Do you have a system or strategy for packing? Does it depend on the length of the trip? How do you plan what clothes you are taking? Lists? Lay outfits out on the bed? Sudoku method of packing? Do you tend to overpack to be prepared for all contingencies? How do you insure you don’t forget items?
I think I used to be a better packer than I am now. Sometimes I make a clothes spreadsheet and figure out an outfit for each day/evening. This is probably more true for professional trips and/or “event,” type trips such as a wedding or game weekend. Sometimes I pack with a color palette. Typically black, white, denim, and a single bright color with lots of accessories. I find that method easier when the weather is cooler.
We leave for Florida tomorrow, and I have no idea what I’m even taking. The only, “event,” we have is a celebration of life service we are attending. Otherwise, I think my packing will be very haphazard, which seems to be how I’ve been my last few trips. Maybe I care less about what I wear? Maybe because it’s such a casual destination?
We’ve probably had similar threads before. Heck, I may have started a thread on this myself at one point and have forgotten since I’m old and crazy. But, this was on my mind this morning. I’m going to try and sort through what I’m taking in my head when I’m on my run. Would love to know how others approach this task.
I start packing one week in advance and “stage” my clothes on the guest bed. I’ll typically do some additions and subtractions over the course of the week as the weather forecast tightens.
I use packing cubes. If it can’t fit in my carry on it doesn’t come, no matter what the duration of the trip. (I’ve done as long as a month away with just my carry on and my backpack (personal item).
I keep a tight palette so everything can be mixed and matched.
Shoes are always my biggest “problem” because they take up so much space so I try to limit it to three pairs - the bulkiest I wear on the plane and I pack the other two in my backpack with my toiletry bag, accessories, and small purse.
This thread is timely for me because we have a mountain destination wedding coming up. In town the temps range from mid 40s at night to low 70s during the day but the mountain top venue is going to be even colder. I need dressy clothes, hiking clothes and everything in between. And lots of layers ; )
The day before, I do all laundry and lay out on the bed what I plan to take. I’m a minimalist and take only one carry-on roller bag no matter how far or long I’ll be gone. DH and I traveled so many years for business, we have packing down pat and don’t sweat it.
This is crucial for me: black, tan, white, navy.
Same.
What calms any anxiety is knowing I can buy anything I need at the destination as I never go anywhere uncivilized (where athletic shoes would be required).
I have an extra bedroom. Before any trip, I put the options on the bed in that room. Like @ChoatieMom I almost always take one carryon bag and my personal item. My exception was a five week trip we took last year, and I needed multiple types of clothing…so DH and I shared one checked bag.
I also start a week prior. I start bringing out clothes through out the week. Few days before the trip I would edit my clothes, then I bring out my underwear/socks (the essentials). I will then look at my clothes and figure out what shoes I needed. I limit myself to 3 pairs of shoes now.
I would start my toiletries and medications few days prior to the trip. If I am traveling overseas then I bring out plugs and passport.
I don’t actually put everything in the suitcase until the day before. I will do additional editing depending on which suiticase(s) I am bringing. I don’t make a list because I am more visusal.
No matter if we have had a thread before - I think it’s a popular, interesting topic!
As soon as a trip is planned I’m mentally thinking about what I’ll take. I’m a casual “sporty” dresser so there is rarely nothing more than maybe one dress for “dress up”. Agree the hardest is shoes. In the course of a regular day at home I might change my shoes 3 times - or more! Yes to packing cubes.
I think layers. Bring favorite items I’ll be happy to wear. I might make some items do double duty. For instance my “pj’s” might also become my work out clothes for the morning.
When I lay things out I do a glance to make sure most things/colors are interchangeable.
A time saver for me is keeping my small, underseat roller bag permanently packed with travel duplicates; I don’t unpack this one at home, just refresh anything that has gotten low or used up and put it back up on a closet shelf. It contains all my skincare, makeup, travel jewelry, toiletries, hair products/dryer, travel purse, phone/iPad chargers, and sundries. I also tuck in a clean pair of underwear, sleep tee-shirt, and footies in case I get separated from my roller bag (though I never check luggage). I have traveled like this for so many years that packing for any trip is simply laying out/packing clothes the day before.
After our last trip, I tore apart my toiletries. Washed my containers but I had a couple of longer trips where I used most of the items I needed
I had to re pack that bag. I had too many duplicates so I need to cull that. I did buy a new bag that I think will be better than the one I had before.
I do pack my toiletries by use in mesh zipper bags. I find it useful to find what I need. So contacts in one bag, shampoo for my colored hair in another. Makeup in another. I throw the bags in a bigger toiletries bag. It was stupid expensive and continually sold out but here it is
As far as clothes, if it’s a longer trip, I like to use packing cubes. We just went to our son’s house last weekend. Very casual so I rolled the clothes I brought.
I always pack a pair of sneakers. And a light jacket.
I use see through mini packing cubes in my toiletry bag. One for make up, one for liquids as extra protection, one for dental hygiene. The rest of the stuff I use the built in loops and such but everything is organized by use.
Yes to much of the above - I keep my travel supplies packed in my personal bag and just replenish as needed. I’m picky about my hair and have hair tools just for travel.
Biggest issue for me is shoes - wear a size 10, they take up a lot of room!
As much as I’ve traveled with just a carry on I find that has started to stress me out on longer trips. So the answer has been my H and I take 1 large checked bag and 1 carry on suitcase and we each get half. That way, if the large bag is lost for a few days I have what I need. Just returned from 10 days in Europe and I wore/used everything in these bags - I guess I’m an overpacker!
I’m flying to Miami Saturday for four days. My flight out is at 7:30 AM Saturday. I’m willing to bet I start packing around 8 or 9 pm Friday night.
That said, I’m also in the only pack in carryons, always use packing cubes, toiletries are always ready to go. Tonight I’ll probably head to Target as the travel size stuff I like for my hair is out - I don’t love the product they have in travel size on the shelf, but it’s better than nothing. I’ll also do laundry tonight just to make sure anything I might want is clean.
I have a packing spreadsheet which gets updated/ customized for each trip. I also stick to a color palette which almost always revolves around black pants. I can dress those up/down.
Reading the posts hear I have learned that I am not the only one who used a spare bedroom as a staging area and starts about a week before. I check the weather for my destination. I pull out everything I might possibly take and start trying on different combinations. If a separate item ( top/pants/skirt) doesn’t go with at least 2 other items, it goes back in the closet. I usually put about half back.
The old adage “ you can always buy what you need” is true/not true. Depends where you are going. NYC -yes. Rural Illinois-no. European travel -maybe. Etc.
I carry a small overnight bag ( fits under the seat) with basic toiletries, change of top, socks, underwear and something to sleep in. It also has phone chargers and reading material.
I always fly Delta and my status/credit card allows free checked bags and I do that.
I never start packing before the night before, and sometimes only day of, but I have packing lists. I have basic hot weather and cold weather lists that get customized to where I am going (a July trip to New York and a trip to Indian Wells to watch tennis and a trip to a beach vacation need different things as an example). So I have a folder in my phone that is just packing lists, lol. Obviously some get recycled because same /similar place at same time. The lists are always thorough before I pack.
I’m not actually a fan of everything in carry on because liquids, airport schlep, possible fight for overhead space depending which airline I’m flying etc but if it’s a short trip it makes sense.
Yes, we learnt this the hard way. When we travel, there is at least one days outfit for everyone in each suitcase because sometimes they offload one of a family.
I create a packing document (use word not excel) for each trip. However, I never start from scratch, I copy over the last document that most closely matches this trip (number of nights, weather, and who is travelling - solo, family, etc.) I don’t specify exact clothes - so it will say 4 short sleeve shirts. or 2 pairs of pants. I pick out the final selections of which of those I want to bring and use a spare bed to put them out. I check off each item on the list as it is place in a suitcase. I also keep my trip accessories - airtags, charging cables, power converters, etc. in one drawer together, and my trip toiletries - in a bin in the bathroom together.
I don’t fuss much about mixing and matching colors, etc. In general, my wardrobe all works together - jeans or khakis with casual tops of different weights (sweaters, tees, etc.)
I also typically only wear sneakers on vacation. So if only a few days - no shoes to pack - if longer I include a spare pair of sneakers to switch them up since I am likely to do a lot of walking.
We just returned from 10 days in Italy, and although I felt like I did a good job packing (only 1 shirt not worn!) I still took a ton of stuff. I didn’t want to spend time in a laundromat or figuring out logistics of dropping off/picking up clothes to be washed in an already packed itinerary. Why don’t popular tourist destinations have holiday clothing rental shops? I’d love a place where I could tell them my size and style preferences, then pick up the clothes at the beginning of the trip, not worry about laundry, and drop it all off at the end. Plenty of room in the bags for souvenirs and I wouldn’t have to lug a large, checked bag through the airport. My husband has brought old clothes with him on longer international trips and just donated them or pitched them out at the end, but I don’t want to travel in my old clothes- if I’m donating it, it’s probably because it’s gotten too tight. If I could just pack underwear, shoes and PJs in a small bag that would be amazing!
For me the problem with packing the day before or the day of is that some of my clothes may need to be washed/ironed, or some of my toiletries may be missing. I told this story before about me finding out my passport was missing few days before my Asia trip while I was packing. If I have waited the day before then it wouldn’t have been recoverable.
I did see a story once about how they do this in Japan. You can rent clothes for a trip (all sizes even kids) and they are delivered to your hotel and then picked up at your hotel at the end of your trip.
But, this was on my mind this morning. I’m going to try and sort through what I’m taking in my head when I’m on my run. Would love to know how others approach this task.
