More with Less is the title of a cookbook. Sometimes simplicity does mean doing more with less. On the flip side, sometimes having more is simpler. Take for instance, this past weekend. I traveled for three days, and each of those three days, I was in a different place. I had a small suitcase set out for packing, but I quickly realized that the space was limiting. I asked my husband for the bigger suitcase and just started throwing stuff in. More space meant less need to make decisions. Win.
When I initially checked the forecast, I thought it would be cold. When I checked it again, it looked warmer. I just added t-shirts to the stack of long sleeves already in the suitcase. More options meant less need to buy or borrow new clothes on the trip. It also allowed me to feel more comfortable in the variable temperatures I experienced.
I took a lot of snacks with me. I accepted more snacks from my mom and dad when I stopped by their house. Did I really need all those snacks? I did not think so. Did things work out where I ate most of the snacks? Yes. Although granola bars and other snacks do not a good diet make, they did help assuage my hunger when I lacked other options.
Do I always want to overpack for trips? No. Lots of times, this incurs extra fees and extra responsibilities. In the case of this trip, having more simplified my life and gave me a better trip, and I am grateful for it!
I agree - a big suitcase goes a long way. It's easy to pack light for a cold weather or a hot weather trip, but for in-between temperatures trip I've brought (and used) jeans, shorts, bathing suit, and coat.
ReplyDeleteSnacks FTW! I always carry protein bars with me when I travel. It's not because I like them, it's because they are a perfectly good meal for those times when I don't want or don't have the time to stop what I'm doing to find "real" food. They're cheap, they are nutritious, and they don't need to be refrigerated or cooked.
I 100% took protein bars with me (and ate all of them). "Real" meals are best, but when in a pinch, at least they provide some macro nutrients in which other snack foods are scarce!
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