Packing for Vacation-Uhh!

I just got back from a totally relaxing, nine day, Caribbean cruise. Don't be jealous. Okay, be jealous.  I had a blast! I can't wait to tell you all about it.

Okay, so packing for this trip totally stressed me out. The airline charges $90.00 for luggage that weighs over 50 pounds! Oh, and that's $90.00 each way. That's $180.00 that could be used for shopping.

So, I had to make some tough decisions. The most difficult, of course, was choosing shoes. I gave myself a five pair limit. After a lot of careful consideration (probably too much careful consideration) I chose the following pairs.



I wore my fave black beaded Yellow Box Flip Flops. They are super comfortable and really easy to get on and off while going through security.  Plus, they look great with most of the outfits I'd packed.



I bought these really adorable purple, flowered shoes from NYand Co for my vacation, so there was no question about whether or not these were coming with me.

That left three more choices. I decided on a really cute, comfy pair of brown, braided sandals. I figured that I needed something to go with my brown outfits. I also packed a pair of dressy, jeweled sandals to wear on the formal nights. I also brought along my Sketcher's Shape-ups for the gym.



I packed my brown sandals, dress shoes, and purple flowered shoes in my carry on to help keep my suitcase light. I packed the shape-ups in my suitcase because they took up to much space in my carry on.  



I really didn't edit my clothing choices, because I figured that one sweater or one skirt wasn't going to make that much of a difference.

I divided my jewelery into plastic baggies. I did this to prevent tangles, and because it's easier to find the pieces I want if I've packed them in an organized fashion. I divided the baggies between my carry on and my suitcase to help stay within the weight limit.

The heaviest things to pack were the cosmetics and toiletries. Of course, most of these can not go in a carry-on because of their liquid nature. So, I just had to hope for the best with these.

I was definitely anxious when I stood at the check in desk in the airport and waited for them to weigh my bag. I was ready to pull some things out and run back to the car with them.

And the weight was (drum roll, please)... 

41 Pounds! 9 pounds left for souvenirs. Yay! 

Up Next: Boarding the Boat in NYC