To other obsessive packers/planners: I need moral support!!

[ncmomof2]

So, we leave in just under 3 weeks (YAY!!!! :D), and I'm at the point where I really want to start making my "stuff that's going with us" pile. But my staging ground for this is our guest bedroom and we're going to have a house guest from 12-8 days before we go (yes, I agreed to this -- what was I thinking?! :rolleyes:). So I have to wait until a week before we leave to start putting out stuff!!! Waah!! :(:eek: I know this will still be plenty of time, I've got a packing list with notes about what needs to be purchased, and I have started small accumulations of stuff in bags elsewhere around the house, but it's still freaking me out....:o So I'd really appreciate any moral support you could throw my way...

[Karysa]

You could pack your children's bag a couple of weeks in advance and then you would just have the adult bags left. I have done this before because of a time crunch the last couple of weeks before a trip before and it worked out well.

Karysa

[Ula]

Bless your heart, my next cruise is in August and I am already packing. Half the fun of cruising in the pre pack planning. Kids would make it double fun. Especially if they grow one inch after you got their clothes. I could share a photo on that one from our last family cruise.

[SimplyAddicted]

I completely feel your pain! I leave in 3 weeks and I haven't started either. Usually by now, I am mostly packed! I had a baby last March and have been still dropping weight, so I am not sure if I can even pack now. I lost 62lbs so far - only 10 more to go!!! I am going to start the baby's things though. Thankfully - she fits in the stuff I bought at the summer clearance last year!

[imsmpls]

I'm in a similar place. I am hosting a big neighborhood gathering next Thursday (but don't leave until 3/13). I have brand new luggage in the kitchen that I need to hide, I have Target bags stashed all over my bedroom, lists everywhere, etc. I would pack the kids clothes (we live in a cold climate so we won't need the same clothes) and all their cruising things (snorkels, sunscreen, water shoes, etc) but I feel like I'd need to unpack to finalize anyway.

 

As much as it drives me crazy - I love the research and anticipation!

[CeleBrat]

You could do what I do, since we don't have a guest bedroom at our house....

 

I put an empty suitcase in the corner of our bedroom, and start piling stuff up in it. So, each time I walk past it, it is unsightly, but I am reminded of our upcoming cruise (yeah!) and I toss another item or two on the suitcase pile.

 

CeleBrat

[ncmomof2]

Thanks for the support everyone!!!

 

Bless your heart, my next cruise is in August and I am already packing. Half the fun of cruising in the pre pack planning. Kids would make it double fun. Especially if they grow one inch after you got their clothes. I could share a photo on that one from our last family cruise.

 

I hear you on this one!! I just found out that my DD's outgrown her aqua socks (that were still a little too big the end of last summer...!!! :eek:). Any ideas on where to find those in Feb??? I've looked online, but they're so much more expensive...

[mactrio]

I guess I'm lazy, I don't usually pack for vacations until the week of the trip. :)

[fisherhum]

Thanks for the support everyone!!!

 

 

 

I hear you on this one!! I just found out that my DD's outgrown her aqua socks (that were still a little too big the end of last summer...!!! :eek:). Any ideas on where to find those in Feb??? I've looked online, but they're so much more expensive...

Try a second hand or consignment store for the aqua socks. They may not be out but usually they have them ina box in the back. I found some for my kids there.

[Ula]

Thanks for the support everyone!!!

I hear you on this one!! I just found out that my DD's outgrown her aqua socks (that were still a little too big the end of last summer...!!! :eek:). Any ideas on where to find those in Feb??? I've looked online, but they're so much more expensive...

 

We live in CA near the beach, those things are easy to find out here. Although growing up we just did things barefoot. That was years ago.

My nephew grew 1 inch and his new formal pants were waiting for the flood.

[napls2]

I find if I pack too early I keep forgetting what I put in there, so I just have a box that I keep or a suitcase that I just throw things in for the cruise. I have a spot in my closet that I put all the formalwear for everyone in and anything else that I have taken to the cleaners and can do without everyday wear. I make my list and don't check it off until I put it in a permanent suitcase for travel. I found that if I checked it off my list and put it in a box for travel, someone would come by and use that brush or pull out the kids lanyard to see what it was, or the sun would come out and the ONLY bottle of sunscreen they could find would be in my travel box. I do put my youngest clothes in baggies ahead of time and get her ready because I have lots of extra clothes for her, but the rest of us, clothes are packed pretty late in the picture.

[Daycare Provider]

I am running behind..we leave in two months and I just started packing....:eek:

I bought my new swim suit today and a few things for our first-aid kit...we always bring...Ibuprofin, small box of band-aids(that darn coral gets us everytime)pepto Bismol, Immodium A-D, triple antibiotic cream...these are just a few things for the first-aid kit...

Angela

[mjmalino]

Due to lack of space to keep suitcases out, and wanting to be able to use some of the clothes prior to us leaving, what I do is start a "cruise box". It is just an empty cardboard box (but a plastic storage container works well too) and start putting things in it that I bought specifically for the cruise, or things that I don't always travel with. For instance, I do more domestic traveling to visit family, but one of the first things that goes into my cruise box are our passports. I will also add ties for my DS for formal nights. When we went to Alaska 2 years ago also packed our rain ponchos. I tend to also place flight itineraries, ship boarding docs, hotel confirmations, etc. in the box. When we went to Alaska I was teaching in a school that was closing for good and was responsible for pretty much tearing my room down so I had almost no time to start packing for vacation in earnest. We also left the day after my last work day, so my cruise box really was a life saver because I would thing "I can't forget ________" and I would immediately put it in the box.

[imsmpls]

Thanks for the support everyone!!!

 

 

 

I hear you on this one!! I just found out that my DD's outgrown her aqua socks (that were still a little too big the end of last summer...!!! :eek:). Any ideas on where to find those in Feb??? I've looked online, but they're so much more expensive...

 

I just bought 1 pair of Dora water socks for DD(5) and Spiderman socks for for DS(4) on EBay. About $5/ea including shipping

[Karysa]

Due to lack of space to keep suitcases out, and wanting to be able to use some of the clothes prior to us leaving, what I do is start a "cruise box". It is just an empty cardboard box (but a plastic storage container works well too) and start putting things in it that I bought specifically for the cruise, or things that I don't always travel with. For instance, I do more domestic traveling to visit family, but one of the first things that goes into my cruise box are our passports. I will also add ties for my DS for formal nights. When we went to Alaska 2 years ago also packed our rain ponchos. I tend to also place flight itineraries, ship boarding docs, hotel confirmations, etc. in the box. When we went to Alaska I was teaching in a school that was closing for good and was responsible for pretty much tearing my room down so I had almost no time to start packing for vacation in earnest. We also left the day after my last work day, so my cruise box really was a life saver because I would thing "I can't forget ________" and I would immediately put it in the box.

 

I like your idea of the "cruise box" but I would be afraid to leave our passports any where other than in my fireproof safe. I am going to start mine tonight for my upcoming cruise because I have started to tuck a few things away in a drawer in my kitchen and another in my bedroom and the box would definitely make it easier.

Karysa

[lilrere]

And I thought I was bad for wanting to start packing a month in advance!:p What I have been doing is hanging all my clothes for the cruise together in the closet so all I have to do is pull them out and I can see just how many outfits I have especially for my son! Happy packing!!

[MamaParrotHead]

You could do what I do, since we don't have a guest bedroom at our house....

 

I put an empty suitcase in the corner of our bedroom, and start piling stuff up in it. So, each time I walk past it, it is unsightly, but I am reminded of our upcoming cruise (yeah!) and I toss another item or two on the suitcase pile.

 

CeleBrat

That's what I do, too. Probably starting about 2 months out, LOL. I don't want the stuff to get ruined (stained, ripped, LOST) before we go. Because then I'd have to make a change to my CLOTHING SPREADSHEET....bwahahahahahaha! ;):D (and no, I'm not kidding, ROFLMAO).

[MamaParrotHead]

Due to lack of space to keep suitcases out, and wanting to be able to use some of the clothes prior to us leaving, what I do is start a "cruise box". It is just an empty cardboard box (but a plastic storage container works well too) and start putting things in it that I bought specifically for the cruise, or things that I don't always travel with. For instance, I do more domestic traveling to visit family, but one of the first things that goes into my cruise box are our passports. I will also add ties for my DS for formal nights. When we went to Alaska 2 years ago also packed our rain ponchos. I tend to also place flight itineraries, ship boarding docs, hotel confirmations, etc. in the box. When we went to Alaska I was teaching in a school that was closing for good and was responsible for pretty much tearing my room down so I had almost no time to start packing for vacation in earnest. We also left the day after my last work day, so my cruise box really was a life saver because I would thing "I can't forget ________" and I would immediately put it in the box.

 

OOOOOOOOOooooooooo...goooood one!

[ncmomof2]

I just found out that my DD's outgrown her aqua socks (that were still a little too big the end of last summer...!!! ). Any ideas on where to find those in Feb??? I've looked online, but they're so much more expensive...

 

Thanks to everyone who suggested sources for aqua socks/water shoes. I lucked out today -- our local Walmart put out what looked like the remains of last year's water shoes at a clearance price! I found a pair in my DD's size for $1!!! :eek::D:D Now why most folks around here would want them now, I dunno -- we had a heat wave the past couple of days with highs about 70...maybe that means it's time to by beachwear???? :rolleyes: But I'm sure grateful!

 

I'm kinda going with the cruise box/suitcase idea, except it's a pile of shopping bags in my closet... I'd still rather have it spread out where I can see it, but I'm surviving somehow...:o:p

[mactrio]

I'm going to begin packing Friday (we leave in 10 days) I have lists of what I'm bringing for each of us and all I need to do is check it off as it gets put in the suitcase.