Nate Berkus Packs WHAT in His Suitcase? It'll Surprise You
Interior-design guru Nate Berkus knows how to put together a room—and a suitcase. The host of ”American Dream Builders” was nice enough to let us take a look at how he packs.
Nate Berkus, a man who knows how to pack a bag. (Photo: Penn State)
“When my fiancé Jeremiah and I first met, he would come and visit me with a duffel bag, and there’d be one shoe in it—not the pair,” Berkus said about his soon-to-be husband, while celebrating the fifth anniversary of Charm & Chain in New York City. “Now, the inside of his suitcase literally looks like a Japanese Bento Box. He’s put me to shame, and I thought I was a really good packer.”
Here, Nate—who has more packing cred than he gives himself credit for—tells us the 10 things he won’t board a plane without:
1. Cashmere Shawl: I wear it on planes. I’ve had the same one for 10 years. It’s super soft and desperately needs to be taken in and tailored to have the holes filled. I bought it in Istanbul.
2. Bose Headphones: Always.
Bose’s SoundTrue headphones. (Courtesy: Bose)
3. iPad: I shop on planes—usually One Kings Lane, 1stdibs, and The RealReal. I never watch movies on my iPad, but Jeremiah does.
4. Vintage APC Jeans: I wear them all the time.
(Courtesy: APC Jeans)
5. Magazines: There’s a stack that I leave on the plane or give to the flight attendants. My go-tos are Vanity Fair, Town & Country, ELLE Décor, House Beautiful, and Dwell.
6. Celine Espadrilles: They pack flat and are really light. You can wear them to a party or the beach.
Celine Espadrilles in pony orange. (Courtesy: Celine)
7. Nuts: Cashews and almonds are always in my bag.
8. A Real Book: I don’t use a Kindle. I like to hold a book; I like folding down the pages. Reading on a screen feels like work to me. I just read a paperback called “Property,” a severe story of a self-involved woman living on a plantation in Louisiana in the 19th century.
“Property,” a novel by Valerie Martin. (Courtesy: Amazon)
9. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion: I will answer the door to room service with pink dots all over my face, because it’s the best thing for acne.
(Courtesy: Mario Bedescu)
10. Sonicare Toothbrush: With an extra head, for Jeremiah.
11. Our Dog: He’s a really good boy, and he likes to go wherever we go.
(You can tune into Berkus’ show Sundays on NBC at 8/7c.)
Hilary Sheinbaum is a New York-based writer who has contributed to national, regional, and online publications, including USA Today, Marie Claire, ELLE.com, amNew York, and MensFitness.com.
