Relieve Vacation Stress By Planning Ahead

Cindy looks at the calendar and sighs. Ah, the end of May. What a busy time! Memorial Day is just around the corner and the package for her mom for Mother's day is still sitting on her bedroom floor. There are graduations to attend, parties to plan and vacations to pack for. The thought of getting away for a family vacation brings a smile to her face, but preparing her family for that trip is another story.

The night before their trip Cindy is in a dazed panic. She has a huge pile of laundry and she is just beginning to pack. Three year old Megan is a huge help... as Cindy puts things in the suitcase, Megan takes them out. Seven year old Nicole insists that she can pack herself (five stuffed animals, her blanket and swim suit should just about do it!). Then of course there is Zachary (6 months) who needs everything under the sun for a short trip. Cindy and Mike are up until 1:00am packing.

After an hour on the road the kids start asking, "How much longer til we get there?" Mike decides to look at the map and realizes it's still at home. A quick stop for a map turns into a major episode when Cindy goes to change Zachary's diaper and realizes the diaper bag was buried underneath the luggage! Five stops, 2 changes of clothing and 3 bribes later, the Fry's arrive at their hotel exhausted.

The next morning everyone is excited to finally get to Disneyland. Cindy begins searching for the Buy One Get One Free coupon she is sure she packed,.... somewhere. Meanwhile, Mike gathers the camera and video camera and notices the video camera never got charged. After a long search for the coupon and waiting for the video camera to charge, they are on their way. The first character the kids run into is Cinderella. Mike gets out the camera to capture the moment only to find out he is out of film. The rest of their vacation continues in much the same fashion and by the time they arrive home Mike and Cindy are ready for a vacation from their vacation.

Tracy looks at her calendar and begins to plan. May is a busy month and they will be going on vacation over Memorial Day weekend. She counts up the graduation parties and makes a note on her "to do" list to buy graduation cards for the upcoming month. Next she begins going over their upcoming vacation plans. Pulling up her list of things to do before she leaves and revising her packing list makes packing a breeze. Next week Tracy will have the car serviced, find a neighbor who can feed the pets, buy film, charge the video camera, print out maps and stop at the post office to have their mail put on hold.

Several days before their trip Tracy checks the weather at their destination and prints out the packing lists. Brook, who is 7, is old enough to pack herself with a list in hand. Tracy allows Brandon to pick things out and help cross things of the list as they pack his bag together. Feeling so good about the work he's done, Brandon beams with pride. Later that night Tracy will pack for herself and baby Alex. The day before the trip, Tracy fills the car up with gas and takes the kids to the grocery store to buy snacks for the trip. They separate things in baggies and include wet wipes and napkins for spills and put it all in the van.

The drive to California is long but do-able with goodie bags and snacks packed for the kids and frequent stops made. Of course, the built-in DVD player in the van is a life saver! When the kids ask how much further, Kevin points to the rear view mirror to show how far they've gone and how much farther they need to go (see tips section).

Disneyland turns out to be everything they hoped for and the Tell's have pictures and video to record their memories. It was great to get time away from home and to have time together as a family just having fun.

Planning ahead, rather than packing the night before you leave for a trip, will help your vacation get started on the right foot.

Travel tips:

? Keep a toiletry bag packed all year round. Do the same for a make up bag and a medicine bag. When it is time to leave for a trip, you will save time by not having to pack these things. Just throw the bag in the suitcase.
? If traveling by plane and checking luggage, tie each piece with a bright colored strip of cloth or ribbon. This will make finding it easier from the carasol.
? Choose thin, wrinkle resistent clothing for lower maintenance.
? Limit the amount of shoes you take. Choose clothing that works with 2-3 pairs of shoes. Wear the bulkiest ones on travel day.
? Pack more tops than bottoms. Bottoms (pants, skirts or shorts) take up more room and can be worn more than once.
? Leave the house in good order so you don't have to return to a messy home.
? Create a list on the computer for things that need to be done before you leave on a trip.
? Create a packing list on the computer which can be revised for each trip.

Travel tips for families with children:

? When the kids ask how much farther, use the rearview mirror to give them an idea. If the left side of the mirror represents where home is, and the right side is your destination, point somewhere in the middle to indicate how far you have traveled.
? If you are traveling with infants or small children, consider traveling at night.
? Switching seats can add variety.
? Invest in a portable or built in TV/DVD player (be sure to limit the time they watch it, but it is a great way to help pass them time).
? Fill a ziploc bag with plastic silverware, napkins, straws and wet wipes. Also bring along a towel or two, some trash bags and paper towels for just about any type of mishap.
? If you are making a long car trip, consider packing a small bag of goodies for each state you pass through. You can fill them with treats and small toys.
? Pack books on tape, narrated stories on tape (such as Adventures in Odyssey or The Chronicles of Narnia) or bring books you can read to them.

Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the Phoenix area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org

---

Letting Go of Clutter In Your Office

Some people would say I'm the last person in the world to be writing about clearing out clutter; I seem to accumulate so much of it. But I also get rid of it,... Read More

Saving Memories Without Losing Your Mind

The summer is flying by for Cindy and her family. It seems like just last week when they visited Disneyland. In fact, it seems like last month Nicole was born and now she's... Read More

Clutter-Clearing and Your Authentic Self

Have you ever felt so discouraged, your life so out-of-control, the universe so unresponsive to your needs and desires, that you couldn't help it: you just had to clean up? By paying attention... Read More

The Natural Law of Attrition

I'm cheap and proud of it.I use and re-use things carefully. It pains me in particular to waste food. The Buddhist/Catholic in me wants to find a way to airlift leftover rice and... Read More

Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 1

Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like a daunting and insurmountable task. Let's face it, paper can be intimidating and overwhelming. It comes relentlessly and without warning, and it never... Read More

Are You Stuck In The Clutter Trap?

You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting relatives started you on a pathway to accumulation. By the time you were a year old, you had mounds of functional clothing, twenty... Read More

Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database

What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the contacts you make in your organisation? Do you:Collect business cards and throw them in the bottom of your desk drawer hoping one day... Read More

Spruce Your Environment, Spruce Your Spirit

After a long winter, this is the time of year to spruce up your environment with a good Spring Cleaning. It's amazing what doing this can do for one's state of mind.Not only... Read More

Everything Fits Together Perfectly!

Here's a little lesson I experienced while packing boxes for my move to Victoria, BC.I decided to pack my own belongings so that I would have more money to set up my apartment... Read More

A Personal Action Plan for Change

There are eight distinct steps to constructing and executing an action plan for effective and lasting change.Item 1: Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses.In the "Betterchange" workbook there's an exercise contributed by the late... Read More

Get Organized: 10 Universal Laws

The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in getting organized is to 3-pile everything:pile one is for those things to throw away, pile 2 is for those things that need immediate... Read More

Tossing and Turning

"The real question is, why do you want it? What are you going to do with it? That's where you've got to start; otherwise you're going to waste a lot of money."These are... Read More

Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter

Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing important papers. Protect your manicure by weeding out your filing system at least once a year, purging papers you no longer need to... Read More

Creative Storage Solutions

When the things in your home start crowding in around you and you're short on cash, it's time to come up with some creative storage solutions. Don't be afraid to think "out of... Read More

Cleaning Out Your Closet

Helping people clean out their closet is something I love to do. It helps me understand them by seeing what they have collected and what they hold on to. I find it satisfying... Read More

How to Prevent Piles of Paper!

If you have piles of paper all over your desk, you're going to love this article.The method is called FAT. I'm not sure who invented the acronym but it really works.A piece of... Read More

Compartmentalize

The word "compartmentalize" means to separate into distinct parts. I am intrigued with the fact that the word "mental" is in the word. For me, it illustrates the need to separate mentally what... Read More

50 Ideas to Organize Your Home

"Organize" is a familiar word heard on many of today's popular decorating shows. Every family has its struggles with some type of clutter whether it is stacks of papers or a cluttered and... Read More

Balance - And Other Things

The Mexican VillagerThe American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow-fin... Read More

Kids Clutter: Organizing at Every Age

Our children are probably the biggest clutter creators we have in our homes -- even more so than the dreaded paper flow. It starts out innocently, when we find out we are expecting;... Read More

The Clutter Factor: From Packrativity to Productivity

? Are you embarrassed when you walk into your home or office? ? Do you frequently run out of space? ? Is your desk piled high with UPO's (unidentified piled objects)? ? Are... Read More

Daily Systems Keep You Organized

Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook prepares tasty meals in a hectic, rush-rush environment, and does it all with a smile? The answer is simple: A system. The next... Read More

Mental Clutter- Is It Taking Over Your Life?

Chances are, most of you have a lot you need to get done.Oftentimes, there are projects on your to-do list that require SEVERAL steps in order to complete the task at hand.I've come... Read More

Ten Signs That Your Life Is Cluttered

How do you know if you need to clean out? Here's a sure-fire ten-step way to spot (and deal with!) clutter in your life.YOU HAVE TO MOVE A PILE OFF A CHAIR SO... Read More

After the Clutter: 5 Steps to a New Daily Routine

I've noticed that in the two years since the major de-cluttering of my apartment, clutter has been creeping back in.So what DO you do after you've cleared the clutter? If your day-to-day routines... Read More

Simple Ideas to Conquer Paper Clutter

Are stacks of papers, mail, newspapers, and growing "to do" lists cluttering your home? Has it been months since you've seen your countertops or have you completely forgotten what your countertops look like?... Read More

Life Lessons - Get What You Want; A Lesson from a Green Sea Turtle!

Sometimes major life lessons come from the most unlikely of sources. As strange as it may sound, I learned one of my biggest lessons about the importance of knowing what I want out... Read More

Clear Your Clutter and Free Your Life

Whatever your clutter problem the answer is the same: make a decision to clear your clutter and then take action to clear your clutter.Without action, the decision is meaningless. Without the right decision... Read More

Thinking Outside the Box

Much of my time as a Professional Organizer is spent helping people to put things into containers and boxes. But, success in this business requires as much thinking "outside the box" as it... Read More