Prepping to leave for the summer... advice?

Specialties Camp

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Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

Hi, all,

I'm starting to get ready to leave, packing, etc. and feeling overwhelmed with the thought that I'll be forgetting something important. Fortunately my husband, who works out of town all summer, will be dropping home once a week to get the mail and do bills. We have the neighborhood kids feeding the cats and mowing the lawn, but is there anything else I should think about regarding the maintenance of my life at home? I've never been away from my home for more than 10 days.

Also, aside from the regular things to pack, is there anything else I'll wish I had packed? I have coffee maker and several pounds of ground Starbucks on my list already. My friend told me to pack little airplane bottles of booze, yeah, right, don't think so!

Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
Hi, all,

I'm starting to get ready to leave, packing, etc. and feeling overwhelmed with the thought that I'll be forgetting something important. Fortunately my husband, who works out of town all summer, will be dropping home once a week to get the mail and do bills. We have the neighborhood kids feeding the cats and mowing the lawn, but is there anything else I should think about regarding the maintenance of my life at home? I've never been away from my home for more than 10 days.

Also, aside from the regular things to pack, is there anything else I'll wish I had packed? I have coffee maker and several pounds of ground Starbucks on my list already. My friend told me to pack little airplane bottles of booze, yeah, right, don't think so!

Oh goodness...I haven't started packing yet although I've got about 2 and a half weeks left. Coffee maker is a good idea that I hadn't thought of (though I *had* thought of a case of energy drinks) yet. I'm waiting for my camp uniform stuff to come in, skorts and board shorts, new bathing suit and Disney scrub tops. I'm so concerned about my wardrobe that I'm very worried the little things will escape me.

I've been told that packing in those clear plastic dressers can be helpful.

I'm thinking of looking up a camper's packing list and going from there too as a reference.

  • Stethoscope
  • Manual B/P cuff
  • Laptop and charger
  • I-Pad/I-Pod and charger
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Power strip
  • Snack food
  • Books
  • Camera (some disposable ones, I'm thinking)
  • Water sandals
  • Tennis shoes
  • Flats
  • Shorts
  • Skorts
  • Scrub tops
  • Sundresses
  • Skirts
  • Casual and dressy tops
  • Coffee maker
  • Coffee mug
  • Home medications
  • Highlighters/office supplies
  • Toiletries
  • PRN medications of my own
  • Baby wipes
  • Tote bag
  • Rolling luggage
  • Towels (+ beach towel)
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Ziplock bags of various sizes
  • Trashbags
  • Spare (emergency) cash
  • Pencil boxes
  • Empty shoe boxes

I'm thinking of getting little stickers and picking things right now that'll be packed at the last minute and labelling them plainly, with stars or circles or something that'll stick out.

I guess I should also pack a lunch box and sandwich supplies if I'd like to have something different than camp food sometimes. Maybe Easy Mac or something like that too.

Specializes in Emergency, DD, Military.

Flashlight, bug spray, pajamas, a folding chair, and I always make sure to take my favorite "woobie"

Postage stamps, I always have a stamp and envelopes for the real home sick kids. But I do visit Walmart a lot, for some reason it helps with my home sickness. All Walmarts lookalike, Lol

Specializes in Oncology.

One thing I learned for homesick kids that can't sleep is to have a stuffed animal. "I need you to watch Fluffy Bear for me tonight. He's special to me, can you keep a good eye on him for me tonight?"

Also, laundry detergent. The camp I volunteer with has a washer/drier in the health center.

Flip flops for the shower. Even though in the health center I have my own shower, I still wear flip flops.

I also bring my own sheets and pillows from home.

Books. May not be the norm, but I have lots of downtime when I'm camp nursing (except the week EVERYONE got influenza- no down time then!).

So hard to tell you how to prepare in one post. I've been going to summer camp in some form or another for nearly 20 years and still forget things.

Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..

It's too bad I didn't think of this sooner, I could've arrange to come with one of you so I could learn a thing or two! I am doing my 4th summer (it's only one week) but I feel as usual TOTALLY unprepared!

Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

Thank you everyone, and blondy, that's a great idea w the stuffed animal! "Can you take him for a while and show him around so he'll feel better about being at camp?"

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