A WELL-PACKED DAY BAG HELPS TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF TRAVEL

While day-tripping in Disney World can be a lot of fun, not being prepared can be a hassle. Unless I am with my grandchildren (which requires a much larger tote) I only need a small day bag for my daily outings.  That bag, though, must be well stocked.  Always included are a travel-size package of tissue, bottle of water, a couple of nutrition bars, an apple, a plastic rain poncho & umbrella if its cloudy or rain is expected, a small container of sunscreen, sun and reading glasses, and a few sanitizing wipes or liquid.  With my wallet, iPhone, a lipstick and comb, I'm good to go. 

KISSIMMEE, FL

Well, now, Kissimmee. FL is not quite in my own backyard.  It's a little more than three hours away but a fairly relaxing ride up the turnpike from the Boca Raton area.  I booked our hotel on Hotwire.com after three unsuccessful bid attempts on Priceline, fueled the car and packed 3 days worth of clothes, etc. in a carryon. It is the maiden voyage of my new Travelpro suitcase. Well made and sturdy, this bag looks like it can sustain a long and fulfilling relationship with me. (But more about that later.) Right now it is Kissimmee, the heartland of family entertainment and bliss, but where should we eat?  All the major chains are here, but I know a secret. I know about restaurant.com, and any adventure I am about to take starts with a couple of clicks to their site. Regardless of whether it is in my own backyard, across the state or across the country, restaurant.com offers excellent discounts. Recently some $25.00 certificates were available for as little as $2.00 each.

THE MORIKAMI MUSEUM AND JAPANESE GARDENS in Delray Beach, FL

When there is not enough time to travel or when the budget is low, it's time to check into your own "back yard." The Morikami  Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, FL is a gem of a place often overlooked by the locals.  A cultural center for Japanese arts since 1977, the museum holds over 5000 Japanese artifacts, a bonsai collection, tea house and textile articles reflecting Japan's rich history.  The gardens represent various designs from different Japanese periods ranging from the eighth to the 20th century. Strolling through them, one notices how seamlessly they blend together. A visit to Morikami exquisite gardens calms the nerves and speaks to the spirit of the earth and the beauty it has to offer. A must see for everyone who lives near by as well as any visitor to the area. After a walk I recommend lunch at the museum restaurant overlooking the lake. The food is very good and the view delightful. 561-495-0233

PACKING HEAVY!

My journey to mimipackslight.com has been a convoluted one to say the least. It certainly didn't start out light. In fact, my first trip with a group of college friends started out on the heavier side. Back in 1969, with our schools based in Philadelphia, you would think that a short trip (an overnighter) to New York City for the St. Patrick's Day parade would have been a piece of cake. Not so for our novice group. You would have thought we were on route to a new life out west, packing everything we owned -- well, almost. We were savvy enough to book a room at the Waldorf Astoria but not savvy enough to know that it was a bit over-the-top to pack a very heavy electric skillet along with a pantry supply of canned goods. College kids get hungry you know. Well, there we were in the big city with suitcase upon suitcase filled with complete wardrobes, frying pans, spatulas, china plates (No paper for this group; we were at the Waldorf after all) and our first bottles of cheap liquor. The drinking age in Pennsylvania was 21 at the time, but, fortunately for us, New York, undergoing a lapse in good sense, had lowered theirs to 18! We drank, we cooked, we ate, drank some more, ate some more, nearly burnt the place down, drank a little more (maybe a lot), and then we saw green. But not from the St. Paddy's parade, which I'm not certain we ever saw anyway!

WHAT IS A "BASE COLOR" THEME?

A Base Color theme is important to every light packer.  It eliminates the need for a lot of excess baggage. (couldn’t resist)  My base color is black.  Other popular themes are beige, gray and navy blue. All colors, of course could be used as a theme but these are the most practical.  Seldom is white used as dirt and stains are an issue to be avoided when on the road. Selecting a neutral color usually works well.  So what is the “Base Color” theme exactly?  Well in simplest terms it is a wardrobe philosophy. A philosophy in which an individual allows one color to dominate the wardrobe.  In my wardrobe I own 2 pairs of black dress pants, 2 casual black pants,1 pair of black shorts, 2 pairs of black workout shorts, a plain black business skirt, a plain black cocktail dress, an ankle length black dress skirt, various black tops from sleeveless to long sleeve, a black sweater and several pairs of black shoes. I coordinate these items with clothes in other colors and patterns so that I can expand and enhance my wardrobe. By utilizing the base color approach to packing the traveller can select items that he or she knows will go with numerous other pieces of clothing. Ex: A particular pair of black shoes could go nicely with,  say, my casual or dress slacks, my black cocktail dress or business skirt. I create interest and diversity to these outfits by bright color tops scarfs and accessories.  (The black strapless dress in the photo is also my ankle length dress skirt!)

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE GO TO: mimipackslight.com

MY WEBSITE IS: www.mimipackslight.com

In my last blog, "LAY IT OUT IN ADVANCE" where I mentioned a website, I was referring to: www.mimipackslight.com  You can go to the site for the daily charts and other important information to help you pack lighter.

LAY OUT YOUR CLOTHING

Before you pack your actual travel bag (I hate to say bags) it is always best to lay your clothes out on a bed or table in accordance to the outfits you plan to wear.  Print out a copy of the “Daily Charts” included on my website. (mimipackslight.com) Then fill in what you think you might use with a pencil so you can erase if needed. Then organize each day of your trip with the appropriate outfits.   Keep in mind that you do not need to pack every “fantastic” or favorite thing you own. YOU ONLY NEED TO PACK WHAT YOU NEED!  Even though you look like Madonna in that deep red sequence cocktail dress that you just had to have, don’t pack it if you are going away with your girlfriends for a weekend spa retreat.  Save the dress for the appropriate venue and you will be rewarded by a lighter bag and God forbid the horror of leaving it behind at the hotel.  For longer trips I will lay out a few slacks and then one on top of the other the tops I will coordinate with each of those pairs of pants. This can be done with skirts and shorts as well. Alway keep in mind how many days you will be traveling. It is highly unlikely that you will need more then 8 tops for a four day trip.

REVERSIBLE CLOTHING

                   

I LOVE reversible clothing! Good reversible clothing includes clothes that have two different designs or colors on either side.  I do not care for articles with colors or patterns that are nearly the same on each side as these do not provide variety to the wardrobe.  I don’t even know why manufacturers make these since they give little or no value.  Who cares if the blue, green and yellow 2 inch pattern paisley skirt has a reverse side of a 3 inch pattern with the same colors?  It certainly doesn’t make it seem like I’m wearing something completely different the next day and that is what I am after.  When I was a child I saw a movie where a woman involved in a bank robbery got away by tossing her short blond wig into an alley dumpster and reversing her beige raincoat into a vibrant red tweed on the opposite side.  Voila, a flip of her auburn locks and a switch of her coat and she was good to go!  

THE BENEFITS OF STORAGE BAGS

I love hand rolled air/vac bags.  Not the ones that require an actual vacuum to seal as I might not have a vacuum when I reach my destination.  I love the ones that are suitcase size and can be rolled out nearly anywhere.  If I don’t use one at the beginning of my trip I pack an empty one anyway. Usually I buy a few things during my travels and that means I will need a little extra space in my suitcase for when I go home. By using an air/vac bag to store all my dirty laundry, which I no longer care to have packed neatly and wrinkle free, I open up the space I need and organize my belongings for a quick trip to the washing machine. They also make packing of bulky articles like sweaters and jackets possible for a smaller bag. A win win situation for the “packlighter.”  Strong resealable freezer bags in quart and gallon size also provide excellent storage.  Because you can view the contents they make locating things easier and they are waterproof. Packing a wet bathing suit is no longer the nightmare it was in the past. Snack bags are another asset for the seasoned traveler. Similar in attributes to the larger freezer bags, snack bags provide great storage for vitamins, jewelry, cotton balls and myriad of other little items that I can’t seem to do without.

I LOVE MY FAVORITE HANDBAG!

                                                 

The best handbag for my own personal travel is made by Travelon.  It is structured and well organized. It has a very sturdy adjustable strap that when worn across the body provides safety for the user. A small flashlight that snaps to the inside of the bag also provides an added safety bonus.  I have used the light many times in the dark to avoid fumbling with my keys. It comes in black which fits my “black base color theme” and it is expandable.  It has two main sections each with a variety of zipped partitions.  There are plenty of business card, license and makeup sleeves. Frankly, I like this bag so much that I use it almost everyday!

I LOVE TO CRUISE

Crusing has become a passion for me. Who doesn't love the beauty of the islands or the power and awe inspired by mountains,  let alone the "call" to the sea? In a way my inward and outer quest are linked to travel and all the marvels I encounter when I do so.  My challenge though has been packing and I continue to pursue ways to make it easier and efficient whenever I can.

SAMPLE SIZE ME

When it comes to packing light, size matters and that size is small! So head on out to your local drug, dollar or department store and check out the travel/sample section and see what they have to offer. If you are traveling by plane and carrying on, keep in mind that liquids need to be 3 oz. or less and they all must fit into one qt. size container.