I love to go on trips. I mean I REALLY love to go on trips. But I despise packing. It is so bad, I get anxiety over it. (Seriously.) It doesn’t matter if the trip is a couple of nights or a week, it stresses me out to no end.
For the most part, the stress is my own fault. In my constant attempt for everything to be perfect, I always want to make sure I pack everything I could possibly need (or my daughter or my husband could need). Of course, the inevitable always happens and something gets forgotten, and it makes m crazy. (The worst is when I actually pack everything – like the well-planned bag of snacks for our last trip that got left on the kitchen counter. Grrrr….)
I am a check-list kind of girl, so I always make lists. But indecision and forgetfulness set in and frustration overcomes me, and suddenly I am once again dreading packing.
On my most recent trip – to Clearwater Beach on an amazing trip that I will be blogging about soon – my packing list looked something like this:
- 4 (perfect) daytime outfits
- 3 (perfect) nighttime outfits
- 1 beach outfit & hat
- 1 pair of sneakers (for the prego feet)
- 3 pairs of women’s sandals (yes, I needed 3 pairs)
- 1 pair PJs
- Under garments
- Camera (with lots of memory space)
- iPad/Phone/Chargers
- Toiletries/sunscreen/meds/etc
- Cosmetics
- Snacks for the prego (forgotten)
- And on and on…
Plus K’s list:
- 6 daytime outfits (she”s 3, you never know)
- 3 nighttime outfits
- 2 beach outfits & hat
- 1 pair of sneakers
- 2 pairs of kid’s sandals
- 2 pairs PJs
- Pull-ups/Panties
- Pink Bear & Minnie
- DVD player/movies
- Toiletries/sunscreen/etc
- Sand toys (forgotten)
- Snacks for the kiddo (forgotten)
Then there was my hubby’s list
- Bunch of shirts
- Jeans
- Shorts
- 1 pair men’s sandals (which he wore there)
- Deodorant (wife will bring the rest)
Shesh – I wish I were a guy sometimes. It took me the better part of two days to pack for three nights. I think it took my husband 30 minutes with no stress attached.
I really hate packing. How about you?
