Travel - Pocketful of Joules

I Rock at Packing

You know how I describe myself as a “recovering Type A overachiever?”* Well, I’m working hard to relax a bit more and leave some of that Type A stuff behind me. Except when it comes to packing… I am an AWESOME packer.

I’ve worked packing down to a science and I even have spreadsheets divided by the type of trip and who is coming with me. Oh, am I going on a cruise with the husband? No biggie. Taking a long weekend to the beach house with the baby? Bring it! Going to a different country for a work conference where I need to be dressy? I show that trip who’s in charge!

So how do I win at packing? Well, my goal is to pack EXACTLY what I need for the trip and not one extra thing. If I wear everything I’ve packed, I consider that a WIN at packing. And frankly a WIN at LIFE!

Want to see the method to my madness? Well, check out my packing list from last week’s trip to Vancouver:

By planning out exactly what I need to wear each day, I can make sure I’m not just throwing in a bunch of stuff that doesn’t go together. I also include underclothes and pajamas, of course.

If I was short on space, I could have pared it down to just one pair of jeans and one sweater, but I like options. Also, with rain in the forecast for every day I didn’t want to end up trying to put on wet jeans if I was soaked on a sightseeing trip. Everything on this list (and everything I bought for my husband and Jack) all fit in just a backpack and small Heys carry-on suitcase.

So, you want to see a bunch of dorky pictures of all my outfits?

*Tuesday: (jeans #1, t-shirt, sandals and scarf) I wore this on two planes, sightseeing and dinner.*

Wednesday 1 — *Wednesday morning: (jeans #2, t-shirt, jacket, sneakers) I wore this for a ton of walking and sightseeing. I have no idea why Kid Rock is on TV…*

Wednesday 2 — *Wednesday afternoon: (dress #1, sweater, sandals) – I wore this outfit for the conference check-in, one session and a welcome reception.*

Thursday 1 — *Thursday: (dress #2, sweater, sandals) I wore this from 7am – 5pm for my conference.*

Thursday 2 — *Thursday night: (jeans #2, t-shirt, scarf, sneakers) This is my ‘last chance at shopping’ outfit! It was raining outside, so I didn’t even bother with trying to keep my hair under control.*

*Friday morning: (jeans #1, t-shirt, sweater, sandals) – one last conference session and then a LONG plane ride. I finally got home at 2:30 am on Saturday!*

Wait… did you not think these pictures were dorky enough? Well, how about THIS:

silly pics — Just in case you think I get American Next Top Model’s smizing perfection in every shot… here’s what the majority of the pictures looked like on my camera when I got home:

So how about you, do you like to pack JUST what you plan to wear on your trip or do you prefer throwing in your whole closet and sorting through it all later? Am I the only one who feels like I WIN at packing if I wear everything I packed?

* If you didn’t know that you can totally look up at my website header… see, it’s there.

Quicky Update… Now with MORE Beeping!

I’ve been doing so well at posting 2 – 3 times every week like I promised forever ago and darn if I’m going to let myself fall off the wagon NOW!

Most of you know that I’m chillin’ like a villain in Vancouver this week for a work conference and if you didn’t know you can stop by my bloggy Facebook page to keep up with my hi-jinx. Or my Instagram feed for random pictures of my adventures like one of my reveling in the fact that I have FOUR pillows all to MYSELF! Yeah, I’m LIVING LARGE people!

I promise to fill you all in on everything as soon as I can, but for now I’ll just share this odd little interaction between me and the housekeeper yesterday:

{beep… beep… beep… I’m stalking around my hotel room like a crazy person because I hear a very odd beeping noise.}

Me: (pokes head out door to see if the beeping is coming from the hallway and sees housekeeper) Hi! Do you hear beeping?

Housekeeper: Beeping? Um… don’t worry about the beeping.

Me: Um, I’m not WORRIED about the beeping. I’m just wondering where it’s coming from?

Housekeeper: Oh. Well don’t be concerned. There is nothing to be concerned about with the beeping.

Me: Well, I wasn’t CONCERNED (until now…). I was just wondering WHAT was beeping. I mean, it’s not driving me crazy or anything (it is). I just think that if I were trying to sleep at night that all I would hear is the beep…

Housekeeper: Don’t worry about that. There is nothing to be afraid of. Don’t worry about the beeping. It just happens sometimes. Don’t be scared.

Me: ….okay. Thanks.

A couple minutes after I shut my door and wondered if the beeping was a sign that I should be worried… the beeping turned into a super loud BEEEEEEEEEP that scared the crap out of me and then stopped.

So, I should probably go and finish getting ready now considering that I need to put on make up, dry my hair and get dressed within the next 7 minutes. Feel free to leave your comments with your best guesses to what the heck was up with the beeping!

What is your WORST Flying Experience?

Right at this moment I’m most likely sitting on a plane next to some stinky guy who is totally squishing over the armrest into my seat. That’s right, I’m on my way to Vancouver right this very second! Not that Vancouver is filled with stinky men, but it’s just my luck to have one all up in my business while flying.

Don’t believe me? Well, let’s revisit this little tidbit that I previously talked about in December 2011…

On this particular flight we were flying home from Miami. I was around 5 months pregnant and we had just been on a 7 day Carnival cruise to the Western Caribbean. We had hoped to upgrade to first class for the flight home, but the plane was totally full so we resigned ourselves to a slightly cramped ride back.

My husband is 6’4” and flying is typically pretty uncomfortable for him, so I usually take the middle seat to give him a little more room to stretch out in the window or aisle seat. I’m so nice, right? Well, this would have been totally fine, if the person who sat down on the other side of me wasn’t a 350ish pound man.

He literally overflowed from his seat, over my arm rest, and into my area. Once he sat down, my left arm was pinned and I couldn’t move it to lift a drink to my mouth or turn the page of my Sky Mall magazine. He was so large that he couldn’t put down the little tray in front of him, so he balanced his family-sized boxes of Pizza Hut wings and cheese breadsticks on his stomach and then proceeded to eat every one of them within about 6 inches of my face. I had been pretty lucky with my lack of morning sickness, but I truly thought I was going to yack all over him and his stupid hot wings.

Sadly, this is not my ONLY bad flying experience… my bestie and I also were stuck on a runway for so many hours that we missed our connecting flight to St. Martin and were forced to re-plan our entire trip!

So here’s to hoping that I don’t have another horrible flying story to tell you once I land. But, just in case I do, please share with me your terrible flying stories in the comments!