Packing 101 - Day 1

So it's Day 1 of the five days I have to pack for Abilene and I's trip down South. Today's pretty simple. All I do on Day 1 is create my packing list.

A while ago, I became so tired of having to think through what to pack every time we took a trip that I decided to make a "go to" list that I could print out each time I needed to pack. I used Excel to create a workbook that included a spreadsheet for Adults and a spreadsheet for Babies.

I put the spreadsheets on Google Docs so you could have access to them if you'd like. You can find the Adult Packing List here and the Baby Packing List here. I know everyone's packing needs are different so I left the document as an Excel file so that you could edit it to your heart's content. To download the file to your computer simply click on "File" and then "Download As" and download it to your computer as an Excel file.  

• (Note: This is my first time using Google Docs. Please, please, please tell me if the links and/or files aren't working for you and I'll get on it lickity split!)

As Abilene grows, I will probably create a toddler spreadsheet, then a child spreadsheet, etc. That way, when Abilene is a toddler and has different packing needs than Baby #2, I'll have both the toddler spreadsheet and the baby spreadsheet to reference. You could do the same for a pet if you wanted to. Anything to make your packing experience quicker and less stressful. But alas, I'm getting ahead of myself.

So Day 1! I print out both the Adult packing spreadsheet and the Baby packing spreadsheet. Then I find my handy-dandy pen and I adjust the list:

I indicate where we're going and the dates that we will be there on the top.

I write in the number of days we are going to be on the trip in the blanks by the "Clothing" sections.

Then I look through the list and cross off things that I won't need. For example, only Abilene and I will be on this trip so I can go ahead and cross off anything that pertains to Brad. Don't you just love crossing things off?! Voila!, half my packing is already "done." I'm also visiting my family so there are a lot of toiletries that I don't need to bring, I can just borrow them from my mom or my sister.

Weather also plays into it. While GA is much warmer than PA this time of year, I don't plan on bringing my bathing suit. And Abilene won't need the bear suit on her packing list because it just won't be cold enough. I absolutely have to show it to you though:

Isn't that such a ridiculous outfit!? Brad's parents got it for her from L.L. Bean, it's super warm and super cute :) But we're not bringing it so off the list for you, bear suit!

Back to packing: Baby food can be crossed off the list because I'll make some when I get to GA but squeezable baby food needs to stay on the list because I'll need some for the plane flight (I cannot begin to tell you how convenient squeezable baby food is on a plane).

You get where I'm going with this... not too hard.

Now, some people might ask, "Why have the long list if you're just going to cross half of it off?"

The whole idea is that the "creating" part is removed. Because I don't have to make up a list from scratch, I'm less likely to forget something. It's much easier for me to see something on a piece of paper that needs to be removed than it is for me to remember something I don't see and add it.

Ok! So the last thing I do on Day 1 is add anything to the list that might be specific to the trip. For example, my sister wants me to bring some recipes down. So I'll write "recipe box" down under "Additional Items." I also know that Southwest Airlines (Woohoo for Southwest finally flying into Atlanta!) requires proof of Abilene's birth certificate so I'll include that as well. Maybe you know you will be going to a nice dinner while you're on vacation and you'll need a dress - make sure to include things like that under "Additional Items."

If there's anything I know I will need to remember the morning we leave such as: not forgetting baby food in the fridge or turning down the thermostat, I'll write those things under "Morning of."

Now you have a complete packing list ready for your trip! It takes me less than 5 minutes to think through the list and I can easily squeeze that in between Abilene's needs throughout the day. Having already gone over the list not only frees up my brain from worrying about it, it also sets my brain up to note and/or grab different items over the next four days crossing off and/or adding things on as I remember them.

And guess what!? You're already done with Day 1! Easy peasy, on to Day 2!