The One With The Holiday Packing

At the end of last week I was delighted that Tesco Magazine published a review article I had written for them, all about a weekend away in the New Forest.

http://www.tescomagazine.com/living/holidays/oakdene-forest-park-review.html

Tellingly the article starts with these words:

"Travelling with a toddler isn’t always the most relaxing experience. Packing for a holiday with one is a military operation!"

I hate holiday packing. I find it really stressful. It actually impacts on the first day or so of my holiday because I am so stressed. 

I make lists. I tick things off. I highlight the stuff I have yet to do, or shop for, or wash, or find, or mend. I start days in advance. I have lists for me and separate lists for the boy. I have lists for things that need doing at home before we go. I have lists for things that need doing for work before we go. 

Hubby does all his own packing for the love of Pete! (this is the boys latest saying, a cross between hubby's "For the love of God" and my favourite "For Pete's sake") 

Still everything seems to need doing at the last minute! And we end up leaving about 3 hours later than we planned, because I'm still running around packing things, whilst crying and pulling out great clumps of my hair in anger and frustration.

How can that be?

Am I in fact spending all my time writing lists and not actually putting anything in a suitcase?

We have two holidays planned this year, one early summer (summer..HA!) and one later in the autumn. Both are in this country so there's no weight allowances to trouble us. We should be able to just load up the car and go.

Whether we do it with relative ease or whether I have a melt down worthy of my 3 year old boy remains to be seen!

Does anyone else hate packing for holidays with toddlers? I'd love to hear if you have any tips that will stop me becoming a gibbering, weeping wreck of a woman before I even get in the car....