We are heading out for a family vacation to the cottage for 5 days and I am in charge of packing! Why does it always feel like we pack enough stuff for a month away and it always takes 12 hours to pack it up and in the van. I always find it hard to organize what to bring since I am packing for 2 kids, me and my husband, and 2 dogs!! I have devised an organization of lists and tips to help out.
Just to give you an idea of our cottage living, we share a one room cabin with family friends from the states as well as my mother in law. Our friends from the states have two kids in their 20′s who come up periodically and many dogs. For this vacation there are 7 adults, my two kids and 6 dogs. So needless to say there is not a lot of room for everyone! My mother in law bought a pop up tent trailer for us to stay in but we also bring a tent since the kids are still young and not used to sleeping in the same area as anyone else.
And so the packing begins! Here are the lists and 5 tips:
1. Pack for every type of weather, both cold nights and hot days
2. Packing in tubs or laundry baskets helps to store last minute things and different sized items
3. Try to leave non essentials at home, you can always survive a couple of days without them
4. Make a list to minimize the stress
5. Pack while kids are sleeping or occupied so there are less distractions to forget things
To Bring:
Dogs- bed and food
Dave and Nina- clothes, books
Kids- clothes (warm, hats, shoes, sandals, bathing suits, light clothes, pjs), blankies, stuffies, books, toys, play pen, exersaucer, diapers, swim diapers, wash clothes, wipes, sippy cups
Family- tent, air mattress, sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, flashlight, food, drinks, shampoo, and other toiletries, towels, life jackets, fishing rod, bug spray and sunscreen
It is always worth the hours of packing, unpacking, then repacking and unpacking again at home, the many loads of laundry and sleepless nights! The joy on Owens face as he catches yet another sunfish and little Anna’s excitment about playing in the lake keeps us going back. We look forward to our next trip as a family.
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