Confessions of an Over-packer: DC Edition

Soon I will be heading to Washington D.C. for a family trip. I've had the opportunity to go countless times since I was little because my mom has had to go there for work. Saying I tend to overpack for trips is an understatement, but I wanted to share how I balance my habit of overpacking and still manage to fit everything into a suitcase. 

I always start my packing by making a list of everything I want to bring, and plan my outfit for each day. I do my best to bring shorts and shoes that I can wear multiple times throughout the trip to save space. 

I recently purchased a few Eagle Creek "Pack-It Folders" from The Container Store, because they are supposed to help you organize and minimize space when you pack. 

I started with Shorts and Shirts and put them in one "Pack-It Folder" to keep them together and organized: 

I used a smaller "Pack-It Folder" for athletic shorts and T-shirts, I always bring them instead of Pajamas because they can be used as Pajamas but if I can wear them in public if I need to:

Finally I always pack my smallest pairs of shoes and wear my bulkiest pair of shoes (in this case, tennis shoes) for travel to save space. 

Even though I've packed all that I need, I still have extra space for last-minute additions in the pockets of my suitcase!