#TBT: the 15 steps of packing for a family vacation

On Thursdays I post from the vault. This is from Nov 2012 

We are gearing up for our big Peru trip this weekend, and I’m a teensy bit stressed. The fact that I like to procrastinate doesn’t help matters, and I typically end up in a self-fueling loop of non-helpful avoidance behaviors any time I need to seriously pack for a big trip. It goes a little something like this:

1. Make a list
2. Get suitcases out of garage
3. Go on facebook
4. Decide to pack, look for list, realize list is lost
5. Make a new list
6. Decide I should go online to check the weather. Go on facebook.
7. Start laying out clothes. Decide I hate my wardrobe.
8. Stress eat.
9. Yell at children.
10. Tell husband to pack the kids.
11. Overview what husband packed. Fight with husband over his choices and inability to match fabrics. Repack the kids.
12. Put kids to bed. Resume packing.
13. Decide I need to return some emails.
14. Go on facebook.
15. Realize it is 1am and we leave for the airport at 6am
16. Throw everything in a suitcase
It would be nice if I could skip the avoidance dance and just take a few hours to pack, but in talking to others, it sounds as though my packing avoidance dance is a universal experience.
How about you? Look familiar?

Source: #TBT: the 15 steps of packing for a family vacation