My Bags Are Packed I'm Ready To Go!

My favorite daughter returns home tonight! Her student teaching in the Dominican Republic ends and her Council Rock experience begins!

As we were skyping the other night she was mentioning that she had bought vanilla and before I could get the words out of my mouth, she said "I know, I put them in a Ziploc!"

The following packing tips are not for the affluent traveler who can take as many bags as they want, wear multiple outfits, buy whatever they have forgotten to pack or has the luxury of unpacking into a walk in closet. This is for the parents who decide to take 3 children under age 5 on a 8 week trip to Europe and discover they are pregnant with their 4th the first week they are there! True! As we packed, we knew we were the only two people capable of carrying anything and on top of that we needed to bring a portacrib, stroller and 8 weeks worth of diapers. It was at that time I got serious about packing!

1. Less is more - lay out what you want to bring and then put half back in the closet. Unless you have the room to bring it, don't. Only bring things that can be used more than once (excluding underwear). We decided on 2 back packs and a large suitcase for all 5 of us - so space was limited.

2. Bag everything! I learned this trick on my first missions trip - we were given duffel bags to pack our stuff in. When we arrived we lived out of these bags for 10 days. Ever try to find a pair of socks at 5:30am with no lights? Now, I put everything in mesh bags (I found them at the dollar store) All the socks and undies go in one bag, t-shirts in another, shorts, etc. It makes finding your clothes so much easier. At first I put whole outfits in a bag, but I like a little more spontaneity in my life! If you are able to unpack and put your clothes in a dresser where you are going, this hint in unnecessary!

3. Ziploc bags - every liquid goes in - there is nothing worse than NyQuil all over your clothes! I also put together a baggie of band aids, ointment, etc. to travel with - in case of injuries. Each of us has our own toiletry bag - this was a present for when they went on their first missions trips. They keep it stocked with the items they need.

4. Leave a copy of your itinerary and passport at home with a friend - also copies of your credit cards - Ryan had his passport stolen in Africa and this came in very handy!

5. Have a going home outfit! Save one outfit, complete with undergarments to travel home in - it will make that trip all the more pleasant - for everyone! We also pack an outfit and toothbrush in our carry on in case we get laid over somewhere - this has happened more than once. And I must say taking 25 teenagers to the Walmart to buy "unmentionables" can be exciting!

6. That won't fit! - Just watch me! - I am notorious for closing bags - the trick is to sit on it and squeeze all the air out of it. Also, to shuffle the contents, I will lift up the bag and drop it, to let everything settle, it's amazing how it then zips. But make sure you weigh it - they don't mess around with weight at the airports and fines are pricey!

7. Let your kids pack! - I actually hate to pack, so this was easy - I would give them a list of what they needed and double check on them- now it is just the amount of days we will be gone and we  go through the checklist verbally - toothbrush, pj, extra shoes. You can buy most items you might have forgotten and if you forget your underwear once,  you'll never make that mistake again!

8. Air Bags - you know those bags that you suck all the air out of with a vacuum cleaner hose. We borrowed them when Colin was moving to CO for school. He was packing quilts, blankets, towels, snow gear - so I felt they were helpful, but for normal packing, I wouldn't invest in them - just lay on top and squeeze - works about the same and is much more fun!

This is kind of basic ideas, geared a little more towards missions trips, but wherever you go, it helps to pack efficiently - it will make your trip easier and if you don't have to buy forgotten items - it will give you extra cents to use on your trip!