Packing

Packing for a trip is so much fun.  I have some guidelines I've honed, but there's always room for improvement.  I'm a light packer.  Some people might feel better about over packing, but I get a kick out of minimalism.  Here are my ideas.  What are yours?

Wherever we stay has to have access to a washer and dryer.  If you packed a week's worth of clothes for nine people, including considerations for weather and kids who spill every five minutes, that would be a lot of clothes.

Pack light.  (I keep saying it!)  Unless you're going to Outer Mongolia, you can buy anything you forget.  I usually force myself to unpack one third of what I originally packed.  It's still too much.

Two jackets per person.  If it's cooler than you thought, you don't want to be wearing the same jacket every day.

Color scheme.  When the girls and I went to France, our color scheme was black and pink.  Everything we took was black and pink, so each article of clothing served more than one function and everything matched everything.  A pair of black pants and two pink shirts=two outfits, or three, if you layer the shirts.  Or five, if you have a black sweater to wear over it.  Sharing clothes gave us more options, too.  We didn't all need to bring 10 pairs of socks.  We hardly brought anything.  Again, washer and dryer.

One pair of shoes per person.  Shoes take up too much space.  One pair is enough. 

Wear layers if you're on a plane.  Then you don't have as much luggage.  Never check baggage.  It can get lost, ya know.  It's just an extra step to retrieve it, too.

Traveling by car, we pack in plastic bins.  Easier to transport than suitcases, and they fit in the car better.  All our clothes fit in two bins, and I throw a bunch of dryer sheets in with them to keep them fresh.  Added bonus:  the dryer sheet smell reminds us of our trip after we come home.  All swimsuits and towels are in a beach bag, ready to grab and take straight to the sand.  Each kid can pack their own little bag of stuff that they want to do/have/eat in the car.  Water bottles in the car: a must.  (Thanks, Jennie!)

I always have a new book or two that I'm excited about reading, that I save for the trip.  It's a luxury that adds anticipation.

I pack ahead of time.  The car is loaded days in advance.  I love to just jump in the car and go when it's time.  And having beach towels in the trunk as I drive around town is a little bit exciting.  Creating excitement around the trip, like a new outfit or "The Beach or Bust" signs for the car is great.

Plan on forgetting something.  Don't worry about it.  Improvise, relax, have fun.  It's a vacation!