For many years I’ve followed the Rick Steves philosophy of travel packing — put it all in one carry-on sized suitcase plus a tote bag for the things I actually want to carry onto the plane. The first time our family tried this was a decade ago, and I was sold on the concept from the moment we stepped off the plane. Each of us towing a rolling suitcase, we darted past a multitude of travelers struggling with enormous bags. I know, packing light isn’t for everyone, but for me it’s liberating.

The down side to packing light is the painful struggle in choosing a small wardrobe, especially when I’ll be wearing nothing but those pants and shirts for a month. By the end of the month I’ll be absolutely sick of these clothes. It’s a tradeoff.

So as I pack the pragmatic me wrestles with the pleasure-seeking me as I toss out clothes that don’t dry easily or don’t coordinate with other clothes. Packing is never easy. But, I’m mostly done. Just a few more things to put in my suitcase, and there is a little room to spare.