My name is Nancy and I’m a luggage monster.
Since travel’s always been part of our lives, you’d think I’d have the packing part under control. As a newlywed, my excuse for overpacking was…inexperience. I knew I’d get better.
Then along came those three little ones. Imagine, three more reasons for luggage overload!
Next it was the dog. How she loved to travel! She became my latest excuse for the excess number of bags.
Now, all these years later, we’re two again. There is no dog. We’re still heavy in the suitcase inventory department, and most of them seem to want to come with us.
We’ve located the culprit.
Me.
I’ve done some research, and no, there isn’t an LA that I can join — as in Luggage Anonymous. That means it’s time to re-think this whole baggage dilemma, particularly with the latest airline rules and regs. And Bob the Baggage Handler is getting tired of carrying and wheeling multiple suitcases. Like everything else, you can only do this for so many years.
Getting everything ON the cruise ship is not usually a big problem. It’s getting the bags TO the ship, because that usually means flying.
So here are the self-imposed (sort of) rules for our next trip.
1. Be tough. Less really is best, so take only what you really need.
2. Pack black! Shouldn’t be a problem for me, since most of my clothes, shoes and bags are black. It’s easy to co-ordinate black (skirt, pants, jacket) and add a little color to make it look different. If black’s not your thing, any neutral color will do.
3. Choose lightweight fabrics, especially wrinkle-resistant ones that dry quickly.
4. Plan on doing a little laundry. Even on ships without laundry facilities, it’s easy to wash out a few things in the sink. Better yet, splurge on laundry service.
5. Roll clothes, rather than fold them. They take up less space, and they’ll look better when unpacked.
6. Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane, in layers that you can remove as necessary.
7. Travel small, as in toothpaste, shampoo, brushes and assorted other toiletries.
8. Match the size of your carry-ons with your carrier. You’d think the airlines would standardize this, but they haven’t.
9. Pack heavier items in the bottom of your suitcase. The lighter items won’t wrinkle nearly as much if they’re on top.
10. Get a new Baggage Handler….did I say that out loud? What I meant to say was remember, you CAN buy almost anything you forget on the ship.
I’m not sure how this will work, but I’m sure the Baggage Handler will let you know. Yes, the old Baggage Handler.