We were on holiday at the coast for two weeks in January.

When I packed to come back home, I couldn’t believe how much I had that I didn’t even use.

Part of it is just that it was so hot and humid but another is that I didn’t plan properly because I ran out of time so on the Sunday night I just tossed things in. Still mostly within a colour scheme but tossed nonetheless.

I’m blogging about it because this was a classic case of how not planning leads to ineffective organising, and also, I want to remember so I don’t make the same mistakes next time.

A friend once said to me when you go on a beach holiday, put everything you want to take with you on the bed and then put half of it back.

That worked for me in Thailand so it would have worked here too.

Not so strangely, I took some time making a list for the kids and we packed beautifully for them. They also didn’t wear all their clothes (even when it rained it was still so hot) but everything in their suitcase had a purpose 🙂

So notes to my future travelling self:

1. only take 3 handbags – a really small one, the huge one for all the electronics (Kindle, ipad, etc) and a tote to carry a towel, water, apple and camera to the beach.
2. don’t even bother taking closed shoes, jeans or long-sleeved t-shirts – 1 sweatshirt and 1 pair of capris will do nicely
3. 4 pairs of shorts are enough
4. the denim skirt was a winner
5. you only need to take 6 sleeveless T’s and maybe 2 short-sleeved t-shirts

Are you typically an over or under-packer?