It became a lot harder to just grab a bag and go
- Karen Wilson: Family Corner
- March 20, 2025
- 580
Just go.
When is the last time you just jumped in the car and took off on a trip with little notice? Was it easy? Were you prepared? Did it feel like a treat or a reason to panic?
Before we had kids, I had a job that required a lot of travel. I had toiletries always packed and extra clothes I could drop in a case quickly. I organized my work wardrobe so everything coordinated, so I didn’t have to give outfits or shoes much thought.
My husband and I could easily take off on a two-week motorcycle trip with just the things that would fit in our saddle bags. We had packing light mastered, at least mostly.
And then we had kids. And I stayed home with them. And then we started a farm. And we added cats, parrots and dogs to our family. And it got a lot harder to just grab a bag and go.
My mother-in-law still laughs about seeing the two of us leave on the motorcycle compared to leaving with a truck, a boat, two kids and two dogs — not to mention all the food, fishing gear and supplies — for a week in a remote fishing cabin.
But that’s the way life goes sometimes.
And then recently, my husband and I realized we needed, maybe wanted, to head out of state on pretty short notice. Our sons, now in their 20s, could pick up the farm work. All the pets could stay comfortably in their care. So why not just go?
As we traveled, we realized our packing light skills have gone rusty. We could have left behind about a third of the clothes. We had accidentally packed duplicates of some of our toiletries — nothing major, but all extra weight to carry. Oh yes, and when did my rolling bag disappear leaving me with a duffel?
So when is the last time you hit the road? Could you do so on short notice if an opportunity or need arose?
How are things set up at home? If you have pets, do you know someone who could take care of them? Is there a kennel you can trust? Have you ever taken your pet there as a trial run? Doing so can help your pet feel more comfortable and understand you’ll return. At least it seems that way to me.
Now that we have left our Bernese Mountain Dog with our sons a few times, she is getting more comfortable with the situation.
Another perk of thinking about unexpected travel is it gives you incentive to stay up with things at home. It can be easy to put off paperwork or laundry when you expect that you and it will be around tomorrow.
When I had that job that required travel, I knew I couldn’t let things wait. This time I left a huge pile of laundry and an overflowing inbox of paper. Now that we are back, I’m working on remedying my system and planning some more short trips as rewards.
So if it’s been a while since you got out of town, maybe give it a try or a trial run.