How to pack for a weekend trip

The first time I had to pack for a week-long trip was when I was twelve years old. I was going to an All-girls' camp for five days, and ended up packing practically my entire room because it was my first time away from home for so long. My luggage weighed a ton and I could barely carry it to my cabin. I never even used over half of the stuff that I packed and learned that I only really needed a few things for a week at camp. So every year after that, I only packed the necessities - lesson learned!

I always try not to pack too much when I go anywhere. Here are some great tips fromMarie Claire on how to pack for a weekend trip.

Bigger Isn't Better
If you start with a giant, empty suitcase, you will fill it up! Pick a small overnight bag and trim your "essentials" down until you can fit everything in it.

Consider Your Itinerary
Think about what you plan to do on the trip, and pack only for those activities you're sure will happen. If you're honest with yourself about, say, not working out while you're away, you'll save a ton of space on sneakers and exercise wear.

Keep It Simple
Stick to one or two color schemes so that everything you pack can be mixed and matched. Think blacks, whites, and neutrals, with bright colors for layering pieces

Go Top-Heavy
Bring more tops than bottoms. They don't weigh as much--plus, pants and skirts can be worn a few times, but you usually can't re-wear shirts because of the sweat factor.

Map It Out 
Lay each outfit on your bed so you can see how everything works. Then roll each look together (sans the shoes, of course): Clothes are less likely to wrinkle this way, and every ensemble is ready to go when you get dressed. Be sure to wear your heaviest shoes while traveling -- that way, you don't have to pack them!

Bottom Line
Pack necessities. Anything else you buy along the way will be a fun souvenir of your trip

Get the skinny on your zip code!

I heard about this on the radio and thought it was so cool! You can look up stats based on your zipcode atzipskinny.com. Find out the median income, % of people single or divorced, what kind of industry they work in, etc, all by just typing in your zip code. Check it out, it’s so fun! The info is from the census bureau based on data from 2000, so its not 100% accurate (they have a disclaimer on their site), but its fun to read! It is also super user friendly and easy to read. What is the skinny on your zip code??
Here is the skinny on my zip code (Minneapolis, MN):

Educational Achievement:			Marital Status:
(among people 25 years or older)			(among people 15 years or older)
Less than 9th grade:	2.6%		Never married:	58.9%
9th-12th grade (nongrad):	5.9%		Married:	23.7%
High school graduate:	11.2%		Separated:	2.2%
Some college:	22.4%		Widowed:	3.9%
Associate degree:	5.3%		Divorced:	11.3%
Bachelors degree:	31.8%		Stability/Newcomer Appeal:
Graduate/Professional:	20.7%		Same home 5+ years:	28.4%
High school or higher:	91.5%		Social and economic indicators based on 2000 Census sample data.
Bachelors or higher:	52.5%
Green = Above U.S. Avg Red = Below U.S. Avg
Red bkg. = Above U.S. Avg Green bkg. = Below U.S. Avg

Economic Indicators
Household Income			Occupation
<$10,000	15.1%		(among employed persons over 16)
$10,000-$14,999	10%		Mgt./Professional	48.1%
$15,000-$24,999	15.4%		Service	17.7%
$25,000-$34,999	15.8%		Sales/Office	25.3%
$35,000-$49,999	13.8%		Farm/Fishing/Forestry	0%
$50,000-$74,999	12.5%		Construction/Extraction/Maint.	1.7%
$75,000-$99,999	5.2%		Production/Transportation	7.2%
$100,000-$149,999	4.8%		Unemployment/Poverty
$150,000-$199,999	2.6%		Unemployed	4.2%
$200,000+	4.8%		Below Poverty Line	15.7%
Median Household Income: $30,702

Demographic:

Race Hispanic/Latino: 5% White*: 78.2% Black*: 9.8% Native American*: 1% Asian*: 3.4% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander*: 0% Other*: 0.2% Multiracial*: 2.5% * Does not include individuals in this racial group who identify as Hispanic/Latino.