Today's packing adventures involved my jewelry. Granted, by jewelry, I mostly mean earrings. See, for the past 7 years I've kept my jewelry in this $5 plastic container.
Yes, it is every bit as cheap as it looks - and those "dividers" in the top shelf were ghetto-rigged by yours truly out of construction paper so I could separate my earrings somewhat. Anytime I've ever moved in the past 7 years (Which has been 9 times, of which 3 were international), I've just taped up the drawers and stuck it in my suitcase. Pretty effective.
However, If you didn't notice yesterday, I'm feeling a bit worried that I'm going to have too much to fit in my 2 suitcases (each with 50lb weight allowance) and 1 carry-on suitcase (how I'm going to get all this shit to the airport is also going to be an adventure). So I've been spending the last week since I got back from Scotland downsizing my belongings. My first project was getting rid of clothes I haven't worn in the past year. Last week I took 4 bags, weighing a total of 25 pounds, to be donated (saving space and collecting good karma, go me!) and I'm currently working on a 5th bag.
Today's project included considering alternatives for my "jewelry box." Finally I decided to ditch the old plastic container and weed out the jewelry I don't actually wear (you wouldn't believe how many single earrings I hold on to when I lose one). Go team, I thought, this will save so much weight and space! so I took an old cloth and put dangly earrings on one side and studs on the other and in the middle wrapped up the few necklaces and bracelets I own. Pretty crafty, if I do say so myself.
Of course, when I picked up the empty plastic container, it weighed next to nothing, but I still feel like I saved some weight... maybe. let's see what other fun packing ideas I'm able to come up with in the next week - any ideas from the peanut gallery?
Dear Horn,
You will be the death of me while packing. I don't want to have to put you in my checked luggage. It hurts my heart to think of those scary luggage people throwing you around and you sitting helplessly in your case hoping not to die. But you are 10 cm to big to be taken as carry-on luggage without paying an additional 360€. So in the checked luggage you must go. And you will rob me of lots of weight limit to pack other things - like the clothes I can't seem to stop buying this week. Why do I keep buying clothes when I know I'm going to leave? I wish I could answer that, but I just can't stop! I've already got a suitcase full. And there is still so much. And you, horn. Just sitting there in the corner, taunting me. But I guess I'm still glad I brought you, since you've helped me make a lot of friends over the past two years. Stay safe all packed away!
Love, Emily
and on a completely unrelated note: I know I've lived in Germany for two years and tackled many challenges using the German language, but I still feel really proud of myself when I make official phone calls to organize things and check information. So excuse me while I pat myself on the back for a minute.
