Ok, REALLY suitcase? Is that all you got?

Packing. The bane of my existence. Misery.

I feel like I have been living out of my suitcase for the past month. First, I went to Vegas, then I went to Texas. Then I stayed at Bill's apartment for a few weeks (Because, hello? No thank you to living at my haunted house on my own. Its fun to talk about ghosts when my 5 other roommates are present and its like a fun sleepover/let's try to scare one another. But alone it's just creepy!) And now I'm at home for one day, then I'm going to Texas for the weekend, and then finally we're headed to LA. But since I'm flying to Texas before driving to LA, I have to figure out how to fit my bags on the plane. If I could pack my entire closet inside my own big pp (private plane...doesn't anyone watch Real Housewives?), that would be fannnntastic. But, I don't have that kind of money yet, so its not an option.

First of all, how do you even pack for Los Angeles for two months? What do you bring? And second of all, how do you fit it into 2 suitcases? Luckily, flying Southwest, you can check 2 bags for free. This is why I'm a loyal Southwest customer...Or I should say this is why my parents are loyal Southwest customers. Still, "weight limitation" apply to these 2 checked bags. Knowing Southwest is going to discriminate against my fat suitcases doesn't make packing any easier.

Normally, I consider myself very minimalist. When it comes to packing, at least. When I go somewhere, I usually start by putting an outfit for each day in my suitcase, but then I'll sometimes add a second outfit for each day, with justifications like: I might get uncomfortable in my first outfit, I might want a cuter outfit for going out at night, I might want something more comfortable for lounging around in the evening, or I might need a better matching outfit for these new shoes I just bought. But THEN in a very heroic feat, I purge those additional outfits! I say to myself: "Sorry, self, but you have to be comfortable in that ONE outfit per day because I don't want to carry all those extra things that I will not wear". And usually, my trip turns out to be fine, I feel comfortable and fashionable in everything that I brought, and I also feel proud of myself for packing very lightly.

But packing for a 2 month stay in Los Angeles is different, I feel. I need to have the BEST outfits because I want to look very fashionable every day that I'm at my internship. So, packing went something like this:

I went through my closet and looked at each shirt, sweater, tank, skirt, pant, capri, bermuda, legging, scarf, and shoe. If I could imagine a scenario where I might possibly wear that item (Oh this full-length pearl and lace gown that I wore in the evening gown competition at Miss Indiana USA? Of course I'll need this. What if I am invited to a red-carpet event?), it went on the floor to be packed. Eventually, literally I had probably 4 shirts left in my closet. I had planned to pack almost every item of clothing I owned. Including work-out gear, swimwear and cover-ups, and the camouflage skirt I bought freshman year for a frat's "Army" party. Then I looked at my floor, and realized I would not fit even one third of that into two large suitcases. So, I said, purge I must. But for some reason, I couldn't part with very much. It's good that I realize my illness, but unfortunately, I'm living in a fantasy world where I'm scared to leave my red silk blouse at home because I REALLY think I'll be wearing it at some point during my trip.

So, to make a long story a little shorter, I ended up with one large suitcases, and two medium-to-large sized suitcases. Again, only two bags fly free. So today before I leave for the airport, my dilemma is to purge once again, but successfully this time. I MUST leave some items out. And it will not be the work-out clothes. Trust me, I have already argued with myself about that one.