My grandparents had a huge world globe in their home. As a child I would close my eyes, spin the globe and daydream about visiting the location my finger settled on when the globe stopped moving. I have always loved to travel. I enjoy researching contenders, planning the trip, and even packing. I know that last one makes me sound like a freak but it’s true. I really enjoy the process of planning out my outfits and the challenge of getting them all to fit into one bag that doesn’t tip the scale and cost a fortune.
My joy of packing was lost once I became a mom. Packing for myself is easy, rewarding, and enjoyable. Packing for children? Not so much. I quickly found it to be frustrating and overwhelming. The younger the child, the more stuff you need to bring which adds even more stress. Then there are the meltdowns that arise when Little Johnny learns you failed to pack his favorite teddy bear. A few years back I decided the only way to continue going on trips with my family without losing my mind was to teach my boys how to pack their own luggage. I spent some time devising a packing system that includes a packing checklist and have been using it ever since. Thankfully, my boys have become more responsible and I have greatly reduced my pre-vacation stress. Win-win.
A few weeks before we go on a trip, I print the checklist for each of my boys (aged 7 and 12) and attach it to a clipboard. They answer the questions, read over the tips, input the numbers in the # column according to the weather forecast and the activities we will be doing (yay elementary math!), then raid their closets and drawers for the items they need. They lay out the clothes, toiletries, comfort items, and miscellaneous things on their bed, then check off the items in the Packed columns.
Once their job is complete and every box marked, I look the items over and try not to care if nothing matches. Then we place the items in our oh-so-handy eBags before laying them in their suitcases. Never heard of eBags? They make organizing your travel items a cinch and keep your clothes from getting wrinkled. Seriously – check them out.
Our checklist packing system is a work in progress but the boys are becoming more adept at it and I figure they will eventually get it down. Without further ado, here’s the checklist I use. Feel free to download and modify it to meet your own children’s unique needs. Then, don’t forget to bask in the glory of watching little Johnny pack his own damn teddy bear.
