I know most hospitals ask you to bring a limited amount of clothing and mine does that. 3-4 outfits. Fine, I can do that. I need 2 sweatshirts as well because it is ice cold in there. And of course toiletries and a few books because it is boring in there. I do not take that much stuff.

I do take a weighted blanket which I have to have to sleep and when I get really upset I need it for calming. It's 10 lbs. so it is heavy and it's also bulky.

Nonetheless I've crammed all of this into a small suitcase.

I actually just re-packed it after finding a smaller suitcase at my mom's house. Because the hospital gets upset if your bag is too big. I know they have limited storage but neither of these 2 bags is at all large. Yet I know it matters greatly to them; I've heard them making fun of larger bags (mine).

The other thing is that chances are good that if I'm going in this week I'm going to be there for some time. (coming off Seroquel and starting clozaril or ECT. My hope is to not go in until next week. If I"m going to do ECT I'll have to wean off one med first anyway). Which makes what I have even more reasonable. I'm a long way from home when I"m IP; I don't have a fast and easy way to get stuff I don't have.

Are other places really weird about packing (keep in mind my unit keeps people an average of 5-7 days and I've been in closer to 2 weeks every time but this last one)? Anything else I want to take will have to go in my pillowcase (which is already holding my jacket which is my 3rd warm layer b/c I'll need it. 3 weeks ago I took only a single hoodie and had to wear it constantly for 6 days. If I didn't need winter clothes it would be easy to pack.)