Packing light - what are your tips?

[timzagain]

Last year, DH and I travelled to Mexico for one week with one carry-on bag, and one personal item.

Now that I have experienced the freedom of life without checked luggage, I'm hoping that I'll never have to check luggage again!

I know that can be quite a challenge for many of us, but I'm hoping that we can share some packing strategies that will keep our "stuff" down to a minimum. DD11 and I will be taking a short trip in about 2 weeks.

- Using an inexpensive nylon Velcro wallet instead of my heavier leather wallet
- Pack a capsule wardrobe comprising of black, white and an accent colour or two. (2 shorts, one pair black slacks, 6 tanks, one long sleeved T, one shawl to dress up the tank top for evening) Everything is interchangeable and quick drying so I can hand wash in the hotel room.
- I don't pack detergent either - I wash my clothes with the hotel provided shampoo!
- Shoes - one pair of black sandals for daytime, one pair of silver beaded sandals for evening; no sneakers as I won't be doing a lot of walking on this trip
- Jewellry - one pair cubic zirconia studs, one pair silver hoops, one long silver necklace (costume jewelry) for evening
- Makeup - limited to lipgloss, eyeliner, concealer and a powder/foundation combo.
- Miniaturize everything - toiletries, comb, brush etc
- Pack disposable ponchos - much lighter than umbrellas or the "good" ponchos
- Plan to buy stuff I need at the destination.

Any other suggestions?

[jgraney106]

I was thinking about doing the same thing on our next Disney trip, since I don't want to pay the additional $15 per checked bag. It would add another $90 to our round trip ticket!:scared1: :eek:
So I have decided to make a list of the items that we would normally carry, like shampoo, disposable razors, toothpaste , etc, and on the way to the hotel, we are going to stop at a Dollar store and buy all those things, including detergent and dryer sheets. I will give the remainder of the laundry detergent and dryer sheets to another Disney mom in the laundry room :laundy: before I leave to go home ,and the left over toiletries will just get left behind in the room.
It will be cheaper than buying those sample sizes, as we would need more than one of each. As for the clothing I will pack, well I just haven't figured that out yet.

[snowbunny]

<<Packing light - what are your tips?>>

You just listed them :thumbsup2

[TruBlu]

Good ideas! I'm taking notes. :thumbsup2

[DisGal520]

include spf sunlotion 40 or above

lightweight foldable hat with brim

[Ava]

For shampoo/conditioner, I bought a couple of empty travel-sized bottles at Target. (I think they were $1-$2 each.) I just fill those with my shampoo & conditioner from home. They are larger than most of the travel shampoos, so one bottle will last us for a week-long trip. If we're running low we'll mix in the hotel-provided shampoo/conditioner. (I don't like the hotel shampoo normally because I have dry hair & its not moisturizing enough.)

I don't bring beach towels, just use hotel towels for the pool.

[Shagley]

We are going carry on only for our trip in September, so some ideas I have found are (I know some are just common sense, but I will post them anyway). Also, I want to take most everything with me and not buy it there (to save money and because I won't have access to a car)...

roll your clothes instead of folding them, they take up less space that way

wear your bulkiest items on the plane (sneakers, sweatshirt, blue jeans, etc)

If you pack a pair of shoes, stuff socks, underwear or other small items in the shoes to take advantage of that space.

go online and request free samples of toiletries - I have free shampoo, conditioner, facewash, bodywash, toothpaste, contact fluid, razors, deodorant, sunscreen, etc. that I save for trips. Also ask for samples at the eye doctor (contact lens fluid), the dentist (toothpase & floss), and even your medical doctor if you take liquid medication. They are usually the perfect size to fit in the 3-1-1 bags, and when they are empty I toss them.

If you happen to use a CPAP machine (like I do), check with the airlines because this is considered a medical device and shouldn't count as your carry on or personal item.

Use a backpack or a messenger bag as your personal item. If you normally carry a small purse, that small purse will fit in this bag along with lots of other items.

I take powdered laundry detergent and pre-measure it into snack size zip lock bags, then I put these, a snack bag full of quarters, and a few dryer sheets in a gallon zip lock bag (make sure to squish the air out of all the bags). This takes up a little space in my carry on, but after I use the detergent - this becomes space to pack a few souvenirs.


This is a great thread! I can't wait to hear everyone's ideas.

[toledo13]

Last year, DH and I travelled to Mexico for one week with one carry-on bag, and one personal item.

Now that I have experienced the freedom of life without checked luggage, I'm hoping that I'll never have to check luggage again!

I know that can be quite a challenge for many of us, but I'm hoping that we can share some packing strategies that will keep our "stuff" down to a minimum. DD11 and I will be taking a short trip in about 2 weeks.

- Using an inexpensive nylon Velcro wallet instead of my heavier leather wallet
- Pack a capsule wardrobe comprising of black, white and an accent colour or two. (2 shorts, one pair black slacks, 6 tanks, one long sleeved T, one shawl to dress up the tank top for evening) Everything is interchangeable and quick drying so I can hand wash in the hotel room.
- I don't pack detergent either - I wash my clothes with the hotel provided shampoo!
- Shoes - one pair of black sandals for daytime, one pair of silver beaded sandals for evening; no sneakers as I won't be doing a lot of walking on this trip
- Jewellry - one pair cubic zirconia studs, one pair silver hoops, one long silver necklace (costume jewelry) for evening
- Makeup - limited to lipgloss, eyeliner, concealer and a powder/foundation combo.
- Miniaturize everything - toiletries, comb, brush etc
- Pack disposable ponchos - much lighter than umbrellas or the "good" ponchos
- Plan to buy stuff I need at the destination.

Any other suggestions?



Great tips. When you do this- is it one qt size bag of liquids per person, or per carryon? I think it's per person, right? Like, you can have a carryon suitcase, and a bag... but it's one per person right? I think we're going to just do carryon for our trip to Miami in october. I just need to simplify what I bring. I always ALWAYS overpack!

[Brer Shay]

My best tip for longer trips is to plan to do laundry once while your gone. Don't take so many clothes!

[timzagain]

Great tips. When you do this- is it one qt size bag of liquids per person, or per carryon? I think it's per person, right? Like, you can have a carryon suitcase, and a bag... but it's one per person right? I think we're going to just do carryon for our trip to Miami in october. I just need to simplify what I bring. I always ALWAYS overpack!

It's one quart size bag per person. A few ways to reduce the liquids you have to pack:

1. If you use roll-on deodorant; switch to a stick deodorant for the trip
2. We have a travel size bottle for sunblock - the one that snaps off the bigger bottle. However, if you could use a stick sunblock instead.
3. A cleansing bar instead of my usual liquid facial wash - as a matter of fact, I'm going to cut the bar in half and save the other half for a subsequent trip.
4. DD usually needs a detangler for her hair - I'll pack an empty spray bottle and make our own detangler (diluted conditioner) when we get to our destination. I've saved a small spray bottle from a body spray for that purpose

Other space saver ideas:-

1. Travel with a swim chamois (check Speedo.com) instead of a beach towel. A less expensive option would be a chamois from the auto dept in Walmart which will work just as well. Ditch the plastic container the chamois is sold in and place it in a Ziploc bag instead!

2. Boardshorts are great! DH always travels with them, and now I've bought a few inexpensive pairs for my DD for travel - they can be washed out really quickly, and dry overnight in the shower (roll the shorts in a towel and squeeze out the excess water)

3. To reduce the number of phone chargers we'll need, I'll swap DD's phone with DH's - just switch the sim cards. DH and I have the same phone brand and use the same charger - DD's charger is completely different. If I persuade DH and DD to exchange phones for the trip, I'll only have to pack one charger.

4. I've been toting around my compact umbrella in my handbag today and realized that it's pretty heavy. I'll be packing another disposable poncho and leaving the umbrella at home!

[bzzybee13]

I haven't tried it yet but I read this tip on one of the other threads. For kids clothes, use two gallon Ziplocs and put one complete outfit in each. Roll it up pushing the air out then seal. Saves space and you have outfits ready to go each day. Not sure if an adult outfit would fit this way, probably not but it's worth a shot. I'm going to try this on my next trip.

[timzagain]

I forgot to add another tip. Check out onebag.com for an extensive list of tips for successful one-bag travelling!

[jpkkld]

Bring exactly what you need and ONLY what you need, do laundry mid-trip, and limit the hair-care and makeup products. The humidity wilts it all anyway (that's specific to Disney - not necessarily other destinations)!

A few clothes ideas:
1 - Don't ever bring jeans! They're bulky, heavy, cold when wet, roasting when hot, etc. etc. etc. Invest in nylon or other synthetics. My favorite pants (casual) are grey zip leg cargo pants - pant/shorts/storage all in one. They also cut the wind on cool days and wick moisture on hot days. And they match every top I own.

2 - Fleece sweatshirts are better than cotton for traveling - see all the notes about jeans above. Also, fleece can be stuffed into a ziploc, sat on, and zipped. Lightweight, small, keeps you warm even when wet. Many companies now offer wonderful microfleece tops that take up almost no space.

3 - Along the lines of 1 & 2, invest in some lightweight layering items/travel separates - silk and sythetics are light and very packable. Cotton is one of the heaviest and bulkiest fabrics. Replace 1 or 2 of your cotton tees with something lighter.

4 - Absolutely use ziplocs. Canoe and kayak campers have always done this.

5 - If you need to include "dressier" items, throw a silk scarf in. A nice scarf quickly dresses up a simple skirt and tank top, but adds almost nothing to space or weight. And it's more striking than any jewelry.

6 - This is probably the most important: track the weather at your destination for at least a week before you leave and pack for the ACTUAL weather. This works beautifully for me every time I travel. About 8-9 days before I leave for Orlando, I'll look at a 10-day forcast for my travel dates. I'll continue to check the forecast every day, writing it down. If I see that April 25 will be 80 and 20% chance of rain, but the next day it says the 25th will be 82 with 30% chance of rain, and two days later, it says 83 with 40% chance of rain . . . by the time I am in Orlando, I can be reasonably sure that April 25 will be mid- to upper-80s with a darn good chance of rain. Poncho? packed. Long shirt? Not packed. Water sandals? Packed.

This is particularly useful when trying to decide 1 pair of pants or 2? Jacket or not? Remove one of each from your luggage, and that's a lot of room!

It amazes me how many of my friends and relatives don't bother to do this. They pack sweatshirts even though night temps will never fall below 70 (May). Or they bring nothing but pants when daytime highs will reach 80 twice in a week (December).

A note about umbrellas: At Disney, having an umbrella or hat, despite the space, is probably a good idea (that is, if the weather report indicates a strong chance of rain). If it rains for any real length of time, a poncho with it's flimsy hood becomes very frustrating. An umbrella or rain hat keeps the drops off your face as you scan your surroundings. An umbrella also offers a dry haven to eat a snack or look at a map without resorting to the overcrowded sheltered locations. Look for the super tiny umbrellas if you really must save space, but think twice about leaving it behind.

[dyna]

HUMMMMMMMMMM Try traveling on a harley you learn how to pack light real quick! Now we do have a big Ultra Classic with the hard saddle bags an trunk but we ride 900 miles to disney meaning we need 2 changes of clothes for way down an way back we wash those while at disney an wear same ones home but it has to be jeans for riding of if cold jeans an full leathers we NEVER leave home on a trip without out leather jackets an leather chaps it just isn't done plus we have RAIN SUITS never leave home without those either. So the bike is at least half full an we not even got our disney clothes on the bike yey nor the meds that DH an I both have to take or the personal care items. Believe me if I can do it on a harley anyone can do it in a carry on.

Now once at disney an checked in we do go back out to store buy our diet cokes an water along with cereal an milk an bowls maybe some wine along with a styrofoam cooler. YES I'm the person who has been seen on back of harley holding the cooler as we drive back to the resort lol

[timzagain]

Bring exactly what you need and ONLY what you need, do laundry mid-trip, and limit the hair-care and makeup products. The humidity wilts it all anyway (that's specific to Disney - not necessarily other destinations)!

A few clothes ideas:
1 - Don't ever bring jeans! They're bulky, heavy, cold when wet, roasting when hot, etc. etc. etc. Invest in nylon or other synthetics. My favorite pants (casual) are grey zip leg cargo pants - pant/shorts/storage all in one. They also cut the wind on cool days and wick moisture on hot days. And they match every top I own.

2 - Fleece sweatshirts are better than cotton for traveling - see all the notes about jeans above. Also, fleece can be stuffed into a ziploc, sat on, and zipped. Lightweight, small, keeps you warm even when wet. Many companies now offer wonderful microfleece tops that take up almost no space.

3 - Along the lines of 1 & 2, invest in some lightweight layering items/travel separates - silk and sythetics are light and very packable. Cotton is one of the heaviest and bulkiest fabrics. Replace 1 or 2 of your cotton tees with something lighter.

4 - Absolutely use ziplocs. Canoe and kayak campers have always done this.

5 - If you need to include "dressier" items, throw a silk scarf in. A nice scarf quickly dresses up a simple skirt and tank top, but adds almost nothing to space or weight. And it's more striking than any jewelry.

6 - This is probably the most important: track the weather at your destination for at least a week before you leave and pack for the ACTUAL weather. This works beautifully for me every time I travel. About 8-9 days before I leave for Orlando, I'll look at a 10-day forcast for my travel dates. I'll continue to check the forecast every day, writing it down. If I see that April 25 will be 80 and 20% chance of rain, but the next day it says the 25th will be 82 with 30% chance of rain, and two days later, it says 83 with 40% chance of rain . . . by the time I am in Orlando, I can be reasonably sure that April 25 will be mid- to upper-80s with a darn good chance of rain. Poncho? packed. Long shirt? Not packed. Water sandals? Packed.

This is particularly useful when trying to decide 1 pair of pants or 2? Jacket or not? Remove one of each from your luggage, and that's a lot of room!

It amazes me how many of my friends and relatives don't bother to do this. They pack sweatshirts even though night temps will never fall below 70 (May). Or they bring nothing but pants when daytime highs will reach 80 twice in a week (December).

A note about umbrellas: At Disney, having an umbrella or hat, despite the space, is probably a good idea (that is, if the weather report indicates a strong chance of rain). If it rains for any real length of time, a poncho with it's flimsy hood becomes very frustrating. An umbrella or rain hat keeps the drops off your face as you scan your surroundings. An umbrella also offers a dry haven to eat a snack or look at a map without resorting to the overcrowded sheltered locations. Look for the super tiny umbrellas if you really must save space, but think twice about leaving it behind.

Thanks for your tips - I'm not planning to travel with jeans ever again! I stumbled upon a great pair of denim trousers - lightweight, comfortable and fit more like slacks than regular jeans! Love them! Otherwise, I'll travel in my lightweight black slacks.

As for umbrellas - I have used them for sun protection as well as for the rain. I really need to find a nice lightweight one - mine is quite compact, but pretty heavy!

I've been guilty of overpacking in years gone by - because we were travelling with four kids, we looked for ways to save which normally meant bring everything we needed from home to avoid paying "tourist prices" at our destination.

Ziplocs are great - however I wouldn't go with the approach of pre-packing outfits and bagging them. With a minimalist wardrobe everything goes with everything, and everything will get worn more than once. However, I've replaced my nice passport cover, makeup bag, first aid kit etc with ziploc bags. Not very pretty, but very lightweight and security-friendly!

[Reginat]

Hi!

I just packed for my trip this week :)

During the year I put aside less-favored clothes, socks and undergarments that are showing wear and tear. I can pack those, wear during the trip, then toss instead of bringing home. Even though they are "old" clothes, the look as good as most other people's clothes. I do that with tolietry items, too -- products that have only a few uses left in the container, so they can be tossed at the end of the stay.

Supposedly I have less in the luggage coming home -- but mostly it makes room for the new Disney stuff coming home with me lol!

I hope everyone will have a great trip to Disney! :)

Regina in NC

[goin2themouse]

My tips -

Every family member wears/carries his/her jacket onto the plane, even if it's 90 outside. It easily converts to a pillow, blanket if cold, light-blocking cover for a napping child, you name it. And imagine how much room an average family's jackets would take up otherwise.

One area where you do NOT want to skimp is undies, socks, and bras for the ladies. I always say take twice the underclothing you think you'll need and half the clothes. :thumbsup2

Bundle wrapping is also a most excellent tip; One Bag (http://www.onebag.com/pack.html) explains it well, as well as offering additional tips for traveling with just one suitcase.

And finally, if you plan to travel carry-on only, double-check your airports & airlines: they are NOT all the same. More than once I've been told by Orlando airport that my same bag that traveled TO that destination as a carryon is over the size limit. Believe me, you don't want to be the one running back to check a bag, and security won't even let you past the initial check-in, so gate checking isn't an option.

Happy travels! :)

[cglaura]

...
3. A cleansing bar instead of my usual liquid facial wash - as a matter of fact, I'm going to cut the bar in half and save the other half for a subsequent trip.

If you are partial to your liquid cleanser, what I do is wet a paper towel and squirt some on, squish it up so it saturates the towel. Then let dry and cut in half....two face washings. Place in a ziplock for travel, they are very flat and take up almost no room. Just wet with water when needed at the hotel and they suds right back up.

I got this idea from this board, someone mentioned doing it with dishwashing soap for travel, so I figured should be good for any soap, and it was :thumbsup2

[MinnieLee]

I am so guilty of overpacking but last couple of trips I used the travel space bags. You don't need to vacuum the air out, it's just roll it out. They worked great.

[aubriee]

I used to be a fan of packing clothes in zip locks, until someone here in the DIS turned me onto Eagle Creek packing folders and cubes. They are fantastic. I can't believe how many clothes I can squish into one 18" folder and underwear and bras fit perfectly in the cubes.

[SassyCat]

My DH and my trip to Disney in July will be my first time on an airplane since 2000 (!!!). I refuse to check a bag (have had bad experiences in the past and don't want to deal with all the hassle). So I told him he better not bring more than will fit in a carry on. Our trip is only going to be from Thurs to Sun, so I think we will be able to do it. Granted, I have always been a big overpacker...you would not believe the amount of luggage on our last trip in Jan...:eek:

On the last trip, DH used those space saver bags you can get at wal mart (the ones where you squeeze the air out), and they did a wonder for all his clothes. I used ziploc bags, but I think the way the space savers flattened his clothes will work better.

I am excited that the summer clothes will take up so much less room than the winter clothes we have brought on our last two trips (first trip was FREEZING and the second was HOT).

The only toiletries we plan to bring are a toothbrush, bar soap, solid deoderent, and a hairbrush. We will just use the shampoo in the room. I don't want to deal with any of the liquid stuff. Urgh...

I am going to try to be good for once and not buy many souvenirs. I'm going to try to just got a couple of small things, but if I do get anything that won't fit in my carry-on, we will get them shipped to our home.

Thanks for all the tips! :)

[jpkkld]

My tips -

I always say take twice the underclothing you think you'll need and half the clothes.

That's great! And SO TRUE!

Happy travels! :)

If you are partial to your liquid cleanser, what I do is wet a paper towel and squirt some on, squish it up so it saturates the towel. Then let dry and cut in half....two face washings. Place in a ziplock for travel, they are very flat and take up almost no room. Just wet with water when needed at the hotel and they suds right back up.

I got this idea from this board, someone mentioned doing it with dishwashing soap for travel, so I figured should be good for any soap, and it was :thumbsup2

THAT'S what I've been looking for! THANK YOU!!! I've been going crazy trying to find what someone called "Palmolive cloths". They must have been talking about this. Brilliant. I love these boards!

-Kristin

[timzagain]

If you are partial to your liquid cleanser, what I do is wet a paper towel and squirt some on, squish it up so it saturates the towel. Then let dry and cut in half....two face washings. Place in a ziplock for travel, they are very flat and take up almost no room. Just wet with water when needed at the hotel and they suds right back up.

I got this idea from this board, someone mentioned doing it with dishwashing soap for travel, so I figured should be good for any soap, and it was :thumbsup2

Wow! What a fantastic idea! Even though I'd seen the tip for the dishwashing soap, it never occured to me to try it with my facial wash. Thanks - I'll have to pass this tip onto my DD17 who's trying to figure out how to cram 12 days worth of business attire etc into a carry on when she goes to the Global Youth Leaders Conference in the summer!

Actually, I'll probably do the same with body wash and keep a few in my purse. It'll come in handy for the times when there's no soap in a public washroom!

Thanks.

[aubriee]

If you are partial to your liquid cleanser, what I do is wet a paper towel and squirt some on, squish it up so it saturates the towel. Then let dry and cut in half....two face washings. Place in a ziplock for travel, they are very flat and take up almost no room. Just wet with water when needed at the hotel and they suds right back up.

I got this idea from this board, someone mentioned doing it with dishwashing soap for travel, so I figured should be good for any soap, and it was :thumbsup2



Actually, I'll probably do the same with body wash and keep a few in my purse. It'll come in handy for the times when there's no soap in a public washroom!

Thanks.


Wow! Great ideas ladies. I gotta try both of these (or should I say all three ideas, if you count using the one with dishwashing liquid). I just hope I don't get my Palmolive paper towel, mixed up with my facial cleanser or body wash paper towels.:rotfl::rotfl:

[nettii]

I always bring the free sample shampoo & cond. the ones in the flat packages. I unpack hard case items like Lysol or baby wipes and put them in ziploc. any snacks I unpack the boxes and slip them in where ever I can. And remember you can bring one carry on and a personal bag. have fun! Nettii:goodvibes

[timzagain]

Wow! Great ideas ladies. I gotta try both of these (or should I say all three ideas, if you count using the one with dishwashing liquid). I just hope I don't get my Palmolive paper towel, mixed up with my facial cleanser or body wash paper towels.:rotfl::rotfl:

I was worried about that too until I remembered that ingenious invention ... the permanent marker! LOL!

My very fussy DD17 was curious as to whether the same principle would work with cotton pads instead of the paper towels. As she puts it, "It'll look much nicer!" Personally, I don't care how it looks. I want it to be functional.

Incidentally, I was checking another list of packing tips elsewhere on the 'net and it was suggested by a reader that astringent/ toner could be transported in the same way - just put a few cotton balls in a ziploc bag, saturate them with the toner then zip the bag shut to seal everything in!

As for laundry, I've also included a clothesline, clothespins and a few plastic hangers. I've learned the hard way from travelling with our kids to swim meets - there is never enough space in a hotel room to dry clothes!

Last year on our Mexico trip, one very snarky teenaged girl in the group HAD to point out to me that "the hotels do supply hangers, you know" Yet the same smart aleck had to borrow one of my plastic hangers when she realized that the hotel-supplied hangers would only work in the closet and were useless for drying things in the shower!

Thank you all for the tips! Keep them coming!

[theToes]

lots of helpful info in here for us rookies.

[stackyallred]

I haven't tried it yet but I read this tip on one of the other threads. For kids clothes, use two gallon Ziplocs and put one complete outfit in each. Roll it up pushing the air out then seal. Saves space and you have outfits ready to go each day. Not sure if an adult outfit would fit this way, probably not but it's worth a shot. I'm going to try this on my next trip.

I have a friend who does do this with adult clothes, only she uses the 2 gallon bags. She, like me, does not like to spend time on the trip deciding what to wear so she does all the planning ahead of time by using the 2 gallon bags. They are a little more expensive, but when you are just using them for clothes, they can be reused many trips! :thumbsup2

[MEF13]

If you are partial to your liquid cleanser, what I do is wet a paper towel and squirt some on, squish it up so it saturates the towel. Then let dry and cut in half....two face washings. Place in a ziplock for travel, they are very flat and take up almost no room. Just wet with water when needed at the hotel and they suds right back up.

I got this idea from this board, someone mentioned doing it with dishwashing soap for travel, so I figured should be good for any soap, and it was :thumbsup2

Love this idea!

Thanks

[MapleGirl]

My best pack-lightly tip --> don't bring the kids! :rotfl2::rotfl2:
Just kidding.

Anyway, DH and I each pack a carry-on sized suitcase and a full sized backpack.
http://cdni.llbean.com/is/image/wim/222522_72_41?wid=330&hei=295 http://cdni.llbean.com/is/image/wim/103372_2542_41?wid=330&hei=295

I don't bring jewelry or makeup, aside from what I wear on the plane and the makeup I normally have in my purse - lipstick, chapstick and face powder.

We are all about the disposable mini toiletries.

The Disney coffee is terrible, so we bring a small electric tea kettle and a camping coffee filter from REI.
http://media.rei.com/media/266811.jpg
With that we can make coffee, tea, instant hot chocolate and instant oatmeal. We get milk/creamer and sugar at the resort.

I stuff our Crocs with socks so they don't get bent out of shape in the suitcases.

We bring travel slippers that roll up and pack away in their own little bags. We got them from LL Bean and just love them!
http://cdni.llbean.com/is/image/wim/251156_29216_41?wid=330&hei=295

Once we get to WDW, we go to Basin to get some bath salts. That way we don't need to pack bubble bath and the salts are nice on your feet after walking in the parks all day.

We bring a pop-up hamper or a huge plastic bag to put dirty clothes in. At the end of the trip, we can just shove the whole thing in a suitcase along with our shoes.

We order bottled water from Costco and have it delivered to the hotel. We give away any extras we have at the end of the trip.

When I pack, I have have a checklist. That way I know exactly what I'm bringing. It saves me from having to tear the bags apart to see if I've forgotten something and helps me collect everything from the hotel room when it's time to go home.

Finally, I try not to fret if I've left something at home.... we can buy just about anything we need on or near Disney property and as DH says "We can always make more money!" :love:

[Luv2Diz]

My favorite travel tip comes from European travel guru Rick Steves:
"Lay out everything on your bed that you plan to take. Now....leave half of it at home!"

I always used to overpack on clothing, but no more. I take lightweight nylon (parachute type fabric) pants or shorts. I wash them in the sink, hang them in the shower and they are dry by the next day. They roll up small for packing and you only need 3 - 4 pairs for a long trip. ;)

[Twitterpated Dad]

You might want to check out these sites:

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlight.htm

http://www.verber.com/mark/travel/packing.html

http://www.travelite.org/

http://www.frequentflyer.oag.com/tra...rryonguide.asp (http://www.frequentflyer.oag.com/traveller_services/carryonguide.asp)

http://onebagger.squarespace.com/blog/?currentPage=2

[Twitterpated Dad]

You also might want to check out these threads for lists and tips:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1634425

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2096617

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2071382

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2052286

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

I always used to overpack on clothing, but no more. I take lightweight nylon (parachute type fabric) pants or shorts. I wash them in the sink, hang them in the shower and they are dry by the next day. They roll up small for packing and you only need 3 - 4 pairs for a long trip. ;)

I love the lightweight nylon pants idea. I always wear jeans but they take up so much room and cannot be easily rinsed out - even for when we go backpack camping they take up a lot of room and are heavy. But we leave in a very rural area and I hate, hate, hate to shop so I have no idea where to get something like this. Could you pass on some ideas as to where to find these? Any stores/online places that are found everywhere? Thanks for any tips.

[Luv2Diz]

I love the lightweight nylon pants idea. I always wear jeans but they take up so much room and cannot be easily rinsed out - even for when we go backpack camping they take up a lot of room and are heavy. But we leave in a very rural area and I hate, hate, hate to shop so I have no idea where to get something like this. Could you pass on some ideas as to where to find these? Any stores/online places that are found everywhere? Thanks for any tips.


These types of pants are available online at Sierra Trading Post. Nike, Columbia Sportswear, and JC Penneys also carry them.

[holden]

We always ship the heavy/bulky stuff down ahead of time - sunscreen, toothpaste, hand sanitizer wipes, disposable ponchos, etc. The box is always there when we arrive, and we never bring any of it home. We give any leftovers to a family who is checking in (well, the sunscreen and stuff like that).

This saves a ton of weight (pun intended) in our suitcases, which is great since I share my suitcase with the girls. Yes, three ladies fit clothes for a week in one suitcase. And I pack two outfits a day for the kids!

Also, I reuse some clothes. For example, if I wear a sundress to dinner one night, I might wear it in the parks one day or on the flight home.

[Twitterpated Dad]

I love the lightweight nylon pants idea. I always wear jeans but they take up so much room and cannot be easily rinsed out - even for when we go backpack camping they take up a lot of room and are heavy. But we leave in a very rural area and I hate, hate, hate to shop so I have no idea where to get something like this. Could you pass on some ideas as to where to find these? Any stores/online places that are found everywhere? Thanks for any tips.

rei.com

campmor.com

[disneyorvegas]

If you happen to use a CPAP machine (like I do), check with the airlines because this is considered a medical device and shouldn't count as your carry on or personal item.



WOW! I didn't know that! I will definitely check with Jet Blue before our next trip! Thanks!

[janiejake]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shagley
If you happen to use a CPAP machine (like I do), check with the airlines because this is considered a medical device and shouldn't count as your carry on or personal item.

WOW! I didn't know that! I will definitely check with Jet Blue before our next trip! Thanks!

Curious to see what you both are told/experience. I called Sun Country to ask about this, and was told it was my dh's 'personal item'. I was very disappointed to hear that....Now that our trip is over, perhaps I'll call again and see if I get the same answer?

[EmilyJ]

Great tips! With these fees, Im hoping to bring 2 suitcases TOPS, one (under 50 pounds) would be best!

[flying_babyb]

Roll everything. Actully what works well for me was getting gallon zip lock bags and putting a whole days clothes (socks undergarments shorts tee) inside then sealing all but one corner and smushing it (like a space bag). Was not only a space saver but a time saver. Space bags are great.

[seus-mouse]

Thanks for all the good ideas:thumbsup2
We usually drive and this year DH found a low mileage Chevy prizm '02 with only 20k on it so the gas mileage is great. YET, my girls and I are used to filling a mini-van with roof racks or a conversion van. So I told them we have to pack like Dad:rotfl:, He can wear the same two pair of shorts and three shirts and live in flip flops for a 13 day trip...:confused3

Our Go-Lite Disney trek.:rotfl2:
Thanks,
Holly

[ebloom]

Thanks for all the great tips. We are going to try to do carry on only for our trip in October (9 days). Hope we can do it with all your great ideas.

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Thank you Twitterpated Dad and Luv2Diz. I will check those out. I'm really liking the idea of wearing something other than jeans since I have to wear jeans for work and I wear them at home, it would be nice to wear something else on vacation, especially if it's light, takes up less room in the carry on or backpack and I can wash it out in the sink or stream.

I'm always amazed and thankful for the great advice and help that we get here on the boards.

[MapleGirl]

Roll everything. Actully what works well for me was getting gallon zip lock bags and putting a whole days clothes (socks undergarments shorts tee) inside then sealing all but one corner and smushing it (like a space bag). Was not only a space saver but a time saver. Space bags are great.

Hmmm.... I really like this idea of storing outfits in zip top bags. I might do this next time. It's just DH and I, but we tend to change clothes halfway through the day (after our afternoon nap back at the hotel). I end up packing a lot of clothing for the two of us. I'm also neurotic about planning and packing, so this might amuse me for a few days!:banana::banana:

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

I've been using the ziplock bags for years. They work great. One year we went to Jamiaca back when they went through your luggage at the airport down there in front of everyone. They just lined up your bags on these wooden benches and started going through all the suitcases while everyone is standing around watching. Well, everything I had packed was in ziplocks so they just pulled out the bags and looked through the suitcase and put the bags back in - neat and tidy and nobody sees too much. The couple next to us, meanwhile, have all of the their unmentionables strewn all over the bench for everyone to see, some of them fall on floor (Yuk!). She was so embarrassed. She looked over at us and said that she had never thought of packing with ziplocks but after having been through that experience she was never packing without them again. Just another reason to use them.

[AngelBabyJana]

I've been using the ziplock bags for years. They work great. One year we went to Jamiaca back when they went through your luggage at the airport down there in front of everyone. They just lined up your bags on these wooden benches and started going through all the suitcases while everyone is standing around watching. Well, everything I had packed was in ziplocks so they just pulled out the bags and looked through the suitcase and put the bags back in - neat and tidy and nobody sees too much. The couple next to us, meanwhile, have all of the their unmentionables strewn all over the bench for everyone to see, some of them fall on floor (Yuk!). She was so embarrassed. She looked over at us and said that she had never thought of packing with ziplocks but after having been through that experience she was never packing without them again. Just another reason to use them.

I really like the idea of using the ziplock bags to pack, it seems like a great way to keep everything organized, the kids can just grab a bag each morning and get dressed.

For those that use the ziplocks, does that make your luggage heavier? Seems like you can pack a lot more that way, and I am afraid of going over our 50 lb weight limit. Our suitcases seems heavy even when they are empty ...... so I know that I will have to be careful about this.

We are each checking a suitcase, and the kids will each have their backpack with a few small items inside (snack, small activity/puzzle book, Nintendo DS's, their IPods, and swimsuit).

Now any ideas on how to get all those souvenirs home? We were thinking about putting 2 folding tote/duffle bags in the bottom of our luggage - then on the way home, DH & I can use these as carry ons. What does everyone else do for all those items that you "collect" while at Disney? (With 3 kids, and our first trip to Disney, this could be a problem).