Vacationing is the best, packing is the worst. What to bring, what not to bring, and no matter how much thought you put into packing it is inevitable that you will forget something. After traveling for the past month and packing for multiple different trips at once I realized that packing is stressful and inevitably occurs in stages.

1. The "I'm going to think ahead of time" stage

A couple weeks before your trip you decide that you're not going to wait until the day before and you make a packing list.

2. The "I need to go shopping" stage

After you make your packing list you realize that you have nothing that you need for your trip and need to go shopping ASAP

3. The "treat yourself" stage

When you get to the mall you realize you want everything and should treat yourself to the shoes, the bag, and the dress (wait... isn't this vacation supposed to be your treat?)

4. The "my trip is two weeks away I don't need to worry about it now" stage

After you get some shopping done, you decide you have done enough planning ahead and don't need to stress about the trip now.

5. The doing nothing stage

Your trip is a week away and the only thing you are thinking about is how excited you are. A week is a long time and you really don't need to do anything for it now. You already made a list and went shopping so in reality, you are way ahead of the game.

6. The "dangit I didn't actually buy anything I needed" stage

Your past shopping spree did not actually help you at all for your trip. How are new brown tall boots going to help you on the beaches of Malibu? You head back to the store and get a few things you actually need.

7. The procrastination stage

Because would you really be you if you didn't procrastinate? Calling your grandma for an hour, cleaning out your closet so you can find what you need, going out to a nice dinner with your family, making a list of everything you need, and relaxing. You go to sleep peacefully remembering that you have all day tomorrow to pack.

8. The "why did I wait until the last minute" stage

You even told yourself you wouldn't do this and made a packing list but here you are the night before throwing things in your suitcase and praying it's not over 50 pounds.

9. The "screw it if I forget something I will buy it there phase" stage

You realize that your plane leaves in five hours, you haven't slept, and you still can't find that shirt you've been looking for for the past three hours. Giving up at this point is the best option.

10. The "unpacking is definitely worse" stage

After you get home you realize that unpacking is worse than packing was. So you wait three weeks to do it.

Happy travels! (and maybe next time skip stages 2-10)