Packing 101

I am gearing up for a one month backpacking trip through Europe! I leave in five days and I haven't given much thought to packing yet. This isn't my first long trip through Europe, nor is it my longest so I'm actually not worried about packing at all. In fact, I've made plenty of packing mistakes in the past so I feel super ready to never make those same mistakes again. At this point I'm kind of a pro - which is why I am sharing my do's and don'ts of packing for long trips!

Montserrat, Spain 2013

Do:

• Check the Weather:

Get a solid idea of what weather you should expect in each place you're going to. This will help you avoid having clothes you never end up wearing. But also - pack layers in case the weather changes unexpectedly. 

• Take Only a Backpack:

I took a three month trip to Europe a few years back and made the gravest rookie mistake of all time. I took a giant suitcase. It was the biggest hassle and such a pain to carry up and down steps ALL. The. Time. After a particularly long day partying in Croatia, I went to leave my hotel in this beautiful, old, but very lively area with super worn down stone steps wearing my favourite combat boots. I got about one step down carrying my giant suitcase before I slipped on the slick, worn stone steps and landed right on my tailbone catching the giant 50 pound bag in my lap... in front of several outdoor restaurants and tons of tourists.  You don't need more than a backpack's worth of stuff. And trust me, you really really don't want more than a backpack. I promise. 

• Leave Some Space in your Case. 

Don't take a case, definitely take a backpack - but backpack doesn't rhyme with space. Leave room for things you'll want to buy. My last trip I started out all fine and dandy with my backpack...until I had to buy a second backpack to wear on my chest because I couldn't fit all of my new stuff. You already know you're going to want to buy things. I would definitely try not to buy too many things in each spot but leave a little room in case there's anything you really love or want to buy for people back home. 

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland 2015

Don't:

• Don't Forget an Adapter!

It's so much easier to get the adapters you need while at home than it is to have to go find them while traveling. Check to see if different countries you're going to require different adapters. For example, the UK uses different electrical outlets than the rest of Europe so you'll need both. There are also universal adapters which are super clutch. 

• Don't Take Appliances!

 For starters, you don't really need them. I've brought hair straighteners and curling irons with me before and didn't even realize that they didn't work until weeks into the trip. Because I never even tried to use them. Oh and also reason number two why you shouldn't take them is they won't work. Sorry. Let your hair go au naturale for your trip. Many AirBnB's also have hair dryers anyway so if you really must use one you can probably find one where you're staying. 

• Don't Sweat It!

Other than your passport, you can pretty much buy anything wherever you're going. If you forget toothpaste it'll be okay, they brush their teeth in other countries too. If you're taking trains everywhere, it may even make more sense for you to buy full size toiletries once you arrive, rather than buying mini ones to take on the plane and then just having to buy more once they run out. 

 

Sevilla, 2013

inspiration.

Sometimes it's good to remember that inspiration comes with preparation. When I have no inspiration, if I push myself to at least set up my space- whether that means setting up my easel and putting everything into place and mixing paint, or making tea and getting a notebook and my laptop ready for writing - the simple act of setting up my space creates the right mood for inspiration to come join me where I am.

Sometimes you just have to start. Light a candle. Make it special. Dress a certain way to prepare yourself for it. Put on music that inspires you. 

When I was younger, if I so much as painted  my nails I would get struck with ideas for a new painting. If I tried to do homework, simply holding a pen or pencil made me want to sketch. But I think as we get older and we get more responsibilities, we become less inspired because it feels like there isn't enough time for creativity. Of course that's not true. Creativity fuels you. Creating can give you energy to do everything else you do with just a  little bit more joy. 

Let inspiration hit you. And if it doesn't, seek it out. Create space for it. Tell the universe " I'm ready". And let inspiration meet you where you are  

DIY Terrarium Building

I am in love with terrariums. I had been wanting to build my own for a long time. They are so cute and add life to literally any space, no matter how small. Bonus: they are SO easy to keep alive! A terrarium is a container, usually glass, in which plants are grown. I prefer glass because they are layered and it looks really pretty. There are two main types that I am aware of, rainforest, and arid climate. They each require different soil, and different plants. I made both - though I made four arid climate ones and just one rainforest.

What You’ll Need:

I’ll start out by telling you what was challenging. Finding activated charcoal was challenging. And I’m still not quite happy with the stuff that I got because I’m not comfortable using it for anything else. Activated charcoal I’m sure you know can be used to make face masks, body scrubs, even toothpaste! But I wasn’t able to find any. So I recommend getting this online. I was on a mission and found some in a pet store - apparently it is also used to keep fish tanks clean. You could absolutely do the same, but if you’re trying to maximize your use of it then definitely get it online. The purpose of it is to keep your terrarium from growing mold or rotting so don’t skip this step!

I found all of my glass containers in a thrift store. I bought everything for under $10. There are some really beautiful containers made for this that you can buy so just decide your budget. I found that none of my containers were really big enough to do a rainforest terrarium. I had to cut down my fern significantly and I only used a small piece of the fittonia. If you have something larger, you can definitely do more with it.

I live in a tropical climate, and I found that it was still easier to find desert plants. The garden stores that I went to had a wide variety of small cacti and succulents. I went to three stores trying to find exactly what I wanted so I would call around a bit first to see which stores have what you need.

Once you choose your plants, then you can look into what rocks you’d like, what type of soil you’ll need (I used the soil the plants came in), and what top dressing you’ll need. I had a ton of moss from my monthly Gaia Collective Moon Box. They usually send the box filled with moss along with everything else for that month. I used that moss for my rainforest terrarium. Moss is also found in garden stores.  If you do an arid climate terrarium, you can grab some sand from your local beach or desert. I bought some pebbles to use at the bottom of mine, as well on top of my arid climate terrariums. Target actually had some cute small rocks for this specifically for about $5. I bought a bag of pebbles from the garden store that had probably 5 times the amount of rocks and was $7. I’ll admit though, Target’s were cuter. If you only plan on building one that may be perfect for you.

Once you have all of your materials, the next step is to put everything together! Make sure that your glass containers are clean and chemical free first since this is basically impossible to clean once everything is in. Your first layer should be rocks or pebbles. This creates a drainage system for your little ecosystem. The next step is to put a layer of activated charcoal. This is important to make sure that your plants do not get mold or rot. Next is your soil. I used the soil that the plants came in, but of course if you have good soil use that! I put the plants in next and pat down the soil around them using a tea spoon. Then layer on your top dressing, for rainforest use moss, and for arid use sand, pebbles, or both. Finally, if you have any crystals that would look pretty or a little statue of the Buddha or Ganesha you can add these in to make it look how you’d like it!

Caring for your terrarium is way too easy. If your terrarium is closed (rainforest only), then you will likely water it once a month or less. All you need is a light mist of water. If your terrarium is open, then for rainforest you will lightly mist it once every week or two. For an arid terrarium, you will likely only need to water it every 2-3 weeks. You could lightly mist it, but I read to use a straw and water straight to the roots so I plan to do that.

I am so excited to see your terrariums! If you make one tag me in it on Instagram! Namaste!