I am very definitely the plan ahead traveler.

My husband is SOOOO not.

Well, I guess I shouldn’t totally say that. He’s got his own plan in his head, which generally involves getting a list together of what he needs to have when he throws it all in the suitcase at the last minute. He knows what he’s looking for when he’s hunting through the house the day before he leaves.

I cannot do that. 😉

I’ve been known to make actual paper lists of the outfits I’m taking so that I know I have all of the pieces of the outfit set aside for the trip. If I’m short a pair of socks, a pair of shoes, or something like that, then I know, in my head, what I need to shop for before leaving. I always have at least one outfit for each day, one extra pair of pants and one extra shirt in case of clutzy spillage, and a light jacket or sweatshirt or cardigan (depending on the level of dress code of the trip) in case of chilliness or over-cranked air conditioning. I take at least one pair of tennis shoes no matter what, so that I always have a comfy pair of shoes in case of lots of walking. And that’s just the clothing part of the packing. And I start doing this a week to a week and a half prior to the actual trip. If not sooner. Can you imagine the mental lists when it’s more than just a suitcase?

My husband looked at me in horror when he realized that I think this way. “But what if you need the stuff you’re setting out before you go?”

Well, then I know what needs run back through the laundry on high priority before the trip.

Yeah, I can be a little OCD when it comes to details.

Let me explain.

We are headed to Wizard World Cleveland in about a week. This is probably one of the biggest shows I’ve ever gone to for the books or as an author. Which means that I’m losing my mind making sure I’ve checked everything I can think of off my list as far in advance as possible.

Here’s my example…

Backdrop curtain/banner-sewn, tested, ironed, packed (thanks Mom for all the help!)

BOOKS! Organized and packed

Table covers, night covers, bookmarks organized and packed (thanks Mom for all the help!)

Promotional giveaways; pencils, suckers, business cards, temporary tattoos, GOT FROG? Buttons; attached to appropriate info cards and packed

Extra giveaways packed

Index cards and pens for filling out giveaway entries bought and packed

Containers for giveaways selected, packed

Artwork for price list and enter to win drawing (completed by Hubby, and way awesome by the way) framed and packed

Poster Ad framed and packed (again thanks to the Husband for helping me get this done without breaking glass or my fingers)

Giveaway/drawing box completed, decorated and packed

Snacks for at table, water bottles, drink mixes, breakfast-y items for morning, bought, packed (because convention food isn’t always good and is generally expensive. I always hope to be pleasantly surprised.)

Laundry/Packing clothing and personal effects

Housesitter/Cat Sitter/Mail picker upper; lined up

Cleaning the house (or at least the downstairs) before going on the trip

As you can see, I’m actually in pretty awesome shape at the moment. And yet, I’m still fussing about things that aren’t done. My husband is shaking his head at me, because we still have gobs of time to get it all done, and I’m fussing that we’re going to run out of time. He’s trying hard to get things done closer to my schedule, and I’m trying hard not to ask why it’s not done already. Ah, the joys of compromise in marriage!

We’re gonna have a blast. I’m looking forward to this so much. And I can’t wait to share it with him.