Early this fall friends helped me moved into a new apartment. One friend was wowed to see that I had packed a small, well-labeled box with bedding, a towel and pjs so I could make my bed right away and have a place to sleep that night. It had been so easy to put together, but turned out to be one of the best things I did while moving. My friends work during the day and weren’t available to start helping me move until evening, so you can imagine how grateful I was to have my “good night’s sleep” box late that night, when bedtime arrived and most of my other necessities were still stacked in moving boxes around my new space.
I learned the trick of preparing for the end of the day in advance from traveling. I used to fly a lot for work, and though I always planned to arrive at a reasonable hour, there were many times when it didn’t happen. Planes were delayed, traffic was bad, a party/meeting/conference ran on longer than intended – there were unfortunately many times when I stumbled, exhausted, into my hotel room at the end of a long day, with no energy left to hunt for my pjs. So I learned to pack pjs and toothbrush last, so they’d be the first things I’d find when I opened my bag. Quick access without needing to search helped me relax after a hard day, especially when I was stressed about the travel or something related to work. One of my colleagues had the power go out in his hotel the night he arrived. He said that finding everything needed for his night routine was not much fun when his mind was already full of nerves over presenting at a conference the next day.
What easy tricks can you share for packing for a big move or for travel to give you a peace of mind upon arrival?
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family!
Great idea that I have learned as well. I also always have a fresh top and underwear in my carry on, as you never know if you’ll be made to gate check a bag. I do the same for a bathing suit and ski clothes–getting to a resort and not having what you need is a miserable experience, unless you want to shop and spend top dollar. It’s all about being prepared for the worst and hoping for the best.
Thanks for sharing Phyllis! A good reminder.
Definitely a change of underwear, pjs, and as many toiletries as you can get away with in your carryon (deodorant and hairbrush at the very least, for freshening up); I’ve heard too many horror stories of lost luggage! In terms of moving, set aside a box for last-minute things the morning of the move. You might be surprised how many things you don’t realize you need until the last minute (towel, bedding, alarm clock, packing tape, scissors). My mom taught me the “make your bed first” rule when moving, so you can collapse whenever you need to.
Amy- thanks for sharing both points and your mom was smart about making-your-bed-first rule when moving. It’s a major lifesaver.