Luggage

My old friend, Dave, posted on Facebook last week that he was packing for a vacation. Four hours before his flight was due to depart. He made it.

I am not that bad, but I am getting there. Joy has been known to take a vacation day before a business trip so that she can pack. I am getting on a plane in 12 hours and I haven’t packed anything but my carry on liquids. I haven’t even picked out my luggage.

When I was young, I wondered why the heck anyone needed more than one suitcase. In college, I had two big duffle bags, but only because one held my bedding – the only thing I couldn’t trust to ship to school. Now, I have different pieces of luggage for every freakin’ occasion.

1. My regular big, square suitcase; monogrammed. I pretty well abandoned it after the airlines started charging for luggage that weighed more than 50 pounds.
2. My rolling duffle, which I use for regular trips. It has to be checked – but it has never checked in at more than 50 pounds.
3. Mini-rolling duffle, which holds clothes for two-ish days.
4. Last year I found a rolling laptop bag, which I don’t dare to take on regional jets because I am not sure it will fit under the seat and I will not accept checking a laptop. There is also my backpack, in which I jam the laptop on shorter trips and those that involve regional jets.
5. Oh, and whatever handbag I think would be most useful for any given journey.

I am actually a rather light packer, notorious for forgetting toothpaste and stuff. So the fact that I have all of this luggage is just extravagant.

I am not proud of this.

I really start to have trouble because I try to just leave stuff in the bags. It just seems easier. An umbrella, for instance. Or my key to the Washington Office. Or my Metro card (that still has $12.45 on it). I have lost my key to my regular office and I am sure it is in some bag or another that I took on a trip. Oh, and my passport.

I have that, Mom.

I mention this because right now I am waiting for my laundry and trying to figure out the best packing strategy. This is particularly lame in that I just throw my clothes into the bag – there is no method. There’s just…what do I want to lug around for five days?