Packing for a Trip?

My second daughter Aftyn at 10 months, preparing for an airplane trip.

Make a list!

I know first hand how stressful it can be when trying to pack a family for a trip--especially when you have little ones or a baby. Believe me, I've had many a trip with my little ones to be really good at packing efficiently and I never forget anything! This morning I was talking to my mom on the phone and she was mentioning all the things she had to remember to pack in her suitcase for her upcoming trip (to see me!). She was worrying that she wouldn't remember everything she needed as she had to pack things she doesn't usually bring.

I suggested she try what I do-- make a list! Here's how I go about it:
One Week Before...

1. Get a piece of paper for each person you'll be packing for and write their names at the top of the paper.
2. Write down as many things as come to mind that each person will need.
3. Keep the lists in a handy place where you'll be able to find them.
4. Over the course of the week, refer back to lists and add to them as you think of more things that need to be packed (doing this ensures that nothing will be forgotten)

One Day Before...

1. Keeping your lists with you, start packing.
2. Check off items as you pack them.

Tips for Packing Babies and Toddlers

1. Place everything you need for a day's outfit into one gallon-size Ziploc bag ie shirt, pants, socks, underwear, hair ties. Do this for each day of your trip. It makes it so much easier to find what you're looking for!
2. Always pack extra outfits-- chances are you'll need them!
3. Designate one suitcase just for your baby. With diapers, wipes, extra clothes, etc. my babies always need a whole suitcase to themselves.
4. Put canisters of formula or rice cereal in a closed Ziploc bag too. You never know what a change in air pressure or elevation is going to do to those things and you don't want them to explode all over the inside of your suitcase! Yeah, it's happened to me before... not a pretty sight.

Trying to get ready for a trip is always stressful but if you follow a list I promise it'll go smoother and hopefully make your trip that much better because you know you have everything you need to make it so!

Organization Class Part IV--Placing!

Remember the rhyme? When organizing a space, think EDIT, SORT, and PLACE. Today we're going to talk about the last step, placing all your beloved things back where they belong.

Placing is by far the best step in my opinion. This is where you can use your creativity by incorporating storage into the overall decor and style of your home.

• It doesn't have to be costly! If you look at the picture above none of those containers cost me more than seven dollars. Drawer organizers (the flat white basket) cost about a dollar each and can be found at any Target, Wal-Mart or drugstore. You just have to be on the lookout for a deal. You can find really pretty baskets or bowls (like the one my 8 year-old uses for her library books) at a Ross or TJMaxx store for a great price. Craft stores such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby often have baskets at 50% off. When my local Wal-Mart gets their canvas bins in (seasonally) I stock up. They are durable, multi-functional, and cost about $3 each!
• Think pretty. My daughter was always leaving her library books out and I couldn't figure out where she could keep them that they wouldn't get ruined. After taking a trip to Ross with this problem in mind, I came across a beautiful red salad bowl and realized it would fit perfectly on the shelf of my entertainment center. Now Ainsley's books are nestled safely and out of sight and all my guests see is a pretty red bowl on the shelf!
• Think storage within storage. Our office area is the second place visitors see when they enter my home so it's crucial to keep it organized, functional, and pretty. Clutter and chaos drive me crazy and I noticed that all the wires were out of control. I had purchased a pretty green basket for them but they were always tangled and lost in there anyway. One day I had had enough and so I came up with a better way to keep all those wires contained. I grabbed my gallon sized Ziploc baggies and began sorting the wires into categories. (Ear phones, digital camera wires, video game controllers, etc.) Then I put all the bags back into the basket and labeled them (see picture above).
• Label Everything! This is especially crucial to pantry's, closets, and kid spaces. If you want to even have a prayer of keeping your spot organized then you have to make sure that everyone understands (husbands included) where things go. I prefer to make my own labels by typing what I want the label to say on my computer, printing it out, and then laminating it with my personal laminator. Labels last a lot longer if they're laminated. I've also been known to write out labels on the back of index cards and then attach them with painters tape, which sticks but won't ruin the surface it's sticking to.
• Zoning. When placing your items back in their home try to put all like items on the same shelf/corner/space. For example, one shelf in my pantry is dedicated to baking, another to dinner components, another to snack foods, etc. Zoning your items will make it so much easier to find what you're looking for.  I'm all about efficiency which is why I started organizing in the first place.

Happy placing everyone!