Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Packing for a Trip

It feels like I have been traveling all summer. I am getting pretty good at packing and thought I would share my method. I get all my clothes and lay them on my bed usually biggest to smallest. I don't fold them I just lay the shirts flat with the arms outstretched. After all the pants, shirts and sweaters are laid on top of each other, I pile the things that can get wrinkled, swimsuit, coverup, pj's, underwear, socks etc. at the top of the pile.

I fold the sleeves around the bundle.

Then I fold the clothes packet in half.

Here is the suitcase opened after getting to my destination. Some of the clothes are actually less wrinkled than when I put them in.

Here is how I pack my carry ons. I use a rolling carry on bag. I used to get so tired carrying my bag and purse through 2 airports, that I would be cranky by the time I got through.

You are allowed to bring on 1 bag plus one personal item. They never say how big your purse can be. I bring the biggest purse I own. I put my regular size purse inside the big purse and can take way more stuff. I pack magazines, ipod, homework packets for the kids, notebook, snacks, beach hat etc.

This reminds me of my worst trip ever! Kyle and I took our 5 kids to Hawaii, at the time they were 15, 11, 8, 2 and 1. We flew from Arizona to California to fly out there. The plane was delayed 6 hours. After waking up early, a 6 hour delay, a 5 1/2 hour fight to Hawaii, carrying 2 babies and diaper bags through 3 airports. I was literally wiped out for days.
I learned a huge lesson, #1 to rent the carts that hold all your bags and #2 have rollers on everything. This includes each child with their own rolling carry on.
Had I planned better and taken care of myself, it could have been a great trip. Instead I tried to be superwoman and leave the house perfectly clean, pack the kids, load the car, carry the luggage, not rent the cart for $2.00, pack the kids and bags in the rental car and go to the hotel for a complete breakdown. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Why do we try to do so much?

7 comments:

Jim Auwen said...

Good advice, though next time you go to Hawaii you should probably leave the children safely at home and bring along some good married couple friends. Especially if the man is considered by many to be a pack-mule.

The Wallin's said...

Love it! O so true! It must be instilled in our dna to try to do Everything! We need to follow the example of our husbands and just relax! ;)

Auwen happy home said...

They were wonderful tips. See why
I hang around this gal. She's got
a lot of wonderful knowledge, and
loves to share it. Thanks for your
years of friendship and giving to
our family!!!!

{Erica} said...

awesome advice and totally true what you said at the end! I just wish my husband would udnerstand a bit more that when we go on trips he just packs for himself and I have to worry about 3 people...3 GIRLS = lots of clothes :)

ps a tip for when you travel by car and not by air...space bags. Seriously I took all the clothes my girls could fit in at the moment on our 2 month visit to utah..when I had folded them it took up about a quater of their bedroom floor. After packing them in the space bag...it all fit in the bottom of the suitcase with 4 other space bags filled with husbands clothes and my skirts on top!!!

My Time to Blossom said...

Erica
Your spacebag idea is a great one. When you travel anywhere that has a vacume, this is a great option since they are now charging $15.00 a bag when you fly.
When my daughter went away for college we used the spacebags for her comforter,blankets,towels and clothes. I hadn't considered it for a trip. I love the idea! Thanks!

My Time to Blossom said...

Thanks Meri you're a sweetie!

My Time to Blossom said...

Jim
If I remember correctly I have gone to Hawaii with you and I'm pretty sure I carried my own stuff.
I know you are an ironman and a packmule, the problem is I forget that I'm not, and try to be superwoman all the time.
From now on feel free to carry my things, Kyle gets tired of carrying my pink purse:)