While The Missus was out yesterday afternoon, I took advantage of the absence of distraction (ha) to do my final-cut packing of clothes. Objective: aim to take no more than one large hardsided suitcase (with the zippered expandable option) and one good sized backpack. (Camera gear is already stowed separately.)

I think I can still get there, although I think the backpack may be too ambitious. Instead, at the moment I’ve got it down to the big suitcase, the smaller version of the same thing, and a small tote.

The basic problem: failing to make really hard choices, even allowing for the six-month cross-country climate. I made much of my original intentions: I figured I’d be able to get by on a couple pairs of jeans and a decent pair of slacks; maybe three pairs of socks; four sets of underwear; a couple T-shirts; two-three long-sleeved T-shirts — like that. And two pairs of shoes. My thinking has been that it’s no problem to look — especially to strangers — as though you’re decently dressed, even for two or three days running; you just have to do some judicious juggling of wardrobe, wearing everything a couple-three times, in different mix-and-match combinations, between laundry cycles. (Pandemic lesson #1!)

Surprise, surprise: it seems I have grown much more fond of a variety of clothing than I ever thought possible.

So at the moment I’ve got four pairs of jeans (Jeans, for gods’ sake!) Also four pairs of shoes,. The socks-and-underwear situation: ridiculous. Shirts and T-shirts are the worst offenders, through no fault of their own: “How can I leave THIS one unworn for six months to a year? And, oh, wait, THIS T-shirt and THIS overshirt look just right together…!”

It really is like the title of this post says — I’ve got to make myself think in terms of the emergency cliche: “The air-raid sirens are warbling. What must you absolutely grab before running out the door?” At least I have the luxury of stopping to select items only by considering their versatility, and just letting the rest go to storage.

And now, of course, the situation grows desperate, because there’s so much stuff still to do other than Taking Care of My Wardrobe.

P.S. Remind me to tell you about the time I wasted yesterday simply getting a couple of duplicate keys made. And I did manage to (a) get boxes for a big-screen TV and a medium-sized one, and (b) drop off a couple bags of Goodwill donations, while failing to take care of the key situation. So, not a total loss.