My packing saga ...what I learnt (?) so far.

I cannot believe that I am writing this. I usually am a person when it comes to choosing outfits is like may be this one or that or this just in case. And this scenario is when I go to the shop, while I am packing for a trip or getting ready to go to a restaurant. Don't get me wrong here. I am an organized person overall. But I have a hard time sticking to my list ( which I always make no matter what ) when it comes to shopping clothes or packing clothes. Clearly here we will omit budget and finances all together. That is a discussion for some other day.

I am getting better at traveling light with each trip but I surely have so much more to accomplish. I am going to Turkey next month ( yes Turkey...yeah the country Turkey... I mean Istanbul,Turkey ) well you all got it I am excited about the trip. So my goal is to travel light , travel with as little luggage as possible. 

To help me with my goal I have started a board on Pinterest to gather ideas about the same. I am reading various articles over the Internet. I am trying to compile here what I learnt so far( or should I say what I need to stick to in the future) .

Questions to ask before packing---

1. How long am I going for?

Very important since that helps me decide the size of my bag ... Cabin bag or check in  bag or backpack or all the above( the answer is jam packed all the above when I head to India every single time )

2 . Where am I traveling to and for what purpose ? 

This helps me decide the type of clothes I need to carry. Is it for a conference or just leisure or a wedding . 

3. Where will I be staying?

If I stay at my parents house or at a close acquaintance where I can use the laundry , then the number of clothing items needed should ( in my case never ) be less since I can wash and use some items again. If I am staying in a hotel I will  rather not use the laundry then I need more clothing items. 

So after all these questions are answered I proceed with planning outfits. I start

laying clothes either on the bed or put them together while on a hanger on the door knob of my closet. I pick clothing items that can be used in more than one way. I usually select two outfits each day. However if I have special events like a conference with alumni meet I keep an extra outfit for that day. I always carry one T shirt extra overall in the whole luggage..you know just in case.

Once done with picking and finalizing clothes I choose my shoes. When it comes to shoes comfort is the most important factor. I pick shoes such that even if I end up walking the whole day they will not hurt my feet. (P.S. next time you see me in DSW walking up and down the aisle you know why ). The shoes have to scream comfort and only then I will buy them.

After all this brainstorming (sometimes I feel it is easier to wrote an abstract for a conference than to pack my luggage ) I rarely have energy and time to co-ordinate  my accessories and the outfit. I just pack up a couple of pearl earrings and wear them with all outfits. I guess I need to work on accessorizing better.

Thus this is my packing saga. What is your strategy while packing for a trip?