We’re off to the mountains for few days of hiking, high altitudes, fresh air and, I hope, a good dose of sunshine.

I’ve always tried to limit the amount of clothes we pack. And every time we come back from vacation, it’s the same thing: a lot of clothes haven’t been worn. So for this summer, I’ve decided to seriously limit our luggage. My “secret” dream is to be able to fit my entire wardrobe into a carry-on.

Getting a head start
Last weekend, I started by gathering what I wanted to take with me. I did the same for the kids, grouping everyone’s belongings in separate laundry baskets. The idea behind these baskets is to make it easier to make changes according to the weather, which is slowly becoming clearer, to easily check that I haven’t forgotten anything and to fill the suitcases on D-1 day in record time. It also allows me to limit the quantity of each person’s luggage to a fair and rational volume.

Take into account planned activities and the weather
Next, I made a list of the activities planned for the 2-week vacation. This ensures that I don’t pack too many clothes just in case…

We’ll mainly be hiking.
We’ll do a “little” expedition in the high mountains.
The kids will go swimming with their daddy, while I’ll be reading a good book or going for a run along the lake.
And we’ve got lots of other great family activities planned: summer tobogganing, walks along the valley floor, picnics, hot chocolate and so on.
We’ll almost certainly be facing a variety of weather conditions: from very hot to very cold, from calm and sunny to windy and rainy. So I’ll need to pack light and warm clothing, as well as sportswear, rain gear and evening or city wear.

Despite this, I’m still convinced that it’s possible not to pack too much. There’s no need to pack 3 thrillers and 3 swimsuits, even for 2 weeks. Yes, because I haven’t told you yet that there’s a laundromat with an electric washer and dryer in our rental residence. This will allow me to be more comfortable on site, especially with 2 boys who get dirty at the slightest opportunity… Towels, bed linen and household items are also provided on site.

Taking care of your style
On vacation, I don’t like to look too much like a tourist… Without being a fashion-victim, I like to take care of my style. I need to feel comfortable in clothes that are adapted to the weather and the activity, clothes that I like and that make me look good. And that goes for everyday life too!

In “normal life”, my style is rather simple and casual: skinny jeans and loose-fitting tops. In terms of colors, apart from white, my heart often swings between navy blue and black, and I really like raspberry pink to brighten things up. I used Pinterest to create an inspiration board based on my sartorial tastes.

Capsule Wardrobe – you’ll find lots of tips and examples for creating a capsule wardrobe.

And for these two weeks in the mountains, I chose a few good basics from my wardrobe. I chose pieces that could easily go with each other and that could be layered without making me look like a Michelin man or teletubbies… ^_- I also focused on practicality, lightness and compactness!

So here’s an image of what I’m taking with me:

Is that all?! No, there are a few pieces missing from the picture. Here they are:

1 ultra-light rain jacket, to put at the bottom of your hiking bag
1 warmer jacket with hood
1 scarf from my friend Ava
1 ultra-compact umbrella
10 pairs of panties
6 pairs of socks
1 sports bra
2 bras, 1 black and 1 white
1 swimsuit
in my toilet bag: toothbrush, medication, sun cream, hairbrush, shampoo and conditioner, hair dryer, rubber bands, tweezers, make-up remover, menstrual cup, waxing kit
prescription glasses and sunglasses
Kindle, Fitbit and iPhone, not forgetting charger