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

[2mickeys1minnie]

Ok I admit it...I am a serious overpacker and need help. I tend to bring everything but the kitchen sink from home and can't seem to stop myself. PLEASE HELP!!! We are traveling in August for 8 nights and are a family of 5. Is it best to do laundry while I'm there? I really would like to travel lighter this time and DH and his back would be forever grateful Please share your best packing tips!! TIA

 

[scorpad99]

Try and pack one pair of bottoms (shorts, or skorts or capris) for each 2 shirts, bottoms can b worn twice, use travel size toiletries, 2 pair of shoes for each (wearing the heaviest shoes while traveling and packing the lighter pair)
Don`t pack anything you might or might not need.
If you need snacks and stuff, you can always mail yourself a package of that,
and you dont need room to bring it home, since it will be gone by the time you come home!
This will be our first summer trip (june) and I am so looking forward to not having to pack shorts and long pants and light jackets for any of us (in the winter months you never know what the weather will bring!)
Remember you can always buy t-shirts there to wear and bring home as souvineers! We always do, no matter where we go!

 

[Mousema]

I always pack for 4 days and do laundry half way through. My girlfriend and her friend went with me last trip and thought I was crazy, but I had a lot less luggage than they did! You can get travel packs of Tide and I just stick in a few dryer sheets in a ziploc bag. I know $2 for wash is high but it sure saves wear and tear on the body.

 

[Mousemom]

Not knowing what to expect our first trip, I took way too much. Since than and 11 trips later I have learned to bring less and less. I always do laundry while there. I normally do it during the day when we go back to the room for a break. I just throw it in and sit by the pool until done. (something I can't do at home). We seem to always bring so much more home with us than we take that I also throw in a couple empty duffle bags. When we go for a 9 day trip I pack for 4 days.

 

[DeterminedOne]

For an eight night trip - yes doing laundry is a good idea! I never thought I would be one to do laundry on vacation, expecially at Disney. But I am an extreme over packer as well and doing laundry helped cut down on the amount of clothes I took for a 9 night trip.

 

[pchee]

It seems like each trip I take less and less. But doing laundry sure cuts down on what I pack.

 

[dis2cruise]

funny story...
I am NOT an over packing type of person....however.....

dh is so we were going away to go skiing, dh says" you did
so much, why don't you go to bed early and get some well deserved
rest " of course i jumped in bed to go to sleep .....

when we got up to the lodge the next day where we were staying we had
soooo many extra clothes packed, dh was laughing so hard. so now i can;'t trust him on the packing dept . He claims they are for "just incase " the funny thing about that was ALL the extras he packed....we brought home and were never used.

cheryl

 

[pezheadmeg]

I usually only do 4-5 day trips to WDW, and I'm traveling as a solo adult, so doing laundry is kind of a moot point.

However, I can pack for those 5 days in a large LL Bean tote. What I do is only pack travel size soap and shampoo. For the hair products, I pack tubes that have less than a week of prodcut left. I simply toss the tubes at the end of the trip.

For clothing, I ziplock shorts/carpis and a t-shirt for each day. Seeing that I alwasy go in the fall, I bring one lightweight sweatshirt to layer over, then buy my souveinr sweatshirt. As for shoes, I bring one pair of sneakers and one pair of reefs. Accessories, it's one belt and I wear the same jewlrey every day.

It's all about packing smart, fold things right, know how much you need, it can be done without sacrifice. Plus with the current carry-on limitations, I'd rather just check a bag and breeze through secuirty. It's such a nice feeling not to hold up the line.

 

[ZoZo]

I'm also a compulsive over-packer. Last trip, I didn't wear half the clothes I had brought. I did do laundry mid-trip (also took a mid-afternoon break and sat by the pool). If you do two loads at the same time, it's not as though you spend all afternoon doing laundry, like you would at home (with only one washer/dryer at home). I know some people feel it's not a true "vacation" if you do laundry, but it's so nice to travel lighter!

So my advice is: lay out all of the clothes you want to bring, then bring only half of them. Even though you'll bring fewer clothes, make sure not to skimp on important stuff (sunscreen, ultra-comfortable shoes, etc.).

 

[pepe of ohio]

Even if laundry was free at WDW, we would never do it or plan on it. Over the years, we've got packing down to a good science and never run out of anything unless we forgot it in the first place. When we return home, we always layout what didn't get used or worn and make a note on our packing lists. We've been to WDW over 38 visits and our stays are of the 10-12 night ventures, its me and wife, she has a rolling duffle and small carry-on and I the same, we each drag our own bags around so whatever you want you can pack it but you haul it. Cutting down on clothing to make a bag smaller or lighter and doing laundry is not what we want when going to Disney. It's our escape, we want to break from the norm of things, we do not want to do laundry, cook, iron, drive or be led by a schedule. We want to flow on the wings of an angel and just relax, chill, see it all at our pace and throughly enjoy ourselves, hence the packing issue by the poster, we don't over pack and we don't under pack but try to get the nail right on the head.

 

[Quinny]

We just returned and I had no interest in doing laundry!
I am an overpacker and I just had enough clothes for my 2 kids! It was so hot and there are fountains and water areas--I had to pack an extra outfit(underwear too) in my backpack every day at the park bc they would get so wet that at some point they would want to change. The second outfit usually went back in the backpack for the next day--but we went thru a lot of underwear!! My DH and I were able to rewear shorts but our shirts got wet (from water rides)and sweaty so dont plan on that!
The laundry facilities are there so that is always an option. In August you will def need a day by the pool anyway so you can do it then.
Have a great trip!!

 

[coolbeans]

I am doing laundry next time. period. We went for 7 days last time, DH overpacked, DD was only over by one or two outfits and I was wearing DH's extra tees to sleep in after only 4 nites!! I didn't plan on all the showers and changing clothes twice a day due to the humidity! I plan on throwing everybody in the pool one morning and running a load thru the machine early.
Besides I have favorite outfits that make me comfortable and I hate to wear them once and be without them for the rest of the trip, and with DS (who will be 2+ I think it will be necessary to do laundry rather than optional)

 

[frannn]

I pack 2 outfits/day for DD4, and lots of extra tees for me. I'll probably never do laundry on vacation...cause I always bring too much! I usually end up with two space bags filled with unworn clothes by the end of the trip. I always bring all of our matching outfits, special Disney themed outfits, costumes, everything I could think of medicine/toiletry-wise, treats to keep DD4 amused, misty fans, etc etc etc. The "stuff" (other than clothes) could take up its own suitcase... I told DH just this morning that with Jetblue's new rules- luggage can only be 50 lbs- we WILL be packing lighter. We will need to decide beforehand which matching outfits we will plan on wearing, and which costumes DD4 will definetly wear, and I will definetly be sure to pack the lightest, non bulky clothing I can find- including crocs and yes, the light spandex shorts will be coming. It won't be pretty, but I can sure fit a ton in a spacebag! I have always wanted to bring toiletries that would be finished and tossed by the end of the trip, but am really bad at judging how much we'll need. Sooooo, maybe I'll just take smaller containers-can purchase at the dollar store- fill them with my good stuff, and toss 'em! I really hope I can stick to this....
Ohhhhhhhhhhh...just checked my counter- exactly 4 months today!!!!!!

 

[Tasmen]

I also am an overpacker. However, I revel in my gluttony. I'd rather be prepared than not prepared. For our upcoming trip, I have an insane amount of stuff to bring. I just hate being somewhere and then thinking, 'oh, I can wear X' only to realize I didn't bring X. I do, however, preplan outfits and such before I go. If pants/shorts don't have a matching shirt, it doesn't get packed.

 

[drivencrazy]

I have NO idea of what all to pack...... I have a ton of stuff that I have collected for the trip... glow necklesses, sunscreen, meds... but need to go get shampoo and bodywash... but with having 6 of us the travel size just doesn't seem smart. I will probably bring some little bottles of stuff, just because we will have 2 bathrooms and it stinks being in one shower and the shampoo is in the other!! Guess I'll have to figure that one out.

As for clothes. I don't plan on doing laundry. But have some sample size ones just in case I end up having to do it. Our 2 year old is potty trained and has been for a few months now, but you never know with all that is going on. We also have a 4 yr old... and he likes to get dirty and then change his clothes... the older girls 9 and 12 yrs... You know how girls like to change clothes... they will be packing their own, so it will be interesting to see what they decide and if they have enough (we will provide them with a suggested list, but I will not be packing for them. They also do their own laundry so they have to make sure things they want to take are clean!)....

I guess I should get on it since we only have 6 days left!!! And NO, I haven't packed anything!! And to think I was ready to pack a month ago!

 

[Yensid Srevol]

I also am an overpacker. However, I revel in my gluttony. I'd rather be prepared than not prepared. For our upcoming trip, I have an insane amount of stuff to bring. I just hate being somewhere and then thinking, 'oh, I can wear X' only to realize I didn't bring X. I do, however, preplan outfits and such before I go. If pants/shorts don't have a matching shirt, it doesn't get packed.

OH, how I love you!!!! It is so nice to find someone (or in this case), several someones, who feel the same way I do!!! I have been a compulsive overpacker since childhood (I overpacked for my honeymoon and when DH complained about it, I threatened to call off the wedding!!! didn't tho!) I'm never sure how I'll been feeling so I never know what I'll want to wear. However, despite my compulsion, on last Disney trip, I actually forgot to pack enough socks for me and had to buy some there. But it turned out well because the socks I bought there, with Minnie and Mickey's on them, have been the best socks I ever owned!

So, cheers to all of us "Overpackers".....we should schedule a meeting sometime at WDW!!!!!

 

[Tat2ddisneymom]

I'm guilty of being an overpacker, too. So much so that I had to repack my suitcases at the airport because they were overweight. I just have to make sure I have enough clothes for everybody - in case it gets too hot, too cold, clothes get wet, dirty, etc. I think I took 15 pairs of underpants for each kid on my last eight night stay. We actually ended up using most of the packed clothes and doing laundry while we were there. When I go back in September, I have every intention of trying to pack only 2 suitcases for 4 of us because we're driving and don't really have a large trunk for luggage purposes. I guess I'll just take extra money for doing the laundry and take my own detergent with me. As for hair products - I need a whole suitcase for mine. Florida humidity does nothing for my curly hair. Maybe I'll just deal with the frizzies next time. At least there's one good thing - I don't have to pack and wash towels. Thank goodness the hotels provide those. I always have to get extra.

 

[snowy76]

Plan the outfits - make a chart or whatever. You can be reasonably assured that August in WDW is hot - so T-shirts, sleeveless shirts, shorts. Maybe ONE pair jeans for each person - you might want to travel in these to save space, and then have them on hand for a cooler damp night.

One tip I've learned is to pack a lot of neutrals - whites, beiges, navy, black, gray - you can interchange a lot of tops and bottoms.

I agree with PP though regarding the humidity - you'll want to change halkfway through the day if you're back at the resort. Definitely take some time to do a little laundry four days in - your sweaty clothes will thank you.

 

[3mickeymom]

I always pack a pair of comfy shorts and t-shirt to wear to bed. Then if I am short an outfit, I have one. I do the same for my boys.

 

[Dashzap]

I adore having a condo with washer and dryer. Pack very little, throw all the clothes in the wash every night. Get dressed out of dryer in the morning.

If we only have a hotel room (no washer dryer), I pack enough for the whole trip. I don't want to wait for the coin operated machines to run through their cycles, even if I am in a nearby pool.