Suitcase packing tip for those who fly

[beansmom]

Because everybody loves being called dumber.

i really don't take packing a suitcase so personal.

 

[ZoZo]

In any event, regardless of whether you travel one with one or four bags, check or carry on...if you are traveling with someone else who has at least one bag, you might want to consider splitting up how some of the items are packed in the event a bag is lost, destroyed or stolen.

Great advice! Thanks - I bet most people don't even think about doing this.

 

[DakotaRose]

Yes, OP, that is good advice, and something we have done for years from lessons learned the hard way. One travel tote has one change of undies, a swimsuit, and a toothbrush for each of us, plus a phone charger. The other tote has snacks, decks of cards, magazines, etc. Our latest learning experience was 8 hours in Colorado Springs airport. Just after the shops and eateries closed for the evening, flights were cancelled due to severe weather. Flight attendants ended up going onto the grounded planes to gather pretzels and water for the crowd. People were sharing newspapers and cell phone chargers. I had brought along granola bars and cheese sticks, and we had a dinner picnic on the floor while playing canasta with our kids.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Thanks for the reminder. My friend told me this a while ago, as they do this since they had a piece of luggage go missing on a trip.

I'm starting to pack our clothes tomorrow, so I will be sure to mix it up!

 

[Lizard Valley]

OP has a good point, and I learned this the hard way...I had a piece of luggage go "permanently missing" after bringing my newborn son back home for his first visit to family and friends. They "lost" all the expensive baby clothes and gifts, plus the only clothes that fit me post-delivery. I was also bringing home a huge stack of my childhood children's books, and had bought a duffle bag to fit them into...I was so worried that the duffle bag would get lost, that I split the books between the suitcase and the duffle bag. The duffle bag made it home; the suitcase didn't . I was grateful not to have lost all of my books, but I haven't checked a bag since.

That being said, I'm a flight attendant, and I know how to pack. I travel often with my 3 kids, and just got back from an 18 day trip to Mexico with one rollerboard and one backpack each.

I'm already packed for my 12-day Disney trip in a month (I never unpacked after Mexico - it's not like they'll be wearing shorts here anytime soon - minus 40 here today...).

In each rollerboard we have:

4 shorts
4 s/s t-shirts
1 l/s t-shirts
1 polo shirt (for dressier occasions)
4 underwear
4 socks
1 bathing suit
1 pair jeans
1 set of PJ's
comfortable sandals that look dressier (for me).
crocs for the pool area

(This only takes up about 2/3 of the rollerboard, leaving lots of room for souvenirs. Last year we brought home EIGHT Lego sets in our rollerboards and still had room to spare).

In the backpack:

1 each of t-shirt, shorts, socks, underwear, another bathing suit. I carry all my travel-sized liquids (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothpaste, basic make-up, deodorant, toothbrushes for all). I bring a ziplock baggie with a few Purex 3-in-1 laundry sheets, and a stack of extra-extra large ziplock bags for lego sets and wet bathing suits.

We wear:

l/s t-shirt, hoodie, pants (not jeans so those are our dressier pants for dining out), all weather coat, running shoes. Hat, scarves, mitts go in outside pocket of suitcase when we arrive at the airport.

I plan one laundry day half-way through the trip; at the values, the laundry facilities are next to the pool, so it's no bother getting it done while we swim. We're DVC now, so we have laundry facilities in our room.

The reality is that we don't need to wear something different every day, we have everything we need to handle all kinds of weather, and never have to wait for our luggage at destination.

Packing for a cruise is a whole different ballgame though

 

[Badamon]

You should look up packinglightdotcom!!


I checked this site out....thanks for the tip! I'm going to give this packing method a try starting tomorrow!

 

[cruisingkat]

I usually tend to bring a lot - but we are usually gone from two weeks to over a month and I hate to spend time washing clothes while I am seeing and doing new things. We always cross pack. I stack up everything we are bringing on the bed, keeping like items together (my underwear, his underwear, my shirts, his shirts, etc). When packing the suitcases, I divide each individual stack by the number of suitcases we are bringing and put each mini stack in a suitcase.
I put the hanging clothes (if we are bringing any) on an over-the-door rack - since our rolling suitcases have mini garment bags inside, I can divide those up too so they don't all have to go in the garment bag - although I have a Travel Pro garment bag that when folded and zipped is like a suitcase.
This way if one bag gets lost, at least we have something for each of us for all occasions.

 

[ThreeBeans]

Oh man, you poor thing Is the airline compensating you fairly?


( )




When we fly, well, there are six of us, so one checked bag a piece. If one got lost, someone's gonna be naked for a week

 

[comedyclaire]

Family trip to WDW - four suitcases, four people. Everyone has 25% space in all four cases so if one case goes missing we all still have clothes. ;-)

 

[lajspeech]

Actually, the Paris trip was with my young son at the time - a father/son trip. He was 10. And the weather last week varied between 40's at night and upper 70's during the day so we did have to pack accordingly

I don't call it traveling lighter but traveling smarter. I was simply posting another tip regarding those who fly - I may be in the minority but its just as valid as yours, ;-)

I agree with you FWIW. I packed myself, my husband, and our (at the time) 18mo old DD in 1 suitcase and 1 under seat carry on TOTAL for 15 days in Croatia this summer. (Also brought an umbrella stroller and a car seat). We were ALWAYS appropriately dressed and dont look like we're wearing the same outfit in every picture. Ya gotta know WHAT to bring, how to make it versatile.

Luggage for 2 adults and 1 child for 15 days in Croatia:

Out carseat/stroller arrangement:

 

[stink]

I'm single, no kiddos and on my WDW trips I always check at least one bag and bring one very small carry on containing extra change of clothing,swim wear, and essentials' for one night.

I do this for several reasons - I do not like pulling larger carry ons thru the airport onto the plane. It eliminates the need to do laundry on vacation. In my larger checked bag I can pack without needing to iron after unpacking. I like a variety of clothing items. Better prepared to deal with weather & temperature changes (no such thing as bad weather at WDW, just the wrong clothes for the weather, lol).

That's just how I roll....

Also, using ME to transfer checked bag or bags right to my room is totally awesome ! I love Magical Express !

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

I just wanted to say I'm so bummed you lost your ironman gear. I have helped several people prepare for the tri's in my line of work and I know how hard you worked for it! Something I'd never make...I may be able to bike or swim but this body won't run like that.

Sorry that happened to you and thanks for getting me thinking about what I'd do if it happened to me.

 

[::danielle::]

Great advice! Thanks - I bet most people don't even think about doing this.

I agree! It never occurred to me to split it up. Thanks for the advice, OP!

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Great idea about packing! We always pack all out suitcases half one persons items/half someone elses. So if a suitcase goes missing, we have clothes for both of us for a few days.

 

[Camno's Mama]

There are some seriously efficient packers on this thread! I am a proud overpacker, which is fine by me. Between spills, sweaty Florida heat and whatever else-I am happy to have everything but the kitchen sink! Being prepared has never failed me. That being said, I am definitely going to check out the packing thread and use OP's tip. Thanks!

 

[TexasErin]

Depending on the airline, baggage fees, etc., people travel with a wide variety of amounts and sizes of luggage. Me, personally, I usually fly southwest which allows me to take three bags, and usually use all three bags. Even if it is a short trip, we use one for food/snacks.

Many people prefer to travel lighter and may only be able to travel with one bag per airline guidelines.

Anyway, as a runner participating in the marathon last weekend, it is commonly spread advice to always fly with your running gear in case the airline loses your bag, you'll still have your gear and not forced to try and wear new shoes and clothes for a race. So, I did that...packed all my race stuff in my carry on.

Good thing too, because shortly after arrival and lunch, as I am boarding the marathon expo bus with a crying three year old I got a call from Southwest that my garment bag fell from the luggage truck and was drug down the tarmac ruining the bag and all of it's contents. Now, before this turns into a "cry me a river" type of post, this is how it may relate to you.

The bag that was ruined wasn't the suitcase with all of my necessities/things I need and HAVE to replace (jeans, shorts, underwear, etc.), it was my garment bag, with all of my nice clothes. Dress shirts, sweaters, some irreplaceable Ironman Finisher clothing, etc. I started to ponder which bag I would have preferred to lose if I had to choose. The method that would probably work best is packing my suitcases like I invest, very diversified.

Pack some of everyones items in different suitcases and mix it up so if one suitcase is destroyed, or lost forever, the hit is "minimal" to one single person and one specific type of clothing. I would have much preferred lose one sweater, one pair of jeans and a few polos than the amount I lost.

We're flying next time (I haven't flown since I was 14 years old in 1986, lol), so your tip is VERY helpful, since we have always driven and take EVERYTHING we need without discrimination . So I really appreciate your tip.

.....And I never understand how some posters have to be so rude. The responses often are so surprising that it's unbelievable! Thank you for your tip- my family will be using it in June!

 

[eliza61]

OK.....

I hardly never check bags - we just returned from our WDW trip yesterday and flew SWA. Carry on only

Then again, I used to live with an F/A an learned how to pack - flying non-rev, you have to travel with carry on. Have vacationed for a week in Paris, 9-days in Croatia, week in Spain, etc on nothing more than a rollaboard and travel tote......

God bless you.
Lol, no way could I do this, nor would I ever want too. I'm a proud
over packer. I'm heading to London & Paris this May, I refuse to bring 1 pair of shoes and 1 pair of sneakers. I'm not washing any thing out in my hotel sink and I'm darn sure not wearing the same pair of pants 3 days. Sorry, changing the top doesn't make it any different, IMO. Lol. Happily planning on checking a 28 inch bag plus s carryon!

 

[Snooks23]

I'm glad you posted this. I'm going to pack all my DDs stuff in cary on bags. I'm ordering her all custom outfits. If they were to get lost I'd be so upset.

 

[ellie'smom]

Spoiler and totally off subject- Remember when you decide to " carry on" all your luggage for your trip, use your own overhead bin. I can't tell you how many times I have opened the overhead bin over my seat to find all the space taken up by someone else's stuff. Quite annoying. I really don't want you 49.5 lb "carry on" , laptop, pocketbook, backpack, briefcase , next to my pocketbook. I don't want you coming by standing over me looking for stuff that you need right a now. I do not want to turn around and find your" FRONT END "IN MY FACE. I carry medication ( not the good stuff) , identification, cash, credit cards my phone ... all that stuff in my pocketbook so I certainly do not want anyone near it. This is the way I feel. I will not apologize for it. So flame on.

 

[poohs_hunny]

Spoiler and totally off subject- Remember when you decide to " carry on" all your luggage for your trip, use your own overhead bin. I can't tell you how many times I have opened the overhead bin over my seat to find all the space taken up by someone else's stuff. Quite annoying. I really don't want you 49.5 lb "carry on" , laptop, pocketbook, backpack, briefcase , next to my pocketbook. I don't want you coming by standing over me looking for stuff that you need right a now. I do not want to turn around and find your" FRONT END "IN MY FACE. I carry medication ( not the good stuff) , identification, cash, credit cards my phone ... all that stuff in my pocketbook so I certainly do not want anyone near it. This is the way I feel. I will not apologize for it. So flame on.

My guess is the only reason someone would use an overhead bin that's not theirs is if theirs is already full. Why else would someone want their belongings farther away from them? Also, just curious why you don't keep your purse with your personal items under the seat in front of you instead of in the overhead? That way no one is near it.