You Think I Would Have This Packing Thing Down By Now!

Here we are less than a handful of days before our Summer 2015 vacation and while I thought the packing was done—except for toiletries and medicine—I realized last night that I had forgotten a few things, like pajamas.

Let me explain the packing system—one suitcase for the first leg of our trip—4 nights at the Disneyland Hotel and enough clothes for 4 days, plus swimsuits for dips in the pool.  Another suitcase for the Legoland portion of our trip—2 nights, 2 days of clothes, and, of course, swimsuits.  Also packed jackets as movie night by the pool can get chilly.  This bag will also take on our toiletries.  A third suitcase for the last leg of our trip—5 nights at Paradise Pier and 4 days in the parks along with swimsuits.  A few days ago, I added another checked bag to our itinerary—click here to read more—and this bag has breakfast and snack items, shoes, and potential park necessities such as ponchos, umbrellas, a park bag, inflatable seat pillows (pocket seats—click here to read more) and glow sticks.  The plan is to limit the number of suitcases we are “living out of” during our trip.

Last night I realized two things. . . one, while I had packed pajamas for the husband in each of the bags, I had forgotten the boy’s jammies in all but one suitcase and I had left out jammies for me, too.  All in all, not a trip-breaker, but what if there was a fire?!?  And two, that I needed black shorts.  Okay, wanted black shorts, but the desire was so strong it felt like a need. 

Off to K-Mart I went.  They’ve reeled me in this summer with their “surprise” Shop Your Way Rewards points.  I found black shorts and they were 40% off.  Yippee!  And, a yellow shirt.  (Yes, I know that I have several yellow shirts, but this one was different—and it was on sale!)  When I went to check out the clerk informed me that if I spent $30 in clothing that I would save $10 because of “surprise” Shop Your Way Reward points.  Hmmm. . . that’s when I headed to the pajama section and then remembered that I hadn’t packed pajamas!  I found some P.J.’s for me and proceeded to check out. 

Since Target was on my way home, I went there next.  Jammies for the boy was the one and only thing on my list.  I found some.  They were not on sale, nor did I have a coupon.  I was going to bite the bullet and be satisfied with the 5% savings my Target Red Debit card would provide.  When I got to the check-out I remembered that I had $15 in Target gift cards from a health and beauty item deal in the last couple of weeks.  I whipped those gift cards out and the pajamas were mine!

You would think that I’ve got this packing thing down by now!  I do have the shopping thing down though. . .

P.S.  Our airline has a 40 pound weight limit on checked bags.  We got the floor scale out and the husband weighs himself and then picks up the suitcase and weighs himself again.  All bags so far have been under the 40 pounds—coming in close at 38 and 36 pounds.  Now I know where there is room for black shorts and pajamas!