Overpackers Anonymous

[Lintasare]

Add me to the list, I check a 27 inch suitcase plus I have a carry on I take for an 8 day trip. I pack a pair of pants for each day and at least 3 extra shirts because I always seem to get one dirty.

I pack two pairs of sneakers, 3 different pairs of Crocs and 2 pairs of flip flops. I like variety in my shoes.

If I have to do laundry or wear the same pair of pants for 3 days it is not a vacation. I would not want to travel with just a carry on only. What if you buy souvenirs? Where are you going to put them?

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Count me in. I shipped 2 boxes to AKL plus we had 5 21" that I made the 2 yo sit on to close and a full size duffel or backpack each. Hey a girl needs shoes. Our first trip in 2004, my Dh kept saying 'good lord this carryon is heavy'. When we got to AKL an he saw the case of h2o he was not happy. What's funny is I am only an over packet for Disney. I can go to nyc, the beach, dc for a long weekend w a tube of mascara and a clean outfit in my purse and do just fine. Weird

 

[RedfromNL]

Thanks all for sharing these stories, I needed a laugh

I could be a therapist for you if you ever need one. I always manage to pack exactly what I need.

But I do understand the overpacking, it's so easy to do!

 

[RedfromNL]

Personally I think it is totally unnatural to leave home for a 10 day trip with 1 19 inch suitcase.

First of all, all the tips people give me to cut pack imo are ridiculous. When I go on vacation....

1) I am not washing my undies or bras in the hotel sink. forget it.
2) I am not wearing the same pair of servicable black shoes. Really people go to paris and wear the same pair of sneakers for 7 days? no wonder they think Americans are tacky. lol
3) I go to wdw during the summer, I take at least 2 showers a day, no way am I putting back on the same sweaty clothes. That's just nasty.
4) I am not looking for a laundramat in the middle of Italy or Vegas to wash clothes. remember it's a vacation

Overpackers unite.

1. I always bring any undies that are close to being thrown out. I wear them and then throw them out. That gives room for souvenirs on the way back.
2. I always pack at leat two pairs of spare shoes. Totally agree on that! Can still fit in the suitcase though. Just wear the bulkiest pair for travel.
3. yep! I often do that even when not travelling in summer. I don't want to sit and eat in sweaty or dirty clothes!
4. Don't mind. I just time it with a drink-break or whatever.
I even planned a laundrybreak on the cruisship

So there are ways to cut back on the overpacking and reduce it to a mere packing more than one suitcase.

You can be cured




(only 50 dollars per session , bargain really. Right? guys? )

 

[aubriee]

Thanks all for sharing these stories, I needed a laugh

I could be a therapist for you if you ever need one. I always manage to pack exactly what I need.

But I do understand the overpacking, it's so easy to do!

I agree! thanks for sharing all the stories.

I'm sitting here just agog, with my mouth open. I'm a very light packer and have no problem packing just one personal item and one carry on for a ten day trip. Even then, I can pack at least one extra outfit and a sundress, plus two pairs of flip flops. I also have at least one extra pair of underwear and an extra bra. I also have things like my MP3 player, Kindle, small toiletries, and camera. I use a 18" packing folder and some packing cubes, always have everything I need (at least one outfit per day, plus one extra) and don't do laundry. In fact, I always have a little room left over in both my personal item and in my carry on. Unlike you I have never understood people who overpack though. I just can't imagine lugging all that stuff around. I'm just amazed at people who think they need two checked bags, plus a personal item, plus a carry on for a week's trip. I understand wanting to have choices, but still think it's funny.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Thankfully Southwest allows 2 bags per person because I bring 3 bags as my DH can pack a weeks worth of clothes in one duffel bag.

What's worse is I pack all these pants and shirts then when I'm there I don't feel like wearing certain items so I buy new t- shirts.


If we are going on vacation by car I bring even more.

 

[jlr9882]

Oh my goodness... I'm an overpacker. I'm a bad overpacker, in that, I forget important things and remember silly ones.

My families first trip to WDW in 2006 - we had a uhaul. Granted, we were renting a house and driving from Toronto to Florida with 7 people in a 7 passenger van, including a 6 month old baby, but it was still more than a little bit ridiculous.

hahaha. Sounds like my Mom and I. I know my problem comes from my high school years. I stayed at my bff's house and some fun pranks for played on us. I ended up having to wash clothes there before work the next day. After that I started keeping change of clothes and bathroom stuff in my car. I now take 2 car seats on most trips for my son. He has thrown up so many times in the car that it was nice having an extra, and plus it makes it easier when I know I will be in someone else's car a good bit when we get to where ever we are going. No taking the seat in and out of the car all the time.

In Aug. 2009, Mom and I took my son on his first WDW. He was 2 at the time. I was in the process of potty training him, so he had a whole Disney cars case of pull-ups. Yes, I had to have the Disney ones in the nice Disney case for our trip. He also have over 20 allergies, and we booked through my CM cousin so no dining plan on that trip. We had a huge cooler with all our food plus extra bags of food. We were able to get a fridge for free at POP because of his medical conditions and special formulas due to the allergies. We were packing our meals for the parks each day, and only planned a couple meals out for the week. Mom and I have to bring all our bathroom stuff even when we know there will be shampoos etc in the room for us. I also brought his kid size blow up mattress and some of his toys. We all had to have lots of Disney stuff animals for the mousekeepers to use to decorate (thanks to disboards for pictures of stuff animals in rooms). Mom and I went to Kmart during one of their Disney clothes sales and bought more than enough Disney clothes for my son to wear each day. It was so bad that each day/park he had a certain outfit that he had to wear. Toy Story/Cars on DHS and Safari Mickey for DAk, etc. For the 3 of us and a 7 night trip, almost the whole back of the F150 was packed!

It was much better when we were able to get the DDP last trip. We didn't bring as much food, and we ate so much food on the plan that we really didn't use any of the food we brought. I used a little of the cereal for him for breakfast. We did not bring all the extra toys etc. It helped that we took my little kia soul to save on gas and we were doing a 2 night cruise before the Disney 4 nights. We did pack different bags for each part of the trip.

 

[pixieMandy]

I pack a lot too! You never know what you might need. We take our Keurig and k-cups with us too. Part of having so many suitcases for us is just the clothes. I pack enough for everyday and then some extra outfits for each person just in case we end up needed them (accidents, spills, etc.). When I am on vacation I refuse to do laundry! I do enough of it at home!

 

[SingingMom]

I pack a lot too! You never know what you might need. We take our Keurig and k-cups with us too. Part of having so many suitcases for us is just the clothes. I pack enough for everyday and then some extra outfits for each person just in case we end up needed them (accidents, spills, etc.). When I am on vacation I refuse to do laundry! I do enough of it at home!

I need "choices" for each day. Lol. But I admit, we pay for a good cup of coffee and tea, my DH draws the line on bringing our Keurig!! Lol

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[wvasweetness]

You call it overpacking, I call it being prepared

I know what you mean though, and I blame diaper bags! Before I had DD, I didn't even carry a purse, just some money and my id in my pocket. Then I had a baby and was introduced to the diaper bag. The thing had to be packed with 4-5 diapers, a case of wipes, a bottle (or two), teething rings, antibacterial gel, a change of baby clothes, an extra shirt for me, ziplocs, plastic bags, changing pad, blanket, sunscreen, tissues, hat, Desitin cream, snacks, toys and a partridge in a pear tree. And that was just to run down to 7-11 to pick up some milk. I was Super Mom! Every problem was solved with just a reach in the bag!

Having a Mary Poppins-esque diaper bag destroyed my light packing days forever. Yea I probably won't need the cheese grater in the hotel room but what if I do and its not in the bag???

I like you. Let's be friends.

This is me exactly! "But what if we need....... " and hubby just rolls his eyes!

 

[I Love Pluto]

M daughter used to accuse me of being an overpacker. But - I lost my title after she got married. Her HUSBAND brings EVERYTHING whether we need it or not!

 

[nyrebecca]

I enjoyed reading all the stories. Makes me know I am not alone in my overpacked world!

I could go on and on about what exactly we bring, but, let's just say, when I bought my new SUV, we took the luggage with us in the old one to test it out. a) We needed to make sure it all fit, and b) we wanted it to fit and still give us extra room. We drive from NY to WDW each year and I was darn tired of having stuff squished around me, yet I did not wish to have to curb my packing lists.

 

[cowcrazy65]

LOVED LOVED the stories!!! I fit the bill too. I am going to walmart and buy a fish scale to weigh our luggage. A plus my hubby is far from an overpacker he could live out of a paperbag for the 10 days, well a big paperbag! I am going to mix out stuff together to pack our 2 checked and 2 carry ons. Like a disney shirt I seen the other day...THE PRINCESS NEEDS HER SHOES!!!!!

 

[dizzycrazy]

Wow! I agree, I am not doing laundry on vacation! I know I overpack but I have truly found that I use almost everything! Especially with small kids, you never know what you need. For me, medicine and anything small like that is a given, especially considering the prices at Disney. Shoes- a given. One day in bad shoes can ruin a whole trip. Extra clothes for the kids-DEFINITELY! They are 100% bound to get dirty or wet or both! I will definitely ship water and snacks. Garden Grocer was amazing last time! and will bring the over the door shoe caddy to save counter space. But it lays flat in bag and takes up little room so no big deal there! Plus if you get one at the dollar store, you can always toss it after.. Luckily like many have said, my husbnad packs light so more room for me!

 

[Indy Denise]

I pack a lot too! You never know what you might need. We take our Keurig and k-cups with us too. Part of having so many suitcases for us is just the clothes. I pack enough for everyday and then some extra outfits for each person just in case we end up needed them (accidents, spills, etc.). When I am on vacation I refuse to do laundry! I do enough of it at home!

This is funny. I have been eyeing my Keurig lately wondering "should I or not" .

Lasr Vegas trip I bought and packed a small coffee pot and threw it away when we were leaving. Well, I thought I threw it away..seems it magically appeared in my mom's suitcase and came back to Indiana with us.

Even though I am an overpacker I am able to throw things away easily. My mother is a a different story. I keep expecting Dr. Robin Zasio from Hoarders to come knocking on her door.

 

[I Love Pluto]

This is funny. I have been eyeing my Keurig lately wondering "should I or not" .


OMG - that is soooo funny! You are actually thinking of taking your Keurig!?!? Really????!!!!!

 

[Butterflygirl35]

Haha. Just found this thread and thought I'd share...

We pulled into BW last week and the bell hop comes to our car- unloads and asks me - Are you sure you did not forget anything???? Lol

I am so bad that I bought my own pillow and blanket since it is the only way I could sleep


All in all 15 pieces for a three night stay.. Yes I have a problem

 

[cgattis]

Hm, maybe I'm not eligible for membership in this club after all, despite all DH's accusations...read the last post first and thought "15 pieces? That's about how many I had last trip..." Two races, two sets of costumes for 4 people, summer clothes plus jeans/jackets, pillows, etc. For seven days. And then I read "for three nights!!!" Ok, maybe I'm not so bad after all--thanks! . PS, my BFF does, however, laugh at the "toiletry" bag I keep packed for all our travels--full size everything, toothbrushes, meds, etc. She calls it my EMT bag. Hahaha

 

[Butterflygirl35]

Hm, maybe I'm not eligible for membership in this club after all, despite all DH's accusations...read the last post first and thought "15 pieces? That's about how many I had last trip..." Two races, two sets of costumes for 4 people, summer clothes plus jeans/jackets, pillows, etc. For seven days. And then I read "for three nights!!!" Ok, maybe I'm not so bad after all--thanks! . PS, my BFF does, however, laugh at the "toiletry" bag I keep packed for all our travels--full size everything, toothbrushes, meds, etc. She calls it my EMT bag. Hahaha

in my defense.... Oh forget it there is no defense.... Lol

I just have a serious problem and the fact that I drive only feeds my obsession of not forgetting anything..