d LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
Bon Voyage
I
’ m a notorious overpacker. Which would be fine if I lived in the Victorian era, when no one batted an eye if you showed up with a stack of steamer trunks stuffed with different outfits to change into multiple times a day. Part of the problem is, the longer I have to pack, the more I overthink it. What if it rains? I’ ll need a windbreaker. If it’ s cold at night, I’ ll need an extra jacket. And so on. At home, I may wear the same outfit for two days straight, but I pack at least two outfits per day when I’ m going on vacation. My biggest issue is shoes. I’ ve actually had to put a note in my suitcase to remind me that just because my bag holds a lot, it doesn’ t mean I have to bring a lot of shoes. I’ ve packed eight pairs for a three-day weekend before! My husband Jerry is the opposite. It takes him 15 minutes tops to pack, which he does without forethought, just randomly tossing clothes in a bag. He heads out with his suitcase unzipped and his toiletries hanging out. On our last vacation, he brushed his teeth with his finger because his electric toothbrush fell out of his bag.
A younger friend I used to travel with took overpacking to a whole
Packing lessons learned: I’ m smiling here, but lugging these suitcases around England once brought me to tears. new level. She’ d arrive in her SUV to drive us to the beach for five days, and as the rear hatch would open, stuff would immediately start spilling out. Here are just some of the things she packed: a comforter, blanket, pillows, five books, two journals, one sketch pad, a blender, and a minimum of 27 outfits, all with matching accessories. On our last trip, she brought several framed photos of her new boyfriend. She also brought her shih tzu, his gazillion toys, and his dog bed. I secretly nicknamed her the Suitcase Monster.
For a trip to the UK a couple of years ago, I bought two large matching black-and-white houndstooth suitcases. I had a black-and-white theme going with my mix-and-match outfits. I even had a houndstooth paperboy cap. As I toured around England carrying my houndstooth bags and wearing coordinating ensembles, I envisioned myself as a more mature version of Emily in Paris. But the reality of dragging those two enormous, heavy bags across cobblestone streets was a nightmare. The worst was during the train strike when I had to sit in the gangway between two cars because all of the seats were taken. I was almost in tears until a charming British gentleman rescued me and thoughtfully gave me his seat. Hmm, maybe I looked cute after all.
After learning the hard way, I’ ve gotten better at packing. When we arrived at a friend’ s house on a recent weekend jaunt, I didn’ t hear the usual jokes asking if I’ d brought enough clothes or if I was planning on moving in. So, progress. Although, thanks to our editor Jill Becker’ s Summer Travel Gear Guide( see page 22), I’ ll soon be adding a few new items to my packing list, including AirTags and a universal travel adapter so my husband and I can charge up to six devices at once. Check it out for yourself before you head off on summer vacation. And remember, don’ t pack too many shoes!
4 | NW GEORGIA LIVING MAY / JUNE 2025
MAY / JUNE 2025 Volume 16 | Issue 3
Publisher and Founder Editor-in-Chief Laura Wood Erickson
Editor Jill Becker
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