Do we have the sleeping bags? Yes. Did you pack the hammer? I’m not sure, let me check. Do we really need to bring three coolers? Well, it’s hot where we’re going. Who will water the plants while we’re away? Ummm… 

It’s all details and so much has to be done at the last minute. You can’t pack a cooler a week ahead and you don’t want the dining room cluttered with camping gear too far in advance.

To bring order to the chaos, I have a checklist. In fact, I have two checklists – the BIG LIST that’s started weeks in advance and includes administrative stuff like banking and insurance but can also include “don’t forget” items like sunglasses.

Then there’s the Camping List, hand written on an old scrap of paper. It’s a vintage document dating back to when we started camping with the kids more than 20 years ago. I run through it every time we go camping, even if it’s just for a weekend. I no longer bring butterfly nets and sand toys, but those items are still on the list.

Why can I still put my hands on it, 20 years later? The secret is in the filing – it’s filed in the freezer.