Making a list, and checking it twice.
I can’t believe my Brazil trip is already around the corner. This is the longest trip I have taken at 27 days in total! 24 of those days will be spent on the cruise ship. Some people think we are crazy for taking such a long cruise, but as I have mentioned before, I love being at sea. Besides, we will be on land every couple of days as we sail from Rio de Janeiro to Florida. Our itinerary includes many cities in Brazil, including sailing the Amazon River. So how do I prepare for such a trip? By making a list of course. I may have mentioned once or several times that I like organization and planning. I make lists for everything. However, I don’t just make lists, I make templates. O always tells me that I could teach an organizational course on efficiency. I don’t know if I’m that efficient, but I thought I would take this opportunity to share a little about my process. (some may call it obsessive, but I think it’s completely normal) Since I’m going to Brazil, I thought I would share my trip planning process for this trip.
- I open my the app on my iPhone that contains lists.
- I look at my lists and there has already been one created!
Yes, my lists magically appear because of the fairy dust that I sprinkle on my phone every night before going to sleep. Ok, not really. Anytime I go on a trip, I make a ‘list’. If the trip is something that can be duplicated, I make it a template and I reuse the list. I started this process back before I had a computer. I started this on notepads, then when technology was at my disposal, I used Excel. Now, I have moved on to the iPhone App Packing Pro
Each time I go on a trip, if I forget something I make sure to add it to my template. My travel templates include trips for weekends, 1 or 2 week cruises, or work trips. Making the list for this trip is the first time in a while I have had to create a new list. However, I still did not need to start from scratch. I simply used the longest template I had and then added to it any ‘extras’ I needed. For this trip I have made sure to include extra mosquito protection! If you’ve been reading my blogs, you know my relationship with nature, and I am literally going to be in the jungle! Not to worry, I have this to protect me. (left)
This process saves time, and ensures that I have everything I need for my trip. I’m sure many of you are already expert list makers, and are even more advanced packing pros. However, I use this same ‘system’ for everything. Shopping, Wah Lum events or tournaments, kung fu meetings and schedules, etc. I create a master template and then when needed, I update the template.
For groceries, I have recipe lists that upload into the shopping list, so I don’t forget any ingredients. And yes, I often meal plan too, so I have all the food I need for the week. (hey, don’t judge. I get home after 9pm and still cook O a home cooked meal every day!)
I have to dedicate a little extra time in the beginning, but it saves me a lot of time in the long run! I’d love to hear how you plan and prep, so always feel free to leave a comment or suggestions below.
Note: I’ve included links to some of the apps I use. Hope they help!
