Why am I never able to plan better for my crops???

I cant plan for a crop either. Doesn't matter how long I have I just cant do it. I've actually come to the conclusion I don't like to just sit and crop. I find it boring. Probably because I always go by myself and never know anyone so I don't have anyone to talk to. I much rather just crop in my own house and have access to all my own stuff IF my kids and SO are not home. That doesn't stop me from signing up for crops though...lol

I can't plan for crops, either. I've basically accepted that pre-planning every layout down to the last embellishment is not how I like to scrap... so I take an Iris case of patterned paper, a few 'stacks' and an Iris case of card stock.  I also take pretty much every (okay, MOST) embellishments with me, and I'm okay with that. I have them sorted out by type into 4x6 Iris boxes, and they all fit into this case.   (it's for photos, but I sorted my embellishments into the different 4x6 boxes.)

One container for wood veneers, one for sequins, a couple for buttons, one for decorative brads, etc.

I take a shoebox-sized container with assorted ribbon, a few rolls of washi, and some baker's twine; my box of mini distress inks; and my box of Stickles, and I'm good to go.  If I STILL need something different, I will write a note on a post-it note and stick it onto the layout for after I get home.

I've only started going to crops on the regular, but I've discovered that what works best for me is to concentrate on getting my base page down at the crops and finish dressing the page later at home. My kits consist of papers and stuff for making up layers, but I don't bother with the smaller die cuts, jewelry, drops, etc. I just don't want to worry about packing it all.

I am bad about this too. A few years ago I put together bunch of kits for the expo and of course only made a few. I have been working through them at event and a home. I just realized I al almost out again and the expo is in April. I better get working on this.

I do have several felicity Jane kits still in their boxes an a few of the stash kits that ee put together here for the stash bash challenges. I think I will go through them and print photos for them. Since you only have a short time perhaps try this if you have any kits without photos lying around.

I go to crops more often, but for each one I plan ahead. I either have full kits prepared, or I take too much. If I start off with a sketch (either I create or from online/book), and then I can usually tell from there what I will need. Perhaps if you just created sketches for your pages, you could plan ahead without really having to make full kits. I like to make the sketches while watching tv or just hanging out. Under the sketch, I'll write specific punches, papers, or embellishments I want to pack. I also have all of my titles cut prior to going to a crop. Having a title in a kit makes me really happy.

Wow, 18-25 layouts sounds pretty good to me! I've found that I have to limit what I realistically can get done, ie., I save my journaling for home. It's just too distracting (and I chit-chat too much!) to get the journaling done at a crop.

You may already do this with your page kits, but I plan exactly which photos I want on a layout. I get next to nothing done if I'm spending time shuffling through a huge envelope of photos.

I’m more productive with fewer supplies. It’s too easy to dither over choices if I bring too much. I make a game of making it work and it fuels my creativity to have to make it work. I’m firmly in the done is better than perfect camp. I’m primarily working in Project Life, but I work the same in traditional 12x12.

18-25 pages is about average for me at a weekend crop. I take a lot of stuff, but I recognise that a lot of the joy in the process is having my options open right up until the end.

Sometimes I do some things ahead of time: cut some titles or other pieces, do some messy backgrounds, create some embellishments. Sometimes I leave off details on pages until I get home b/c I realize while at the crop that the perfect final touch was left behind, or I want to add something wet and have not left enough drying time. And that's okay.

I pack less than I used to do b/c I tend to take photos that fit a theme or a set of themes. But I still take tons. I am happiest when surrounded by "what if"'s

You don't need a plan, you need a bigger box. Take everything. You don't go to crops or retreats to do work, you go to have fun, like eat junk food, drink booze and giggle & gab.

I attend an annual retreat. I have to fly to get there, so I put page kits together. For me the key is including enough supplies that I have a variety to choose from but not including too much. If I were driving, I would no doubt bring more. You are welcome to check out my process but it sounds like it wouldn't really work for you.

Knowing how you scrapbook is key to figuring out what preparation will work for you. Hope you figure it out.

I always struggled with crops. I want to bring everything I own.

Although last year, I started using collections (whole), scrapbook club kits and my own put together page kits. I edit my photos and try to do my journaling at the same time. I've even started adding in sketches that I think will work with the photos during my editing process, using sketches is kind of new for me unless it's a challenge. Once I get the photos, the journaling (sketch too) is printed and matched up and they are put into a collection I think goes with the story/photo. This has saved me tons of time in layout creation as choosing the paper is usually the longest part of the process for me.

I have my first crop since 2007 coming up next month. I started editing photos my next batch of photos to see what to take. I have 2 larger events from June of last year and will be taking them and whatever kit I choose. I'll choose my embellishments for those events based on the kits that I choose. I will include basics like labels, sequins, wood veneer, enamel dots, twine, flair, and washi. And specific die cuts, stickers, stamps/ink and dies. I'll also include some basic colors of cardstock and some coordinating to the chosen kits. I'll include my 2 boxes of Christmas items. One has photos from 2013 Christmas that I could work on. Or I could work on cards for the next Pea exchange.

Then I'll grab a few of my at home kits with various photos for when I get bored of doing the same event type thing or in case I get finished. (wishful thinking)

I like oliquig idea of setting a timer for 15/20 minutes per day. I've been trying to edit a few days per day and got through 2 months. Then this week, I haven't touched them. I'm setting my timer tomorrow. My goal is to print photos on the 1st of March which will give me 2 weeks to kit them and then pull everything I want to take and organize.

I also went through all of the crop threads here to figure out what else to take. Someone even consolodated the threads into one, but I can't find it right now.

I really like the idea out of oliquig's (? I think...) video about being realistic and calculating in a realistic way how many layouts you might be able to make during a crop, so you don't bring twice as much stuff as you'll ever get to. I am always guilty of doing that- it always takes me way longer to get my space set up than I think it will, it always takes me three times as long to make my first layout (to get into the groove), and I always take way more photos / layouts / kits than I could ever POSSIBLY hope to make. I do like having a few choices of things I want to do, but taking enough supplies to make 50 layouts, when I only ever get 10 - 15 done in a weekend? I'm just making myself extra work carrying supplies I won't use. I never actually thought about it in those terms before.