{Survival Series} Pre-Trip Prep

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:

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

Click HERE for a printable list in Google Docs. I love the excel spreadsheet because I can edit it all I want but still save it from year to year. I'm also one that has no idea where to start but if you give me a template, I can easily be creative with it. Enjoy!

LuggageTags

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!

{Survival Series} Introduction

A Week at the Lake {Survival Series} Introduction

A week at the lake sounded fun when it was first mentioned to me 6 years ago. Since then, I have learned that a week at the lake is HARD WORK. Especially when you add in family and… the in-laws. My husband’s family has been going to the same lake during the last week in June for the last, wait for it, 36 years. Yes, 36 years they’ve been going to the same place. My mother-in-law, the wonderful woman that she is, has been a trouper. She has packing for this event seriously down to an art. She still uses her trusty notebook with lists and has truly grown with the times and how families change. In this series, I hope to help others and give tips and tricks for making a week at the lake as enjoyable as possible. Full of memories and excitement as well as plenty of carefree timelessness in the midst of being somewhere else and the stress that comes with it.

 

A Little bit about where we’re going. The cabin is about 2 hours away from our home. We don’t own it and its part of a resort that has a total of 8 cabins. Manly Man’s family rents out all of the cabins for the week (Saturday-Saturday). Over the years the transition has been from being his grandparents and their children who are now adults with their own families. Grandma might come for a day or two but now all of the cabins are rented out by aunts, uncles, and now Manly Man’s immediate family of brothers and sisters. We had our own bungalow for the first time last year and I was given a reality check as to how much work this really is. My mother-in-law has been very gracious in sharing her lists and experiences to help make this a very pleasant experience.

In the past, we had only lived 45 minutes from said lake and I would work during the day and come down for the evening or maybe stay a day or two here or there. I was able to pick things up from the store or grab things that we might have forgotten on the first trip. Now, not so much. The closest “town” is about 5 miles away and is very small with select amount of items at their grocery store. There are larger towns close by but unless you want to make an afternoon of running errands, you may want to have everything you need with you.

In this series, I hope to share my lists and tips and tricks with you. I’m only two years into doing this myself but I’ve learned so much and the more I look for ideas and help, the less I find so I figured someone might be looking for what I’ve already got. I hope you enjoy! Please share any tips and tricks you have too!