Preparing To Return

The question we hear a lot is "How do you pack for four years?"-and I will be the first to say, "You don't".  Our strategy is pack the things we love, that make it feel like home, and bring enough supplies to last until we can find a suitable replacement in Uganda.

One of our seasoned colleagues has been known to say "Let us know if you need anything... and we'll tell you how to survive without it."

We've already done our first term, so we know we can find shampoo, tooth paste, soy milk, cloth diapers, coffee (but not decaf), children's tylenol (but not oragel), etc...

Something that I've found helpful coming and going is my Expat Packing Planner {free download here}.  I'm a list girl.  When my brain is swirling in a million directions, I need a place to write all the things.  The Expat Packing Planner has space to organize your thoughts and be your brain on paper!

Step 1: Sort by like items

Something else that helps us (a trick we wouldn't have thought of before we left) is the two step packing process.  In our basement, we lined one room with all our action packers, and assigned each bin with a person/room- my bin, boys' bin, kitchen bin, food bin, etc. Then we filled each bin accordingly.  Sadly, this is only Step 1.  If you were to fly with the action packers sorted like this, and lost one person's things that would probably be the end of the world.

Here's where step two comes in.  Empty a few bins at a time and re-pack a variety of items (the more variety the better)!  A layer of books, then bulky items, small items, then pad with clothing.  Keep a running list that you can print, and have on the other side, so when you arrive at midnight you know where the boys' blankets are (not that we know anything about that).  Weigh.  And adjust to 49.9lbs.

**Warning** Step 2 looks like chaos.  Trust the process. You will get there!  

Step 2: Re-pack a variety of items  CHAOS

Stay tuned on Monday for a timely reminder from Colossians: What To Do in the Middle of Chaos.

Linking up with the Grove (if we have internet when we get to Uganda Friday) on the topic of "Prepare".