fashion funnies: packing - men vs women...

how many mom's can relate?

enjoy your weekend!

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putting away the summer clothes...

while it is difficult to say good-bye to summer...the weather slowly changes...and the things that we wore all summer long...need to be put away...and room made for the cozy sweaters...boots and scarves...

but...before you stash away all that summer goodness...now is a great time to check the items...i mean...no reason to pack away things that won't be worn anymore...right?  so what are we looking for?

first and foremost - as with any season...the clothes that you hung on to...possibly from last summer...or the summer before that...and you still haven't worn...yeah...time to say good-bye...whether the item doesn't fit...doesn't suit your current lifestyle...why keep packing up these items...when you clearly are not wearing them?  time to break-up!

look over your current summer wears...are there stains from your summer activities?  now is the time to get them cleaned...don't save it for next season...stains left untouched...will only get worse...and harder to get rid of...besides...when summer rolls around next year...do you really want to be pulling out stained items?

look over all your t-shirts & tank-tops...any with yellow armpit stains need to go...have the colors faded?  be honest...these need to go...and replaced again...

now for the packing...keep in mind your summer hats...place them in hat boxes...if at all possible...or in a location where they will be protected...who wants to pull out a summer hat...all ready to go to the pool...only to find a hat that has lost its shape...or worse...wrecked from something sitting on top of it for 6 months?

when looking for storage bins...there really are so many to choose from...figure out where your storage space will be...and then choose accordingly...there are options for storage under the bed...on shelves...stacked...etc...what works for you?  and keep in mind...if you have a choice...between canvas and plastic coated ones...the plastic ones sometimes permeate that smell...and it doesn't go away easily...you don't want your clothes absorbing it for 6 months...

have a list ready for the items you need to replace for next summer...keep it in a place you will remember...there are a lot of items on sale right now...but keep in mind...don't buy just because it is on sale...if you need to replace certain items...and they are on sale...kudo's to you for finding them...also...make a note of the key pieces you enjoyed wearing this summer...make a note to shop for these must-haves in early spring...

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packing tips...

i just got off the phone with a client who is planning her vacation...a short one...the hubby has told her...one suitcase...no more...so she called me and asked if i could come over and help her figure out the wardrobe...and pack it all in one suitcase...

no problema!!

of course...i wish it was me going on the vacation...it seems like it has been forever and a day...les sigh...

packing light can be done...personally...i love having lots of choices...as i tend to change my mind on what to wear pretty much based on my mood, the alignment of the sun...what i ate for breakfast...you get my drift...right? i like having lots of options...which doesn't make for comfortable traveling...when you are left to lug around lots of luggage...

the first time i really had to think about packing light...was my trip to greece...it was going to be for several weeks...and since we were going to go from one island to another...mostly via little boats...i needed to be able to carry my suitcase with ease...many times...up and down narrow stairs...never in a million years did i think i would survive...but i did...although my girlfriend and i still laugh to this day...because by the end of that trip...we were so sick of looking at each other's same outfits...we swore we would get home and burn them...

so...here are some easy steps for hassle-free packing...

- jot down each day you'll be gone and the number of outfits you'll need...keep in mind the different activities you are planning on participating in...the image you want to project...and the climate of the area you will be visiting...

- once you have this list...use it as your guide...go through each day...assemble complete outfits on single hangers...include all accessories to each outfit...this includes belts, scarves, jewelry and shoes...

- at this point - assess all the outfits...are there too many different shoes, bags, etc? start to eliminate pieces that are not versatile...replace the outfits that need that pair of odd shoes that don't go with anything else with shoes you are already planning to bring...

- once you have all the outfits complete...pack it all up...the key here is that you have identified and laid out the clothing you would like to bring with you when traveling...you can then use your luggage space most efficiently...rather then stuffing things in as you go...

whether you will be heading out of town in the next few weeks to savor the long...hot days of summer or are looking to master the art of packing for social and business trips year-round...this system offers some excellent strategies...

if you don't think your closet contains the necessary pieces to give you the style and confidence you want on the road (or at home for that matter)...follow the above system...jotting down the key missing pieces...schedule a shopping trip to pick up these missing items before you leave so you can relax and enjoy your trip without being disappointed with your wardrobe...

or...you can do like my client did...and call me (if you are local) or a wardrobe stylist in your area =)

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