I learned a hard lesson at BlogHer last year. To my credit, it was my first BlogHer conference, and I really had no clue what to expect. I didn’t pack well for the trip, though.
First, I took too many clothes. I have a bad habit of overpacking, if I don’t know what to wear. I pack my entire closet. Maybe not the entire closet, but I filled a big suitcase 3/4 full, figuring the last 1/4 would be plenty of room for BlogHer swag. I threw a carryon tote bag, just in case I needed a little more space. Bad move.
Halfway into the conference, it became obvious that I’d need more room for the swag. So my friends Jennae, Sheena, and I took off in a cab for the nearest Walmart, hoping to pick up cheap duffel bags, so we could haul our stuff home.
After getting lost once, taking a quick trip through Walmart to buy our bags, and surviving a wild cab ride back to the hotel (barely…I was seriously carsick by the time we got back to the hotel), I vowed to do better at my next BlogHer.
And now the time has come. Walmart is flying me out to BlogHer bright and early tomorrow morning, and I’m spending the day today packing. Here’s my packing plan of attack.
Limit the clothing. This year I’m going to take the minimal amount of clothing I can get away with. I need three daytime outfits, perhaps some dressier clothes for the evenings, and something casual to wear on the way home on Sunday. So that’s what I’m taking. And I’m bringing two pairs of shoes max. That should leave about half my suitcase open for swag.
Speaking of swag…Even though I’m selective about what I bring home, I realize half a suitcase may not be enough room. On the other hand, I don’t want to pay a baggage fee for an empty suitcase on the way to New York. So what I’ll do is pack the big duffel bag I picked up in Chicago last year in my suitcase. If I need it, it will be available (without a crazy cab ride across New York City).
No carryons. Since I need to check my baggage, the only thing coming on the plane with me is my big purse. It’s big enough to fit all of my on-plane necessities (book or Kindle, netbook, phone, a few snacks), but small enough to fit under the seat in front of me.
Flying out of a small airport, I can’t fly anywhere direct, and lugging a carryon bag through unfamiliar airports isn’t any fun. I’ve taken this particular set of flights to New York before, and even though I have an hour to connect in Denver, I know that’s just enough time to get from one end of the United terminal (where the small planes go) to the other end of the terminal (where the big planes take off). It will be much easier to make the connection, without dragging a bag behind me. And if I happen to be one of the last people to board the plane, I won’t have to search for space in the overhead bins.
I hate paying for checked baggage, but checked baggage for BlogHer is a must. The combination of a suitcase plus a duffel bag stuffed inside the suitcase seems to be the most frugal way to go. Hopefully I can get everything into one suitcase for the flight home, but I’m not counting on it.
So that’s my plan. Hopefully it will work out better this year!
Are you going to BlogHer? I’d love to see you! You can find me in the Walmart booth on Friday from 4:15-5:00 and on Saturday from 3:00-4:15. Stop by and say hello!
Photo by U-G-G-B-O-Y.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 8 comments }
There’s no teacher like experience! Sounds like you’ve got a better system in place for this trip, though. Have fun. (Don’t forget to take a camera!)
My husband told me FedEx is doing a baggage program where they will deliver your luggage to your destination at a fee lower than the rate the airlines are charging. You might look into it for your trip back home. Have a great time! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.
Instead of a purse only, I like a small backpack. Leave enough room in it for your purse, and put the purse in the backpack.
The back pack means I am hands free running thru the airport… much easier than having something in my hands :)
My jacket for the plane, skillfully rolled, will roll into it’s hood. I can then clip it to the backpack when I am running around… plus I have the jacket for a pillow or a blanket, when the plane doesn’t provide one. The jacket is reversible – fleece on one side, so is comfy for either pillow or blankie :)
I’m going to a Tupperware convention next week and I’m told we will bring home massive amounts of product so I’m trying to pack light too. I’m bringing a small container or Woolite so that if I need to re-wear an outfit, I can quickly wash it in the sink and let it air dry.
Why don’t you find a UPS storefront by your hotel and ship home a box? It’s got to be cheaper than extra baggage fees.
Did you say WALMART was sending you?!?!?!!
How’d you get a sponsor?
I must be hanging in the wrong circles!!!!!
I have the same problem of always over packing clothes. What I’ve learned from my experience from going on trips is that I always just end up re wearing clothes quite a bit because they don’t get dirty to quickly. You can save room (but not weight) by packing your clothes in airtight bags, if you have the means to do so. Have fun at the conference!
Do not get your girls wear a plain white bridesmaid dresses.
Comments on this entry are closed.