Share your packing routine and tips

[raindrop]

Sooo, I am packing up my entire house since closing is around the corner. It's hard to believe that in about a month, I will be a few states away on a travel assignment. I tend to get extensions, so wherever I am heading to soon, I am counting on being there for at least 6 mos-1 year.

Clothes packing is easy for me and I do not go overboard at all. Same for toiletries. But I love to cook my own meals and basically want to pack my entire kitchen lol. I allowed agency to supply my kitchen one time with plates, pots, utensils, etc and it turned out to be a joke. I mean, plastic plates? Pots from the Dollar Tree? Not this time around. Here is my list, do u think its's overkill?

-set of white dishes

-1 large pot for boiling, 1 skillet, 1 stock pot, 1 muffin tray, 1 lasagne dish, 1 cookie tray for baking, crock pot

-4 medium mixing bowls

-several Pyrex containers for leftovers

-tea maker

-hand held mixer

-all kitchen utensils.

Misc: towels, throw rugs, garbage bin for kitchen and bathroom.

I will likely add a few more items, but this is the gist of it. I have a medium sized SUV and I am not worried about running out of space with my list. I think my list is too long for a 13 week assignment, but not 6 mos +. Is this about how you pack?

[trackhead, APRN]

Pull three slide outs in on rv, disconnect power/water/sewer, hook up truck to RV, drive away.

[Bluebolt]

I bring my custom made desktop PC rig for high definition gaming, my laptop, Ipad, flat screen LCD HDTV, PS3, Xbox One. Throw in a couple pairs of scrubs and a toothbrush and you're done. Just the essentials matter.

[wanderlust99]

I pack my clothes in those space saver bags, that seems to help.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Wok, couple of small dishes (portion control), large dish for preparing food, a few small bowls, a bit of flatware and couple glasses, lots of Tupperware - I cook large amounts for several meals at a time so large ones and also prepare five lunches at one time in small ones (a precooked meat, mixed fresh vegetables, walnuts, and cheese to microwave at work), small frypan (mostly for breakfast), small saucepan, small George Foreman grill (saves time, mess, and energy). A couple of Pyrex for microwaving my saved food prep. Miscellaneous other stuff packed in a large plastic bin (I usually take 4 such bins to aid packing of everything I bring). Generally one large plastic bin is 90% kitchen stuff including some food such as large olives and walnuts that may be hard to find that I use regularly.

I may buy a crockpot locally. Too big to haul around the country. Never bought one before on the road, but they are good for my habits. I have bought microwaves locally several times when housing didn't have it already.

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Place settings for 4 just in case you want to entertain.

FOUR mixing bowls? How about 1 -- use cereal bowls if you need to use more than one at a time. Wash dishes as you go.

Crockpots are cheap -- pick one up locally.

One frying pan, a wok, a tea kettle, a couple of pots -- one big enough for a lobster and one potato-sized.

A cookie sheet, measuring cups and spoons, an oblong cake/lasagne pan and a casserole dish.

A couple of wine glasses, since it just doesn't taste as good out of anything else.

Silicone muffin cups -- also good for cupcakes, but will roll up.

You don't need ALL your kitchen utensils. I've read websites that recommend taking everything out of your kitchen and putting it into your basement. Every time you need something, go down and get it. And the end of a week?/month? what you have in your kitchen is what you need. The rest you can do without.

[BonnieSc]

I saw on the other thread that there are other people who fly... do you take less than those who drive? I've definitely got to cut back (my family drove me to this, my first assignment). But maybe my POV is skewed by always having been a very light traveler--I almost never check a bag when I'm traveling, even when I'm going to be gone a month or more. But I've probably got to relax my standards for this. First step, getting rid of most of my 20 scrub tops! Planning to pare it down to six (two weeks' worth of work). It seems weird to travel with things like full-size bottles of conditioner, facewash, etc, but wasteful not to. I'm a frugal person and it's hard to give away clothes that are still good and still fit, but I have more than I need and I don't see any point in putting clothes into storage.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I was an over packer then I had to carry and pull heavy luggage through an airport. Never again. A bookbag for tablet phone and passport and important docs. Laptops and cords weigh a ton. You wont need it anyway. Use the fax machine at work for your timesheet. A duffle bag to fit over head compartment with TSA sized toiletries. 3 sets of uniforms. One hoodie. One business casual outfit. One pr jeans shorts and sleep clothes. Just the basics. Think light small and compact.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

My friend stuffed some scrubs in a backpack and flew to sitka and stayed for a year. He had amazon prime and ordered what he wanted when he arrived.

[shoegalRN, RN]

I may not be the best person to take advice from for packing because I'm a girly girl and I ALWAYS travel with 2 bags, plus a carry on which is my laptap.

When I go home during assignments to work, I use my one carry on suitcase and just pack one pair of nursing shoes, and I have scrubs at home. If I have purchased new clothes, (like another pair of shoes), I will take them home with me and leave them there. I usually just take my nursing bag, my blow dryer, and some toiletries.

When I fly home between assignments, I take everything I can in my suitcases, and leave the rest in my 5 drawer bin that I leave in the trunk of my car.

[Two4theroad]

Sadly, I'm a crafter. Sewing machine, Cricut, tons of paper, stamps, ink. Too expensive to buy each time, but hard on the body lugging this stuff up to my second floor apartment! That being said, does anyone ship items to their next assignment? I'm thinking UPS for a bunch of this stuff, as long as I have the address of the hotel or apartment complex ahead of leaving? Anyone done this?

[NedRN]

Greyhound might be a good way to go - pick up at depot at your leisure. UPS to any UPS store for a pick up fee. General delivery to any post office for free.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

When flying, a small pill organizer is great for jewelry storage. Ziploc bags for organizing documents, small items, shoes, and liquids.

[nursinnola]

wow yall, I am doing the same thing right now too! I am selling all of my things and moving in with some family before I leave in a few months. I picked my two agencys that I am going to go with. I am a little nervous that I wont have an assignment until a few weeks before I leave. but my recruiter, who seems great, says I have nothing to worry about. This is such a big decision, very exciting stuff.