So, it’s been a week since we went for a two day scrapbooking crop (well, two and a half for some of us) and we both happened to bring a tiny bit too much stuff this year. I can honestly not remember that I brought this much last year, but on the other hand we only went for one day and I think I was a bit more prepared with plans and stuff. PLANS!
Last year I had this album in mind for my new born niece, it was already planned with color schemes, sketches and themes for all 20 pages. So yeah, packing was easy.
This year, on the other hand, was certainly not planned or prepared at all. I’ve been crafting like crazy the few free weekends up until the crop, I had plenty of ideas and projects in mind which also affected my packing and (lack of) planning. I brought so much stuff that I couldn’t even carry it all by myself and asked my mother to drive me to the venue. I filled my largest suitcase (which I normally use for longer vacations), one messenger bag and two or three shopping bags. I even brought some things home after my first day (but brought some other things with me for the next due to some workshops and yeah, I don’t even know..). But on the other hand, I did write down all the things I never (or barely) used;

• Guillotine cutter (I ended up sacrificing my fiskars cutter instead)
• Sequins
• Punches (brought like three, used none)
• Stamped images to color (and some already colored)
• Most of the twine
• A lot of the dies (brought all, who knows what I might need?)
• The selection of washi tapes
• Embellishments such as pearl stickers, enamel dots and rhinestone stickers
• Most of the card bases
• Two of the three border punches
• Almost all 50 promarkers (used some for one card)
• All my wood veneer
• Ink pads other than the black ones
• Dylusions and other sprays (brought way too many, I used one or two)
• Most of the selection of stamps

Things I should consider next year:

• BRING LESS STUFF!
• BRING LESS STUFF!
• Do plan more, please!
• Bring a blanket to cover everything at night
• Bring a seat cushion
• Use slippers and comfy clothes
• Pack smart using bags on wheels
• Don’t bring projects that heavily relies on the use of a heat gun unless you pick seats close to the heat gun station

To sum things up: I need to have a plan or some projects to focus on. Preferably in a box with all related paper, items, photos or whatever gathered.
If I don’t have any ongoing projects or ideas; find the challenge in bringing only a few items and focus on using them. I will probably buy stuff too, most likely way too much stuff so there will be no need to bring a whole bunch of paper “just in case”.
Leave embellishments at home, just finish any projects after the crop. It will also give me time to move on with a new project and look at the half finished ones later on with new eyes. For some people this seem to help avoid adding just a little bit too much.

I hope some of my babbling will help you (and my future self) make wise decisions before going to a crop, think twice about every item and make time to plan ahead. Don’t pack stuff “just in case” or “what if I get bored or run out of projects?”. You wont.
Even if you would miss something you can always finish the project at home, maybe borrow from someone else or even buy whatever needed (set your own limits, don’t buy anything you already have and find hard to use up. Be smart).
If you go with friends, tell each other what stuff you will bring to avoid ending up with several copies of the same tools, punches, stamps, dies or whatever you know you all have. If you plan to use something very much then I guess it would be a good idea to bring your own just to avoid getting stuck waiting.

Less is more (easy to carry).