YOU know how easy it is for men to pack for holidays? As my boyfriend puts it, ”A pair of jeans, shorts and a few T-shirts”.

If there’s a formal occasion to go to, they add a pair of slacks and a shirt. If there’s a party night planned, an extra shirt. Done.

For a brief holiday to Perth , Australia, last weekend, it took him a total of 15 minutes to pack, just two hours before we left for the airport.

As for me, I started five days before the day of our flight. Two days before that, I started a new “Perth”‘ notebook which contained a list of clothes, accessories, shoes and makeup I would bring.

Also in the book is a list of outfits I’d wear on each day, and second choices lest the first choices failed (depending on weather etc).

For days I obsessed over what would be the best way to pack. Obviously, all ”spillable” items would have to be wrapped in at least two plastic bags before being placed in their respective packs.

I would also need space for gifts I would have to bring back! What a headache, right? (Ed: We still haven’t seen the gifts yet!)

So I chose a simple pair of heels, and brought clothes that would go with that one pair. I rolled all my clothes, put the toiletries on one side of the suitcase, and laid my party dresses carefully on top of everything.

But, no matter how troublesome it may seem, or how much you overpack (which I do every time!) the trouble is so worth it.

Just think: what if something spills in your bag? There goes your one party dress! If you packed two, then you’re still okay.

Or if the weather suddenly changes and your perfect summer holiday turns dark and grey? That is when you thank your good sense for bringing warm clothing!

Even though I ended up bringing an extra two pairs of shorts, a dress, a sweater and cardigan and a few tops that I didn’t even touch, I’m glad I did, because if I didn’t, I would have been wishing I had!

Damned if you do and damned if you don’t, so in conclusion (as least in this case), you might as well!

Now for the unpacking.

When in Australia, wear shades

HERE’S a list of things I had to prepare for, and what I wore:

1) A friend’s wedding

Tea ceremony in the morning and a dinner reception, which required two different outfits: a silver Dorothy Perkins dress as requested by the bride, and a pleated detail prom dress from Warehouse.

2) Green Day Concert

Obviously, something comfortable. A ”secure” green tube dress for jumping around in and flats. Although being short in a country of tall people I contemplated heels, but thank God I didn’t because the concert was two and a half hours long!

3) Touristy stuff

Again, comfort. And because it was summer, something airy — navy green skirt from Cotton On and a basic white top from Topshop.

4) A night out on the town

This was tough. I had no idea what the party scene would be like in Perth, and we wanted to go somewhere classy and upmarket, as well as somewhere we could let our hair down and dance the night away, so the outfit had to be of the ”meet-me-halfway” sort. In the end I wore sequinned Jaspal T-shirt dress.

5) Dinner with boyfriend’s aunty

This called for the utmost decency. She is over 60, ’nuff said. I put on leggings and a loose top, beaded necklace and modest heels. She did look at my feet and say ”You’re going to get bunians, like me”, but I laughed it off.

6) Dinner with friends

A short skirt and nice top would have sufficed, but the host’s wife went into labour (six weeks premature) and we went to the hospital instead, which required decent dress.

7) Sleeping/lounging around the apartment

Shorts, singlet and track pants for cold nights.