Pack it up pack it in, let me begin

I typically use excel spreadsheets for packing and try everything on before I put it in a bag which is very Type A tight assed of me, I know. I have spreadsheets for cruises, long weekend trips (air), long weekend trips (driving), lake trips, beach trips, week at the beach trips, week long vacation trips (air) etc. etc. What can I say? I love a list.

Since this upcoming trip is a laid back casual clothes situation with a washer and dryer available, I simply laid out soft stuff on the bed in the spare room, let the piles sit there for a week, picked some things out of the piles and added some new stuff, and boom, done. Note: The description of this trip should prepare you for the photos you will see on social media of me wearing the same clothes with no makeup and hair that resembles a planet due to salt air. 

We're driving so I wanted to pack in a bag that could be squished, hence the duffle. I have a Stella & Dot bag Lori gave me and an old Vera Bradley. I'm not a big Vera fan but you cannot beat the duffle for hauling a lot of crap. I packed everything in the expandable Stella & Dot first and then repacked it in the Vera. The Vera zipped even after I added a pair of sneakers and a big ass bag of sunblock.

Busting the seams of this duffle: two sweatshirts, a long sleeve T, pajamas - long pants/capris/shorts/2 tanks, four non pajama tanks, three t-shirts, two pairs of shorts, capris, a dress for a family photo, three bathing suits, a cover up, long sleeve for the beach, under garments, all of my health & beauty aids, a pair of sneakers, a pair of flip flops, and a big bag of sunblock. I'll end up not wearing half of it. Trust.

The only thing I have left to pack are books (I'll take at least eight), mags, and electronics. The small electronics go in these smaller bags and everything will packed in the larger Stella & Dot I didn't use for clothes.

Curious about my beach essentials? You can read about them here.

Gotta run. MFD (who packs a half hour before we leave for a trip) is reading articles like Avoiding Shark Attacks aloud. I need to take refuge upstairs with a book. Ahhh, vacation in the summer of the shark. TTFN.