Hi, I’m an overpacker. There, I said it.
Traveling has always been a little stressful for me — not because I don’t enjoy it, but because I constantly feel like I need to be ready for every single possibility. And I mean every possibility.
What if it’s colder than the forecast? Or hotter? What if it rains? What if I spill something on my shirt… or my pants? What if we spontaneously decide to go to a nice restaurant, and I only packed casual clothes? What if I want to wear my hair differently than usual and didn’t bring my tools? What if we take Baby J somewhere new and I forget the one thing that would’ve made it a great day instead of a meltdown?
Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever stared down at your suitcase thinking, I’m either forgetting something important or I’m about to break a zipper, this post is for you.
My Packing Anxiety Journey (And All the Phases I Tried)
Let me back up for a second. Before the age of smartphones and cloud syncing, I used to write everything down in a notebook. A full week before any trip, I’d start jotting down ideas. I’d write and rewrite packing lists, cross things out, add them back, all in the name of being prepared.
Eventually, I graduated to spreadsheets. I had templates for weekend trips, work trips, baby gear, you name it — complete with color-coding and different bags assigned. It worked… kind of. On a laptop, it was magical. On a phone? A mess. Scrolling around a spreadsheet in the TSA line isn’t exactly peaceful.
Next, I moved on to apps. You know the ones — packing list apps with cute icons and checkboxes. But none of them talked to my computer. I couldn’t brainstorm easily on a big screen, and the process felt disconnected from the rest of my life.
I even turned to Pinterest more times than I’d like to admit. Searching for things like “pool day checklist” or “what to pack for a toddler on vacation.” Pinterest is full of good ideas, but unless I saved those ideas somewhere useful, they went in one eye and out the other. (Yes, I’m repurposing the “in one ear, out the other” saying for readers. Welcome to my brain.)
Enter: Notion — My Brain’s Best Friend
Eventually, I landed on Notion — and let me tell you, it changed everything.
I started small: sticky note-style reminders like “don’t forget sunscreen for the pool” or “grab the baby monitor.” I created a space where I could brain dump my chaotic thoughts and come back to them later — which, as any parent or frequent traveler knows, is half the battle.
What made it magical was the ability to search. If I was prepping for another pool day, I could literally type “pool” and pull up everything I brought last time. No reinventing the wheel. No second-guessing.
When Baby J came along, the stakes got higher. Traveling with a baby isn’t just more stuff — it’s essential stuff. Forget one key item, and your travel day might turn into a chaos spiral. Having pre-built, editable lists in Notion saved me more times than I can count.
The Template That Finally Worked
After months of tweaking and refining, I built out my own Notion packing template — and it’s a total game-changer.
Here’s how it’s organized:
1. By Type
This means a few things for me:
- Where it’s packed (suitcase, backpack, diaper bag, carry-on)
- Who it’s for (me, husband, Baby J)
- What kind of item it is (clothing, gear, toiletries, prep)
2. By Timing
I break the checklist down based on when I’ll pack each item:
- Weekend before
- Day before
- Morning of
This timing system keeps me sane and avoids the dreaded last-minute scramble. (You know the one — when you’re shoving socks into your bag as your ride texts “I’m outside.”)
3. Smart Checklists
Here’s the fun part: once I check something off, it’s filtered out from all lists. It disappears! No clutter, no confusion, no accidentally packing the same thing twice. It’s like my own personal packing assistant.
Why This Works (And Might Work for You Too)
The beauty of this setup is that it grows with me. As our family changes, our destinations shift, and Baby J grows into a toddler (help), I can update the list in real-time. It’s fully customizable, portable across devices, and it finally brought all my packing systems into one calm, central place.
It’s not just about remembering your charger or the right shoes — it’s about giving yourself mental clarity. Knowing that you’ve thought of everything and written it down frees you up to actually enjoy your trip.
Want to Try It Yourself?
If you’re someone who:
- Overpacks out of “just in case” anxiety
- Feels like you’re constantly reinventing the wheel for each trip
- Needs a repeatable system that still lets you stay flexible
- Has a family to pack for (or just a lot of moving parts)
Then creating your own version of this template might be exactly what you need.
You can start small:
- Brain dump everything you think you need for your next trip
- Organize the list by category (clothes, tech, toiletries, etc.)
- Break it down by when you’ll pack it
- Then filter it based on what’s checked off
And if you’re a Notion user? This will feel so natural.
Packing doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right system, it becomes one more part of travel that’s — dare I say it — enjoyable. Or at the very least, manageable.
I’m still an overpacker in spirit, but now I’m a strategic overpacker. And that, my friends, is a victory.