Prepping to leave for the summer... advice?

pinkiepie_RN · May 17, 2012

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.

iwantmore · May 26, 2012

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

Erikadawn RN · May 27, 2012

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

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · May 27, 2012

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.

Liddle Noodnik · May 28, 2012

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!

CloudySue · May 28, 2012

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?"