After constantly traveling back and forth between New York and my home, I’ve nailed down packing.

Over the course of the past five years, outside of the two years I lived in New York City, I head up to the city an average of ten times a year. My work is in the city, and almost all of my social and professional connections are in New York.

Because I am blessed enough to live in a place close enough to catch a bus for cheap and having people to stay with, so I truly take every single one of these New York trips and will cherish them for the rest of my days.

There are so many memories I have when it comes to roaming the big city, and while I’m not excited when I go to NYC, it feels like home.

But, this is probably the reason why you clicked on this post—I’ve gotten really good at packing when coming back up, especially when it comes to be a minimalist. I thought to share my wisdom throughout the years in a little compact blog post, so let’s get right into it, shall we?

Work with lighter fabrics that go with each other.

This is my ultimate packing tip in general, and it is how I get away with packing light almost anywhere I go. I always pack clothes that can go with each other so the outfits can be mixed and matched constantly.

Thankfully, in New York, there are a ton of laundromats everywhere so if you get desperate and need to seek one out, so you don’t have to freak out about having not enough clothes if something happens to the ones you brought.

In the summer, it gets really hot in the city. It’s the greenhouse effect. I almost always pack midi dresses, but not short skirts or dresses because people can look up them if you’re on a bridge or going down the subway steps.

Cotton and linen are my go-tos when it comes to the kinds of fabrics I bring, and lighter colors are always a benefit when it comes to bouncing light versus absorbing the heat.

Bring good shoes for walking, and not open-toed unless they’re platforms.

This has been a mistake I’ve been dumb enough to do so many times, so learn from a master of screwing up. I almost always bring tennis shoes these days to NYC because I typically walk about 15,000 steps a day in the city and within Brooklyn, which means that you better have good shoes or your feet are absolutely going to be killing you.

I’ve learned my lesson so many times from this, and I also bring two comfy pairs in case something happens to the other. The last time I only brought one pair of shoes they broke because I was walking so much.

Anyways, the other big lesson here is don’t wear flip-flops. The sidewalks collect some of the nastiest gunk and puddles I’ve ever seen, and the water looks absolutely disgusting to step in.

Do you really want that liquid going on your toes? Girl, trust me, skip the open-toed shoes unless they’re platforms or you’re willing to risk some foot infection.

Having a small umbrella on hand is always handy, and a reusable water bottle.

You can bring an umbrella, but if you’re not going to have the room to bring one in your suitcase, stop in a place like Muji and buy a cheap portable umbrella you can keep in your bag.

Obviously, this is weather reliant, so if your trip is supposed to be completely sunny, then go ahead and ignore it. But if not, every New Yorker uses an umbrella and you’re going to want one too as the water drips from the building.

I also always bring my reusable water bottle. If I run out of water when I’m out roaming the streets I typically go to like a Starbucks or a cafe and ask if they can refill my bottle with tap, and I’ve never had a problem with them saying no.

They never charge, too, so this is a life hack. Buying drinks can get so expensive, especially in this city.

I bring a compact tote bag and a backpack.

I always bring a single carryon suitcase and a backpack. The backpack I recommend not only for hauling the stuff that might not fit in the suitcase originally, but I empty it out when I get to New York and use it for my daily work schedule.

If you’re here for a vacation this might be completely and utterly obsolete, but I come for work and have a freelance schedule I have to stick to. So I often find a free library or a cafe to sit in with my laptop, getting work done whenever possible.

A backpack saves my back when I don’t want to use the tote bag.

New Yorkers use tote bags if they’re young usually. This is my go-to when I’m out and about in the city and don’t need to have my laptop on me. My tote bag zippers shut, as I’m paranoid about people reaching into my bag and simply taking something from me, it’s a canvas one that’s lightweight.

I’d bring one that you don’t care about getting dirty. I always bring my phone charger in my tote bag because most places will have a spot to plug it in if you need to.

A Kindle is a lifesaver while on the subway.

A Kindle is one of my must-haves for when I go anywhere, especially considering I try to live such a minimalist life whenever possible. I hate going on my phone on the subway, so I bring my Kindle for the long commutes in and out of the city.

I ensure to download the books I want to read beforehand, grab a seat once one opens up that isn’t completely suspicious or covered in a weird substance, and then happily read until it’s time for my stop or to transfer.

It fits perfectly in my tote bag and is an ancient dinosaur of a Kindle, so the battery life is really good. I’ve gotten through so many books this way.

And that’s all for this blog post!