Confessions of an Over Packer...Need Tips!!!

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I am a serious overpacker. I carry extras. We have our favorite shoes to wear. I am not going to get caught without something I need. Last year 5 days at the parks and four night cruise,(for a family of four) We had 8 large suitcases and four carryons. Cruise room steward wanted to know if we were doing back to back cruises! This year. I am going to lighten up!

 

[mkross]

These saved me on our last trip....as we had too many shopping trips and not enough space.....very well priced at Target!

 

[goalie5hole]

Why anyone would do laundry while on vacation is beyond me. I'll take 2 sets of clothes for each day just in case. I have never had to use them all but I never know when my children are going to drop their ice cream on me. Yes I overpack

 

[BrerMama]

We're going for 15 days if you include the day we're going up to KC before we fly out. That's an awful lot of clothes, especially when you consider that most days, I'll want to change shirts mid-day due to the heat. Did I mention we have 5 family members and we're staying in 1 room at PO Riverside?

However, I plan to overpack and love it. I do not want to be doing a mess of laundry. I will probably do one load of underthings and one load of shorts. But other than that, I'm not doing it. We can check 10 bags, and I'm betting we'll be pretty close to our limit. We'll also have our limit in carry-on. Travelling light is not in our vocabulary, and I'm not going to feel guilty for it. I'm spending 14 days at the World, and I'm going to be darn sure I have enough clothes that I don't spend more than an hour or two of my trip doing laundry.

 

[Grumpy23]

We just returned on 5/7 and I really thought I was doing well this time with not overpacking. I did pretty good, brought less than last year, but found out we still had way more clothes than necessary, as always, a lot that just hung in the cupboard while we were there. We stay at an offsite resort and do laundry while there.

While lugging our stuff through the airport coming home, I had my laptop bag, a Disney canvas tote I bought at CBR that was filled with extra souvenirs that wouldn't fit into the suitcases, and my backpack, all slung over my left shoulder. Big mistake. As a result, I pulled muscles on the left side of my chest, my left shoulder, my back, etc. It is a painful and valuable lesson to learn. No way will I ever overpack next trip.

 

[mommapea]

Why anyone would do laundry while on vacation is beyond me. I'll take 2 sets of clothes for each day just in case.

I hear you...and this is my usual philosophy. However, this year we're there for 14 days. 14 days X's 2 outfits X's 4 people = more luggage than I want to deal with. Not including the traveling pantry we're taking with us. So, unfortunately, we might actually have to do laundry this trip.

I hear you, though...I'm tend to be the biggest overpacker around!

 

[Forever a Princess]

I used to be an overpacker, but somehow slowly over several trips I have been reformed.

I think it's because we have collected our disney wardrobe. Now when we pack we throw all the disney shirts and stuff in the suitcase and a couple of pairs of shorts.

I know that it will all match as it is all Disney stuff. Kind of like Garanimals for adults.

At first I was opposed to doing laundry. But coming home to clean laundry and NOT having to face the mountains of dirty clothes at the end of the trip is sooo nice. Besides the pool bar calls my name each time that we are there.

 

[Grumpy987]

I'm also an overpacker. We are doing the 7 night land and sea package and I'm trying to figure out if we should do laundry before we get on the boat at Disney BC or is it easier on the boat? My husband used to think we could fit all our stuff into one suitcase! There are 4 of us! He is a bit more reasonable now but I still take way too much!

 

[kimdvm]

I am always accused of overpacking, but for me it is worse to get there and feel like I don't have what I need. Warm climates like Florida are easier.

1) make a packing list; reuse it for every trip and you will learn to get more efficient each time

2) pack 1 outfit or less per day for the expected warm weather (i.e. tanks/shorts). Some of these are probably quick-dry shorts and shirts, so rather than doing laundry just wash them in the sink at night and hang them to dry... you'll get an extra outfit without taking vacation time for laundry.

3) For cooler weather, take 1 or 2 lightweight jackets or shirts that can be worn more than once.

4) I love the convertible pants from REI. My last Disney trip was in February. All of us wore these pants often in the morning, and zipped off the bottoms to put in our backpack during the day. These are also quick-dry, so easy to wash and are great for water rides. Any wrinkles they get in your suitcase come out instantly. They have velcro pockets and zip pockets so you can even carry your cash and credit cards right in the shorts.

5) Shoes are bulky. Take 1 good pair walking shoes, 1 pair sandals. If you really must take dressier shoes, find 1 versatile pair. If space is an issue, also remember to use the space in your shoes to pack socks or whatever else fits in there.

6) Get a personal organizer bag from LL BEan. This will hold all your sample-size shampoo, detergent, etc (even hair dryer if you get the large one). When you get home from your trip, just refill the bottles and it's ready for the next vacation or trip to the gym. It also comes with a little hanging insert that you carry to the shower on each trip so your stuff isn't scattered around the hotel room.

7) Like to take books? Maybe 1 paperback if you must; otherwise carry an MP3 with books on tape. You can hold a lot of books in the palm of your hand!

8) Take a backpack instead of your purse. This will allow you to leave home the grocery store cards, extra credit card, etc. that usually bulk up your purse. Then the same bag you carry on the plane can double as the bag you carry around Disney all day and will hold the camera, rainjacket, etc safely with you.

Or just decide you are an overpacker, buy huge suitcases with wheels, and have a blast

 

[gojoe]

We are also over packers too. Our only advise it to keep it under 50lb. per bag. Other than that pack it all. I would rather tip a little extra than wish I hadn't left something at home. We take a cab to the airport, first flight out. We don't see our luggage again until we're in our room that night. The same thing for the way back. Remember to leave room for the stuff you're going buy. Who wants to do laundry??????

 

[mommiepoppins]

We are also over packers too. Our only advise it to keep it under 50lb. per bag. Other than that pack it all. I would rather tip a little extra than wish I hadn't left something at home. We take a cab to the airport, first flight out. We don't see our luggage again until we're in our room that night. The same thing for the way back. Remember to leave room for the stuff you're going buy. Who wants to do laundry??????

I am the same way there are 7 of us flying I paln to pack 14 bags including 2 car seats to be checked in . I will prob have 3 -4 bags on the plane. My kids will need something to entertain them and I will need something to hold snacks while on the plane. I also like to bring an extra change of clothes in the carry on. We do curb side check in and have had no problems

 

[LauraAnn630]

We do laundry.

Gotta wash the suits and pool towels at some point.
Some favorite out fits.


I over pack. Im always glad I did.

We couldnt wear anything twice. It was to hot while we were there.

 

[iggbees]

i'm an over packer too! i went to disney back in jan and thought that i would need all of these warmer clothes... the entire weekend was in the 70's! i brought only one pair of capris and 2 pair of pants for our 5 day trip and i only wore the capris! it's hard to know what you need to bring, some nights it can be chilly so bring a sweater. you can always wash and with a larger family that'll probably be your best bet, since it's not really that expensive for a load of laundry (i pay 1.40$ per load at home in the basement of my apartment to do laundry!). if we're going for a week my mom always brings laundry detergent and does laundry. i usually bring the outfits that i like the most. wich is generally just a few, so it works out well. it's the other things like sweaters or a light jacket and a pair of pants or a nice outfit that end up taking up the room in my suitcase and i never end up using them.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

There will be 6 of us traveling in July including 3 kids. We are figuring 2 outfits/day and plan to do a couple of loads of laundry so we don't have to pack as much.

 

[KimDis]

I'm an chronic overpacker too, but I'll offer a word of caution as you swing the pendulum in the other direction. You don't want to get on your trip and feel like you have to BUY something cuz you don't have enough options packed.

Here are my rules:

I don't pack at the last minute (i.e. night before) anymore because I pack a lot more when I'm rushed and tired.
I'll pull out everything I want to wear on my trip but then I pick outfits for each day based on what I'm really going to do.
There have to be at least two bottoms that I pack for any trip that can be worn more than once.
For a weeklong trip I don't pack extra outfits but more like two or so extra bottoms and two or three extra shirts.
Shoes are harder for me (go ahead, call me Imelda), but I pick what I think I'll need and then I cut down the pairs of shoes by two or so as a rule.

Hope this helps.

 

[ZoZo]

I am doing laundry next time. period. I didn't plan on all the showers and changing clothes twice a day due to the humidity!

That's my problem! For me, going during a hot and sweaty time of year means changing my clothes more often. (Nothing more refreshing than taking a quick shower mid-afternoon and changing clothes.) Even if it means doing laundry, it's worth it to me. I travel with a friend who packs way less than I do and wears her clothes more than once, even when it's hot and sweaty, but I don't like to do that! Taking an hour-and-a-half and doing laundry is totally worth it (especially since I'm a go-go-go park person, and it makes me take a break!).

 

[iggbees]

correct me if i'm wrong, but are the dryers are 2.00$ for 30 min?

i recall it being that back in july of 2006 when my mom went to use them. i remember her complaining about the fact that it was 2.00$ for only 30 min, not an hour...

 

[Grumpy987]

I also would like to know how much the dryers and the washers cost. ?!

 

[suzydisney971]

My DH and I are definitely overpackers. I always like to have "just in case" clothes because we are never sure what exactly we are going to do. We leave for Vegas on Sunday and I have one big suitcase, a duffel bag (which we are checking) and a carry on. I always use my Disney beach bag as my "purse" so that I can carry magazines and snacks and personal items onto the plane. I was hoping to stick with the big suitcase but I couldn't. We like to have clothes for going to fancy restaurants and for casual restaurants for dinner since we won't know what we are in the mood for until we get there. During the day, definitely shorts and t-shirts but with the weather being so hot, I too like to take showers when we get back to the hotel for a break. I rather have it and do whatever than get stuck doing something else because I don't have the right outfit. I do plan my outfits (with interchangeable tops), I just bring a lot of them

 

[mhf]

I got out all of my clothes-to-go last weekend. For the past few days, I've looked at the pile and put one item back each day. It doesn't hurt so much then! For example, I do NOT need a white sweater and a blue one...so the blue one went back. It's going to be 90, for goodness sake, what was I thinking?? (I was thinking that the blue one went with the blue outfit I am wearing to dinner one nite. Now I'm thinking the white will do)

Melissa