It might seem a bit odd that someone who loves to travel would admit to having difficulty with that very activity. It isn’t really the travel part I struggle with. It is what happens prior to the trip . . . . . packing. And this is my predicament: I am a chronic over-packer!
How much more can I pack?
(Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
If I will be gone for more than just a few days, I take the biggest suitcase I own. When packed and ready to go, it often is balanced on the bathroom scale because if feels heavy enough to exceed the airline’s weight limit.
“Lay everything on the bed then put half of it back in the closet.” I do know this rule, but I often find it necessary to unzip the expanding gusset on my suitcase.
We put enough stuff for a month on the road in our little trailer.
(Old family photo © Deborah Erickson)
Perhaps the issue can be traced back to my childhood. My father was an educator, so our summers were free to hit the open road. We would pack up our 15-foot travel trailer and head for very interesting places—Canada, Mexico, Colorado, New England, the Pacific Northwest—for what was often an extended period of time. To fully supply these journeys, I am sure that every nook and cranny in our little house-on-wheels was filled to the brim.
If this picture from a 1959 journey to Canada is any indication, we packed dresses, winter coats, white gloves, hair rollers and who knows what else! Could this be the reason I am still inclined to pack for any eventuality?
Yep, we really did pack white gloves and dresses!
(Old family photo © Deborah Erickson)
Maybe my problem stems from not wanting to waste even a minute on my trip, and guess I classify shopping for not-packed items or spending time in a Laundromat as a misuse of time. I always seem to take more clothing than I could possibly need, even when I visited my mother’s house and she had a washer and dryer right there for me to use.
Even though I do try to pare down non-essential items, I still pack two large cosmetic bags: One for makeup and sundries like shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, sunscreen and deodorant; and, one for emergency supplies such as pain relievers, bandages and a good supply of Pepto Bismol tablets. I have learned that packing a travel iron is not required, but that item was once it my luggage on almost every trip. I now realize that there is nothing wrong with a few wrinkles.
Four of those suitcases are ours!
© Deborah Erickson
An Alaskan cruise was embarked upon before the days of fees and checked baggage limits, so I packed to the max. My husband and I each took a large bag filled with both casual and dressy clothing and we had two smaller suitcases for outerwear and hiking boots. I succumbed to some form of warped thinking that I must have a different outfit (at least a different top) for each night’s dinner. Why didn’t I realized that our table mates would be more interested in what was on the menu than what I was wearing?
Perhaps, now that I have publicly admitted my problem with over-packing, I can embrace some packing suggestions that will move me along the road to recovery:
- When in doubt, leave it out!
- Pack only clothing items and shoes that will serve double-duty.
- Get over my phobia about shopping and doing laundry. Look at these activities as an opportunity to meet people and perhaps learn something about another culture.
- Don’t pack at the last minute as this tends to breed over-packing. Make a list ahead of time and stick to it.
- Think of what I can do without, not what might come in handy on my trip.
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NO MORE OVER-PACKING!
While I may not be able to yet embrace travel guru Rick Steves’ very light limit (20 pounds, 9″ x 22″ x 14″), perhaps, before my next journey, I can look with a fresh eye at what I am putting into my suitcase.
Having more stuff in my suitcase will not make for better travel memories. It is what I experience on the trip that matters!
