In my quest to be one of those people – the successful ones – I’ve observed a couple of things that separate them from the other people:
- They set limits and stick to them.
- They fly carry-on.
I’m not just talking financial or career success. If I were, neither of these rules applies.
The fact that rich people are called “fat cats” is a good clue that some of them can’t lay off the donuts.
Or the blow, for that matter. Look at Chris Farley. Not real big on limits, was he?
And I see all kinds of rich, important-looking folks at the baggage carousel. They (or, more often, their “people”) heave one giant bag after another onto their cart before rolling it out to their chauffered SUVs.
But in terms of all-around personal success, people who have it live a streamlined life.
They do things in moderation — like packing.
All they take with them are a few high-quality, non-wrinkling, mix-and-match basics. Their outfits go from day to night. And for cosmetics, they only need lip balm.
Why would they weigh themselves down with excess? They don’t have time to stand around the baggage claim area. Life is waiting.
I want to be that person who wheels effortlessly from the gate to the airport exit, saying, “later suckers.”
So I’ve decided to do something epic:
I’m shopping for a carry-on suitcase. The hard kind, that doesn’t expand at all. And I’m going to use it.
This is a very big deal for me. I’m a lifelong overpacker.
When I’m filling the giant suitcase, my rationale is: So? I need options! Why shouldn’t I take a ton of stuff? Why should I stress myself out with decisions? I’m just going to check the bag anyway. And it has wheels. And who cares what people think?
Thing is, I care what people think. When I travel somewhere with my husband, my luggage makes him hate me. I say, “you don’t have to carry it” but he insists on carrying it. And hating me.
And then, whenever we get where we’re going, someone jokes, “how many months are you here for?” Oh — ha, ha. Very funny. I need options, OK?
My bag is always the one tipping over.
It’s the one that gets stuck in the revolving door. The one the person at the airline check-in slaps with a giant sticker that says OVERWEIGHT. Oh, nice. That makes my bag feel just great. Why don’t I slap that same sticker on you, check-in lady? Right on your fat head.
I decided to become a carry-on person two or three trips ago. That didn’t go so well. I bought what the store told me was a regulation sized “cabin” bag. The soft kind. As I zipped it up, I asked my husband, “aren’t you proud of me? I’m going carry on!”
He said, “That’s not carry on.”
Yes, I’d stuffed it pretty full, and the zipper pull had broken off from the tension of tugging it closed, but come on: it was regulation size.
At the airport, I tried to cram it into the tiny metal cage they have to test the bag size. I was grunting and poking at it and smushing it from every possible angle . If you’re ever tried to shove your badunkadunk into pants that are three sizes too small, you know what this looks like. The security lady wasn’t having it.
She said, “That’s not carry on.”
I said, “But it’s regulation carry on size!”
She sent me back to check it in. I rolled my eyes at the people waiting behind me as if to warn them, “good luck with this crazy bitch.” Then, muttering, “This is unbelievable,” I wheeled my bag off in a huff. Though, before I could do that I had to tug and squish and wiggle the bag out of the cage. There was lots of effort and grunting involved, which somewhat lessened the dramatic effect of the wheeling off in a huff. Didn’t help that the bag tipped over and spun around on me after about three feet.
That’s not going to happen with my future suitcase.
It’ll give me limits. With a hard case, overstuffing isn’t a possibility.
Watch out, folks. ‘Scuse me.
Successful person coming through.
Ok I’m freaked now. I had some peace with my terrible packing skills because no one ever offers to haul my heavy bag — and that’s ok because I’ve developed mean sherpa skills.
My problem is that I can’t predict what I’ll want – or need – to wear when I get to my destination. I really try to but I find it hard since I’m not there!! (even if I have been before!) Is it slightly dressed up? Dressed down? Subdued? Or can I go bright colors?
So various options get snuck in (even after purging extras) and then footwear and the toiletry kit make a heavy bag heavier. And I hate packing. And I’m thrilled to have shut the bag and inevitably it’s 2am.
IN DEFENSE of those of us who still check bags, it’s quite lovely to not fight for every inch of roller-bag carry-on space in the overhead compartments. I get to sip my coffee and read the paper while mayhem happens above my head.
But now you’ve got me thinking I want to be successful like you and those other people. I’ve always thought my packing process wasn’t the way to go…Maybe it doesn’t matter if I don’t look quite exactly right when I arrive wherever I’m going…
Anyhow, brilliant post Ms. L,
c
It really is hard to give up the options. Pretty inevitable that you will miss something you didn’t pack. But then again, it’s great to have permission to wear the same thing over and over, since that’s usually what I want to do anyway. And I don’t have a problem getting my bag up in the compartment. The problem is when you get to the gate late, and you don’t board with your zone. I can’t tell you how great it is not to wait at that carousel. Oh man, I felt smart.
Um, I am curious to see your husband’s “approved carry-on luggage” list before you purchase! My feeling is he will simply NOT approve of wheels. Good luck!
I’ve always wanted to be one of those people.
And I’d just made peace with the fact that I’m *not*.
Now I have to reevaluate?
But what if I NEED something I didn’t pack?
(Before we got luggage scales, we once weighed everything, EVERYTHING, and put a wee post-it on it so that we know how much it weighed IN GRAMS, then added it up. We’ve had the overweight sticker sooo many times. )
What about hard-case carry-on for social media? ‘I can’t follow anyone else – I’d have to check you in.’
(Side comment: I think it would be way better to weigh people *with* their luggage. Then I could take EVERYTHING.)
.-= Andrew Lightheart @alightheart´s last blog ..Creating a Trigger List and freaking out less =-.
This is the wife and schlepping is hot! It’s the nicest most thoughtful husbandly manly thing ever! Since we are non-drivers we schlep like this everywhere – you should see us on the LIRR on the cannonball for a summer holiday weekend — hot hot hot!
Long gone are the days when I could fly carry-on.
Now I find myself in the opposite category. Not only do I have a baby, with a stroller and a separate suitcase full of “essential” baby supplies (you don’t want to be caught in the third world of florida without that extra, broken, ear thermometer), a wife with a bag that weighs ten tons empty (the sticker they put on her bag says ‘morbidly obese’), but I also schlep five cameras and a billion rolls of film that all need to be hand checked.
Hand checked means slowly and gently swabbing and touching everything in your suitcase. It’s actually really disconcerting to see some stranger with gloves caressing your stuff; if nothing else, the internet has taught me that people can have a sexual fetish about absolutely anything, and I just know that one of those TSA employees goes home after making sweet latex gloved love to my stuff, and “finishes” to my Pentax.
In this ‘new normal’, I eventually came to realize that I was much better at schlepping, and became the designated schlepper. My wife encourages me on the sidelines by compliments like “its sexy” that I schlep so well. I know she is just being manipulative, but that doesn’t matter, it feeds into some primordial, prideful man brain. You might try that if you you go back to the fatso.
Now, do we know that the people who screen checked baggage don’t also caress and swab all your stuff, just because they can? I bet they make rough love to your sneakers.
I have yet to see a people with kids who have it all together on a plane. Even those types who always have it all together.
Schlepping is H-O-T.
That’s fantastic! I think I’m a pretty good packer, although I do take more shirts than I could possibly wear, because I want a short to match my mood!
.-= Catherine Caine´s last blog ..5 minute mission: Automate something =-.
Exactly. I have so many different moods. Though I should learn that the default mood is t-shirt and jeans.
Thank you Laura. Making this a favorite – have an upcoming trip to Vegas.
.-= Linda Eaves´s last blog ..Please help me rename my dog. =-.
Mick Jagger… Why buy when you can rent?
Just take your cell because it’s too much trouble to cram your posse into speed dial, just one of the very few things you *don’t* want your minders handling.
That’s how Hubertus Bigend rolls, right?
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Saturday Morning Surfing: Jerry the Plumber and His Bad Day =-.
What, WHAT? How did Mick Jagger get in my suitcase?
I am so THERE! And I’m getting my bag in hot pink.
Of course, there are probably other things I will need to do to actually become successful, but surely having a hard-sided, hot pink, rockstar carry-on bag is the best first step 😉
Right. And it makes it that much easier if your first step is on wheelies.
Ha Ha! I could just picture all of this in my head as you described it. Very funny!
Oh, and nice pose on that cat:)
Saw you in Third Tribe. Great to meet you.
I love the talking shrimp.
Debbie Ferm
Hi Debbie!
Thanks for swinging by. Yes, that cat is really giving us the money shot. What a slut.
Ok Laura
This is the second time in 15 minutes you have soiled my LCD with pop spewing from the nasal region. One more time and the kitten gets it 😉 The coyote crack was priceless.
LOVE this!! I used to be one of those people that would pack twenty potential outfits for a weekend getaway and just end up wearing like three of the things I packed. SO annoying! I thought I was being uber “prepared” but just ended up looking like a high maintenance jackass. But just started using a carry on suitcase for all trips, including a two week stint in NYC over the holidays, and it’s made SUCH a difference. Both when you actually get to your destination (don’t have many options so saves you a TON of time figuring out what to wear) and in airport transit. xxxx
That’s exactly it: the big suitcase makes you look like Samantha in SATC. I hate that look.
OMG… sounds just like me! Holy crap I think that applies to just about very place in my life… too much CRAP! I’m with you, I think I will see if I can make it to Sedona with just a carry on! If I make it there better be drinks to celebrate 🙂
Here’s to less crap. And drinks in Sedona.
love the message…
in therapy, the word ‘boundaries’ is very popular. i basically make my living off other’s lack of boundaries, limit setting, excess. seriously, the key to life is healthy boundaries.
you just gave me an excellent idea for a post for my not-yet-started-blog.
i could definitely benefit from tighter boundaries around time management…
thanks for the a##- kicking!
Yeah, too bad there’s no hard-sided suitcase for time.
LOL! Every year, for 15 years, we have gone to Aruba. We stay at the same place, sit in the same spot on the beach and eat at most of the same restaurants. Nothing changes and yet I pack my suitcase like I’m stayin there for 3 months. I even take notes each year on the things that I packed that I didn’t need and yet – I still overpack! I diligently make a packing list and at the last minute I start throwing all kinds of stuff into my suitcase. Just in case! I love reading your blogs!
Exactly. If there’s extra room, you just fill it up.
Laura
This is great. I am forever over packing the suitcase I usually come in a pound under the limit. Thank God as my husband is standing right there saying that better not be over you didn’t need all those shoes. Love the options. Today I am starting a new leaf Over night bag here I come.
.-= Tricia´s last blog ..Sex and The Entrepreneur =-.
Shoes are the hardest to leave behind!
Hey Laura
My daughter is a notorious underpacker. Her suitcase is often about the size of her rather large person that I am quite sure she could hide a body in. I started just sending a box for her UPS or Fed Ex. I can see this wouldn’t be the ideal situation for business travel but it has saved me tons in dad I need to hit the mall and get something to wear tonight.
Uhh person = purse in the above comment.
Sounds like my husband! Always braggin’ on his small bag, until we get there: “Oh, guess I forgot to pack underwear. And a sweater. Oh, whoops, and pants.”