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China, Clothing, East China Sea, Fabric softener, Gain dryer sheets, Japan, Jeans, Pacific Ocean, packing, Senkaku Islands, Travel
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and I’m not packed! What would you do and how do you cope? Just to let you know, I am not leaving in the next few hours, but I wouldn’t stress if I were. Why and how? you ask?
It’s not my nature to stress over the easy things and I have packing down to a science. If I were – and I’m not – leaving in a few hours, this is what my day would be like.
First, I’d grab a pair of jeans. Then one of my favorite go to ensembles – a sleeveless white blouse and a cardigan (notice my photo to the left.) Next would come undies and I’ll leave what I grab to your imagination! And, off to the shower I go.
Getting out of the shower, I grab my shampoo and conditioner and toss them in my “Bathroom Bag” (first in a large zip lock of course) and then grab which ever bath gel I’ve decided I like for the day (most likely the fullest bottle – I keep four or five refillable bottles in the shower of different gels) and toss that in with the shampoo/conditioner and zip it up.
Depending on how I’m traveling I have a back bag or a tote bag for toiletries.
I then pull another zip lock out of the Bath Bag and after spritzing my hair with detangler, toss that in the bag (I reuse the zip locks and store them where used). Same goes with the deodorant and my perfume. (This bag is still sitting on the counter.) I dry my hair and toss my comb and brush into the bag and it’s ziplocked. The dryer goes into the big bag. I apply makeup and that container goes into the bag. After brushing my teeth, the toothpaste and toothbrush goes into another zip lock and into the large bag. Little things like Q-tips and a bar of soap stay in their containers in the Bath Bag so I don’t have to bother packing those every time. There have been years when Hubby and I have traveled a lot so there are many items that I have two of. The second stays packed.
Let’s pretend that I’ll be gone for three days and I don’t need dressy clothes. I grab my all time favorites and eliminate the hard decision-making about what to wear. I fold four (I always grab an extra) white sleeveless blouses (I know – I like what I like) and four different color cardigans and slip two sets each into two gallon zip lock bags, toss in a couple of fresh dryer sheets and ziplock squeezing out excess air. (I normally grab a couple of LLBean soft t-shirts and pack for those days when you want to change in the evening due to the weather.) I then grab a couple of pairs of jeans and follow the same procedure. I use a rolling duffel bag from LL Bean and using zip locks keeps my clothes situated, fresh smelling and clean. (I have two sizes and the length of the trip determines which size I use. With the large, I can eliminate the bath bag.) I don’t like a jumbled mess and if you are flying – the zip locks keep the hands of the agents searching the luggage off your clothes (yes, I think of everything!) and I’m sure they appreciate it as well. (Dirty clothes get put back in a ziplock with a dryer sheet.)
Where all the zip locks and back bags are stored – under the bed.
A note here: If I am only using my rolling duffel and not bringing my Bath Bag, I just toss the zip locks (just a phrase because let’s face it, I never just toss anything) into the duffel and don’t worry. Everything is protected.
That’s it folks. I’m packed for a three-day trip and the whole thing took me about an hour and fifteen minutes (and an hour of that was showering and dressing.) And, may I add here, I didn’t stress a bit.
(All of these photos are from another – and much longer – trip.)
Hefty makes 2-gal, Gain original works the best.
Some of the things packed.
Gathering from the closet.
I always put the jeans and heavier items on the wheel side.
Rolling duffel – best thing ever!
When my children were little and traveling with me, I packed a day’s clothes in each ziplock to make it easy for them (shorts, shirt, socks, undies.) Pajamas with a change of underwear would be packed into another ziplock. They were able to grab a bag and know that everything was there for them to get dressed. And with the dryer sheets, clothes smell straight from the dryer.
If there was a need to pack dress clothes, they would be carefully slipped into a white garbage bag that I make a little hole in the top to accommodate the hangers. I would then wrap them around my pillow and place in the top of the duffel. We also like to pack our pillow – what can I say except I like my own pillow. I have never had to iron (and I only buy cotton) clothes. I do the same with Hubby’s dress clothes.
The idea of the duffel came around when Hubby retired about seven years ago and we began taking lengthy trips. I didn’t want to be hauling three and four bags into a hotel each night while on the road. I purchased a LLBean X-Large rolling duffel for each us with that in mind. When you use one bag, you don’t stress over leaving something behind and it is so easy to roll the bags. We traveled (drove cross-country) to Washington and then on to an Alaskan cruise/tour and were on the road for three weeks. Everything we needed fit in these bags, including a pillow and our Lands’ End squalls. It worked wonderfully – one bag each! To answer your unasked question – yes, there were other bags. After all – I’m me. I had a backpack jammed with entertainment things and books, etc. as well as our plans for each excursion and my purse. But, I promise you – that was it. And, Hubby had his own backpack so he could cram his jacket into his own backpack and not mine.
Have questions? Need clarification? Please leave a comment.
As always thanks for stopping by My Life. One Story at a Time.
How do you pack for a trip? Have any tips to trade?
Putting heavier items on wheel end keeps them from sliding down while rolling. Always tighten straps.
Let’s Roll!
For a different style of packing, visit my friend Kristy at Giftie Ecetera at http://giftieetcetera.blogspot.com/2014/04/planning-packing.html
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I need to take lessons from you. I am a terrible packer. I always overthink and take way too much. I love that rolling duffel.
Thanks!
I love it! I wrote this yesterday: http://giftieetcetera.blogspot.com/2014/04/planning-packing.html but honestly, I use your system that day or the day before and then just double check my list as backup.
Thanks for stopping by Kristy and for the shoutout! Enjoy your vacation!
Great article! Love the run-through… Very helpful. I use eBags packing cubes, as well as ziplocks. This will be great as I pack for vacation next week.
I am so glad you stopped by Purple! Have a great vacation! Don’t you love how you can rifle through your luggage and not mess a thing up?