How to remove dis from organised

Order, neatness, structure...these are not us! We tend to live in the moment with a good dollop of chaos, impulse and disorder. This has worked great for us for years because if we lose some items of clothing at home we can just use another item of clothing until the "lost" item reappears...under the bed or in the pool filter, or wherever. However this is not a luxury for five people set out on travels around Africa.

The first impact of this hit us as we had to figure out how to sift through all our belongings and cut them down to just what would fit into the car. So with meticulous thought and wisdom(?) we created piles - clothing, camping, hiking, swimming, cooking...and on and on. Soon we had piles of items that we thought we would need, as a minimum for each category, neatly (this is our version of "neatly") arranged in the lounge.

Then came the next task...how to get all of these "definitely needed" items into the car...just taking a look at it was enough to make us want to give up and stay home...it looked exhausting and impossible PLUS we were already behind schedule and Durban had graced us with a steamy 30C day.

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Yet it had to be done - this is an adventure after all, and an adventure is doing what is not normal, going where we have not gone before - and this would be our first adventure, making the impossible fit into the possible...changing disorder into order! And so with coordinated effort - the first test of our family relations in the trip - we packed, unpacked, repacked, tossed, combined, gave up, continued, gave up...swam...continued, until finally we had squeezed it all in, including a surfboard on the roof...because after all you never know when the swells will be just right!

And so we set off...smiling like a cheshire cats...we had overcome the first obstacle. Yet as we drove I was wondering - how in the world will be keep track of everything? Where did we pack the cutlery? Where is the mask and snorkel? Where are the matches? Where are my undies? So many important questions making me realise that fitting it all in is just a battle won - the war is to be able to find the things we need when we need them. That will be the greatest battle, we as a chaos-embracing family, will still need to face. How will it be when we are trying to find the lighter for the braai...or the pegs for the tent - actually, come to think of it, did we pack the tent?