Overthinker Packer Here

 One of my favorite topics is back. PACKING. 

We're celebrating out milestone birthdays this year with a friend trip: A 7-day river cruise in Europe with three other couples. And I AM EXCITED. Plus, Dave and I tacked on a week in Vienna because, heck, why not. 

I'm in FULL PACKING MODE which you know means starting a least a month out and overthinking everything. 

The challenge on this trip is to sincerely pack light for two-weeks abroad. Lots of re-wearing outfits, minimal-but-great walking shoes and layers I can pull on and off. 

Let's review my packing phases: 

Phase 1 : Planning, scheduling and research. I sketch out what we're doing each day, estimate the weather and guess what I'm going to want to wear each day. 

Phase 2 : Sort, Buy, Stack. With my list in hand, I go through my closet picking out my very favorite, top-tier clothes that I love the best. Then, I start to see color similarities and what's missing. Then I buy a few things to augment. (Like this time I bought a denim shirt dress.) New undies are also a must.

Phase 3 : Packing up! At least a week in advance. This give me time to see what kind of space I have and do last minute switches. I can also look at the weather and make edits based on that. This is also the phase were I work on my carry-on, which is a whole other mind-mess of overthinking. 

The carry-on is where I really excel. I don't want to overpack, but I want to be ready for every crisis and situation I could face out there. Boredom. Thirsty. Hungry. Cranky. Tired. I'm prepared!

Because here's the prize: I'm in every travel photo looking cute and pulled together (rather than avoiding the camera and feeling slouchy and a mess). I feel relaxed and ready for anything our adventures can throw at me. I can look back at my photos and think "I felt so happy and confident." 

More details from our trip to come!