Express Checkout Experiment: Summer version

This is becoming the story of My Two Closets, as well as of working at home.

This week, The Daily Connoisseur posted on "Looking Presentable Always," which is a far different thing than "Looking Good Always." As she notes, every day brings its challenges, and some days--days when your water heater bursts and you have to mop a sodden floor and scoop up chunks of ceiling tile--are days when you want to look "presentable" rather than perfect.

Our weather in the Big D has been surprisingly cool. I haven't turned on the a.c. in either apartment, which is a blessing. Nights have been perfectly delicious for sleeping, and moving stuff to and from the Old Apartment/car/New Apartment has been not so terrible.

That said, I am still trying to be "presentable," given that this week I am consistently combining meetings and errands with clean-up/out. So carrying sloppy clothes (sweats, clean t-shirts, comfortable shoes) in a bag and changing in the apartment before I leave or after I get there has been a necessity. Unfortunately, because of the broken water heater, the water has also been turned off, so handwipes and facewipes have also been handy.

At the Old Apartment, I am still seeing neighbors and the people coming by to look at my Craigslist "stuff." I know if I look okay, they are more likely to buy something or to buy it at the price I want than f I look scraggly and dirty.

Next week, I have to go to Boston, my Hometown, and Washington for a week for a conference, family visit, and old friend visit. I'll need clothes to travel in comfortably (Wednesday), two days in Boston--including giving my paper; 3 days at home and 1 day of travel back to Boston/DC, and then 2 days in DC, not only visiting with an old friend and her husband, but seeing former students and dining out, possibly going to the theatre. My goal is to take one suitcase (20", that I can lift and roll)) and one Longchamps pliage (tote). I usually take a backpack, but I want to be more professional in this case.

Conference clothes (2 days)
Black TravelSmith dress plus slip & black heeled sandals
Orange skirt, black cardie, & same shoes in brown

Family visit (3 days)
Jeans plus short-sleeved t-shirts, beige lightweight jacket & same shoes
Khakis plus same
Red/Brown/Black wrap skirt plus same

Washington (2 days)
same

That's it: 2 pairs of shoes, 2 skirts, 1 dress, and 2 pairs of pants, and t-shirts in white, black, and gray; and I'll bring jewelry, belts, scarves, and a folded purse to effect changes. Obviously, underwear, jammies, and sox, as well as cosmetics. Possibly (probably) I'll add a long-sleeved cotton button shirt or tunic, "just in case." I'll travel in the jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and the beige jacket; planes are notoriously cool.

All this in one suitcase and one tote. Pretty good.