By Guest Blogger Rebecca Reich, age 12

This blog is about packing for camp.  Unlike my friends’ moms, my mom doesn’t start a month in advance; she does everything in two days (for me and my brother). She packs in one afternoon. Here’s how she does it.

• Any clothes we want to take to camp are piled in our playroom. I want to take all of my clothes, and my mom wants me to take only what the camp says I need. I bring more than the list says, but not as much as I want.
• Using stick on labels from LabelDaddy.com, my mom sticks a label on each article of clothing.  She uses a Sharpie to write initials on socks.
• She types a list of every single thing I bring to camp. I’m not sure why she does this.
• She separates t-shirts, pajamas, sweatshirts, socks, and every category of clothes and puts them in soft, plastic zippered bags. She folds everything perfectly which is a waste of time.
• All non-clothing camp supplies are stored in a separate closet in our playroom.  She takes this stuff out, labels it, and puts it in a second trunk.

Once I get to camp, I’m not that neat.  But, here are a few of the things that I do:

• I fold my clothes, so I can see what I have and fit more in my cubbies.
• I pick a spot for my stationery, my flashlight, and books.  I put things away, so I can find them.
• I put my laundry away as soon as I get it, so it doesn’t get dirty before I wear it.
• I write down what my friends borrow from me, so I can make sure everything gets returned to me.
• I spray stain remover on my clothes before putting them in my laundry bag.
• I don’t put wet clothes in my laundry bag or cubbies. Otherwise, everything will smell.

Even though I do all that, when my mom comes into my bunk on visiting day, she can’t help herself… she rearranges and refolds EVERYTHING!  And when I come home, she washes everything and folds it again!