Last week we packed up the van with my son's stuff as he moved to college for his first semester. I'm usually in charge of packing the van. My brain is wired for things like this. Perhaps it was all of games of Tetris I played during my younger years.
As I was packing the van a few things came to me.
To efficiently pack a vehicle, it is helpful to plan - to understand everything that needs to fit.
Start loading the largest and heaviest things first. It's difficult to load large things at the end. Prioritize these big items.
Next, pack the essentials. Find room for these.
As you add more items, the vehicle might look full, but usually there are ways to add more things. Be careful that you don't pack things in a way that will damage these or other items.
You'll probably forget something. That's okay as long as you remember before you leave! If it's important enough, you can usually figure out a way to move things around to accommodate the item.
Only so much can fit into your vehicle. If you want to add something you may have to remove an item or two.
I find that not only are these good tips for packing, but good tips for life in general. Lately I've been feeling a bit stretched in my responsibilities at work and home. This was a good reminder for me to consider what I've been packing in my life. Specifically I have been asking, "What don't I need and can let go?" and "Do I want to add this to my current load?"
A wise person once told me that when you say "yes" to something, that means you are saying "no" to a bunch of other things. I think about that often.
Happy packing!
