Putting it all in the suitcase and zipping the thing up takes two minutes (maybe less), but before you can do that there’s sweeping (and mopping) the apartment, and cleaning out the fridge, and buying a new notebook with enough blank pages to last three weeks, and that’s all before finding new clothes (your jeans and sweatshirt routine won’t work in an east coast August), and tracking down the single pair of sandals you’re pretty sure you still own, and regardless of whether or not you ever find them still left on your list is choosing the right book to bring, and taking out the trash, and writing an early rent check, and watering the plants, and asking yourself one more time and then one more time again: What else am I forgetting?
No wonder it takes all day.
Various Writings by Erin Bregman 
And then there’s ruminating on the fact that asking yourself, “What am I forgetting?” rarely helps in remembering anything. And sitting down for a bit if you’re feeling nervous about the trip. And having an extra slow breakfast because you’re kind of on holiday already, and walking around the apartment three times in case that helps in remembering a few more things that need doing …