A Week at the Lake With Little Ones
{Survival Series}
Pre-Trip Prep
I have a fabulous App for packing called Packing Pro. The
only problem is that I’m a super visual person and if it’s out of sight, it’s
completely out of mind. That makes a list that I need to see sitting on the
counter pretty useless in a gadget. I end up checking it as we’re pulling out
of the driveway. This is NOT recommended and will result in at least one trip
back home within the first 10 minutes (Manly Man has a 15 minute limit for
turning around to get forgotten items).
There are also several hundred items involved in a trip like
this so I have my handy dandy excel spreadsheet (which I’m sure can be
transferred to my iTouch, I just haven’t taken the time to do it yet). So, you
get a googledocs list of my Pre-Trip packing and a list of things to do before
you even think about packing (like making that reservation to begin with!!).
This is my Pre-Trip List for our little family of four and the
things that we (mostly me) need to get done before we leave.
I set aside a space in our dining room for packing items as I purchase them and suitcases once they are packed. The towel on the floor is so we don't scratch the wood. Little Lady has decided that she wants to help so they look a little crazy but at least she feels like she's a part of the process. For packing the kid's suit cases, I use the "Ziploc Method" shown here from Money Saving Mom:
Instead of tape on the bags, I used a sticky note inside each bag naming the items inside the bag. I changed it because the weather in Minnesota can change from the forcast the day (or week, if your packing in advance) before so it's easier to dress by the weather the day of than try to figure it out a week before.
To Do (Pre-Trip)
At Home
·
give
itinerary/ trip details to another family member not going
·
lock up
valuables
·
take
out garbage - to curb
·
empty
trash - to garbage in Garage
·
unplug
appliances
·
turn
off water heater
·
water
plants
·
Plan
Menu
·
Shop
for food
·
Pack
Food
·
Pack
Supplies
·
Clean
Truck
·
Get
Pedicure
·
Update
appointments - medical, dental, hair, eye, etc
Equipment
Prep
·
recharge
batteries - digital camera, video
camera, cell phones
·
camera
bag x1
o digital camera x1
o Flash cards x5
o video camera
o USB drive
o cables
o battteries
Misc.
·
Maps
·
Notebook
·
Pen
·
Pencil
Laptop
Bag
·
Laptop
·
Laptop
Cord
·
Spare
Hard-drive
Laundry
·
Clothes
Pins
·
Detergent
·
Dirty
Clothes bag
General
Prep
·
Prepare
bank accounts – pay bills, etc
·
Reserve
Cabin – 1 year prior
·
Hold Mail
·
Arrange
for break from job
Medical
Prep
·
Prep
kids medications/vitamins
·
Prep
ICE packet – immunization records, etc
Documents
·
Contact
Info
·
Drivers
License
·
Photocopies
of documents
Luggage
·
Backpack
– ManlyMan
·
Tackle
Box
·
Suitcase
1 –ManlyMan
·
Suitcase
2 – Mom
·
Suitcase
3 – Lady Bug
·
Suitcase
4 – Little Dude
·
Camera
Bag
·
Laptop
Bag
·
Entertainment
Box/Bag
o
Kid’s
books, snacks, etc for travel
Boxes/Bins/Coolers
·
Food – refrigerated
·
Food –
non-perishables
·
Kitchen
items
·
Outdoor
·
Bathroom
·
General
Money
·
ATM
card
·
Cash
$200
·
Credit
Card
I love the luggage tags from Nick Jr. as my kids are huge fans of Bubble Guppies. You can find them here. I just laminated them and added a cord to them. Little Lady already knows that hers is black but I'll end up forgetting when we're unloading it's just easier to have a tag on them when I'm frantically
searching for something or trying to pack.
I'd love to hear any other additional tips and tricks for things that help you before you leave for a trip!
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