Oh my word... when did packing become so difficult?!?!?!

[JESW]

Good luck!!

It is thursday morning and we leave saturday morning and I haven't even gotten the luggage down from the attic! But my kids are a little older at 9 & 13 and we've pretty much got packing down to a science. Today I am working on getting all the laundry washed. I also have to clean the hamster and bird cages, the bathrooms and the kitchen.

We all have a carry-on bag and the kids have gotten used to me packing "surprises" in the bag. As they have gotten older it has gotten harder to find things. Years ago my dd was happy with coloring books and some new markers! I tried to stop it last trip but they wouldn't hear of it!

We are also from MA and will be flying out of Logan saturday morning on Jet Blue. This trip we will be at Saratoga Springs. Let's hope the storms stay away!

Jill

 

[PEANUT1]

I think a lot of women pack for their husbands. It is sort of a control thing. Sometimes I pack for him and sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood

 

[carone0318]

Dh gathers the clothes that he will be bringing on the trip and I do myself and the kids, but I physically pack the bags because I split all of our clothes between the different bags - so if the airline "misplaces" one of our bags we aren't completely out of underwear or something. So, with this trip we will have 4 bags and each bag will hold about 3 outfits for each person.

I don't pick his clothes out though - that's on him!

I have a hard enough time packing for myself. I just went to the shore for the weekend a couple of weeks ago and forgot my bathing suit - but at least the kids had theirs...

 

[Disney_Angel]

Pack when they are in bed. Let them choose one animal or doll to take.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Most def. kick them out with Daddy!! I get really weird when I pack!! I just started letting my boys pack(for any trip) over the last year. They are 12 & 9---but they are packers like myself, so they know how to do it. Also, they have a packing list right there on their beds to check with

Before they could only do backpacks-which of course I had to check when they are finished. I do send hubby to eat and a movie with them for big trips like this. My daughter is 5 and there is NO way she's packing!!! The backpack is hectic enough!!

Now, my husband... NEVER have you seen a packer like this. It's unbelievable, I think he believes we are gonna be stranded on a desert island, with no place to wash or buy clothing. It's really ridiculous. He ALWAYS has to pay for his suitcase going over the weight limit Those poor ladies that try to hoist it onto the scale---they try and then it's "Sir, can you help me just put this up here,please?" I am just cringing.

 

[goofyisinphilly]

I do most of the packing and that includes loading the car. My DH lays out his clothes and I approve or...tell him to find an alternative. He doesn't think to check if shirts have holes or stains.

Now loading the car.. my wonderful exceptionally smart DH is well...space challenged. He has no idea how to visualize how to fit everything in. He just starts cramming stuff in and then yells to me that it won't all fit. Then we have to pull it all out and start over with me directing and loading. After 8 years you would think it would occur to him to just wait until I can help from the get go. It has become sort of a ritual.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

There is NO way I am allowing anyone in this household to even touch a suitcase until I have completely packed and re-packed....just a touch of control issues...hey admitting to a problem is half the battle, right?
Seriously though, if I let my husband pack for himself it would be stained and ripped "Punisher" t'shirts from like 1990 something!!!!! And no way am I letting him ruin our vacation by having our first ever Disney photos with an old ketchup stain and a hole in the side...and I could go on, but you get the picture. Not to mention that my girls are only 4 and 8...nope, noway, no-how!!!!
But then I work midnights so to stay up past their bedtime to get some peaceful packing done is no big deal!!!! Good luck and not to worry, it will all work out in the end and you will have an awesome vacation, stained shirts or no stained shirts!!!!

 

[laughinplace199]

I pack for myself and the kids, DH packs for himself.

My oldest two kids are 9 & 7. They pack their own backpacks, which they use as carryons for the plane. They know thay need to pack undies, socks, and one outfit in case luggage gets lost. They also pack the special stuffed animal that they sleep with. Other than that, they pack whatever toys, books, coloring books, etc that they want. However, they know that they have to carry their backpacks themselves, so they make sure the backpacks aren't too heavy.

OP, good luck! Maybe you can get more done once they're asleep!

 

[mrsstarwarz]

I had to post on this thread. I just asked my dh if he had enought shorts for our trip in less than 2 weeks! He tells me he has one pair of shorts and that is enough...WHAT????? Are you kidding me??? He planned on wearing the same shorts for 7 days?!?!?! So needless to say yesterday went ot Old Navy and bought him shorts! UGH!

So I pack for me and the kids and for Dh he packs his bag but I shopped for it!