Getting ready for a roadtrip

We're leaving in five days!  Tom and I are very excited and we're trying to think of everything we need to pack and do before our trip.  Saturday was spent getting ready for the trip...except the part where we took Tom's van to the dealership for them to replace a part before our roadtrip, and they ordered the wrong part so we can't get it fixed until we return...that part wasn't helpful to getting ready for the trip. (insert rolling eyes here)  But thankfully it's not a part that is do-or-die...we can still make the trip without it.

Tom got his van cleaned out and is starting to pack.  Lukas helped me get snacks ready for the trip by putting animal crackers in baggies and weighing the bags to ensure an even portion (it's faster than counting crackers!)  We're going to do the same thing with goldfish crackers and maybe 1 or 2 other snacks.

Then he weighed his head.  He's a boy, of course he weighed his head!

Here's the explanation for my brilliant idea to save us lugging several pieces of luggage into the hotel (we're staying in a lot of hotels only one night before moving on).  I put all the clothes for our family for one day in a bag, then we just take that one bag into the hotel.

Here's my original organization with our tops and bottoms, underwear and socks lined up.  I took this picture and packed a bag and then realized I forgot Dominik's wardrobe...I'm still getting used to four children!

Here are the six bags with six days' worth of clothing, including Dominik (we'll be wearing a seventh change of clothes the morning we leave).

And here's the suitcase with all those bags in it.

 

I think the first six days are going to work out great...the proof will be in the pudding the first time I have to do laundry (I'll do laundry hopefully only twice on this trip).  Will it be as easy the second and third times?  It might be easier since I won't have to decide which clothing to take: the clothing in the wash bag is the only clothing to choose from!  I'm also taking extra clothes to have easy access to in case we need to change clothes during the day (if we need long pants or long sleeves...not likely!...or need to change because someone got dirty...much more likely!)  I'll let you know if this system was a brilliant idea or not-so-brilliant after we see it in action.

I must have three lists around the house...things to buy, things to take, things to turn off...not counting the stuff in my head I forget to write down.  We're not doing anything else this week besides getting ready for the trip...oh, yeah, I guess there are a few things we're doing, but we're not doing anything that isn't already on the schedule, ok?

At least we don't have to worry about space...Tom assures me that we're not close to filling the back of the van.  Cool!