Please share your best stateroom space saving tips!

[k3chantal]

Bring less stuff.

You really don't need so much. You can wear the same clothes to dinner several nights. You don't need shoes to match every outfit. Share one tube of toothpaste. Shampoo and lotion is provided (and great).

Store things in your suitcases under the bed until you need them. For the little kids, you might want to prepare outfits for the day (socks, undies, shorts, shirts) in zip locks, and leave them in the suitcase until that day arrives and put the used outfits back into the bags.

Nancy

Bring less stuff is really the best advice. We drove to the port for our first cruise and had two adjoining staterooms and did not limit ourselves. Now we have plans for our second cruise and are booked two adult, one teenager and two kids in one family stateroom. I know I brought way too much clothing the first time. I also know that my first impression of the stateroom was "Oh my goodness it is small, thank goodness we have a second room." But I also know how little time we spent in the cabins. So be prepare that the space is limited but they have designed the rooms well. There is plenty of storage under the bed to put your suitcases.

With our upcoming cruise we will be gone for ten days. (7 night cruise and then a little bit of park time) I plan to bring five outfits (not including dinner attire and bathing suits) for each member of our family. The ship has laundry services and I will plan on doing laundry on our vacation. For me, this is actually more pleasant than getting back from our trip with a pile of dirty clothes. I love to open my suitcases after a trip and to be able to put the clothes away. This is actually one of the reasons I love being a DVC member too....washers and dryers in the larger villas.

 

[PirateTigger]

We found packing cubes really helpful, and rolling duffel bags for suitcases. They lay flat when empty and can be stored under the beds.

 

[cleophus12]

I agree with the suggestion to take a cover up that can double as a sundress. I always do this. My main reason is that when we fly, I pack my bathing suit and "cover up" in my carry on in case my luggage doesn't make it. And if my luggage doesn't make it to my room before dinner, I have a sun dress that can be worn to the dining room. I've never HAD to use it before, but if I ever do, I'll be ready. My sundress/cover up is a very light weight dress from Gap (On sale). On another note, I have been known to pack too much Disney stuff. I tend to feel that if I'm ever going to wear it, this is the time. However, I rarely wear it all and wind up with too much stuff. Pace yourself. The Less stuff advice is the best you'll get.

 

[chrisrunty]

Basically what everyone else has said:
1. pack less
2. packing cubes
3. put suitcases under bed
4. really think about doing 1 load of laundry to pack less I've found this is the best tip.
5. don't bring too many shoes they just take up room
6. bring accessories to mix up your look without additional clothes

 

[Susiesark]

Basically what everyone else has said:
1. pack less
2. packing cubes
3. put life vests and suitcases under bed
4. really think about doing 1 load of laundry to pack less I've found this is the best tip.
5. don't bring too many shoes they just take up room
6. bring accessories to mix up your look without additional clothes

I don't think you are supposed to take the life vests out of the closet and put under the bed.
You can also take the collapsible hanging shelves, which fold up pretty flat, and they will give you more shelf space inside the closet.

 

[chrisrunty]

I don't think you are supposed to take the life vests out of the closet and put under the bed.
You can also take the collapsible hanging shelves, which fold up pretty flat, and they will give you more shelf space inside the closet.

took it off....don't want to give questionable info.

 

[bumbershoot]

My boys hate putting on a wet swim suit - I'm not really a fan either. I have planned to back three per person

Boys' suits dry so fast on their own. I would take just 2 if you think they'll be putting them back on inside the same day. DS and DH only have one suit, and that's all they are taking. Same with me, though mine will probably be damp when re-wearing, but I can handle that. Theirs will almost certainly be dry, especially if they hang them to dry.



I love the popup hampers for our land trips, but that's mainly because I know I'll be doing laundry. A PP had a great point about just folding the dirty stuff and packing it away as you go, if you won't be doing laundry on your trip.

 

[scrapbookmomma74]

We LOVE Space bags...Target sells the kind that you don't need a vacuum to suck the air out. You just seal it up and "squish" it down. I usually pack our stuff into them for the trip there, then unpack in the room. As we wear stuff, I shove (NOT FOLDED) clothes into the space bags. When the bag is full, I squish the air out and slide it under the bed. When its time to pack to go home, its all ready!
Also, I won't travel anywhere without the over the door shoe organizer. That is the single most useful tip I learned here on the DIS.
And, like other posters have said, pack less...I promise you won't wear everything. (I still overpack, and we've done 7 cruises on DCL...lol).
Have a blast, even if you have stuff everywhere! lol

 

[lbgraves]

You don't need to pack hangers, your room steward will give you as many as you need.

The only hangers the hosts have brought us in the past are the thicker wooden ones. For this reason, I pack wire hangers, and will do so again on our next cruise because we are in a cat 5 with less storage space. In order to hang all of the t-shirts in the closet we will need the thin wire hangers. I leave them behind at the end of the cruise.

We're doing a 5 night Feb Western Caribbean....would you pack a pair of jeans and/or sweaters for each person or no?

I always pack one warmer outfit for everyone including jeans, long-sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt. I've worn the jeans in the clubs at night and the l-s shirt a couple times as well. Only worn the sweatshirt once when it was high 50's at CC when we were there. Was very glad that we had the warmer stuff that day!

If we plan to spend the day at the pool would it be acceptable to bring the boys in their trunks and rash-guard to breakfast (dry of course). And me in my suit with a sundress over the top? Or would we really need to be dressed?

That would be fine at the buffet.

Also, we have used one of the over-the-door hangers on each cruise [9]. There is no way I would have been able to keep everything in order without one, especially with a girl and her hair stuff.

 

[Mom323]

The only hangers the hosts have brought us in the past are the thicker wooden ones. For this reason, I pack wire hangers, and will do so again on our next cruise because we are in a cat 5 with less storage space. In order to hang all of the t-shirts in the closet we will need the thin wire hangers. I leave them behind at the end of the cruise.



I always pack one warmer outfit for everyone including jeans, long-sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt. I've worn the jeans in the clubs at night and the l-s shirt a couple times as well. Only worn the sweatshirt once when it was high 50's at CC when we were there. Was very glad that we had the warmer stuff that day!



That would be fine at the buffet.

Also, we have used one of the over-the-door hangers on each cruise [9]. There is no way I would have been able to keep everything in order without one, especially with a girl and her hair stuff.

Wow that's so funny. All we have gotten are the wire ones and had to ask for the wooden ones with the pants hanger. maybe we got some of your wire ones you have left behind.

 

[twopeasonepod]

Reiterating again to pack less. Make your list. Reduce it. Then reduce it again. I promise you won't use everything. And I vote for doing/sending laundry one time

Pack clothes pins to hang wet suits. You don't need three. Ever.

Cover ups and swimsuits are fine at breakfast.

Have fun!