I DESPERATELY need to lose about 10 kilograms.

While that might seem like an achievable goal over time, I have just over a week to do it.

Fad diets won't work, starving myself won't help and exercise won't make a difference at all.

What I need to do is make decisions about what has to go.

Before you think I am going to do something drastic, don't worry, I'm not.

But packing a suitcase for a month-long holiday when you have a 30kg weight limit is so much harder than I expected.

It is even harder when the destination has lower temperatures in summer than we have during our winter.

Needless to say, it is going to be cold, and we all know thick and warm clothing equals heavy.

While I plan to wear as much as I can on the plane, starting the trip in Queensland while dressed suitably for the Antarctic is not really the best option.

The dilemma is knowing what is essential.

I find it hard enough deciding what to wear each morning, let alone knowing what I am going to wear in a month's time in an unknown location, doing an unknown activity.

I like to be prepared for any situation that may occur.

So I guess the first thing I should do is eliminate what I won't need.

I won't need swimwear … there is no way I intend to take a dip in the North Sea.

I'm about as interested in doing that as the idea of going duck-diving in search of the Loch Ness Monster.

I won't need a pair of heels … unless we go out somewhere fancy for dinner. I won't need an evening dress … unless we decide to go to an upmarket show in London's West End.

Maybe I should just concentrate on what I do need that I haven't already packed.

Walking shoes, dressier day shoes and suitable-for-night shoes.

Weatherproof jacket, warm jacket and light jacket, jeans and jumpers.

There are all the little extras like warm socks, gloves, scarves and a beanie, plus a few sets of that sexy thermal underwear too.

Then there are electrical items.

I'll need to pack camera chargers, tablet chargers, phone chargers ... Oh dear. Forget losing 10 kilograms.

Now I think I need to lose 20.