Packing Blur

This summer has been a packing blur!  

These were our trips:

May 28-29 Wisconsin (3 hour drive)

June 5-12 Tennessee (12 hour drive)

June 19-24 LG - camp

June 30 - July 3 Wisconsin

July 8-10 Family Reunion (WI)

July 21-23 Wisconsin

July 24-26 Anniversary Trip (children to farm) (less than one hour drive)

Aug. 2-8 Tennessee

Aug. 11-14 Wisconsin

(& Sept. 3-5 Wisconsin ~ but I'm not counting it in these statistics, because it was after school started)

83 days of summer vacation

26 nights away (+ 5 nights of camp for LG)

Almost 1/3 of summer vacation spent away from home

9 trips (+ camp for LG)

9 (or 10) times packing 

9 (or 10) times unpacking

average trip: 2.89 nights

All but two of these trips, we had to take our bedding, towels, etc.  

Most of them, I had to provide meals. 

Once, we only had one night between trips to do laundry and re-pack. 

Only one of these trips was on the calendar before school was out.  (Imagine scheduling doctor appointments or VBS or day camp or swim lessons or speech therapy, not knowing when you'll be in town.)

I got smarter as time went on ... and kept some things packed.  I packed sheets as soon as they were washed.  I kept the swim bag packed with towels, goggles, sun screen, swim suits and beach blanket.  

I remembered to take a thermal bag and ice packs to bring home any leftover food. 

I learned to go to Dollar General the day before a trip and buy candy to take, rather than being tempted to buy candy at gas station stops along the way (for a lot more $$). 

Hopefully I'll remember these things next May. :) 

What are your best packing tips?