Pack... Light

Busy travel weekend for many folks. And my advice... pack light. Unless you want to be bitter with baggage (book by Sloane Tanen).

I tend to overload my bags with all these grandiose fantasies of why I need "this many" shoes, "this many" pants, etc... By the time I arrive back home, I realize I never touched most of the clothes in my bag. So, I tend to go light on the pants... two casual/jeans, one dress pant (just in case...) for short trips, but I do take multiple shirts/sweaters/tops for visual variety.

Always pack my toiletries/undies first, since those are things you absolutely can't do without... and it's a pain to shop for at the destination. Gym clothes, which I do make a point of visiting while out of town. ID, passport, proof of insurances (health, car, etc...) just in case.

I try to leave enough room for "mama's cooking," since the family sometimes thinks I'm still in college and not eating enough, so I get tons of foil-wrapped frozen food packages to bring back.

But books... that's my weakness. I tend to pack a library, when in reality all I'll ever be able to touch is one... maybe two, while away. And that's mostly on the plane. Probably the best incentive to buy a Kindle or other electronic book reader... can take all your books with you in less than a pound. Please, Santa!

Your packing light tips? Have a safe trip if you're traveling!
fs