I Have It, But Did I Pack It?

I am very excited because this weekend I will be departing for Puntas Arenas, Chile, the southernmost city in the world, at the invitation of the Chilean Government to learn about tourism opportunities in this remote part of South America.

Have it…

I am sure I will have much to say on my return but what is going through my mind right now is packing! I know this sounds weird, but part of the fun of an adventure for me is packing for it. I enjoy the planning, the organizing and the spatial challenge on how to fit my stuff in my bags (for an hysterical take on stuff check out the late great George Carlin’s riff on stuff.). To me it is like a puzzle that needs to be solved. I think it is one of the reasons people enjoy traveling to Africa with my company as I give them lots of packing advice.

I have lots of stuff and it is easy to forget I have it and even easier to forget I packed it. And if I do pack it – how do I find it when I need it? And is it where you going to be able to access it when you do? To me the key is not only what to pack, but how and where to pack. That is why I use the “have it – packed it” checklist.

Packed it.

First I make a list of everything I think I am going to need and bring. Before throwing everything in a bag I lay out everything in a corner of the room. This way I can see how much stuff I have, what size bags it will all fit in and then begin to ask the question – do I really need it? It is always good to edit before you go. This is the “have it” portion of the process. Then when I start to put it in the bag (or bags) I mark it off as “packed it.” This helps me remember where I packed it so when all of a sudden I need that itinerary or tool I know exactly where I packed it.

How do you pack for a trip?