Prepare to Pack

Since I've had some inquiries about how to PREPARE to pack most effectively, I thought I'd share my method. Notice I said, MY method; it may not work for you, so, what I suggest is that you tailor it to fit your lifestyle. There are many sites that you can visit to learn HOW to pack, so I'm not going to focus on telling you to roll your clothes versus folding them-maybe another day.

Santa is not the only one making a list and checking it twice. I have lists for most aspects of my life and business. I've written about my pantry list before (March 5, 2009), but I also have a list for packing and shopping (others too, but that's not the focus for today). When I'm preparing to travel, I have a master list that rarely changes from trip to trip and contains things that I know I have to have when I'm away from home. I would show it here, but that would be TMI (Too Much Information)-I have to keep some things a mystery. I like to make my hotel room feel as close to my home environment as possible, so I include my favorite bed linen, scents and even pictures. Then I prepare a trip specific list that contains the outfits and items I'll need for each day. I list each day of the trip and write each day's outfit and essentials under that day. As I pack, I simply check off each item. It reduces my stress (somewhat) about accidentally leaving something essential. It makes it so much easier to know what to pack and also allows me to see, at a glance, where I can add or remove items. Yes, I rarely end up removing items, and I've already admitted that I consistently over pack, but that's my cross to bear.

P.S. That's a picture of my actual suitcase (well, one of them anyway).

Dr. DClutter™