slo’s MONDAY 3/6 poll - Packing For Vacation

[disneychrista]

I start usually the weekend before I leave. The night before I finish packing and start putting things in the car. I don’t usually fly so I have several bags for different purposes. Clothes. Electronics & books. Toiletries & medications. Food/drink.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Usually day before. Generally early flights, at least going to destination. Returning home, usually later flights, generally pack same day. Toiletries bag mostly always ready to go... meds. shaver, tooth brush, a few OTC remedies, etc. I hate packing.

Have a great trip, Sandy. Goooo, Katie!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I have a Disney box which stores the things I usually take on a trip, like rain ponchos and travel size toiletries. I usually update the items several days ahead of time. But the actual process of deciding what to wear on the trip is done the day before we leave. The Florida weather is so unpredictable that I can't pack too far in advance.

 

[easyas123]

I'm a woman. I pack either the day before if leaving first thing in the AM, or if I'm leaving in the afternoon I'll pack that morning. I'm flying out to Dallas on Wednesday afternoon for a few days for a work thing, I'll pack Wednesday morning and will leave for the airport from the office.
No list, I know what I need/use and just toss those toiletries in as needed for the trip.

 

[soccerdad72]

Usually the day before, maybe two.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I’m a woman. About a month ahead of time, I make a detailed packing list for me and a list of cannot forget items for my husband. We get the suitcases out about a week ahead of time and pack a few things, but get the majority of it done the day before the trip.

 

[CynBeth]

I am a woman and start the week before sometimes can’t add a few things until the day before. My DH waits until a day or a few days before.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Woman -- for vacation usually the day before. For work as well.

But in my head I start gathering stuff and I do make lists well in advance.

 

[mumto3girls]

It varies but usually we have early flights and have to leave for the airport at some ungodly hour. Bags are mostly packed the day before but still open; the toiletries and electronics go in just before we head out the door.

Usually this. I’m a woman. Basically just packing myself at this point although if we are going to the beach in larger accommodations I will be responsible for the household type items we take.

 

[Babs Johnson]

I might start gathering the clothes and other items I intend to bring several days in advance, but don’t actually pack until the day before.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I start throwing stuff that I know I won't need prior to vacation in the suitcases in the months leading up to vacation. For example-we are going in May(coming from CT), I doubt I will need any of the tank tops and majority of the shorts I planned on packing anyway. Also anything specific to the trip(cooling towels, motion sickness meds etc) gets thrown in there too along with the free toothbrushes, toothpaste samples we get from the dentist(since we already have our regular ones out at home.) That way, I don't care about tossing them at the end of the trip(since they were free anyway). I figure it's easier to reorganize the stuff FROM the suitcase vs potentially forgetting things if I try to pack all at once.

 

[fla4fun]

I keep a packing list in Excel so it can be quickly modified. I start gathering items for major trips about a week out and lay them out in the spare bedroom. Then a day or two before I pack the bags. I usually drive, and I like to have the car packed the night before so all I have to do is add my toiletry case and I am good to go.

However, I also like to do spontaneous trips, where I wake up and decide to go away for a few days. I can pack in about 30 minutes for those trips. Having the packing list available at all times helps with that.

 

[leebee]

I travel a lot, probably once a month even if it's just for a long weekend. My "bathroom bag" is constantly packed (replenish at the end of each trip as needed) so it's really a grab-n-go. Toothbrush, tooth paste, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, body wash, skin cream, face cream, floss, mini-loofah, hair brush, shower cap... all kinds of stuff is always packed. I have a "meds bag," my "nail kit," and "spare charger bag" also always packed, so with the 3 of these and my credit card, I can travel at a moment's notice! Then I have a "disney bag" that has stuff we only use at Disney- so ponchos, water shoes, hand-held fans, ears, plastic clips, small LED flashlight, stuff like that.

Regarding clothes and extras? I watch the weather and pre-plan, at least in my brain, and have a scratch pad for "don't forget" items, as well as a small box to drop these items into as I think of them, if possible. I sort-down my wallet a couple of days in advance, so I'm not carrying extra credit cards or other cards that I won't need while on vacation. I will start laying out clothes a couple of days in advance, and then pack everything the night before travel (except day-of essentials, like makeup, curling iron, nook, laptop). Really can't do it day-of, as the airport is a 2+ hour drive, plus have to be there 2 hours in advance; even a late-afternoon flight means leaving the house around noon, so packing in the morning would just be too stressful!

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I might start gathering the clothes and other items I intend to bring several days in advance, but don’t actually pack until the day before.

This is what I do. I have stacks of things to pack on my dresser but most of it doesn't go in the suitcase until the day before. If I actually put the stuff in the suitcase sooner, then I won't be able to see all of it, and I'll start worrying that I didn't pack something, and I would end up taking it all out again anyway to check. It's just easier for me if I can see it.

 

[Micca]

We generally travel with only one large bag and individual carry-ons. I make a list of my stuff and start laying things out in a spare bedroom several days prior to departure. DW does the actual packing for both of us into the one large suitcase.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm a woman and depends on where we or I am going.
If I'm going to Disney, it's usually around 8 pm the night before. I have a hanging toiletry bag that stays packed all the time, so does hubby for any solo trips he takes and we also have a joint one that stays mostly packed. I have clothes that I usually just wear at Disney so it's easy to just grab those and go.

If hubby and I are taking a joint trip that doesn't involve the RV, the afternoon of the day before. If hubby is going on a solo trip it's usually just a one or two night work trip and he will lay his stuff out around 6 the night before for me to pack for him.

If hubby and I are going on a RV trip, we grab whatever clothes are not already in the RV and just throw them in the truck, no need to put them in a suitcase since they can be hung up in the RV. I usually have a back pack I'll stick my laptop, kindle, our underwear, socks extra shoes in. We take any groceries over the day before except cold stuff since we have to turn the fridge on at least 24 hours in advance, then I will load it up the morning we are leaving while hubby does the outside stuff needed.

If hubby and I are going on a dive trip I pack about 3 days before just in case something happens to flights. I once was planning on packing the day before for a trip to Belize and a snow storm was expected for Georgia and Atlanta was already saying they were shutting down the next day. I was at work when hubby heard this and called me. He got on the phone with Delta and got us a flight that day, in about 3 hours. Thankfully, all our dive gear stays in one place in out basement so I told him what to grab and throw in the truck and I rushed home, grabbed some bathing suits and shorts and actually packed the 2 suitcases (one with dive gear, one with clothes and other dive related stuff and a carry on with dive gear we don't want to get lost) in the back seat of the truck on the way to Atlanta.

If we are going to a hotel for a few days, I'll pack the day before since I also have to pack the dogs stuff.

 

[mrodgers]

Other. I don't pack for vacation. I always repacked for vacation. Wife packed, then the evening before leaving I would repack reducing 6 suitcases down to 2 suitcases and the beach bag.

 

[tzolkin]

I have to do the planning well in advance, because that's just my nature. Even then, I'm always stressed that I have forgotten things. I don't pack the suitcases in advance, but I will use laundry bins or open suitcases to set things aside that are for the trip and have lots of checklists. I often have to purchase a few things so this gives me plenty of time to order something rather than having to go shopping the night before.

We pack carry-on only if flying, so that takes a bit more planning to coordinate capsule wardrobes and plan for how much liquids we need (ex. if we are going to need a bunch of sunblock, then I'll make sure other items are "dry" like a shampoo bar, wipes instead of makeup remover or bug spray, etc). I will often mix things between the bags when packing it up to ensure everything fits and works with the liquid limits. My husband and I can easily pack for 2-3 weeks in two small carry-ons (usually one with our clothes and one with our "stuff"). It's a bit more challenging if the kids (now teens/adults) are also travelling with us.

Even with all the planning, I still have to go over the checklists multiple times the night before and morning of, go through all the items in my head as we load up the car, and then do a walkthrough of the house before we leave (and usually come out with a few more items "just in case"). I think my family used to be a bit annoyed, but now they recognize it's just part of my "process" to be a ball of anxiety as we are packing up for any trip. They are all very laid back and will just hang out in the car listening to music until I'm ready. I continue going through mental checklists in my head for the first few minutes of driving, always think of at least one item that we forgot, and then relax and get over it.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

It's a week or more for me, because I start putting things in the suitcase months in advance if I won't be needing them. Travel items, articles of clothing like shorts if we're going in the fall or winter. I keep a packing list handy and check off things once they're in the suitcase.

 

[EACarlson]

If I'm not going to need those things in the meantime I'm usually packed at least a week in advance.