Chad and I went to Aruba last week for our 31st anniversary. This is our second time going, so I had an idea of what to pack – but one thing I’m trying to be better at is packing what I truly need.

I watched a lot of Natalie’s Instagram Reels so I could learn a smarter way to pack. We spend most of our time at the beach, or in very casual outdoor situations, along with some nice dinners. I did what she said and started with three pairs of shoes.

Then I checked out some other people following the Sudoku method – here are some examples and how you can put outfits together from 9 main pieces…

The above image and the one below are from @jennys.looks, follow her on IG here

See how the Sudoku method works? Once you have your basic 9 pieces that coordinate, you should be able to mix every top, with any bottom and any layer to get a bunch of outfit combos – add shoes and an accessory to really change it up.

Here are my sudoku grid basics. 

This was strangely fun!!! Three tops, three bottoms and three layering pieces. Actually, I didn’t pack that bottom right toile gauzy layer – and I regretted it. Here’s what I learned.

this was my airplane outfit there and back

1. It’s SO helpful to have a framework and an idea of how many tops and bottoms are truly needed in order to mix and match. In the past, I would have just packed as much as humanly possible. 

Plus, thinking ahead about activities gave me confidence to pack things I would actually wear – for example I had just found a cute second hand beachy dress for $6 but I had something similar (that I took and didn’t wear!) In my past, I would have taken BOTH dresses and still worn none.

2. The three pairs of shoes limit was also amazing. I trusted others –surely if they can do 10 days in Europe with 3 pairs of shoes, I can do 6 days in Aruba. Guess what, I could have done 2 pairs if I wanted! Last year I took my tennis shoes – I wear them a lot at home, but I realized I didn’t need them at the beach.

3. Patterns and colors are easy and fun to match if you make sure the undertones are the same. Just like if you are pairing patterned pillows on a striped sofa – as long as every thing has the same undertone, you’re good. For my clothes in my sudoku grid, everything had a pure white undertone and I could wear any top with any bottom with any layer! Next year I’m going to look for a beach bag to replace the blue floral and a swimsuit that also has a pure white undertone (see below those are off white) and that will allow me to feel more put together and wear my suit with bottoms if I want.

4. Layering pieces are KEY! Even at the beach–maybe especially! I wore both the white linen button down and the green striped button down OFTEN. The white one ended up looking dirty by the end of the week–I should have obeyed and taken ONE more layer, which would have been that thin toile button down – it’s got a white undertone/background and would have worked with all my pieces! Who would have thought?!

I took two cover ups (the animal print–love it because it doesn’t change color when wet, it dries quickly and can look like a dress) and a blue net dress/coverup that I didn’t wear.

I also took a gorgeous easy to wear teal dress that I ended up wearing three times because the other dresses I took felt complicated compared to this one with an open back. No link, sadly, it was second-hand.

I also didn’t wear an extra skirt (not in the grid – I panic packed it!) and a short blue dress I thought I would need, but didn’t.

A lot of my clothes are older or second hand, but here are a few items that I would take back today if I were going:

  1. Tevas: comfy, look cute with a dress and I waded in the ocean with them
  2. Beads: $15! The only jewelry I packed
  3. Super goop matte sunscreen: I only applied once a day (I also wore a hat) and my face got zero sun and no freckles–what I wanted
  4. Wrap/towel/blanket/skirt: dried super fast, took it with me everywhere
  5. Blow up floatie: folds flat, Chad and I both had one we used it in the ocean and the pool, you can sit or lay on it!
  6. Acure dry shampoo: I’m not ashamed to tell you that I didn’t wash my hair once on this trip.
  7. American Fantasy: I’m over half done, such a fun read for a trip!
  8. One piece suit: has a cute corset back! super comfy
  9. Justine Basket Bag by Sezane: I splurged on this last year and LOVE it, I use it all spring and summer, it makes every outfit feel fresh – even when I’m not on vacation. It has an inner bag and two types of handles.