If you are like me, you pack for every possible situation. What if I go to the movie theater? The theater will be cold, and I’ll need my coat to get there, but don’t want to wear it inside because that would be weird. It would be a good idea to bring a sweater to cover my arms, but I won’t know what I will feel like wearing, so I better bring all of them.
I think and think and think until my entire wardrobe is mashed to capacity into a suitcase that can’t even dream of fitting inside of a trunk. For someone who enjoys clothes, it is hard to leave some behind for the holiday. However, I have learned some tricks along the way to cure my acute over-packing.
Think in overlapping separates. If I packed outfits for every possible occasion I could encounter in the next month I would need a crane.  Here is what I am lugging home:
My favorite black boots: Boots are my favorite type of shoe and will come in handy back in Seattle.
My new leather jacket: After searching for the perfect jacket for more than a year, I finally found one and I can’t stop wearing it. I like layering it with American Apparel sweatshirts for extra warmth and will be prepared for any occasion that may need a slight bad-girl tinge.
One pair of skinny jeans: My favorite high waisted dark washes can be worn with anything.
Dark gray sweater dress: It can be dressed up or down for dinner or the movies. This will satisfy any “dressy” occasions that may come up.
I am also limiting myself to one skirt, one pair of tights, two sweaters and three tops.
I wear scarves almost every day. Because of this, I am allowing myself three of them along with my favorite knit hat and gloves.
Only basic makeup: My 16-color Urban Decay eye shadow palette takes up too much room and the odds of needing blue and purple pigment for watching instant Netflix on my couch with Ben and Jerry’s Americone Dream are slim to none.
I am rationing my jewelry to whatever I can fit into a 3.5 inch by 3.5 inch Macy’s gift box. Having to pick and choose will force me to bring only the essentials.
If you cannot bear to leave any of your precious garments out, there is a way to have your cake and eat it too.
Space Bags are a wonderful invention. They vacuum seal wool sweaters down to slivers of their previous bulkiness. One must simply place their garments in the bag, seal the opening and roll. All of the air escapes through filters on the other end that do not allow air back in, leaving clothes pancake thin.
There are more expensive versions that utilize a vacuum to suck out air, but I prefer the cheaper roll out Target version.
Also, remember to leave room for the new things you may be bringing home.
Winter Break is not only a time for holiday shopping but also the time to create New Year’s resolutions. I have given it some thought and have decided on something that will change my shopping habits entirely.
I am an impulse buyer who has an undeniable affinity for things that I do not need. Starting Jan. 1, I will enact plan: “Master list.”
I will create a list of everything I want to buy, limited to a certain number. I can only buy things on this list. Once the list is created, new things cannot be added. However, things can be taken off if I decide I no longer want the item in question. This will be my shopping agenda for the following six months.
Hopefully, this will keep my spending on track and inspire others to do the same. Drive safe, happy holidays and happy shopping.