The Friday Packing Rush

Q: We are new to cabin living and looking for some suggestions. Come 5 o’clock Friday evening it seems we are always packing, rushing and forgetting something on our way out the door to the cabin. Do you have any tips or techniques for timely and efficient packing and unpacking for those weekends at the cabin?
– Patty Delander; River Falls, Wis.

A: We’ve picked up a few tricks over the years. And the more we talk with other cabin owners, the more we learn. Here are some suggestions to make your Friday rush less hectic:

•  Keep a “cabin box” in a handy location, and toss things into it during the week as you think of them. We use a plastic tub with a lid.

•  Keep a checklist. You can preprint a list of staples you will need to pack every weekend, and add on things for the weekend at hand.

•  Buy two of everything you consider a necessity. That way you don’t have to haul things back and forth.

•  Set aside two hours on a Tuesday or Wednesday night to pack.

•  Buy groceries on the way. This way you can discuss the weekend’s menu while en route to the cabin.

• Simplify your Friday evening meal. Pack something you can eat along the way. Or pack something that’s easy to prepare once you get there.

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