mindholiday: april edit

How to pack for 3 weeks without checking a bag

Apr 02, 2025

this month’s mood board, which doubles as a desktop wallpaper:)

Hi hi! Welcome back to the the monthly Mindholiday edit, the corner of the internet where I share my newest finds and current favorites, places I’m dying to visit, and travels I’ve booked.

March was a whirlwind month for me! I traveled 24 out of 31 days this month, between visiting friends in Florida, my birthday trip to Oaxaca, and a family trip to Atlanta. I am so happy to be back in Brooklyn for a few weeks, and I swear sleeping in my own bed has never felt so good. Although I am grateful for every minute I spent traveling with friends and loved ones, nothing is better than springtime in New York!! And I do love getting back into a routine…

comprehensive Oaxaca guide coming in the next week for paid subscribers! stay tuned…

This month’s post is a long one and might get cut off in your email, so head here to read it in its entirety.

Some announcements!

The Mindholiday chat 💬 🛩️

readers are dishing out recommendations and solving last minute travel problems left and right!

One of the big reasons I started this newsletter was to eventually build a community of travel buddies all over the world. The Mindholiday chat is live and available to all subscribers… here’s what I am hoping this space will be used for:

Personal recommendations swaps for specific moments (ex: “I’m in Lisbon and need a cute dinner spot for a solo date tonight, where do I go?!”)
Travel bestie link-ups (not the sketch kind — more like “hey, I’ve got an extra spot on this cool walking tour/hike/foodie thing in Lima, wanna come?”)
Vibe checks (ex: “Anyone been to Gymkhana in London? Worth it?”)

…and me building dream trips for people based on personality and interests

Basically, this space is wide open for any and all travel chatter for subscribers of all tiers. Bring your questions, your travel tips, your spontaneous plans, your dreamy bucket list hotels. I want it to feel like texting a friend who just gets it!

Mindholiday snail mail club 🐌 💌

Last month, I officially started the worldwide Mindholiday snail mail club! I had to stop taking signups for a bit because there was a lot of demand and I’m just a girl that can only handle so many logistics, but I’m happy to report that I’m taking signups again!!

How does it work?

Each person that signs up will be matched with one penpal by the end of the month.
You will send (and receive) one letter per month moving forward!
It’s up to you what you decide to send, but I encourage everyone to get as creative as possible. You can send postcards from vacations, paper fortune tellers, stickers, the possibilities are endless.
This is open worldwide — there are already members from all over the place, including Croatia, Brazil, Australia, Nigeria, and Germany! Yay for making friends globally 🤗 🌎
Signups are open to Mindholiday subscribers of all tiers. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so below!

I can’t wait for the matched pen pals to start sending each other cute letters — we are all craving analog living right now, and I hope members of the snail mail club form long distance friendships over pen and paper!

ask me anything!

As mentioned, the Mindholiday chat/DMs are always open to subscribers with burning travel questions! I’m going to start answering a question in each monthly edit.

How do you pack for 3 weeks without checking a bag? - Madeline

By pretending I'm French, meaning: I heavily repeat outfits, pack neutrals that mix and match, and make sure I have a “uniform” I feel great in. I pack light fabrics that layer well, do laundry halfway through if needed (via the hotel, Airbnb, or a drop-off laundromat situation), and wear my bulkiest items on the plane. Also, no shame in outfit repeating. You’re traveling to live, not to debut a new runway look every day.

For example, take how I packed for my 8 day March trip to Mexico:

Day 1

I opted for this Ciao Lucia dress, which is very light, sheer, and packable, perfect for hot temps. I wore it with slim Tevas — not the most stylish shoes, but good for walking in high heat weather. This hat always comes with me… I don’t love wearing hats, but as someone who has had two skin cancers removed, I’ve committed to the sun protection lifestyle. I pack it by clipping it to my personal item with a carabiner. This hat never wrinkles or creases, which is a bonus!

Day 2

I’m an avid Nuuly user — I hate buying clothes for the sole purpose of wearing them on vacation, so this allows me to experiment without commitment. I opted to rent this cotton set, perfect for cooler nights, yet still light and packable. I paired the set with my Ancient Greeks sandals (padded and comfortable yet slim and very packable) and my Gucci bag (on Vestaire NWT). I typically try to only pack one bag per vacation, and I’ll stuff it with socks and underwear for it to keep its shape while also not losing suitcase space.

Day 3

For a day of exploration and visiting ruins, I wore a linen set I bought at the Fort Greene farmer’s market (similar top and shorts). I wore my Nike sneakers because I knew we’d be hiking. I wore these on the plane due to their bulkiness!

Day 3

I tied this Chan Luu silk sarong as a top, and paired it with a breezy cotton Reformation skirt. Same bag, and wore my Havianas.

Day 4

I re-wore the set from Day 1! I bought this straw bag in Oaxaca as a souvenir.

Days 5-7

When we got to the beach, I only wore my J. Crew plisse cotton dress (available in size M on Poshmark) for three days straight. I love it because it is super lightweight and feels like a victorian nightgown, and it’s already wrinkly by nature so I can shove it in my suitcase and toss it around as I please. I packed one swimsuit (similar), and that was it! I don’t think I wore shoes for 72 hours…

Day 8

For 24 hours in Mexico City, I wore the same Reformation skirt as earlier in the week, same purse as earlier, and a top I bought that day from Vintage Hoe in Juarez. I wore this outfit with my red Tevas.

…and there you have it! Lots of outfit repeating (sometimes multiple days in a row), light fabrics, and comfortable pieces. Obviously it’s harder packing for such an extended period of time in the winter, but I promise it’s still possible!

this month’s quiz…

Your next destination…

Mostly A’s: Costa Rica or Bali

A pic I took in Santa Teresa last year. This woman is an icon!

You're a barefoot adventurer. You love movement, nature, and days that start with sun salutations and end with dancing barefoot in the sand. Costa Rica's Santa Teresa or Bali's surfy south coast will hit every note, from hikes to hot springs, smoothies to spontaneous beach parties.

Mostly B’s: Paris, Lisbon, or Buenos Aires

You're a romantic wanderer. Slow mornings, beautiful chaos, and café culture are your love language. You want cities that breathe style and poetry, with just enough surprise to keep things magical… think croissants, bookstores, rooftop bars, and lingering in plazas until long after midnight.

Mostly C’s: Sicily or the Maldives

film from my sicily trip a few years back

You love an indulgent escape! If it’s not relaxing, delicious, or gorgeous, you’re simply not interested. Your perfect vacation involves sun warmed skin, lazy lunches, cold drinks, and naps in beautiful places. Bonus points for stylish hotels and crazy sunsets.

Mostly D’s: Oaxaca, Kyoto, or the Azores

You’re a serious explorer. You're hungry for culture, nature, and stories… you love destinations where you can learn, taste, and roam freely! Whether it's riding a scooter through a volcanic island, taking a sake tasting in Japan, or diving into delicious mole in a Mexican courtyard, you want your trip to mean something.

hotels i’ve booked for clients recently

Between flights and adventures with friends, I was lucky enough to plan some super fun trips for clients — I’m sending a couple to Peru for their honeymoon (my absolute dream trip), and I’m also in the middle of planning trips to London, Italy, Mexico!

Peru

The Atemporal Lima, which is tucked away in Lima's chic Miraflores neighborhood. It’s a beautifully restored 1940s mansion that exudes the charm of a private residence, with just six guest rooms. They have bikes to borrow and a complimentary house car/chauffeur that will take guests wherever they please!
The Belmond Monasterio in Cusco, a super special property set in an old monastery. Acclimatizing to the altitude in Cusco is notoriously hard, but they offer oxygenated rooms for better sleep quality and reduced nausea. I’ve heard it makes a huge difference! The gorgeous courtyard and art collection really sealed the deal.
Inkaterra Amazonica, tucked deep in the Madre de Dios rainforest… It’s a luxe ecolodge that allows for immersion in the magic of the Amazon without sacrificing comfort. Think canopy walks at dawn, romantic lantern lit dinners by the river, and the symphony of the jungle as your nightly white noise.

London

Fleming’s Mayfair, a hidden gem in one of London’s most elegant neighborhoods, blending Georgian heritage with chic, modern design. With its intimate feel, Michelin-starred dining, and a quietly glamorous cocktail bar, it’s like slipping into James Bond movie scene. Sign me up!

Mexico

Villa Santa Cruz, a dreamy, design-forward hideaway on a quiet stretch of beach in Todos Santos, where the desert meets the Pacific. The property is gorgeous and set on 20 acres with only 32 rooms. There are so many activities — pickleball, bocce, stargazing, horseback riding, bonfires, beekeeping, ATV drives, the list goes on!

Italy

Cenobio dei Dogi! Sending yet another couple here… this has been a huge hit with previous clients — it’s less crowded than nearby Cinque Terre and Portofino, and much more affordable while still retaining loads of luxurious Italian charm.

where i’m off to next

Mexico City, again! We had a 24 hour layover here on the way back from Oaxaca last month, but returning in April for a long weekend family trip. We simply can’t stay away! We booked this Airbnb — I’m excited to soak in the pool on the patio and eat a lot of delicious food.
Palm Heights! Just had a client return from a girl’s weekend here and she was gushing about the overall experience and the food. This has been on my list for years, so I’m excited to finally check it out.

in flight entertainment

Here’s what I consumed at home, on the tarmac, and at cruising altitude last month to keep me busy. This was a HUGE reading month for me, so all of my March recommendations are books.

Reading

Lately, I’ve found myself pulled toward stories that orbit around resilience — how people fall apart, hold on, rebuild, and move forward. Whether it’s through food, family, fame, or failure, each of these books carried that thread: the messy, beautiful ways we care for ourselves and each other, especially when the world feels like it’s tilting. Here’s what I read, and what stayed with me.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Ina gently reminds us that preparation, kindness, and knowing what you love can make even the most unexpected turns feel like part of the plan. A super easy read!

The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
A quiet, sharp homecoming novel that unpacks race, queerness, and community with tension that simmers beneath everyday life. Alejandro is a friend of mine, and I found his writing about the small town he grew up in to hit me harder than I expected — it reminded me in many ways of my own upbringing in the south and the severe closed-mindedness of the people I went to school with.

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Laura Love Hardin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Part memoir, part redemption arc, it’s a wild ride through addiction, deceit, and ultimately, purpose… Laura’s story is proof that second (and third) acts are real.

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
A lyrical, aching story about Black love and vulnerability that reads more like a long poem than a novel.

Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
A sharp, clear-eyed memoir from Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain longtime assistant… this peels back the layers of proximity, power, and the emotional messiness of serving influential, complicated men.

Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
John Green intertwines the story of Henry, a young patient he met in Sierra Leone, with a comprehensive exploration of tuberculosis's enduring impact on humanity, highlighting the social injustices that perpetuate this curable yet deadly disease.

Open by Andre Agassi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Raw, unflinching, and surprisingly literary… this is the best sports memoir I’ve ever read. I had no idea how insane Agassi’s childhood was, and given his background, it’s absolutely amazing what he accomplished in the world of tennis.

P.S. — If you stuck around for this long, I have a treat for you! In addition to celebrating my 30th birthday in March, it was also Mindholiday’s first birthday! To celebrate, all Mindholiday paid subscriptions are currently 20% off. Paid subscribers get access to special itineraries and maps, travel tips, and more. Enjoy!