As much as I freaked out in the weeks leading up to my trip, I’m proud to say it was a well-organized success. I remembered my underwear, and my passport, and my meds. I even remembered some [...]]]> I got in from France on Saturday night. I’m still pretty jet-lagged, but I’m recovering slowly.

As much as I freaked out in the weeks leading up to my trip, I’m proud to say it was a well-organized success. I remembered my underwear, and my passport, and my meds. I even remembered some French. All in all, I had an awesome time and I can’t wait to go back.

The whole experience got me thinking about some of the tools I use to stay organized while packing and traveling. Back in the day, I would say that the most stressful part of packing was dealing with toiletries. The night before I left town, I would inevitably be running all over the house trying to look for plastic bags to put my shampoo in so that it wouldn’t spill all over my clothing. Then I got a few simple travel toiletry items, and it made all the difference.

I store these items in my luggage so I always know where they are, and when I’m ready to pack I can just refill my shampoo and conditioner and be ready to go.  The best thing about this list is that all of these items are available from under $20!

1. The Eagle Creek Pack-It Toiletry Kit at Magellan’s. In this airport-friendly kit, each bottle is clearly marked “3 oz.” and the bag itself is clearly marked “1 quart/liter”.  It’s clear plastic, so you can see what’s inside.  This is one of the best things I’ve ever bought.

2. Eagle Creek Travel Bottle Kit at Magellan’s.If you need extra bottles, or want to customize your Toiletry Kit, grab one of these. Again, all of them are clearly marked “3 oz.”

3. Eagle Creek Plastic Pack-It Sac, Xtra Small, Magellan’s I have a few of these running around. I use one for prescription meds, one for colored pencils … and I could really use another one for first-aid supplies like ibuprofen and band-aids. These are invaluable!

4. Eagle Creek Plastic Pack-It Sac, Small, Magellan’s I use one of these for make up. Since I don’t have that much make-up, nor do I wear it that often, I can just chuck the whole case into my luggage. The best thing? These are spill-proof. On the return flight, one of my eye-shadow cases broke, spilling finely-ground, slightly oily, colorful pigment all over my make up case — and it stayed inside the case, not all over my clothes.

5. Eagle Creek Mesh Laminate Pack-It Sacs, Xtra Small.So you want to see inside your bag, but you also don’t want to show all your underwear to everyone else waiting in the security line. These mesh laminate Pack-It Sacs come in various sizes, from extra small to large, and balance visibility with discretion.

5. Magellan’s Flat-Pack Toiletry Kit For longer trips, you’ll need to check a bag, and 3 oz. of shampoo might not be enough. I keep my toiletry kit stocked with shampoo, conditioner, lotion, contact lens solution, and a few first aid supplies.

6. Magellan’s Travel Jewelry Pocket OK, full disclosure — I don’t have one of these … yet. But I am going to get one. My current method of packing my earrings and necklaces in a series of nesting ziplock sandwich baggies is just. not. working.

Bon Voyage!

“I think we should help each other get organized”, she said.

I was stunned. “Get organized? Help each other?” I asked. “How can I be any help to you at all? You’re pretty [...]]]> My organizing journey began in the fall of 2005 when a friend of mine called me with an interesting proposition.

“I think we should help each other get organized”, she said.

I was stunned. “Get organized? Help each other?” I asked. “How can I be any help to you at all? You’re pretty organized already. I’m a chaos demon. I think I just need to come to terms with that.”

“I realize that I know more about organizing than you do,” said my friend. “That’s OK. But I just moved in with my partner, I’ve got a lot of unpacking to do, and two people’s stuff to deal with. I could use the company. And I think I could help you a lot.”

“Look, I’m grateful, I really am. I’m happy to help you get unpacked. I just don’t think I’ll ever be organized. Honestly. I’ve tried EVERYTHING. You wouldn’t believe the money I’ve wasted on containers and drawer organizers. Besides, I’m in grad school, and I have a job … I have no time and no money.”

“Do you have one afternoon a week?” she asked.

“Well, I guess Friday afternoons are free”, I said.

“Great. If I recommend a book, a single, inexpensive book, are you willing to buy it?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’ve read everything and nothing works. Besides, I’ve got a ton of reading to do already.”

“You haven’t read this,” my friend told me. “And it’s easy. It won’t take you any time at all.”

“OK, fine, I’ll buy the book”, I said. “I just don’t want you to feel bad if this doesn’t work.”

“I know you’ve had a lot of bad experiences in the past, but I know you, and I really think this will work.  I wouldn’t be suggesting it otherwise,” my friend said. “Go find that book. And I’ll see you Friday.”

Hmph, I thought to myself after I hung up. We’ll just see about this book.

The book, Julie Morgenstern’s Organizing from the Inside Out, would change my life. Using it, I was actually able to organize my space, starting a cascade of healthy, positive change that has completely transformed the way I see myself.