packing it in- Day 10

I think we've got the guys ready for camp now. Packed both trunks today- they are super excited and I hope it lives up to their expectations. This will be 4 years for the oldest, 1st year for the youngest. Small camp, well trained staff, best friend as director. It will be great. I have discovered though, that I am the mack-daddy packer in the family. I suppose it has to do with spatial relations ability. As in, I have some and my spouse doesn't. I also have a lot more experience knowing what is needed when.
Usually when you are packing for a trip, you put big bulky items in first and then fill in smaller things around, but that is sort of backwards for camp packing. All your bedding, your laundry bag and your swim stuff, including beach towel need to be on top, since you make your bed, tie up your laundry bag and go to take your swim test first thing on opening day. If you had all of that on the bottom, you'd upset the whole trunk digging it out the first few minutes there. Next should be your everyday clothes (shorts and t-shirts), toiletry bag and pajamas and underwear- and the lower level can be populated by extra shoes, flashlights and other objects easily identified by feeling, so no need to see them, and clothes not likely to be used such as costumes, long pants and rain jackets. That's my process and I stick by it. Ziplocs help keep stationary books and letter stuff together and dry, extra trash bags are helpful for really dirty or wet items that might happen during the week, a water bottle is good for hot weather, and a very light string backpack will help carry your pool and lake stuff around and yet not be a space taker. Don't forget initials or names on anything you can write on- and instructions to your kids that if they hold up an item in the lost and found that looks just like yours, chances are, it is yours. If you mistakenly claim it and find yours back at your cabin, you can bring it back the next day, but chances are good it is yours in the first place. My one solid rule for lost and found though was to never bother holding up socks or underwear- no one would claim them even if they did recognize them!
So- packing and lost and found from both staff perspective and parent perspective. Mostly staff as parent perspective. And roll the big items- allows you to make them more compact=take up less space. Lastly, I have to say it is humorous my boys bring fully packed trunks to camp for only a week long session. It is serious overkill. But, it makes them feel like uber-campers and ready to face the week- and hey, when it's all over with, they'll have a good coffee table for their dorm room.