Anyone else find packing really difficult?

[Camrette]

I have a list so it’s not remembering it that’s a problem but just rounding everything up from around the house and making sure everyone has everything they might need. And there’s just so much stuff to take anywhere! Enough clothes for us all, toiletries, chargers, snacks, drinks, books, indoor toys and games, outdoor toys and games, pillows, sleeping bags, blankets, wetsuits, body boards, coats, shoes, buggy/backpack carrier...So. Much. Stuff.

Who is all of us? Adults sort themselves out and do the stuff for each child separately in a different packing cube.

Where you going? That is a lot of stuff on the list.

B my ah it’s easy, unpacking is a pain in the tits!

6 of us, 2 adults 4 children.
Going camping, but even staying with in laws we have to take pretty all of the stuff on the list. Holidays abroad are generally easier- fewer cold and wet weather options needed!

@BashfulClam

B my ah it’s easy, unpacking is a pain in the tits!

Ah now I don’t mind the unpacking-clothes bedding and towels to the washing machine, everything else back where it belongs. Plus all the food has been eaten so that’s a lot less stuff straight off!

I have recurring stress dreams about packing. Squeezing too much stuff into tiny suitcases with no time left to catch our flight.

Not going anywhere for a year has been a blessing in disguise really, no packing to haunt me!

@Camrette

6 of us, 2 adults 4 children. Going camping, but even staying with in laws we have to take pretty all of the stuff on the list. Holidays abroad are generally easier- fewer cold and wet weather options needed!

Enjoy your holiday. That sounds like hard work. Packing pre children was so much easier.

No, I’m great at packing. Husband gets completely stressed by it though - he’s the type that wants packing to be ready and in the car by the night before, I’m the type that puts my toothbrush in and then leaves

It was hard when the children were small but mine have helped since they were 5 or 6. I’d ask for a number each item of clothing at a time, so x pairs of knicks etc, they got good at it quickly and enjoyed it as a game.

I did it like this:
Each DC has a backpack for all their stuff, except clothes.
Bags for life:
One each for clothes
One for bedding and towels
One for misc stuff - leave it somewhere central a few days before and chuck stuff in as you find it
One for dry food and kitchen supplies
Cool box for chilled stuff
IKEA bag for footwear

I have actually turned down a few holidays because of the thought of packing

For a pre covid friends 40th, I was begged to join the group. One condition, a friend packed for me while I drank wine 🍷

Clothing is fine I think, probably why I don’t mind packing a suitcase to go on a plane so much! It’s more the gathering up of all the other crap that stresses me and the fact that half my downstairs is taken up with the ever mounting pile of stuff. (And the fact that I think I’ve got it sussed then someone says “let’s take swing ball/scrabble/more drinks” and I have to try to squeeze it in somewhere)

I hate it as well. But I also hate the other end. All the half used bit, unused bits. Dirty clothes. No excitement about getting away. And one one occasion two bags full of clothes covered in sick after norovirus at center parcs and no washing machine.

Ahh I love lists and packing for holidays- experienced campers here.

I'd say make several shorter lists eg
Clothes
Toys
Gear
....

Then have a dedicated areas where you collect the items on the lists.

Tick them off once securely packed away.

I usually start up to 2 weeks before with checking and collecting bigger items.

DC have their own lists, when younger I used to make packing fun by getting them to choose & fetch the items then cross out on the list...

PS Toys have always been DC responsibility from age 4/5 onwards! It's just 3-4 items each. (Baby toddler stage always something from the pound shop! )
Outdoor toys is just a ball skipping rope and badminton/ tennis kit.

Indoor it's a collection of board games- we have collection of 10 in 1 bought somewhere on holiday 😀

Enjoy.

I hate the pressure of forgetting something but if I let DP do it, we'd ever be walking around in underwear or tops with no bottoms.

I tend to lay it out and do it day by day with some extra tops/bottoms.

I really try to keep shoes to a minimum. They take up so much space!

DP will pack his own. I'm not doing his too!

Either*