'Pack Perfectly' with Megan McKean
The lovely team at July have started a series on their Instagram called ‘Pack Perfectly’; interviewing creatives to find out what’s in their kit, and what their packing style is like. I was recently featured, sharing some insight into what it’s been like working as a creative during Covid-19 and what I’m thinking about in the future. Head over to July’s Instagram to view all the stories in all their glory, but I thought I’d include the full interview here on the blog too! We’ve been using their Carry-On suitcases for all of our travels, since early 2019 when the July launched. They’re a Melbourne based company making really beautiful travel products; the quality is beautiful and our suitcases are still holding up well after several international trips through snow, rain, planes and trains!
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
Hi! I’m Megan McKean, a designer, illustrator and author, currently based in Sydney. I’ve been travel obsessed for as long as I can remember, and every trip just makes my feet itch all the more to keep exploring beautiful cities around the world. I’m a huge enthusiast for all things mid-century design, and love finding surprising colour combinations on my travels. My latest book Hello, London! came out in February this year, and is a colourful look at one of my favourite cities — from the pastel houses of Notting Hill to the delicious foods at Borough Market, even the glossy ravens that reside at The Tower of London. I had so much fun researching and working on Hello, London!, and it’s a nice way to temporarily teleport now that no-one is travelling! Hello, London! is the fifth in my series of Hello…! Books, joining the lineup with Sydney, Melbourne, Australia and New Zealand.
What do you pack in your Carry On when you travel?
I am a self-professed queen of packing, and only every travel with carry-on. Countless international trips, one of the most recent being a 5 week stint through Europe, and always just with my carry on. I’ve loved using the July packing cells to keep things separated, and you’d be amazed at just how many items you can squish into the cells before popping them in your suitcase.
I always pack a fabric tote bag (for the end of a trip when you’ve acquired more than you started with) and try to make sure that whatever does get packed can do double-duty — one charger for multiple devices, a blush that I can also use as lip colour etc. A pro-tip for my makeup wearing pals, is packing cream or balm based products as much as possible, rather than liquids. Finding my zip-lock bag of products full of leaked foundation or perfume has happened to me on more than one occasion, so now I try to avoid liquids as much as possible! In the last year I’ve really made a conscious effort around stripping back, switching out my desktop computer for pieces that I can bring with me on-the-go. Now, the kit that I bring with me when I’m travelling for work is pretty simple — my laptop and iPad are all I need to work from just about anywhere.
What does a typical day look like for you when you’re not working?
With my work being so creative, I’m rarely not working. Even when we holiday, I’m still gathering content and taking in inspiration for future projects. The drastic change of pace with lockdown has seen me get a little more introspective, tending to my balcony plants and coaxing my roses along. My husband has been much better with the quarantine projects though, getting into baking sourdough — I’m just happy to support his endeavours if it means I get a slice of warm bread! A typical weekend day has been a morning walk to our local cafe for breakfast, doing the newspaper quiz remotely with my best friend (we answer independently then compare scores!) and pottering about the house catching up on chores and trashy TV.
You went on a magical sabbatical towards the end of last year and visited a number of colourful places. Was there a standout favourite from the trip and how important is it to you to take breaks?
I took a chunk of time off work to visit a bunch of places that had been on the list for a long time. It was the first time I’d skipped out on the Christmas retail period, and being able to enjoy the festive season without thinking about business was amazing. I used to be a terrible workaholic, which I think many creatives are — workaholism and having a scarcity mindset are super common in the design industry, as freelance is so often feast or famine, and it can feel like turning down a job is financially reckless. Over the last couple of years I’ve gotten much better at saying no and building in time to rest. The old adage of ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ is very true, and my work is always better when I’m not stretched too thin. Travelling recharges me and inspires me so much, and I treat it like building up a library of inspiring resources to draw on later on when starting new projects.
Can you share a goal you’re working on at the moment?
I’m working on lots of new project ideas at the moment; I find new ideas are kind of like seeds, you plant a whole bunch and wait for some to germinate (and some inevitably don’t turn into anything!) … so I’ve been researching and brainstorming, but we’ll have to wait and see where things end up! It’s a tough time in the industry, so I’ve been trying to work on some new maps and illustrations that might turn into something else later on, as well as working on a few little pieces that don’t have to go anywhere! Some recent illustrations have been based around nature in the backyard, with some beautiful flowers and chirpy birds, and pesky bugs that make their way into my roses. It’s also been nice to collaborate with some charities and small businesses through this strange time when everyones budgets are tight — contributing some pro-bono illustration work, and even swapping illustration for goods.
Where are we able to find you?
All over! You can find my books online and in all good bookstores, and you can follow along with what I’m up to more regularly on Instagram @meganmckean, and on MeganMcKean.com
