Packing: An Epic Saga

Of course I waited until today to start packing.  I just got back from a weekend in Philadelphia, so I was really out of time and I had to start today.

Luckily I had gone through my clothes and figured out, pretty much, what I was bringing.  I shall now fill you in on how I plan to live for three months out of two suitcases :)

Here's what my pile of clothes looked like:

Inventory:

Shoes (5)-boots, Converse, Sketchers, sneakers and teacher shoes (I stuffed my socks in my shoes to save space in my suitcase, there are at least 3 pairs of socks in each shoe)

Scarves (4)-two for fashion, two for function

Ski goggles

Silk Underwear (3)

Pants (6)- Khaki, jeans, work pants, sweats, more work pants and more work pants

Sweaters (5), sweaters and more sweaters 

Bathing suit (1)- not really for Alaska, mostly for the resort we'll be staying at

Long-Sleeved Shirts (8), all of which can be dressed up for work or dressed down for casual time

Short-Sleeved Shirts (7)- all of which can also be dressed up or down and pair nicely with...

Cardigans (4, the white flower cardigan was in the wash at the time of publishing)- if you've ever met me you know that I love cardigans more than anything

Work-out clothes- I really love Yoga and Pilates so I want to have something I can work-out in

Turtlenecks (2)

A zip-up hoodie, and two pull-over fleeces

Medicine-

Bag of goodies- nail polish, nail polish remover, razor/blades (17), toothpaste, nail clippers

Cotton balls, and q-tips

SMASH scrapbooking stuff (This is not everything, the rest is being mailed)

personal care things- mouthwash, soap, shampoo, shave cream, and anti-persperant 

By this point I had run out of room in both suitcases and I was freaking out a little because I still had my underwear, bra's, personal beauty stuff, sheets, towel, and blankets to fit in my suitcases.  Then I remembered that I can take a personal item as well as a carry-on bag.  SO, I took my cold weather gear out of my suitcase and put it in my personal item.

So out of the suitcase came the snow pants, underarmour, cabela's fleece, gloves and scarf.

When all was said and done, my packed suitcases looked like this:

Some more things that got added:

Flannel Snowman PJ's (they had to come)

And the most important piece-

MOM QUILT!

My mom made this for me when I graduated high school.  It came with me to college every year, it came to Arizona with me, it goes with me to camp every summer, there was no way it was not coming to Alaska with me.  I think it will keep me extra warm because it's made out of mom-love :)

That's all for tonight.  The carry on edition of this post will come out tomorrow night and then I fly to Alaska on Tuesday morning!