Do you PACK EVERYTHING that you THINK you MIGHT need? I used to! I was such a newbie 10 years ago! We would end up with two huge suitcases (no … humongous suitcases – the kind that a body could easily fit in) AND two duffle bags. I had forgotten that we would have to drag those around with us everywhere we went. Trust me, guys. There are no airport, bus, or train employees that carry your luggage from a cab. WE WERE MISERABLE!
I blamed this obsession on my upbringing. They always said: “It’s better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”
I had to stop listening to whoever they were!
So . . . this time, we purchased 2 rolling duffle bags and 2 rolling laptop backpacks. We made a pact with each other: If it doesn’t fit, we don’t take it. Another was you carry what you pack. Really makes you think about what’s really important …
Pack Smart
You do not need to pack multiple pants and shirts. Get 2 pants that will go with all your shirts. If you have 2 pants and 3 shirts, that gives you 6 outfits. A light multicolored scarf with change the outfit up and make more combinations. One skirt, mid-calf or long, just added another dimension to the wardrobe. Now you have essentially 18 outfits with only 2 pants, 1 skirt, 3 shirts, and a scarf/accessory.
Another thing I figured out, is that you do not need to bring all your lavatory needs in large quantities. First of all, the airports are limiting the sizes of jars and tubes and liquids you can take on the planes. Besides, there are pharmacies, and corner stores galore all over the place. Just buy what you need as you run out.
THIS IS ALL MY WORLDLY POSSESSIONS NOW! (Of course, we have a camera bag and a laptop case, but this article was on what to pack for clothing.)
Well, I did it! Bags are packed, airline tickets purchased, hotel lined up in Madrid, Spain for a 3-day layover for jetlag recovery (you gotta remember, we are in our 60’s), apartment confirmed in Barcelona, Spain for 81 days and passports are in my purse.
All our photographs that we process will be published here.
