Thursday 17 April 2014

Traveller's Blues: Bad Packing

It is well recognised, right around the world that I am a really, really bad packer. 

Like really bad. 

Not just 'Oh no I forgot my slip' bad. I am woeful

I either pack way too much, not the right things, or all of the above.

My case in point - our Christmas trip to Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. This resulted in me wearing my father-in-law's knitted jumpers all holidays.

I packed mine, and both the Doctor's and Tiny's suitcases on a 36 degree night in Sydney. And there was me - laying it all out - and any other temperature was completely unimaginable because that heat. My goodness. The heat was all I could think of. 

So skimpy, summery, barely anything there clothing it was. 

And then we landed in Melbourne. It was grey.  Cold. Raining. 

You can only imagine my delight. And the kids. 

We spent almost one and a half days hunting the shops looking for anything vaguely wintery - to no avail. 

This was high summer baby, there's not a track pant or fleecy jumper to be had.

Or take the time Matt and I went to London in November. I took 23kgs of luggage. But nothing could have prepared me for how grey and bleak London winter is. And so I wore seven layers every day to counter the chill. Why I didn't buy a coat over there, no one will know. But I will never forget stripping off almost all layers once I came inside - because apparently London does heating well too. 

Let's just say packing is certainly not my forte. Insert sad face here >                 <

Fast forward to now and I'm madly trying to pack for a couple of days home. I know it's going to be cold up there. I know it. And yet, my packing is totally random. I find something that feels a bit warm - and I toss it in. When I get to the other end, I'll pull all that stuff out - and once again wonder what happened to my brain - and no doubt everyone will wonder why I look so bizarro. Because nothing I pack actually makes sense.

Therefore I am going to take it upon myself to research packing methods. I am going to learn from the best, and then I am going to come back and share with everyone. The Secret Art of Packing.

4 comments:

GeorgieLove said...

Nights are definitely icy here - 2 in Armi last night, so tamworth would be about 7 - beautiful mild days though. Pack flannel pjs!

Jayne Hughes said...

I use evernote and write a list for the children, print it off and give each a copy and they're responsible for their own clothes. I also use evernote for camping prep and have packing checklists saved that I use each time we go camping (this will be the second time I've used them...) My packing's not too bad, I just put everything I own into a suitcase and go from there. I don't own very many clothes so this works ok for me. I did rush off and order a whole heap of fleeces and hoodies online on Monday evening because we're going camping and I'm scared witless that we're going to be cold. I'm pacing the floor, waiting for them to arrive. Good luck, have a great holding

Judy said...

Oh good, it's not just me. I can only travel to destinations with plenty of op shops because there is more chance that anything I should have packed, not just clothing, is there, than in my suitcase. looking forward to a 'cure'.

miranda said...

There is a vid of Sarah Wilson packing for a trip OS and taking an insanely small amount of things. I think I need to work on my capsule wardrobe ;)