Overwhelmed by packing

[Timide]

We are travelling tomorrow and I have spent the whole day packing for myself and two children. I'm exhausted and not anywhere near finished! Piles of clothes everywhere, loads of little things to pack like toiletries, medicine, shoes, etc. It is a disaster. It doesn't help that we are going to a completely different weather and will be staying there for two months at least. Gosh. Please tell me smth reassuring. Im gonna burst in tears and I need to pack lunch and snacks for everyone!!! Taxi is at 8 am and two long flights ahead. Why is packing so so difficult for me???

To make it easy:

This is what I do:
go in child 1 bedroom
7 socks, 7 pants, 7 t-shirts, 7 shorts, 2

swimmers

then I repeat this process for everyone else

re toiletries

i went onto Boots website and ordered, throw away toothbrushes, toothpaste, creams, shampoos and that was that sorted - just popped them in the case straight from delivery

re shoes: it’s one pair of sliders each and you travel in your pair of shoes. Use the same outfit you travel in to return home in

itll take ten minutes to whip up a packed lunch

I am just like you. I also can't hold everything in my head at once so if I get distracted mid task I end up e.g. not bringing half of the two years olds clothes.

On the plus side once packing is done you can relax a bit as that's one of the worst parts! And as long as you have passports, credit cards an prescription medications, anything else can be bought if you really need it.

Just remind yourself that unless you are going to Antarctica, there will be shops where you can pick up things.

Thank you for your support! Almost no sleep but at least is seems I have taken most of the things
Now making packed lunches and tiding up
A busy day ahead!

So long as you've got your passports, money / access to it / any applicable visa or covid paperwork / prescribed medication / contact lenses or glasses for any wearers then everything else can be done without or bought afresh.

I assume if you're going for 4 months you'll have access to laundry facilities? If the weathers going to change over that time pack for a week of the weather now plus a week of the weather at the end.

*Two months not Four months

I find packing really difficult too, the times in put things in the cases and take them back out to check etc! Have a lovely holiday.

Have a great time!! As others are saying, focus on tickets, passports, credit cards and money, medicines, and covid certificates. The rest is best effort!

It's hard! Concentrate on the stuff you can't really buy (as too expensive) if needed. From experience for us this is hiking boots, sunglasses, chargers, headphones, shoes. Everything else just put out on the bed and make sure you have enough pants and socks! I once forgot to pack anything at all for one child!

IKEA packing pods,tie something on the zip so each family member knows which is theirs.
Whip pants and socks into one and clothes into another.
It's made packing so much easier and children can pack their own. Start encouraging them to write their own packaging list.

Good advice about disposal toothbrush etc but make sure it's decent quality.

A tip for next time - A good old fashioned list with a red pen to tick off as you go. It's extremely satisfying and takes the pressure off. I'm a perimenopausal mess and couldn't manage without everything written down.

I use a notebook and generally start my list a month before we go.

Essentials (passports, ticket printouts etc)

Medicines and first aid

Kitchen & laundry

Food

Toiletries

Items needed for pets/whoever is watering plants or looking after house. Alarm code, Keys, pet food etc.

A page per person for clothes and shoes.

Last minute checks such as turn off switches, chuck out food that will go off..

This is why you need to make a list first - and while it can't work for you this time, at least writing the list a week ahead really helps, as you can make sure everything's washed and done.
Even if you're mid-packing, pausing to write a list and check it off makes things SO much easier. Clothes, toiletries, electronics (and chargers!), gifts are usually the key things.

I'm not naturally an organised person, but have realised over time that this actually means you have to actually be more organised when travelling, especially with kids... Someone who finds this easy probably could pack the day before and be ok, but for people like you or me who can get a bit overwhelmed by it all, we need to be really rigorous about lists and order, or the whole thing collapses a bit.

Make sure that you've done the same for the airport - write a list of what needs to go in your handbag and be accessible (passports, phone, credit card, nappies/sanpro etc if relevant etc), so you're not stuck in another muddle going through customs