Preparing to Pack

There is a sense of accomplishment when you know your vacation is booked, planned and paid for but when all of that is done, you still aren't out of the woods yet. You have to pack. That ugly four letter word that haunts us all, keeps us up at night and causes us to run around the house like chickens with our heads cut off not sure where to go or what to do.

After countless vacations where packing almost lead to a nervous breakdown I have now revolutionized my life and my vacations with my packing principles.

• Don't wait until the last minute-There is nothing worse than being stressed out and up late waiting by the dryer the night before your vacation. Don't wait until the last minute! If you can, start preparing to pack a week or at least 3 days before you leave.
• Gather and stack-Pick an afternoon or evening where you have an hour or so to dedicate to the round up. I like to make my bed and use that as my packing platform. I begin gathering the clothes I know I'm going to need: shorts, tank tops, bathing suits, cover ups, etc. and put them into outfits. Fold (or roll) the pair of shorts and tank top that will make an outfit and put that in one stack and then move across the bed doing likewise. This allows you an easy count of your outfits and will ensure you aren't missing a top to go with your shorts or vice-verse. I also do this for my "dinner clothes" for cruising I like to try to pack separates that are multi-functional to save space (i.e. one pair of black pants and multiple tops)
• Make a laundry list-When you are in the gather and stack stage you will inevitably realize that some key wardrobe elements are missing. Make a list of those "must have's" and be sure to get them laundered in time to pack. Sometimes I even put a post it note in the stack where the missing item should go so I don't forget. 
• A tisket-a-tasket-throw-it-in-a-laundry-basket: Instead of dragging the dirty suitcase up from the basement and leaving it on my (sometimes) clean floor I use a laundry basket instead. When you're done with your gather and stack but aren't ready to pack it all away for good put your stacks in a laundry basket. This gives you an idea of how much volume you have to pack and also makes it easy to re-search your wardrobe decisions before they make their final pilgrimage to the suitcase.
• Space Bags-I could be a spokesperson for these bags, I adore them. Take your stacks (I divide mine by dinner clothes, casual clothes, un-mentionables, etc.) and insert them in the space bags, zip and press. The air goes out, the clothes stay in a nice smushed stack and are easy to pack in the suitcase not to mention they are sealed from grimy hands going through your stuff at the airport, or god forbid any water or dirt that could soak through your suitcase. 
• FYI: I have actually heard a horror story of someone's luggage doing into the water at the port after it fell off a luggage cart. They fished it out and laundered everything for the guests but still....gross. Not that I would take my clothes deep sea diving in a Space Bag but I like the idea that they have an extra seal should anything happen.
• Pack it: When the space bags are ready to go throw them in the suitcase and arrange to maximize space.

Tomorrow we'll look at toiletries and the best way to pack and pre-pack those little trouble makers!