We’re hitting the road first thing tomorrow morning for a youth leader training event with some awesome friends/fellow volunteers from church. It promises to be a great time… once I’m ready. I’m okay at traveling. Some parts of travel are tough for me, like sitting for too long and finding safe food options, so in those ways I turn into a delicate flower, but because of those things I’m always very prepared. I’d like to think I’m actually a good traveler, but because of the bad habit I am currently engaging in, I think “okay” is the final verdict.

I consistently put off packing until the last minute, then stay up half the night in a tired state trying to put everything together… and not just the necessities, but many unnecessary items get added to the list as I get more tired and the stupid ideas begin to flow. And I start my travels as a tired zombie. It’s the worst! I’m the worst!

Then I feel like this.

I have all my clothes packed, most of my toiletries, most of my special food and vitamins, I’ve switched to a more sensible purse, and I am prepared for a variety of weather scenarios. I have maybe 2% more to pack. But that last 2% has kept me up almost 2 hours past my bedtime, as it does every time. This is the witching hour for me. Ideas start popping into my head, like:

“I should update all the music on my phone.”

“I should make sure my bluetooth speaker is charged up in case we need to have a dance party this weekend.”

“Why haven’t I packed any candy?!?”

“I should really print shipping labels for those returns I keep forgetting to send back.”

“Maybe I should do some light cleaning…”

It’s when the ideas stop being travel-related that I know I’m in trouble. So I’ve updated my list with all the things I need to assemble in the morning, and I’m shutting it down. I’m no good at this hour and stage in the packing game. You got me again, 2%. I surrender.

In my defense: I rarely forget anything. I pretty much always have everything I could ever need once I get to my destination. I will be prepared for that dance party when it happens some day!

How do you pack? Are you a mess like me, or do you have it down?