My Travel Basics ::: Ninja-Packing 101--Clothes

All Photos: by {accordingtoame}

I wouldn't call myself a seasoned traveler.  Most of my travel has been for leisure, with only a small amount related to work.  Despite that, I developed quite a system for when we travel now, involving extensive use of varying sizes of Ziploc bags. But because of my self-taught ninja organization, we can often carry on one duffle bag with everything packed neatly inside, and a smaller duffle for little odds and ends/my purse, and almost never deal with checking bags, even for a week-long trip for two!

What's in My Bag?

Photo: Me, of my bag and wallet and keys

My favorite threads on a forum I frequent are the "what's in your bag" and "what's in your wallet" (why, yes I did just say that in a Viking voice), and any time I see something to that effect in a magazine, on another blog, or on a topical website, it's like a moth to a flame and I immediately tune in. 

Considering there's an entire site devoted to this topic, it's clear that I am not the only voyeur wondering what is inside someone's fantastic bag, so I thought I would share what I tote around on a given day. 

What I am *LOVING* Right Now!:::

Oohh!!! It's HERE!!! Linea Pelle Dylan Medium Tote in Scotch is Here!

It's Here....It's Here...IT'S HERE!!!!

Photo Credit: Lineapelle.com

I got the new bag today! It looks and smells divine, as expected. I just wanna stick my head in it and inhale. I giggle at this side by side because the new bag is how the old bag USED to look! That's 3 solid years of almost daily use and travelling and general abuse!  I got this new one to have a crossbody option, which is a big thing for me lately with my former bag being stolen, and with someone having reached into the current bag (on left) to steal my phone. I like the option of wearing it across me when I shop. I do hope I can get by using the strap on the old bag occasionally too. But I plan to alternate.  

I LOVE Japanese Office Supplies....

I just love Japanese...stuff.  I think I really need to go there, and buy some of the little gadgets and gizmos available readily there, like the chip-picker-upper I saw Karl Pilkington use on Idiot Abroad. I like to not have chip dust on my fingers.  Though then I'd have to "lick" a chip-picker-upper clean instead of my hands...Hm. I might need to rethink this...

Anyway...I was on a "mission" for a semi-flat but multi-zip-compartment makeup bag solution so that when I get my Dylan Medium Tote later this month, I didn't have the apparently 5 different pouches floating around in there, or really in this one either. How did I get 5...I can handle the Splenda one...but I don't need my walking Walgreens to take up 5 pouches!!!

Someone on the Purse Forum had mentioned JetPens.com having great pencil cases, and linked me to the below case, which I hadn't even thought of...pencil bags.  I ended up finding the perfect one, and in a totally great bright green.

Here's the winning case:
http://www.jetpens.com/Nomadic-PE-09-Flap-Type-Pencil-Case-Light-Green/pd/7583

It got here Saturday, with super fast and free shipping, since I spent $25 on stuffs.

Besides that case, I was poking around in the Japanese office and craft supplies, and found a bunch of those whiteout pens that are the dry tape ribbons, in a few widths, my favorite was the 2.5mm width, PERFECT for checkbooks.  These are seriously the perfect width. I got a few, and kinda wish I'd have gotten 10 more. I also got a few nice finer point ballpoint pens.

My favorite part of all these things is the packaging. For example, the hangcard on the bag has diagrams in Japanese to show you what is supposed to go where!  Love.  A few other things I wanted were sold out, so I put in a wait list request. One of which is a multi-size corner-rounding punch tool...I might get several for invite work!

Check it out, it's a cool site, and you might find some really neat stuff that is otherwise unavailable here in the states.

Here's a funny little diagram telling you where to put all the stuff in the pouch....

And here's all my crap. This is just from the FRONT SECTION of my bag....that's insane!  I did pare a LOT of this down. A lot. So other than my splenda dispenser and mints I believe everything is in the new green pouch.

Woohoo! The Dylan Medium Totes for Spring are Here!

My favorite handbag brand of all (besides I guess, Hermes, which ...not in my lifetime!) is Linea Pelle. I have been carrying the Dylan Zip Tote for several years, and have it in a couple colors, Scotch (the perfect camel/tan) and Iron (another amazing gray), and am a huge fan of their leather and the Dylan design. It's not loaded with logos, it's not flashy. It's casual and looks handmade, but the big win and the reason I love this brand---THE LEATHER.  I have owned many a bag, and I really only buy leather bags. This is the best leather I think I have ever encountered, and it's spoiled me for every other brand. No one has leather this amazing.   It's thick, it's buttery, it's unprocessed, and it's fabulous.

I think I need a 'segment' about Etsy, aka holy spending trap..which segues poorly into purses..

Etsy is friggin' awesome. It's like your favorite little boutique mixed with a fleamarket mixed with a vintage shop mixed with some kind of bespoke design shop. I have purchased way too many things from various artisans, and in some cases many from the same. I have a ridiculous list of favorites and favorite items, though not enough funding to actually buy all of this stuff.  But as far as regular sellers go on there, Valhalla Brooklyn has been on my list forever, and I am dying to get a bag from her. I am hopeful she's willing to someday consider a "custom" job, because some of her bags are perfect except that I like them tall and not wide.  Her bags are just the right amount of structured with the zips and pockets (though I do wish there were sections for the interior...) and totally unstructured and dare I say Boho. Which is really not my typical look.   My "look" is pretty...non-looky.  Prior to this new job with the business casual attire requirement 4 of the 5 days, I was in jeans, running shoes or flipflops or Frye Harness Boots (or Uggs which is a recent development), and a tshirt or multiple layered tshirts and tanktops. I had quite a serious layering thing going on. Probably would count as a uniform.  My closet would make Stacy and Clinton yawn, gag and cry.  Speaking of which--anyone want to nominate me, you go right ahead. Ted Gibson seems to actually care what people want for their hair, so I am content that he will keep my hair flamingly orange and long.