How to Pack and Re-Pack

Over the past month I’ve been gathering everything that I needed to take with me on the trip, the past 3 days I have packing and re-packing. The airlines being the annoying people that they are have gotten good at making stupid rules about how much luggage you can bring, the dimensions and the weight. Currently my check luggage is about 2 pounds over with the scale I have at home, maybe they won’t see that, I think the dimensions are okay, but also keep in mind that it’s a domestic flight and I have to pay for my checked luggage cause airlines just love being annoying. I also will have a carry on that is a little over the size, don’t tell and maybe they won’t notice. I can’t help it that I have to bring my own sleeping bag and it just won’t fit in anything!

Moving on, to what I’m actually bringing with me:

Basic ugly clothing I don’t care if it gets covered in junk and never gets clean
Coveralls, so I can avoid clothing getting covered in junk
Bedding, (sleeping bag, 2 sheets, 2 pillow cases and a blanket)
Two towels, one big one small
3 pairs of gloves
2 hats
2 bandana
2 handkerchiefs
Embroidery for sea bag and sewing kit
Leather man, large buck knife, Swiss army knife, medium knife, marlinspike knife combo, needle nose pliers and magnet stick (all my brother’s doing)
4 flashlights (pelican, pen light, head light and something I could tape to the wall)
Lots of sun screen
Coffee cup
Big bag of left over Halloween candy and drink powder for water bottles
Water bottle
Knee pads
Crocs, flip flops, tennis shoes
Plastic bags, Ziploc

Cards, fake tea lights

So you get the idea, at home it doesn’t look like that much when it’s all piled up, but start shoving it in and it gets dangerous. Sure I’ll be docked and can go get something if I don’t have it, but I prefer to be prepared all the way so that it’s just right there. Every item that goes in I think, “Will I really use this? And how much?” before it gets it’s rightful place in the bag.

Also I had my brother check over all my stuff and tie up my sleeping bag so it would be smaller. He's great and deciding things like this because he's been on ships and lived in small places before so it was great to have his view on a few things.

Oh and of course there are dog hairs on a few things because Noodles thought she’d help me pack by laying on top of my stuff.

Most of my stuff piled up.

Noodles trying to help.

Yeah that's right, help me again right when I wanted to fold up my sleeping bag.

Back of my coveralls made on my grandma's machine.

Finally all packed up, now it's time to not sleep for about 5 hours till I get up at 4 a.m.!