Fear of Packing

We woke up today to a lake at the bottom of the garden which is no surprise as we've "enjoyed" constant torrential rain, hailstorms and storm-force winds for days, though today the wind has finally dropped.  

This weather got me thinking of warmer times, holidays past and clement weather ahead.

Now, for me the downside of travel is - queue Jaws music - packing; I have packaphobia. 
Our 15kgs and 20kgs allowances for flight carry-on and hold and luggage respectively and is bad news for one (me) who likes plenty of dressing options, so packing needs serious consideration. 

  

My packing process? I start with a list, make amendments, then a total re-write before packing, whittling down, re-packing.  You get the picture. I fear it.   So I was relieved to read that there are others like me out there in the bloggisphere and help is but a google away. e.g. here with 

this lady

These sites bring succour to those who share my condition.

My packing isn't as scientific as that lovely lady's but there is method to it. I photograph the final packing spread out on the floor, then I endeavour to take daily photos of what I actually wear, followed by a review whilst sorting out the snaps on return. 
It's become apparent that the same core items crop up day on day, they are my workhorses; aspirational stuff packed doesn't see any more action than when I schlepp it round in the suitcase.  So nowadays I pack the identified workhorses.  End of.  Fin de.
E.g., it's early summer, Denmark and mainland UK, 3.5 weeks.  I packed layers as I've previously experienced snow there in June!  But it was beautifully warm.  The workhorses?

M&S cut-offs, Woolovers French Navy cardi and top; Next pumps, crochet taupe/white bag, grey/navy mix silk scarf bought 35 years ago in Copenhagen - I took it back to its "roots", the store (Magasin) from which it was bought!

L: M&S jeggings, The White Company taupe top, Navy Woolovers cotton/silk cardi, Next pumps;

R: M&S beige cut offs, beige Alexon longline top, Woolovers French Navy cardi, Clarks sandals (very comfy).

M&S black jeggings, grey cotton/silk cardi and top from Woolovers, comfy Ecco Sandals (bought there), the old grey/navy silk scarf tied as a head bandau.

A close-up of the scarf; mix-and-match bracelets from Accessorize a couple of years ago.

L:Black Next modal top over black t-shirt, coral M&S cut-offs (6-7th summer!), black Ecco sandals.  R: M&S Limited Collection modal t-shirt, Cotton Traders white cut-offs, same sandals;

the scarf is the grey/beige/black silk sister of the yonks-old Tie Rack scarf which I showed in My First Time Blog - therre, now you have met that little family!

Fairly pedestrian outfits, fitting for a lady in her 60s :-), but these were my mix-and-match workhorses for 3 weeks. 
Packing will be a doddle this year!

And during a 3 week trip to sizzling France, the photographic evidence is that I wore a variation on this throughout.

East layered cotton lawn skirt (ca. 2004, so light, it's a summer travel must-pack),
White Company vest in taupe, and that little crochet bag.

Same skirt and same bag (bien sur) with a multi-coloured jersey dress which I tuck up and use as a long vesttop (£3 charity shop find from 2004 another summer must-pack).

I'm embarrassed to add that we drove on that holiday and I filled our boot with a shocking amount of clothes and shoes (because I could).  And I seem to have worn one skirt, two tops and one pair of sandals!

So, nothing exciting or uber-stylish but the point of this rather long rambling is that if you do a bit of holiday photo analysis, perhaps you too will discover that you wear just a few items on a mix-and-match basis, so pack that and all the fancy stuff can stay at home!

If you have managed to stay awake after all my ramblings, well done you!

A la perchoine.