on a regular basis not very much, So like I pair that way way down.

I caan't all my stuff into travel containers.

Like or if I'm lucky enough to stay at a nice hotel, I don't even bring like shampoo and conditioner because I know that they'll have it at the hotel.

There's like these little things that I have picked up.

I have a tiny straightener.

It's like this big instead of like a giant string.

I definitely wear my biggest pair of shoes.

So like that trip that we took to Austin that time, I wore my cowboy boots on the plane because I knew I was gonna want to wear them while I was there, so I wore them on the plane so that I didn't have all that space taken up in my bag.

Also, the plane outfit is a whole nother thing, right, So we talk about outfits in the moment.

But I feel like I use packing cubes.

I do, but I don't swear by them.

I think they're useful, But to me, I don't feel like you have to buy things to be a good packer.

Like the internet will tell you like you need these ten things or whatever.

There was an article in here like that's like travel and Leisure.

I'm a professional packer.

These are twelve genius hats for making your carry on bag lighter.

It's like, yeah, if you have extra money to spend, you could do that, but like sometimes people don't write, Like I buy a set of packing cubes and like sometimes I use them, but I don't always use all of them.

Yeah, I got the kind that have like the second zipper, so it can like compress.

But do you compress your shit?

Yeah?

No, I don't do it.

Why, Like I've tried, but it's like, well, that's the whole point of the packing cube is like you put stuff in it and then it's tidy, So like why would I like then try to compress it down and like.

Because then it gives you like a little more space.

Not really though, like it's incremental like increment, Like what are you going to fit in like that space?

Like a pair of socks and underwear?

I mean no, I feel like I fit like like a jacket, like a like a couple of jackets over my packing cubes because they were like pressed down and like it gave me space on top to like lay a few more things.

Why are you traveling with so many jackets?

Where are you going?

Listen?

I have anxiety?

Okay, this is the problem.

Here's the problem.

Your anxiety is the problem.

My anxiety is the problem.

I think I've become slightly and well here's what I'm inconsistent with my overpacking or underpacking.

I do both, Like my anxiety causes me to do both.

Like I will overpack for a trip and then be like, great, there was literally six shirts that I didn't was that I did not need to bring.

And then the next trip I'll underpack and be like, I'm fucking cold.

Why didn't I break?

Why didn't I bring?

Or like a jacket?

Like what's wrong with me?

More?

Better?

More better?

Yeah?

Tell me your approach to outfits when you pack?

What first of all?

Start with?

Like what you're gonna do while you're there?

I always write down a list, and now I do it in my notes app, but like I write down a list of like okay, so like literally I'm going to use this trip that is coming up to give you an example of this greatest Paris.

We're going to Paris for Lady Gaga because I'm insane and I love her so much.

Oh my god, Now everyone's going to know where I'm am.

But it's okay, Am I gonna tell you where I'm staying.

So we depart the evening.

We're flying overnight because Paris is a look flight away from La First we're taking a day trip out to Cole Maar and I believe Strausburg.

Then Saturday we have free and then Monday we return.

So like what am I doing on each of those days?

And like what I wrote down is like I want to go to the Christmas market at the Tuileries Garden and have a drink at a cocktail bar.

Then the next day I want to go and think I said, I want to go do like some shopping and wandering, and then we have the Gaga show that night.

So like, already I'm like narrowing down what I'm doing each day, right, So then then once you start narrowing down where you're going to be, it's like, well, then what shoes.

Are appropriate for these things?

Yeah?

What outfits are appropriate for these things?

Like, well, I want to dress up for Gaga?

Cool?

So you want to dress up for Gaga.

You don't want to wear your white sneakers for Gaga, right, your little white brook sneakers.

You don't want to wear your book sneakers for Gaga?

Right?

So then you don't need to bring the brook sneakers.

Actually, oh, but what if I want to work out?

Oh, you've never worked out barefoot, You've never done yoga, you've never done like pilates in your room.

Like what's your problem?

Like why you need to bring the fair sneakers?

Well, what if it rains?

Like what if you're walking around the city, then wear your solomons, Like your solomons are waterproof, but your solomons aren't cute with every outfit?

Too bad about it?

Like, what do you want to do?

You want to bring a pair of boots?

Okay, then bring a pair of boots.

But like, if you're gonna bring a pair of boots, you have to.

Wear those boots on the plane.

You also have to wear those boots to Gaga, and you're gonna have to wear those.

Boots to cole Maar.

So, like, which pair of boots are you bringing?

Are they waterproof?

Like really waterproof?

Or would you rather just bring your solomons and like build outfits around yourself so you kind of start with the shoes.

I try to start with the shoes because they take up so much space.

And then also if you're traveling somewhere cold.

I want to also start with the jacket because like, and now here's here's where it's going to get tricky for Paris, because what I want to do is bring my leather cool black trench coat that's like vintage that I bought the last time I'm there.

I was there.

Oh, but I can't pack that trench coat.

So I could pack it in a checked bag, but then I'm risking losing it.

Yeah, I could wear it on the plane, or I could pack it in my carry on.

If I pack it in my carry on, it's going to be too crowded in there.

So I could wear it on a plane.

No, that's stupid, right, You never want to pack a jacket.

In your like a big jacket.

That's a terrible idea, right, So then I have to wear it on the plane or pack it in the checked pluggage.

But if I wear it on the plane, that means that that's probably my only jacket that I'm bringing, unless I pack one in the unless I check one as well.

So it's like then it gets tricky.

It's like, because you want to wear your heaviest jacket onto the plane if you want to.

Like and you want a layer for the plane.

Also, like you want to wear like cute totally, I never wear I'm not a fan of I get.

Hot and cold on every plane.

Also, like, if you're gonna wear sweatpants on the plane, like cool, but they need to be sweatpants either that you're going to sleep in for the rest of your trip or that you are comfortable wearing out, Like you need to style those sweatpants to the nines because why are you wearing pants?

Okay, wait, wait, here's my here's my problem.

Though.

If I'm wearing sweats on the plane and it's a long ass plane flight like that, I feel like, are you getting them laundered like when you arrive you.

Okay, Okay, that's great, that's gross.

Like anything you wear on a plane, I feel like not wearing again and thus it gets warm.

Well, I mean, I'll wear like jeans again unless it's like jeans.

Yeah, I war my jeans a million times, right, So like to me, I don't yeah.

To me, I'll like either wear.

I'll either wear like black sweats that are like a little bit chicer, that have like an interesting shape or something.

I'll wear those on the plane.

Because I can wear those like I can like make them look like an outfit.

Or I'll wear hard pants, hard pants, jeans, pants, whatever that I can wear again on the trip.

Yeah, or for a long haul flight, I'll wear hard pants, and then I'll just bring like a tiny pair of leggings in my carry on so I can just whip them out and change.

Yeah, that's my favorite thing to do because like then you're super comfy.

You sleep in your leggings and then you can change back into the hardpants when you arrive.

If you have to, like check in your hotel and then go somewhere, that's a smart Yeah.

I love to bring, but they have to be thin leggings.

You don't want a pair of sweatpants in your.

Carry on, right like that?

Or no, no, yeah, something you can roll up real tiny, yeah, tiny tiny.

I feel also that I one of the things that I really enjoy, and this might be part of why you don't always feel like you've succeeded when you pack, is that you have to try on outfits.

You have to.

You have to give yourself a little time to try on outfits because the outfits in your head sometimes are not they not hitting.

They're not hitting you know what you're so right.

I did that for when we went to New York and we went for a long weekend, and you're right, And I actually didn't even realize, but I kind of did what you were just describing because I knew we were going to be walking all day.

We're doing statch of Liberty this day, We're going up to Harlem this day, Like you know, I knew it was going to be hot, and I did.

And my friend came over and I did try on outfits and she helped me put together.

And I think I packed one.

Extra outfit that I didn't end up wearing, but it was like in case we go back to the hotel and shower and then like go to dinner, so I had a spare outfit in there.

But yeah, I wore all my outfits and they all.

Like worked like little skirts with sneakers, and it looked cute and it was way less.

It was the first time I did that for a trip because it was a short trip and we were going to do all carry ons.

We're going to do a carry on for the kids, carry on for me, carry on for David, and because usually we do like the one big checked bag for everybody, like when we go to Florida in the summer to see family and stuff.

It's just easier to have just like one big bag with us.

Although actually no, I take that back.

This past summer we did the three carry ons again because the boys need a lot less stuff now because they're bigger, they don't need as many extra outfits or like, you know, they're not like throwing up at random or pooping their pants or spilling shit on themselves as much.

I still will like throw an extra T shirt in a in like a like a tope bat or like or one of their backpacks.

Yeah, just in case, Like, especially for the little one.

You know, God forbid, he spills water on his shirt and you're in a fucking you know, saga of your trip.

It's wet shirt.

It's wet, it'll dry, but it's so wet, like and then you just you know, the path of least resistance is to change their shirts so that everyone on a plane hear them.

Yeah, have a meltdown about being.

Wet the one time.

So I have this rule.

When ros was little, I was like, we always need to pack her an extra outfit in her when she was a baby in her Oh, that's.

Like yeah, before the age of four, you have to have an extra outfit, at least one or two.

But also you need an extra outfit for the parent for yourself.

Yeah, because and like that is that super thin leggings and an extra sweatshirt or an extra T shirt or a long sleeve shirt something.

And Brad resisted it so much because he was like, I'm mister lightpacker.

This motherfucker we went to we were.

In London, we went to sketch and it was like, you know, I think this goes along with packing, because it's like when you have a baby, you're packing for the day, You're like leaving your house and you've got the diaper bag.

Right.

She had a blowout in the middle of this beautiful tea room.

He took her to the bathroom.

She he he was like, he was freaking out, and I had shoved, against his wishes, shoved an extra outfit in there, and thank god I did.

And then another time on a flight, it was because he got shit on him.

He got baby shit on him.

Well not that time, but she peed all over him in the middle of a flight.

Uh, And he didn't have an extra outfit, and I was like, oh, that's a shame.

Like, I mean, I didn't mean if one.

I wasn't like trying to.

Be snuff smug about it, but.

But like how could you not?

You were like it was I was also like, it's just like just throw another T shirt in there, like just throw another pair of pants in their bud like you gotta yep please.

Yeah no, yeah, you never know.

Kids are a different story.

Though it's a different Kids are a different story.

If you're traveling by yourself, you have a lot more freedom, right like if you're traveling for this is what I'm saying.

Little like I think trying on stuff is so helpful.

Having a color palette is really helpful too, Like oh so that everything well, like so you can mix and match a little bit, like yeah, do you do like more tops and like a few bottoms or yeah, I try to keep it to Like I mean, I think that the time because I feel like I remember that from your Italy trip you were like I've got these great shorts and then you go great with this topic and this topic and I'm bringing this skirt and like.

Yeah, yeah, I was like, ooh, she's so smart.

I brought too many dresses in Italy because I had this like fantasy of being like, I'm in Italy and I'm wearing these beautiful dresses.

I could have brought one dress, okay, because there were a couple of days where it was colder than I thought it was gonna be.

Checking the weather obviously, is always your best friend.

More better?

Is there anything that you always forget or like things that you stupid charger.

I'd like have the charger down, pat the freaking toilet trees.

I do in the morning before I leave.

I make a little list, but I have to put a post it on my fucking bag that says get your charger, because there have been so many times when I land and I'm like or I'm in the plane and I'm I'm in the airport and I'm like, oh shit, my batteries on X amount or whatever, and I'm looking around in my bag and I'm.

Like, I fucking forgot to pack my charger for me.

It's I'm really good about charger.

For some reason.

Again, I think it's anxiety of like mostly like my kids iPads like riding out of juice on the plane.

So I'm like, I do not want to deal with that.

Uh So, I bring.

I'm always have chargers, and I always have portable chargers too, like at least one or two.

And but for me, it's toothbrush.

I can't tell you how many.

Times I have forgotten my toothbrush, my children's toothbrushes, and.

The kids.

One really sucks because when you get a toothbrush from the front desk, even at Disney, because I forgot them at No.

They're booty.

They're always booty.

They're booty.

But they're also giving you like minty toothpaste that my kids are not really like, They're still like there, their toothpaste is a little bit minty, but it's mostly like fruity, Like it's fruity flavors, like it's those like kid flavors and so mint toothpaste to them, they're like a so spicy.

Like every time I'm like, god, I put the tidiest bit.

Okay, So this is it's so strong.

This is the post it is very helpful.

The post it on the bag is very helpful.

That's a great idea.

It's really it's every time, like I'm going to bed the night before, I'm like, what are the last couple of things that I need to remember like my past.

Yes, I try to make a morning of list of like all the last minute things that we have to grab in the morning.

Yeah, that David and I can both look at.

That's always like toothbrushes, chargers like yeah, your glasses like whatever.

Also like there, So I have a basket underneath my vanity, like in the bathroom, and the basket is just full of and it's pretty organized, although I probably need to go through it.

It's full of like travel sizes of everything you could ever want.

There's travel size dental floss.

There's travel sized toothpaste, there's travel size there's a travel sized first aid kit.

There's like everything, lotions, potions, boop it up up.

It's all in there.

And so like before I go on a trip, when I'm packing my toilet tries, a lot of times I'll just swap out something because it's usually only like what I'm leaving for five days, maybe maybe seven.

Yeah, the skin stuff is the stuff that I find the most important.

But like toothpaste, Like, I've got a ton of little travel toothpastes that I could use me too.

Yeah, totally, you know what I mean.

Skincare can be tricky depending on the length of the trip.

Yeah, and hair care ada I'm going.

Yeah, I struggle more the skincare I kind of I'll do.

I'll bring like a simpler version of whatever I do.

And I'll usually bring, uh at least what because I have really dry skin.

And so if I'm going anywhere cold or like if I or if maybe it's going to be hot but the air conditioning might be intense, I'm definitely bringing like a heavier moisturizer just.

In case, and a lighter one.

But then I may be like bringing one I'm not bringing, like too serrup.

I'm bringing, you know, the one I like the most, like an SPI of course.

And pimple patches.

Always, always I always throw a thing of pimple patches in there.

Yeah, they take up no room.

But hair care is hard because as great as like, I love the travel section of Alta Beauty, like every Alta Beauty has a great small travel size of like so many products.

But yeah, but hair is tough because if I'm going somewhere where I'm gonna like wear my hair wavy, I guess I could do like those little bottles.

That's usually what I end up doing, like putting my favorite products in like a little travel bottle.

Yeah, for Christmas, i'mone to ask for a set of those Cadence Have you seen those?

No, they're little capsules.

They're I think it's the company is called Cadence, and they're spillproof.

They're little.

They're almost like little jars and you can fill them up with any kind of product and that way you're not like sometimes with those shitty travel bottles there's like wasted product at the bottom because you can't get it out.

Yes, you can't get So these are like jars.

So a lot of them are too big.

Most of them are at big.

They're too big.

I need half the size of this.

It's just for some frickin' hair lotion that I'm to use, like a tiny bit about you know.

So the Cadence ones are stackable, they're magnetic.

And this is not an AD, not an AD, but if anyone but if they want to, if they want to send us free ship, they want to send to Will.

But they look cool as hell and you.

Can just like pump your normal stuff in there and the label what I do because like that toilet tries take up a lot of space.

And also if you're carrying on.

You can only do three point four ounces per right, thing right, and so like, yeah, you should.

You should just decant your you have to decant everything.

I'm such a big believer.

It's like you have to do it.

You just bite the bullet into it or buy the travel sizes because like otherwise you're taking a valuable space or checking a bag based on like hair care.

Come on, like, you don't need to do that.

You know I have done that.

I have done that.

You don't need to do that.

Girl, you don't need to do that.

Ever.

Again, I don't need to do that.

Time is past.

Do you unpack when you get there?

Or do you live out of your seat?

Us?

Like, how do you you?

You unpacked?

I do too.

I let yes, I used to do out of my suitcase and we kind of do that, like, you know, when we travel to Florida, we're staying with our parents and there's maybe like one or two empty drawers for us and like a few hangers.

I try to do my best because it is so much easier to like close up the suitcase.

But that's the only place that we like live out of our suitcase a little bit.

It's not my preference.

But if I'm in a hotel, the first thing I do, or at Airbnb or anything like that, first thing I do is completely unpacked.

Put a drawer for the kids, put a drawer for me, you know, hang whatever me too, And I don't know it just I mean, repacking sucks a little bit, but we have this, like you know, what we do for repacking.

At the end of a trip.

We'll make like all our dirty like when we went to New York and we're staying in this hotel room that was not a bad size actually for New York.

We will usually at the end use one of our carry ons for all the dirty clothes.

Smart so like all the dirty clothes whatever just literally gets thrown in in a pile.

It's not even fall, you know, and whatever shoes maybe shit we bought.

It's like one junk suitcase basically nice.

And then we'll use.

The other suitcase to put whatever clean clothes or whatever things we bought, you know, like more neatly and uh.

And that's just some kind of work.

So then when we get home, it's nice because you just take that one carry on, you just take it over your washing machine and throw everything in and like you know, do your laundry.

As soon as you have them.

I did something similar and it came up with that.

I like that.

I like usually it'll be either one of the extra like one of the packing cubes, or sometimes certain suitcases will have like a little laundry bag in there, or if you're staying at a hotel, they'll provide like, oh, like if you want to get your laundry done at the hotel, they'll provide like, yeah, we'll use those bags.

Ye'll use that and put all my dirty laundry in there.

Yeah, because like I don't want that stuff stinking up everything else.

I will say, Yeah.

One of my tricks for travel is like taking stuff.

If I'm gonna wash it, it needs to be like a quick dry kind of thing like that I can just hang and it's gonna be dry like probably the next day.

Like so a lot of like T shirts or tank tops that I take for like layering stuff, I can just wash them in the sink and then'net's amazing on.

Like you know, wait, yeah, aren't there like these really cool little like uh, are they like the laundry sheets or.

Yeah, there's tiny little soap things that are like paper there's little packets, little packet bags that you can buy.

I did have one of those explode ones, so I would say, if you're gonna use a liquid one, put them in a ziploc bag before you put them in your suitcase, because one of mine exploded in my toiletry case and I was like, what the fuck is this and then I realized it was my laundry detertion.

But I've done that multiple times, and it's great because like you just washed like a couple pairs of underwear and like a couple tank tops or a T shirt in the sink, and then you hang it to dry and boom, you have a clean outfit.

Again, it's great.

Or like workout clothes, like I don't want to bring four different sports bras and like four leggings fucking smart, because workout clothes are always the bait of my existence.

If I am going somewhere and I know there's gonna be a good gym or whatever, and I want to like work out.

But then you're like annoyed that these.

Like workout clothes are taking up so much space in my fucking bag.

So my trick for that is two pairs of leggings.

Two sports bras.

If I'm gonna wear a shirt over it, it needs to be a shirt that can double with something else.

Like normally I would never do that, but I'm on a trip, so it's like a special rule.

Like I can wear this T shirt down to the gym and like maybe take it off before I get too sweaty.

Okay, socks need to be I have to be able to wear them somewhere else like these.

This pair of socks cannot just be like a workout sock, Like it has to be a workout sock and I can also wear to like some other thing.

Everything has to do double duty, you know what I mean.

And the same with the sneakers, Like if you are going to be like in a hotel gym.

Yeah, like I'm working out of my Solomon.

Barefoot, but sometimes I don't want to always be barefoot.

And I'm going to work out of my solemn.

I worked out on my Solomon's, I worked out in my Converse.

Okay, I would never work out in a regular like a hotel gin barefoot, but I would.

I have asked, like, oh, can I have a matt and some dumbbells in my room?

And like more often than that, they'll bring them to you like, oh, sometimes they won't.

Like and I've never even thought to do that.

I definitely stayed places where they're like, oh no, we can't do that, which sucks, but like it doesn't hurt to ask, you know, it just doesn't hurt.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I've also stayed in places where I have asked them to like empty out the minifridge because I'm like, that's it's too tempting for me, can you please empty it out?

And sometimes they will.

Sometimes I've done that, especially with kids, I've asked them to like empty out the mini fridge so that I can just like stuff that my kids actually will eat or I will eat like in.

There and not twelve dollars M and ms.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.

My kids don't need to like be looking at candy like every day like this.

Now we're will in there.

We're gonna put some apples in there.

Happens the apples and cheez.

I will say the best, the best piece of packing advice I've ever gotten is that for a trip overseas or like a trip that you're taking where you know you're probably gonna do some souvenir shopping or you want to want to bring stuff back, like we're going to this, We're going to Sicaga, right, But I also I'm so excited to see these Christmas markets in Europe and like Paris.

I'm just so looking forward to it.

And I know I'm gonna want to bring like some artists and stuff back for friends and family.

And so what I am going to do is I'm going to check a bag, but it's mostly gonna be empty, like it might have maybe if I bring a second jacket, it might have a second jack get in there and like, okay, you know some stuff that I'm not going to miss right away if the bag gets lost.

Yeah.

I also do put tracking devices in my bags now, like I put Apple.

The little I can't remember they're called.

Keeps saying yeah the air tags weak air tag, that we're going to do that, and we haven't done.

It yet, but yes, it's awesome, it's awesome.

Yeah.

Also pro tip, if you have a toddler or small child, you could stick an air tag on their little outfit when you take them to Disneyland and they're never gonna past.

Yeah, that's real.

Or they have those little like cute watches that they for kids that held a little air tag.

Yeah, I put them in my bag, my chuck bag.

Uh.

Yeah, I usually use my kids carry on is usually has extra space.

Uh.

And if we're going somewhere where I think we're gonna buy stuff, I try to make their bag like even lighter yeacause kids I find like they will I could read like I could do a lot less bottoms for them, especially if we're going if we're going in to anywhere hot where they're probably going to be in a bathing suit all the time.

I'm packing like two or three shorts for that.

Yeah, for sure, for sure.

The thing that they are going to consistently mess up is their shirt.

That's the thing that they're going to spill shit on.

That's the shit that Unfortunately, if you're going somewhere for a week, you need to pack them like ten shirts.

Like it's just inevitable.

They will spill some fucking shit on their shirts.

But you don't do when you're when you're in Florida, you can do laundry though, like right, like can't you Oh yeah, yeah for Florida, I don't do that.

Yeahh in Florida where we have laundry, No, I pack them maybe, like so I don't have to do laundry like every three or four day, I'll pack it right for four or five shirts for them and maybe like two shorts because they are in their pajamas or their bathing suits.

Ninety percent.

Yeah, and Zo's at the age where he'll like do an outfit change, which I'm like, bro, we're traveling, like, you can't be doing an outfit change every day, Sonny, you have run out of clean like yeah, like he'll hearing over learn how to do laundry.

That's ty, Yeah, that's you're right.

Actually, that's totally okay.

If you want to do do your outpha change, you can do that.

If now you have you have to do laundry, yeah, to do that outfit so you're.

Right, or you could keep that outfit on.

I can't wait to see the look on the oella's faces when I send my nine year old boy to do his own laundry.

That would be really fun.

Oh my god, are ridiculous?

Really quick before we go, there is like this packing method that I think like TikTok and Reddit introduced or you know, I don't know who came up with it, but it's like the five three two one method, and I think it's interesting.

Okay, Essentially you pack five bottoms, four tops, three pairs of shoes, two dresses, jumpsuits or layers, and one accessory.

I don't know, I think this is a good jumping off point, and like, if you really struggle with like putting together outfits, maybe this is for you.

I do think the power of accessories can change an outfit, like immediately, Like I could wear you know, I could wear my cool I have these black sweatpants that are like they have this like cool weird bottom that's like a bunky shape.

So like I could wear those to a nice dinner if I layer them with like a black tank top, a black blazer, high heels, black white heels, and then like a cool gold necklace of big earrings, like perfect for dinner.

And then if I just switch the shoes to the solomons, put on some socks and maybe layer you know, I've got this like big black scarf that I use for travel, or like a little bandana or something totally different outfit hat totally different outfit, you know what I mean.

Like, yeah, like it's very easy to do make different outfits if you pack accessories.

So like I I'm like, I wear a hat on the plane so that I can have a hat when I'm traveling.

I have like a like I said, I think like it's a J Crew.

I think my bound sale right now.

J Crew and Gap do really nice like big they we used to call them paj minas, but they're basically big like scarf cape that you can use as a blanket on the plane, but then you can also use a scarf when you get to your location.

M god, so many hot tips.

Also, because you kept saying Solomon's I wanted to look up Solomons the bus.

I don't know.

Are you talking about the slip ons and clogs?

No, I'm talking about s A L O M O N.

And I'm talking about like the hiking shoes, like the tennis shoes, the hiking shoes.

So I'll send you a link.

I'll send you a link because there's a ton of great ones right now.

They just did a collab with like, Okay, they're.

Kind of like booty kind of sneakers.

Yeah, some of them are high tops and then some of them are icy.

I would never the high tops are not for me.

The high tops are for serious hikers.

For me, it's like the fashion y like sneaker shoe.

If you're interested, don't know a chunky sneaker.

Yeah, it's like a chunky, cool sneaker, but it's not like, yeah, goofy looking like it doesn't well, some of them are kind of goofy, but some of them are very cool and like they just kind of make your outfit look like you're not trying, but they're comfy walk in.

Okay, Okay, more better, Okay.

What was your big takeaway today?

Oh?

My god, so many hot tips about wear your biggest shoes on the plane.

Paj the recent pashmino one that doubles as a scarf was great.

Yeah, you have to put on your outfits before you pack.

You have to give yourself time.

I'm gonna redo all of my little travel containers for my skincare and hair care.

Nice.

Yeah, so you had so many good hot tips.

This was great.

Yeah.

I definitely feel more better about packing.

What are your takeaways?

I need to get cracking.

I'm packing for a trip that I'm taking to New York in two days.

I'm going to New York in like two days, and I need to pack because I have multiple events that I have to go to, but also I'm spending time with a friend, so there's a lot of stuff and I don't want to check a bag.

And then I also need to start thinking about Paris, which is like in a month, but I'd rather get it in my head now what I'm gonna want to take and not so that I can make sure everything's like ready to go so I'm not stressed out two days before I'm.

Like losing my mind.

Because that's another thing.

This, let me tell you, this is a lot of trial and error.

Like I have had times where I wait until the last second and I'm like crying in my closet because I'm having to try everything on and I'm so stressed out.

Yeah, so this is like Ali.

I love to pack like two days before a trip, two or three days before a trip.

I like that day before to be just left for like random things that I remember that I maybe want to take.

Sometimes I can be dangerous though, because sometimes I can overpack on the day before because I'm thinking of to.

You, I'm like, oh but what about this?

What about this?

What about that?

Huh?

But yeah, I like to do it a couple days before.

I feel a little more better about packing?

Do you.

I feel a lot more better about packing, but I don't have to do it today like you do.

So that's real.

That's real, that's real.

Okay, all right, this was a fun one.

Yeah, this was fun.

I hope that we were helpful in some way.

Okay, see you next time.

All right, Bye, bye guys, Bye, More and More Better.

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Ooh, More Better with Stephanie Melissa is a production from Wvsound and iHeartMedia's Mikultura podcast network, hosted by me, Stephanie Beatriz, and Melissa Fumero.

More Better is produced by Isis Madrid and Sophie Spencer Zabos.

Our executive producers are Stephanie Beatrice, myself, Melissa Fumero, along with Wilmar Valderrama and Leo Klem at w V Sound and Isis Madrid.

This episode was edited by Isis Madrid and engineered by Sean Tracy and features original music by Madison Davenport and Heylo boy Our.

Cover art is by Vincent Remis and photography by David Avalos.

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