Our journey to Europe

It’s time to start organizing and packing for our journey over to Europe. Of course packing has been in the back of my mind since May but now that it’s July, I need to get serious. Though I’m not going to start doing anything quite yet, I have started making several “To Do” lists. We’ve already decided that my husband will take the majority of our things when he leaves at the beginning of August. This is great for me as I will only be responsible for a suitcase and the dog when I leave at the end of August. My big project for the month of August is to pack our condo that we are renting for the summer and move everything into a storage unit. I get a little queasy thinking about packing up a house while I’m 6 months pregnant but I’m going to enlist my family and friends for help. I’m sure they can’t wait My goal for the next month is to organize all of our belongings so when it is time to move, the transition will be relatively smooth.

Some tips I’ve learned from talking to seasoned Hockey Wives that have traveled to Europe:

• Less is More! I’ve been doing the hockey thing for three years now so I know what I will wear and what I won’t. I know for a fact that I don’t need 10 “going out” outfits. I do have serious packing restrictions this year so I will be smart.
• Pack in hockey bags as opposed to suitcases. You can fit much more and try to get away with the 50lb weight restriction.
• Bring comforts from home. I want Europe to feel as close to home as possible so I will bring some of the things I love. Even though these items may be available in Germany, I don’t want to take any chances.

I plan on bringing our UPPAbaby stroller with us. We will either check it as “checked” luggage or ship it to Germany. We will bring some baby clothes, probably for the first month, and then get everything else we need for baby in Germany. Since I’m a first time mom, I have no idea what I will need. While doing baby research I came across a great blog with a newborn baby checklist. It’s broken down into 6 sections that detail the item, recommended brands, and tips. I’ll definitely be using this and hopefully others can benefit from this helpful checklist as well!

Download: New Baby Checklist