Mama Ro’s advice as a seasoned traveler was to spearate everything into three piles…

1. Nice to have
2. Need to have
3. Absolute essential

Put everything in lists 1 and 2 back in the closet, then repeat with the items in list 3. The preceding picture is the first pass following her advice. All of this is supposed to fit into an airline carryon bag and a “personal items” bag — which is not going to happen! Then I look at the weather in Canada this time of year and realize I am going need some bulkier items, and I haven’t allowed for necessary pills, or even shaving gear.

I go through steps 2 and 3 and make a trial pack — Neither of my bags will close, much less lock. So i sleep on it. After a night’s sleep and consulting with my advisor…

I realize I have been over-stuffing the “closets” and losing the benefit of compression. Re-start, re-plan, re-organize, try again. Under Coco’s careful supervision accompanied by his indignant squawks when I forcibly remove him from the interior of one bag or the other, we are ready for the closing test.

After a last minute adjustment to the location of my camera tripod the Carry-on bag closes and latches with a satisfying click. The personal items bag cover zips clased easily. The compression zipper goes around three sides easily, but there is a stubborn closet rim protruding at the last corner that stubornly refuses to let the zipper past.

But, after a protracted contest of wills, I finally prevail and the last zipper closes 👏

Then I walk into the bathroom, and there sits my colder weather jacket, iPad, device chargers, robe, shaving kit, toothbrush, and enough pills to stock a pharmacy…