Lessons I learned from packing:
1) I really should be more organized (pause for Mom and Rhonda to laugh)
2) I save quite useless things with crafts in mind, but realistically they dont usually happen and just take up space (you should see the mound of bottle caps, wrappers of Common Brazilian snacks, and newspapers).
3) quality beats quantity- I've gotta be cut-throat here and part ways with some old clothes.
4) gifts from travels arent always as valuable or worth lugging, sometimes a good old fashioned postcard is plenty. I've been really trying to not buy gifts just to have gifts. Waste of money, space and probably adding to slave labor in China
5) Mexican leather sandals (huarachas) are cheaper, cuter (I think) and more durable than any Target or Payless sandals. These puppies have endured a lot and are still goin strong!
6) umbrellas are useless, extra weight and space-stealers. Might as well just get wet and get over it

Now, for the biggest lesson of all (which I already kinda knew but now I wanna preach it): pack light!
I did great on packing light, considering that I spent months bouncing from hot to cold places, barely staying a week in most of them. Then i had to buy only a few cheap clothing items to mix and match with my backpackers, beach-lovers, hippy clothes to make myself presentable for work 6 days a week. I think I deserve an applause. Not to mention, I dont have my main appliances like curling iron, blow dryer, straightener, laptop, crockpot, toaster oven, sounds impossible huh?

Oh well, after a lot if anxiety about packing and how I'd fit it, I finally just went for it. It wasn't as bad as I thought, especially 'cause I'm leaving clothes. Now I just hope all my gifts and stuff make it back in one piece.