You compulsive packers will be glad to know that Jason and I decided to do an informal sort of pre-packing. In our spare bedroom we have put several boxes and labeled them and we're throwing things into them NOW that we know we need to take but will not use before we go. Like:
---all the ties....like I said we never EVER wear ties here, so we won't use them before we go
---pirate costumes
---bathing suits and swimming shoes
---shorts (because the likelihood we'll have any shorts weather before May 4th is not very good)
---toiletries (since our total trip is going to be almost a full month I decided we'd just go buy a brand new deodorent, toothpaste, full bottle of all of my onslaught of hair products, etc. and pack them unopened so we know we have plenty and won't run out mid-trip by bringing half-used product from our cupboards, etc.)
In addition as we think of things we know we will need to bring (like the number of pairs of underwear and socks) I'm writing that on index cards and dropping that in the boxes, too. That way the week of the trip we'll get out the suitcases and start trasnferring stuff from box to suitcase and when we come upon an index card we'll run to the drawers and closets adn get those items.
I was pretty pleased with myself for devising such a system!![]()
Erik
A man after my own heart!!!

By the way, we found at our local Target's travel section that they carry travel packs of toilet seat covers and toilet paper. We got some because we were not sure what the facilities in the ports will be like and better safe than



