When do you start packing?

[floridaminnie]

When do you start packing. If my dd (3) had her way, she would keep her suitcase packed to go on Mickey's ship.:p I have already start buying stuff. Just wondering when I should start packing!

[ldb1030]

I have a "cruise basket" in my room with all kinds of stuff to pack and I'm SURE I'll start packing right after the 4th of July!!!
I have to force myself to wait until then!
We cruise on 7/27!!!:bounce:

[ducklite]

We cruise on 8/24.

I have a large bag (The big yellow Disney Store bag) in my closet filled to the brim with things I've purchased or didn't want to forget. It's been there for months now!

I'm thinking about begining to pack in earnest the first weekend in August. We have an out of state family reunion the second week, and we leave in the wee hours on the 21st, so I want to have the weekend before we go to fine tune the packing and clean the house.

Anne

[SC Minnie]

We keep a 'cruise box' in the spare bedroom. We started putting things in it about 3 months before the cruise! Our next cruise is in Oct. and it already has a few things in it. We just keep the things in there that we know we arem't going to use again except for cruises or WDW!

[TNErnie]

We sail June 30--been packed since June 20--bags are by the door!

[mickeynut674]

We too also have a "cruise box" in our bedroom closet filled with new shorts, sunscreen & other goodies. I will probably start packing this week(as soon as hubby to be gets the luggage from the attic;)

[Dopey & Grumpy]

We have a bag that's packed all the time with the essentials. A day or two before we leave, we do a wash and the night before we pack all the clothes. Early the morning of - we're ready to go! BUT....we start buying 3 months ahead of time! Right now all the summer stuff is on sale so we've been shopping for the last 2 week-ends. We're just about set. Now all we can do is wait, and wait, and wait....:(

[prymsu]

i travel lots for work, and for pleasure. I normally have my cosmetics and toiletries, and blow dryer, as well as other misc. items such as the over the door shoe hanger packed all the time.

Then I have all our snorkel gear cleaned up when I get home, and stored in a suitcase so I don't have to hunt around for that stuff.

In another suitcase, I keep some stuff that I would only ever wear on a cruise, like all the swimsuit covers and stuff like that. I normally don't have much to pack when we get ready to go.

I also make a little check list that I have photo copied, as well as a project plan, so I can do a final check a week or so before to make sure that I have not forgotten anything.

[Amzey]

We leave very early Friday morning and I haven't started yet. :o We did a lot of shopping today, so we're planning on getting out the suitcases tonight and starting to pack. My whole family is really bad about that though - I've even packed the day of a vacation before. :rolleyes: So this time, we're starting early! ;)

[Hopkins]

I like the box idea, but about a month or so before the cruise, I start to gather items that I'd think I would forget and put them out on the dresser. Slowly, the pile grows. About a week out, the suitcases come out and the packing starts, and throughout the week more items get packed. Until... 1/18/03.

Tina
Magic Western 1/18/03:bounce:

[4nana]

I have a large bag (The big yellow Disney Store bag) in my closet filled to the brim with things I've purchased or didn't want to forget. It's been there for months now!

Ditto....
BIG Dis bag in closet full of things I've found on sale for the 7 grands ....everything from plush M&M's to Princess' costumes
and 6 mos to go :D

[donnabres]

I'm not going on Disney cruise till next year, but leave this Sunday on a cruise Boston to Bermuda. Have had all my clothes pressed and hanging together for a month. The only problem is with all the sales, I keep buying more, and changing my mind. Have bought 2 dresses last 2 days for the 2 formal nights on board. So had to take away, and add to my list.
Oh well, that's part of the fun of planning for the trip.
Donna

[Denine]

We pack the day before we leave! We do laundry and pack the same day. I have my packing list and just check it off as we go.

[ruvidu]

We have been putting stuff back since last year. We got us a large Rubbermaid bin and when we find somthing on sale we purchase it and put it in the bin. All we have to do is remove things from the bin and put them in the suitcases. September and October are great times to purchase NEXT YEARS'S cruise clothes.

[Dave_from_Marietta]

I hope Barb or Tony pipe in on this thread. I wonder if they ever fully <i>unpack</i> between trips. They probably have their packing down to a science since they cruise so often!

[floridaminnie]

That would be interesting to know. Barb and Tony are on their way to the Wonder today!

[candleonwater]

As much as I travel, I never fully unpack. I always have a small suitcase full of the basic toiletries... then for the clothing, I pack the night before I leave... Nothing like a little stress just before leaving!

[StaceyA]

I always pack the clothes the night before I leave, I start getting things together that I will need (toiletries) in advance but my makeup and things I use in the morning don't go in until last minute.

I do make up a list starting about a month in advance of things I will be needing, and I just check it off as I pack.

This came in handy years ago when I went on a cruise to Bermuda, I got sick the day before (24hr bug) and couldn't really get out of bed, so I had to pack the morning of the cruise....THANK GOD for the list!!!

[tkd lisa]

We were on the 11 May Western, and I had everything but toiletries packed by the 1st of April! The way I looked at it, we weren't going to be using those bathing suits and shorts during the winter anyway! Of course, DH thought I was nuts!

[JLSE50]

I say each person should pack as he or she sees fit. :D

If SDOANE'S DD wants to start packing now for her trip to see MICKEY'S SHIP, then let her. :bounce:
She will have fun thinking :Pinkbounc
and planning :bounce:
for her big vacation and
PLANNING and ANTICIPATION are a big part of the FUN. :Pinkbounc :bounce:

Jan :earsgirl:

[Toad]

I am going to show this post to my boyfriend. he thinks I am nuts so I am glad to know I'm not the only one. I don't leave for another 2 months, but most of my stuff is laying out on my dining table (I don't use it much) just waiting to go in the suitcase. The toiletry kit is always packed and ready to go. I started fine-tuning my packing list in February.:p

[poopie]

I went on the Wonder in Jan and had WAY too much stuff. I never unpacked my bag (except dirty cloths) and when my April trip to WDW came around I just took the same suitcase again and still have clean stuff left over in the thing. I guess I'm an overpacker!!!!

[floridaminnie]

I know I would prefer to over pack than underpack. :)

[imgoingtodisney]

I'll begin packing 12 weeks before our Nov cruise! Our last of 5 summer mini-vacas is Labor Day weekend. When we return I'll begin packing for our cruise and doing some heavy duty trip planning.

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by sdoane

I know I would prefer to over pack than underpack.

Underpacking's not that bad. They have self-service laundry onboard.

[floridaminnie]

They have self-service laundry onboard.

Yeh, but I HATE doing laundry at home, so I don't see me doing it on the ship. Unless I get some pixy dust on me and have the urge to do laundry!:jester:

[Fawn]

Originally posted by sdoane


Yeh, but I HATE doing laundry at home, so I don't see me doing it on the ship. Unless I get some pixy dust on me and have the urge to do laundry!:jester:

Well, good Lord, if pixie dust did that I'd have a gallon in my laundry room!! LOL How about bathroom cleaner pixie dust? ;)

[glindamood]

We cruised last December and are going again this December and when I put the summer clothes away - they went away in the suitcases. When it was time to really pack, much of it was done - all I needed to do was sort for each person and repack.

[CruellaDuVille]

Cruella's packing rule: Pack less stuff, bring more money.

[leanne2255]

The "official" packing commences one week before we leave. Suticases are brought up from the basement and spread on the living room floor. I start ironing all the clothes for the trip and being throwing stuff in the suitcases as I think of them, so I won't forget. By the time we are ready to go, everything is done! No last minute packing stress for me.