lost and left behind

Having stayed in several hotels since I was young, I’m not a stranger to a home away from home during my holidays. And having traveled with several different people, I’ve come to learn that everyone has their own way of living life on the road whether it’s unpacking everything as soon as you arrive or spending your stay living out of your luggage. No matter how you choose to live or relax while away, it’s probably not uncommon to forget a shirt stashed deep in a drawer or a shampoo bottle still in the shower, right? But would you forget a shark in your bathtub, your pet cockatoo or €20,000 in cash? These are only three of the top ten strangest items found left behind by the members of Great Hotels of the World. I can’t say I’ve ever had any of those items with me on a vacation but you can bet I wouldn’t be leaving them behind.
{via} Leaving something behind is just not an option when I go away. If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but check, double check and triple check every corner, drawer, nook and cranny to make sure that every item you came with has made it’s way back into your suitcase. Even when I don’t use a drawer or open a closet during my stay, I won’t feel right about leaving if I haven’t taken a few peaks inside just to make sure my pants didn’t miraculously grow feet and walk their way into the closet. It doesn’t make sense but it’s what I do. While I may be a compulsive closet checker, I get a sense of satisfaction knowing that I haven’t left a sock sitting under the bed or a towel drying on the balcony. And even if I always get the feeling that I’m forgetting something, I can at least be satisfied knowing that I made a valiant effort to repack all my possessions…especially that pesky shark or my pair of false teeth!

Have you ever left anything in a hotel room? Do you live out of your luggage or unpack everything?

my bags are packed

As the last long weekend of the summer begins, I am sad to see my favourite season slipping away. However, I couldn’t be more excited because it is finally time for my much needed and highly anticpated holiday! (Is it weird that I’m little sad to be missing out on a long weekend?!) My husband and I are about to take off on our delayed honeymoon and head to the home of the World Cup winners - we are off to Spain for some sand, sun, shopping and stumbling through speaking Spanish. However, taking a trip means it’s time to pack my bags and that is one task to do with travelling that I actually dread.
I am the worst over-packer. I tend to pack whatever I think I could possibly-might once-if I’m in the right mood wear. A weekend away turns into 6 outfits, 4 pairs of shoes and way more clean underwear than I could ever go through. Even when I was growing up and would spend the summers at my dad’s house, my mom would always have to remind me that my dad did indeed own a washing machine and that she was sure he’d be happy to let me use it while I was there. I seemed to have a hard time believing her. On the other hand, I’ve never seen a boy pack more than he might need. A couple pairs of shorts, two or three t-shirts and a simple rotation between the few seem to be more than enough for a week away. But what if you’re not in the mood for the outfit you had planned on wearing? Or what if an unexpected hike in the woods or fancy dinner out is suddenly on the agenda? There are too many variables for me to worry about that I get stressed thinking that I might not have the right outfit for the daily outing…so why not pack it all and then I won’t have to worry about it while I’m away? And if there’s space in my suitcase, don't even get me started! My theory tends to be that I might as well fill it…but that’s a whole other story!

What kind of packer are you? Got any tips for an over-packer like myself?