Preparing for battle - take a box

I passed on the notion of my brag book for your shopping list helper a couple of posts ago - now thanks again to Irene, here comes another handy tip that's especially useful if you are doing a two day show and staying overnight and/or travelling by bus or train.

Take a couple of plastic food boxes with you (like Chinese takeaway sort of size) and decant all your small stuff into these. This offers them greater protection from crushing, snapping, creasing and stops you 'losing' things  amongst all that wrapping and paper bags stuffed in your shopping bag.  I have actually done that once.  You really don't remember in the moment that you unpack when you get home precisely what you have, so it is too easy to think you have it all, only a couple of days later to remember some tiny thing that isn't there.

So if you want to know my method of attack and my preparation for the shopping wars this is what I do.

One (no weight) shopping bag that will go over my shoulder if needs be.  I always wear the same jacket - rain or shine - very thin,  but it has a ton of pockets.  This means I can put each vital thing in its own pocket and I don't need to carry a handbag or have to rummage through my shopping bag every time I want something.  

If I am staying in a hotel or am able to leave my other handbaggy stuff in the car or even in a locker/cloakroom depending on venue this is all that I will need at the show itself.

Cash, credit card, debit card - some of dealers will take only one of these things.
Phone - which I now also use as a camera (with permission) - no more having to carry a camera now that I am not writing about shows.
Little shopping book - this does go in my shopping bag rather than a pocket.
Pen (spare bits of paper are in my bragging book)
Hanky - I hear my mother's voice......have you got your hanky?
Comfortable (I wish) shoes

Oh.... and your ticket to get in if you've pre-booked

Lippy and comb go by the board and remain with the other stuff - this is serious shopping after all.