Packing like a boss

I know some of you are snickering ("she hasn't even gotten on the damn plane yet and keeps effing blogging"). This is my trip, and I'll blog when I want to. Blog when I want to. Blog when I want to.

So packing. The best lesson in packing for a trip? Camping. As a beginner camper, I used to fill a duffel bag with an outfit for each day, plus an uh-oh outfit (uh-oh, I shat my pants; uh-oh, I fell into someone else's shit; uh-oh...). But, frankly, if you come out of the woods smelling like a rose and perfectly clean, I'm not sure you did it right. You should smell like campfire and have weird smears across your shirt. So now, if it's just a couple nights, I bring one outfit, one pair of jammies, an extra shirt, some uh-oh underwear. And no, I don't typically shit myself. But there's always a first time. (wonder why I'm single...)

Back to Ireland.

So I'm a pretty minimalist packer. My math: nine days, three outfits, one pair of jammies, some extra stuff. And because I have to wear something to legally get onto the plane, I could just pack two outfits, jammies, my camera, and call it a day. Are any of you grossed out yet?

Also, I'm watching the weather.

This is the forecast every single day we are there. 49 degrees and rainy.

So it's going to be just as meh there as it is here. But I don't care because I'll be drinking beer and talking to sheep.

I got out all of the stuff I intend to bring.

What's this, you ask:

It holds pills. But I think it could also be good for keeping jewelry separated.

Unfortunately, I need it for pills. But I'll be using these for jewelry so it doesn't all come out as one giant knot:

You regular jet setters prolly have something much sexier than my Rite Aid pill pouches.

And the piece de resistance...packing cubes:

These come in packs of three. The freaky, organized squirrel in me is delighted. I also got one that compresses:

Fill'er up

Ever so gently run the bottom zipper all the way around to compress the cube.

I filled one cube with pants, pjs, and socks. The other with all tops and underwear.

Ready to rock and roll:

I put an empty cube in the bottom of the case for dirty clothes.

Tight, but not bad for a carry-on that has yet to be extended.

Even though it's a carry-on, I think I'll check it.

Now for my toys:

These are the things I actually want to carry onto the plane: documents, maps, books, notebooks, pens, the camera Santa got me and all its accoutrements, and my point and shoot.

I love this thing. $1 at Staples, and it holds my bus ticket, passport, and eventually the plane ticket.

I don't know why I can't put this right side up.

And then there's important stuff like ear plugs and a little something to freshen up with as the plane lands.

All of this goes into my new camera bag.

And I'm sorta ready to go.

Stella senses something's up.

And now, nothing to do but tie up a few loose ends and hop on the bus to Logan.