i b(r)ought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a flannel for my face. ...pajamas, a hairbrush, new shoes and a case. i'm an overpacker. i admit it. i try to pretend that i'm not but even for a one night trip to LA i'm throwing three different version of clothes into my trunk. in my defense, sometimes you have to have space for all the clothes you need, even if it's just for a twenty four hour period. for example, going to LA for one night of going out entails packing whatever you're wearing that night (including shoes, belt, black socks) and whatever you need for the next day. plus sleeping clothes. all that for just one night in LA.



so packing to go somewhere for four days or more just increases the amount of stuff i think i'll potentially need. i'm incredibly anal about packing. not the actual packing part -- which is more just throwing stuff around to see what fits -- but just the process of packing. i make two lists. one of stuff to do (shower, groom, electronics to charge, emails to send) and one of things not to forget (money, license, clothes, electronics, contacts, glasses). then i make a mock up list of what i might wear each day, and try to stick to that. never works out of course. i always end up over packing. it's a gift. some may call it girly, i just call it "being prepared." i finish off with a flourish by thinking of everything i must do the next day to be prepared, right before i go to sleep. i try to harness my unconscious to help me remember what to bring. while this method works, i seem to forget everything else that's important, like waking up on time.



does anyone not know that rolling up stuff is the most efficient way to pack? if not, you should know that by now. by rolling your clothes, you save room and minimize wrinkles. just a word to the wise.



you know who is an amazing packer? amit. i remember him visiting us once and me going "is that all?" he had a little duffel bag and that was it. yet he was able to remain fashionably dressed at all times (as always). how does he do it? has he found the secret of packing light? share share. i'm also very impressed with girls who can pack light. somebody once went with us to new york with the tiniest little bag i'd ever seen. and out of this tiny bag came five days worth of clothes. incredible. girls who pack light, plus. guys who overpack, minus.



i'm off to new york. pray for my wicked dreams to be fulfilled via the ticket lottery.