Bringing 15 Pairs of Shoes Across the Pond: My Packing Hacks and First Few Days in London

Hi friends! I am writing from my “flat” in London. I have been here for two days now and I seriously just keep walking around saying “I can’t believe I live here.”

I flew here on Wednesday, September 11. I didn’t think twice about flying that day until it was pointed out to me, but I did feel extremely safe, they were probably even more thorough at security because of the date. So thanks airport security for your excellent service, I didn’t mind waiting in line at all.

I was however anxious about navigating the Heathrow airport by myself with three suitcases, because naturally I was going to wayyyy overpack, but the English got it going on over here and getting through was a breeze. For anyone wondering what the packing situation looked like I brought: 15 pairs of shoes, at least 10 jackets, 10 pairs of pants, around 30 shirts, an entire bedding set and towel, and a bunch of other things I decided I couldn’t leave behind, ha. My mom and I were playing quite the game of Tetris as we managed to stuff everything in two 50 pound checked bags, a carry on suitcase, and a backpack. The secret to making it all work: vacuum seal bags, packing cubes, a luggage scale, and this 5ish pound suitcase.

The past two days have been a whirl of unpacking, locating the University, finding the nearest grocery store, and visiting Big Ben and the London Eye–just a casual Thursday/Friday. Traci, my friend I’m living with, and I (with the help of her dad) are getting the hang of the tube. The city is actually very accessible and relatively easy to navigate, and if all else fails the British seem to be as interested in American accents as we are with theirs so they can very immediately tell we are not from here and usually offer to help. It has been so fun exploring and the people here are incredibly nice.

Our flat is super nice and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had my own bathroom and a full sized bed instead of a twin, something about college I will not miss. There are five of us living together, Traci, who I went to school with, two girls from another school in the same study program, and a fifth girl we don’t know. We each have our own room/bathroom and a shared living space with a kitchen and seating area. The four of us in the program have been talking throughout the summer and have plans to travel together, I seriously can’t wait for everyone to get here.

Tomorrow I will be attending London Fashion Week (so excited), then I’m catching a flight to Germany to visit a friend on Sunday, and taking a train on my first solo trip later in the week. Stay tuned for the destination, and how my mom is handling it, ha. Here are some pictures of the week!

Thanks for reading!