Everything AND the Kitchen Sink

Hi, my name is Gina and I'm a recovering pack rat... Why get into this now? Three reasons:

1. I saw that insane Pack Rat "puppet" / thing of nightmares at B&N the other day again. It makes me laugh hysterically while secretly fearing that some day I'll find it hovering over me in my sleep.
2. Because I finally Googled "packrat" and it's a REAL rodent. And it's adorable. So, you know... in my defense.
3. Vacation is coming. 

Mostly the last point is the struggle. Despite having gotten progressively better about not hoarding objects (including food) - thanks to several interventions and relocations - when it comes time to face the suitcase, my pack rat anxiety ramps up. Yes, I'll only be gone for a few days, but what if I NEED something? Maybe I'll finally wear that poncho that I've never worn ever, because it's vacation. Better bring it, just in case. And all those shoes. Because they don't sell shoes anywhere else in the world, so if I needed a pair that I didn't bring with, I'd have to go barefoot. Like Pocahontas. And we all know what happened to her. She didn't end up with Mel Gibson and then she died. All because she didn't pack those heels. 

I always wear bright socks in airports (in case anyone ever needs to ID my body).
And, I pack a plushie Canadian moose named Maximus when travelling alone.
But that's a story for another day.

The funny thing is: I'm great at packing. I could pack the Smithsonian into a shoe box. Dozens of outfits, shoes, miscellaneous crap, snacks, all the vitals and then throw in the kitchen sink. Because I've still got room in my suitcase. ((Note: the credit for learning this skill goes straight to my momma - you should see the woman pack a car, it's a thing of beauty. I'll never need to hire movers, because she'll make it fit somehow! #OneTrip))

It's not how to pack it, it's more like... Why? Why feel the need to pack half of my belongings into a bag that will potentially get lost en route (or picked up by that old lady at baggage claim who mistakenly thought your red suitcase was her black one)? It's totally unnecessary. And I have, in plenty of cases, packed extremely light (read: a week around Italy during college with just a backpack and a bag of cookies), meaning it IS possible. So, what is it that triggers my hoarding nature occasionally when attempting to pack? I figured out some possibilities:

• The idea of my stuff shuffling around inside my suitcase during the baggage handling process bugs me. If the suitcase is jammed full, then everything stays nicely nestled in its appropriate place. It has no room to move unless the hull is breached.
• I really hate wasting money. If I didn't pack something, and had to go buy it, I'd kick myself. Plus, I'd then have duplicate items, which really just comes full circle into the pack ratting thing. 
• For vacation wardrobe, the more outfits, the more photos you can be featured in. I know all the damn tricks for mixing / matching, but when I look back later I just see that exact same shirt. Now with a scarf, with a jacket, with a sombrero... Doesn't matter; it's the same frickin' shirt. And it's probably smelly because you wore it the whole trip. I'm not fooling myself or anyone else. I'm judging me.
• It's kind of a puzzle. I love puzzles. How to fit ones entire closet into a suitcase? What a most excellent game. 

I hate that shirt, better pack it. And the hangers, too.
Just to make it more of a challenge.

• If I buy a souvenir and don't have room to bring it back, I'll toss something else out. Anything packed is subject to discard. This was the strategy I employed returning from study abroad. All bags, filled to the brim. Arrived at the airport, found a scale. Weighed, discarded items, weighed, tossed, etc. til I hit weight. The garbage became home to almost all my socks/panties, empty notebook pages, plain shirts, tights, various flats, etc. Anything that could be easily replaced was chucked. This seems to contradict point two above, BUT odds are I'll be too lazy to replace anything tossed so #streamlining.
• I like my stuff. That's part of the pack rat nature. I want my things at my disposal, including while travelling.
• There are so many items with multiple purposes and my suitcase wants them all. A pillowcase used to be my secret weapon for hostel hopping. It's a grocery bag, a towel, a beach blanket, a headscarf, and...a pillowcase. 
• What if something goes awry? When we end up on that desert island, and I'm the only one who has a sewing kit and full pharmacy, y'all will be glad I packed all that crap! And I'll become the most powerful person on the island after the bartering system goes into effect. While everyone else is Lord of the Flying, I'll be doing a wardrobe change every five minutes.

At no point in time have I really regretted over-packing. But I have regretted under-packing. So for now, this pack rat will continue to attempt to streamline at home, but maybe not so much for travel. Will work through my over-packing insecurities in due time. Meanwhile, my kitchen sink and I will send you a postcard from the beaches of Key West! 

Anyone else have problems deciding what to pack? Do you get a little bit judgey when you see you've packed six pairs of socks for a weekend trip, too?