Murphy’s Law and the Art of Packing a Suitcase

Why is it that the one thing you so urgently need at this very moment is always hidden at the bottom of your bag? It’s certainly been true for my large Patagonia bag, where, with startling regularity, I’ve found myself taking everything out until I found that one elusive item I was hunting after. The bag in itself is great. One of the artists I work with has dragged it around the country for a year on her 150 – date tour though the US onto airplanes, in cars, at musical festivals in the desert and even up a hill and the thing still looks brand new. But there’s an awful lot of space in there where things can disappear into …

I remember seeing a prospectus back in New York that touted “suitcase organizers”, bags you could wrap your shirts, socks etc into to keep them together. Back then, I laughed at the thought of using these things, but maybe I shouldn’t have.

I haven’t figured out a system yet, that hasn’t got me digging madly through my bag every time I need something. So, any suggestions you might have are welcome.