I just returned from NYC for a week. A week of fun with our daughter followed by a fashion conference to round out the week.

As you know, I spend a great deal of time preaching about packing, helping people pack for trips. My mantra is: Less Stuff, More Fun.

I must confess, this last week was a packing fail for me. I over packed and was unprepared.

My first mistake was my shoes. I took 5 pair. Yes, my rule is wear one, pack two or three at the most. None of my choices were comfortable because I was going to NYC, I wanted to be fashionable. Huge mistake! My feet hurt so much I had to buy a pair of comfortable walking shoes by day 2. The shoes that I had packed were unsuitable for the weather and terrain.

This brings me to the issue of the weather dictating what one should and shouldn't pack. In this case, I disregarded the forecast and decided that in fact, it wouldn't be 50 as the weather report said, it would be in the 70's(as I desired). By the last day of the trip it was 45 and pouring rain.

But my biggest mistake was that I put off packing to the day before. I was busy before I left and I didn't follow my regular packing routine which is to make my list of events and then scale down from there.

Yes, it was a packing fail. How did it all fall out? Well, I was cold. I wore the same outfit for 3 days, and had to buy a pair of shoes I did not need.

A little more planning, a little less flying by the seat of my pants, that's how I'll be packing next time.

Patricia