Easing the packing traumas
Does your family go away during the holidays? Do you find yourself in a mad, frantic rush towards the car and then about half an hour down the motorway remember the three crucial things you forgot to pack?
If so, then your family may be like mine.
I’ve heard that there are other sorts of families – ones that have perfected the pre-holiday packing routine, who never forget anything, who enjoy the holiday preparations as much as the holiday itself. But I’ll tell you the truth – we aren’t that type of family.
Having said that, in the last few years I’ve discovered a tactic that takes a remarkable amount of stress and pressure out of the packing process. I call it ‘Holiday Packing Lists‘.
A ‘Holiday Packing List’ is exactly what it’s name implies: a list of the basic clothing, toiletry, bedding and recreational needs for a simple trip away. I print off one list per child (and often for myself – my husband seems to manage quite fine without one). Then it is up to each person to choose and stack their list’s worth of supplies ready for inspection before packing in the right sized bag.
The inspection process is a helpful one because it means you can weed out the too small socks and too big teddies!
Another great thing about ‘Holiday Packing Lists’ is that they can be altered in terms of quantities, or adjusted for special trips. For example, you can add a list of Ski Gear if your headed to the snow, or swap the sweaters for snorkels if you plan to holiday at the beach.
I’ve found getting the kids to pack their own holiday bags, with the guidance of this list cuts out complaints, encourages independence and generally works brilliantly to cut out most mid-motorway groans.
Here’s what my ‘Holiday Packing List‘ looks like (apologies to non Aussie readers for any unclear vocabulary).
Basic List:
Undies X ______
Socks X _____
Hat
Sneakers
Thongs/sandals (In Australia ‘thongs’ are flip-flop shoes!)
Toiletries (toothbrush, hairbrush etc)
PJs
Swimmers
Goggles
Suncream
Beach towel
Summer Outfits X _______
Winter Outfits X _______
Something to read
Something to cuddle
Something to do
Extras:
Pillow
Sheets/sleeping bag
Bath-towel
I wonder what would be in yours? Or what you’d leave out?
I have a packing list I keep on the computer which I adapt for specific trips. I actually list what I take. For example, under “slacks,” I list the colors of those I take. Same with “tops,” “shoes,” etc. I have things on the list like hot water heater (that I can stick in cups of water at hotels), a clothespin (great for hooking drapes together in hotel rooms), etc. When I decide what I’m taking, I print out two lists: one to put in my purse and one to put in my suitcase. I started doing this over 35 years ago when we took our annual vacation to Michigan to see my mother. It really helped when we got ready to return home, that we didn’t forget anything.
Wow – you are FAR more organised than I am!
The clothes peg for drapes is a great idea too. And the extra list for the trip home would be very helpful, especially when staying with family and belongings tend to find new homes of their own. We left my son’s running shoes behind this time, but he wasn’t too sad as he needs a new pair anyway. 🙂