Every Mom Packing for Vacation Be Like...

The Hilariously Accurate Stages of Packing for a Family Trip

It always starts the same way.

"I'm packing light this time."

😂😂😂

I say it with confidence, too.

This vacation will be different.

Everyone gets a reasonable number of outfits.

We don't need to prepare for every possible situation.

We can buy something if we forget it.

I am going to be a calm, organized, minimalist traveler.

And then I start packing.

Suddenly I'm preparing my family for a beach vacation, unexpected snowstorm, minor medical emergency, famine, electronics crisis, and possibly the complete collapse of civilization.

Because apparently when you're a mom, you're not simply packing for vacation.

You're preparing for every possible version of the vacation.

The Clothes: "But What If...?"

Okay.

Five days.

Five outfits.

Easy.

Except...

What if somebody spills something?

Better add a backup outfit.

What if it gets cold?

Sweatshirt.

What if it rains?

Rain jacket.

What if we go somewhere nice?

Nice outfit.

What if someone wants to swim twice in one day?

Another swimsuit.

What if the weather forecast is completely wrong?

Now I'm packing for three climates.

And because I'm AuDHD, the "but what if..." possibilities can multiply FAST.

Before I know it, we're going on a five-day vacation with enough clothing to disappear for approximately three weeks.

Meanwhile, someone else in the family has packed:

Two shirts.

One pair of shorts.

And confidence.

Must be nice.

The Mom Pharmacy

Next comes the medicine.

Because apparently I believe our vacation destination will have absolutely no stores, pharmacies, or civilization of any kind.

Headache medicine?

Obviously.

Allergy medicine?

Yep.

Bandages?

Definitely.

Motion sickness medicine?

Could need it.

Stomach medicine?

Throw it in.

Bug spray?

Of course.

Sunscreen?

Three kinds.

Something nobody in our family has needed in approximately four years?

BUT WHAT IF THIS IS THE TRIP?!

Into the bag it goes.

And will we use most of it?

Probably not.

But the ONE time somebody needs something and I actually have it?

I will spend the rest of the vacation feeling like I personally saved the entire trip.

😂

Snacks: Apparently We're Crossing the Oregon Trail

You cannot travel with kids without snacks.

That's just science.

It doesn't matter whether we ate immediately before leaving.

Someone will be hungry approximately seven minutes into the trip.

So naturally, I pack snacks.

And then backup snacks.

And emergency snacks.

Something salty.

Something sweet.

Something with protein because I'm pretending we're making responsible choices.

Something everyone definitely likes.

Something they liked LAST WEEK but will suddenly refuse to eat now.

And one snack I hide because it's actually for me.

That's not selfish.

That's travel planning.

Then we arrive somewhere with an entire bag of snacks despite passing approximately 47 restaurants along the way.

But nobody had a hunger-related meltdown.

So I'm calling that a win.

Electronics: The Modern Family Survival Kit

Remember when family vacations required clothes and a toothbrush?

Those were simpler times.

Now I need:

Phones.

Tablets.

Headphones.

Charging cables.

Portable chargers.

Watch chargers.

Camera batteries.

And some mysterious charging cord nobody can identify but I'm terrified to leave behind.

Then comes the airport interrogation:

"Did everyone charge their stuff?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"SHOW ME."

Because experience has taught me that "yes" occasionally means:

"I have 14% battery."

And somehow, despite packing enough cables to operate a small electronics store...

Someone will still ask:

"Mom, do you have a charger?"

Of course I do.

I'm Mom.

Apparently I'm also Best Buy.

Everyone Else Is Packed...Except Mom

This might be the most accurate part of family vacation packing.

Everyone else's bags are ready.

Their clothes are packed.

Their toiletries are packed.

Their entertainment is packed.

Their snacks are packed.

I've checked the reservations.

Confirmed the transportation.

Made sure everyone has what they need.

And then I look at my own suitcase.

It's empty.

😂

Suddenly it's 11:47 p.m. the night before we leave and I'm throwing clothes into a suitcase while simultaneously remembering twelve other things the family needs.

And this is usually the moment I announce:

"Next vacation, everyone is packing their own stuff."

Will I actually let that happen?

Absolutely not.

Because apparently I enjoy stress.

The Final Stage: "I Know I Forgot Something"

The bags are zipped.

Everything is in the car.

We're pulling out of the driveway.

And then it happens.

That feeling.

You know the one.

I forgot something.

What did I forget?

No idea.

But I KNOW something is missing.

So now my brain starts mentally scrolling through the entire house.

Toothbrushes?

Yes.

Medicine?

Yes.

Chargers?

Yes.

Passports?

WAIT. PASSPORTS?!

Yes.

Okay.

We're fine.

Probably.

And eventually I have to remind myself:

If we have the people, the important documents, any necessary medications, and a way to pay for things...

We'll survive.

Everything else?

There's probably a store.

To Sum It Up...

Packing for a family vacation is basically an Olympic event nobody warned moms they were entering.

You start with:

"We're packing light."

And somehow end up with...

Six bags.

Twenty-seven snacks.

A mobile pharmacy.

Fourteen charging cables.

Clothes for three different weather systems.

And one suitcase you're sitting on while someone else tries to zip it.

But eventually...

You get there.

The suitcases get opened.

Someone immediately loses a sock.

Nobody wears half of what you packed.

And you make memories anyway.

So pack the extra outfit.

Bring the snacks.

Double-check the chargers.

And when your brain whispers:

"But what if we need this?"

Well...

There might still be room in the suitcase. 😂

How Ever After Escapes Can Help

We may not be able to stop you from packing 14 outfits for a five-day vacation...

But Ever After Escapes can make the rest of the trip a whole lot easier.

Family travel already comes with enough moving pieces.

Destinations.

Accommodations.

Transportation.

Activities.

Dining.

Special needs.

And approximately 6,000 questions from your family.

You don't have to figure out every part of it alone.

We'll help you sort through the travel details and create a vacation that fits your family, your travel style, and the way you actually like to vacation.

That way you can focus your energy on the truly important things.

Like figuring out how you're getting that suitcase under 50 pounds.

😂

Ready to Start Planning?

Tell us where your family wants to go.

We'll help with the vacation.

You handle the snacks.

🌎 Ever After Escapes
Where Luxury Meets Adventure.