How I Learned to Love Chaos While My Hair Suffered

The Setup: When Mother Nature Crashes Your Party

Picture this: You're living your best Newfoundland life, expecting nothing more dramatic than a moose traffic jam, when suddenly there's a fire 4 kilometers away and you're standing in your closet having an existential crisis about which underwear says "I'm prepared for emergencies."

To add insult to injury, my husband casually drops that if we're gone long, family might use the house. So now I'm not just packing—I'm speed-cleaning like I'm auditioning for some twisted reality show called "Extreme Home Makeover: Evacuation Edition."

The biggest casualty? My hair. I'd literally just had my stylist work magic on it—a perfect blowout—before this trip. Then, on day two, I was asked to walk the dogs and the Newfoundland humidity completely annihilated all that professional styling. I went from sleek and polished to looking like I stuck my finger in an electrical socket while simultaneously running a marathon through a fog bank.

After that hair disaster, I didn't want to be in any photos, so I declared to Kent that my new standard excuse for everything would be "I Can't Because of My Hair." Need me to pose by that scenic overlook? "I can't because of my hair." Want a cute couples photo? "I can't because of my hair." This became our running joke for the rest of the trip, and honestly, it got more laughs than my hair deserved. But hey, at least I'm alive and my Original Versace Collection made it out safely.

The Four-Bag Disaster Method (That Actually Worked)

Here's what I learned from my beautiful chaos:

Bag #1: The "I'd Rather Die Than Leave This Behind" Collection

• My Original Versace pieces (because priorities)
• Two pairs of shoes that are basically my emotional support footwear
• Sentimental items that would make me cry ugly tears if lost
• Documents (the boring but essential adulting papers)
• Bag #2: The "I Guess I Need Actual Clothes" Assortment
• Black and white everything (because I'm basically a walking checkerboard when stressed)
• Jeans, trekking pants, and some "cut" pieces I'll probably sell later
• The universal truth: neutral colors hide the fact that you have no idea what you're doing

Bag #3: The "Things I Might Need But Probably Won't" Mystery Bag

• Accessories that seemed crucial at 2 AM
• Dressier pieces for... emergencies that require looking fancy?
• Travel extras that made sense in my panic-addled brain
• Bag #4: The "What Even Is This?" Surprise Package
• Honestly, I have no memory of packing this
• It's going to be like Christmas morning when I open it
• Could contain anything from emergency chocolate to that one sock I've been looking for

The Shopping Therapy Intermission

Even during an evacuation, retail therapy called. At George's Store, I found the perfect black top—you know, the kind that makes you feel like you have your life together even when you absolutely don't. I literally begged Kent to let me run in because outfit coordination waits for no emergency.

The Emergency Packing Checklist (Born from Beautiful Chaos)

After living through this adventure, here's my "I've Been There, Done That, Got the Slightly Singed T-Shirt" emergency packing guide:

The Sacred "Never Leave Home Without It" List

Documents & Data

• Passport (because you never know where life will take you)
• Insurance papers (adulting is so fun)
• Birth certificates (proof you exist)
• Phone + charger (your lifeline to civilization and memes)
• Backup drives (because your 10,000 photos of that one sunset matter)
• The Sentimental Stuff
• Family photos that aren't backed up to the cloud
• Jewelry with actual meaning (not the impulse buy from last Tuesday)
• Heirlooms that would make your grandmother haunt you if you left them

The "I Need Actual Clothing" Capsule

The Top Situation

• 2-3 neutral tanks/tees (black and white hide everything, including panic sweat)
• 1 long-sleeve layer (because weather is unpredictable and rude)
• 1 versatile dressy top (for when you need to look human in public)
• The Bottom Line
• 1 pair of good jeans (your emotional support pants)
• 1 pair of trekking pants/leggings (comfort for your soul)
• 1 skirt or shorts (weather depending, obviously)
• The Shoe Situation
• Walking shoes that won't betray you on gravel
• Dressy casual flats (because you might need to look put-together)
• Weather-appropriate boots (waterproof in NL is non-negotiable)
• The Layer Game
• Light jacket (for when it's "maybe cold")
• Rain jacket (because this is Newfoundland, not Arizona)
• Toiletries: The "I Still Want to Be Human" Kit
• Travel-size everything (because full-size shampoo is heavy and you're not moving apartments)
• Medications (don't mess around with this one)
• Sunscreen and bug spray (nature is beautiful but bitey)
• Minimal makeup kit (or don't, this isn't Instagram)
• Hair supplies (learn from my mistakes—bring the REALLY good stuff, anti-humidity serum, and maybe a cute hat because Newfoundland weather will humble even the best blowout)

Comfort Items: The "This Still Feels Like Me" Collection

• Small blanket or favorite scarf (instant coziness—I actually cuddled up with one of my patterned blankets that I'll be offering at Newfinese Please in a few months; nothing says "home" like wrapping yourself in your own designs when you're displaced from your actual home)
• Good coffee or tea packets (because bad coffee makes everything worse)
• A book or e-reader (for when you need to escape reality)
• Notebook and pen (for brilliant thoughts and grocery lists)

Safety & Survival Gear

• Flashlight or headlamp (because power grids are fragile)
• Power bank (dead phones cause more panic than emergencies)
• Multi-tool (MacGyver yourself out of problems)
• Paper copy of contacts (because when phones die, so does your memory)
• Cash (cards don't work when systems are down)

The Packing Strategy That Actually Works

Priority System:

1. Irreplaceables (grab first, cry later if you forget something)
2. Essentials (the stuff that keeps you alive and decent)
3. Extras (if there's time and you're feeling fancy)
4. The Bag Hierarchy:

• Bag 1: Irreplaceables (superglued to your body)
• Bag 2: Clothing and shoes (because nudity isn't an option)
• Bag 3: Toiletries and comfort items (sanity savers)
• Bag 4: Everything else you grabbed in a panic

The Real Talk Section

Keep a digital copy of your emergency list in your phone. When adrenaline kicks in, your brain will forget your own name, let alone what you need to pack.

And here's the thing nobody tells you: it's okay to care about looking good during an emergency. Feeling put-together helps you feel in control when everything else is chaos. So yes, bring that perfect black top. Yes, pack the good hair products. Yes, make sure you have clothes that make you feel human.

Case in point: I ended up wearing my NEWFIE green sweatshirt from our shore collection and the "Some Crabby" sweatshirt during our evacuation adventure. I also rotated through some classic Newfoundland t-shirts and my "Newfie Girl" tee—and Kent kept complimenting me on how good they looked. There's something deeply comforting about wearing pieces that represent home when you've literally had to leave home behind, especially when your husband notices and appreciates your provincial pride style game. Plus, I had the matching Newfoundland flag collection with me that I'm planning to carry next year—because even during emergencies, coordinated outfits matter, and representing your province with style is always appropriate.

The Silver Lining

We turned our evacuation into a Newfoundland adventure—Gros Morne and L'Anse aux Meadows were on my bucket list anyway. Sometimes life forces you to take the scenic route, even when you didn't plan on it.

Plus, I got some amazing new Newfinese Please.com merchandise delivered right before we left. Because apparently, the universe has a sense of humor and perfect timing for wardrobe upgrades.

The Bottom Line

Emergency packing doesn't have to be perfect—it just has to get you through. Keep it simple, prioritize what matters, and remember that stuff can be replaced. (Except for your Original Versace Collection. Guard that with your life.)

And maybe keep a backup hair plan. Just saying.