Do You Have Packing Tips/Advice? 9 Days+3 Kids = Packing Overload

[Jen&Trenton]

Thanks! I hadn't checked into packing cubes. I will have to look those up! Although...I did read a reference on that thread the PP posted, that mentioned 2.5 gallon sized ziploc bags...so, I might be able to continue packing the kids' clothes (and heck, mine too!) in those if I can find some (I've never noticed that size in the store before). We re-use them for things like, packing all of the shampoo and stuff for the trip home, etc. Otherwise, I'll just flatten and store them in their duffles, and we'll re-use the same bags for the next trip.

If that is the case, I would suggest getting a few of the largest size packing cubes to pack the pants and shorts in nice and tight. Those babies take up so much space! I find the medium size cubes are good for t-shirts when rolled up and the smallest are awesome for undies and socks.

 

[KaChow]

I feel your pain! We have 12 people for 10 days and are flying into PHX with a drive to Anaheim in two vehicles! Now how we're going to fit all those people, luggage and a stroller I'm not sure. We'll be packing super light and washing for sure, there's no way around it! Good Luck!

 

[Mugglemama]

I also really love the packing cubes. I got mine online at ebags.com and they come in lots of pretty colors. I got green for me, and grey for my DH. I've also purchased the 2.5 gallon ziplocks at Target. I use them when I am making page kits up for scrapbooking when I go to a crop, so I usually have them on hand.

Gah! I was JUST at Target a couple of hours ago and I totally forgot to look for the large Ziploc bags. I knew I was forgetting something!!

Be careful with your suction cup/mesh hanging laundry bag idea. I tried that at WDW and you'd be really surprised at how hard it is to get a suction cup to stick to some hotel walls. Factor in the weight of several days worth of laundry...

My husband said the same thing....so I ended up just buying a few of the collapsible hampers at the dollar store. I did also find some drawstring laundry bags, and I'm going to line the hampers with those so that when it's time to pack up and go home, dirty laundry will be a cinch to carry.

My one packing tip is to really figure out if you need everything you are packing. For example: You mentioned towels. Do you need to pack towels when you are staying at a hotel? Those take up a lot of valuable space.

Also...

7 tops and 7 shirts x 3 kids each = 42 items of clothing just for jammies. They will have just showered. They are only sleeping in their jammies, not running around town in them. Couldn't they just have one or two sets each? That would be 6 or 12 items, reducing a considerable amount of clothing right there.

Just two thoughts for you,
Dreams

Thanks for the thoughts!

I won't go into the "why" (I'm afraid of grossing a bunch of people out the way my hotel washing machine story did...), but yeah...I don't use hotel towels anymore. It's a hassle to hang them up every night to dry (takes up all of our "closet" space in the rooms...), but I definitely consider it a must.

I *might* think about reducing the number of jammie pieces, thanks for the suggestion!

I'm so sorry about your husband's sister btw. My friend just got done battling MRSA and now her daughter is as well. Poor thing is so sick

I want to echo the vinegar! They are using it to battle MRSA actually. So I may take along a bottle of vinegar instead of bleach

Thank you for the condolences. She was only 24, and she left behind a 14 month old daughter...so it was very shocking and really awful. My husband took it hard.

I'm really thinking about the vinegar thing. Either that, or we *could* do laundry over that weekend that falls in the middle of our DLR days (we'll be heading up to our hometown of Ventura for the Mother's Day weekend...) at either my best friend's house, or my husband's aunt's house. But I hate to ask to do laundry while I'm visiting them? I did it once before and hubby's aunt didn't mind at all...but still...I don't want to inconvenience them?

There are six of us going this summer - DH, myself, my 15 year old niece and my three kids, 11, 5 and 4. We're driving down and will be gone a total of sixteen days (8 at DL, 4 in Vegas, the rest travelling days). I'm already stressing a little at packing, OY.

We do roll clothes, makes it MUCH easier to fit things in.

Off to read the thread linked above!

I may roll some of our things too...particularly things like jammies. OH, and that thread was awesome!

If that is the case, I would suggest getting a few of the largest size packing cubes to pack the pants and shorts in nice and tight. Those babies take up so much space! I find the medium size cubes are good for t-shirts when rolled up and the smallest are awesome for undies and socks.

Thanks for the 411!

I feel your pain! We have 12 people for 10 days and are flying into PHX with a drive to Anaheim in two vehicles! Now how we're going to fit all those people, luggage and a stroller I'm not sure. We'll be packing super light and washing for sure, there's no way around it! Good Luck!

Holy cow...I'm stressed just READING about your trip! LOL!!! We did a 5 day trip in summer of 2010 with our six, plus my hubby's parents and 2 nieces...so, 10 people total (they drove in from Kingman and met us at the hotel in Anaheim...). We packed light, without having to do laundry because it was Summer, and also because it was only the 5 days. My kids were still small enough that the outfit-per-day-in-a-gallon-ziploc-bag thing still worked...which is a lot of work *before* you leave, but made my life soooooo much simpler during the trip. I need to go get those 2.5 gallon sized Ziplocs!!.....

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I'd totally ask to do it at either of those places. My BFF or my husband's aunt would both say yes. I know they would.

I would let someone if they were a good friend or nephew too Maybe call ahead of time? Leave them a little bit of money as a thanks..or buy them dinner? Flowers..etc

But yeah I totally would hesitate to ask too...I just know that in those cases the people I know would have no problem with it LOL. I hate that awkward asking part!

24 is just so young. How sad

 

[specialks]

Many of my natural product friends use vinegar and borax in their clothes wash as a disinfectant and vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener. Borax has some natural antifungal/antibacterial properties. (at least according to my friends) . You'd have to pack the borax in a sealed Tupperware or something because it's powder and comes in a big box.

 

[californiamomof4grls]

Have you gotten to the part about about the shoe organizer on the bathroom door to organize all of your odds and ends! That's a great idea! I'm looking for that and the hamper for our trip! I thought the hamper was a great idea! I hate the bag glob also!

 

[Mugglemama]

Have you gotten to the part about about the shoe organizer on the bathroom door to organize all of your odds and ends! That's a great idea! I'm looking for that and the hamper for our trip! I thought the hamper was a great idea! I hate the bag glob also!

Yes! And I looked for one at Dollar Tree today but couldn't find any. I'll have to check somewhere else this weekend. I did however, find 3 of the wire/mesh hampers there (score!).

 

[californiamomof4grls]

Yes! And I looked for one at Dollar Tree today but couldn't find any. I'll have to check somewhere else this weekend. I did however, find 3 of the wire/mesh hampers there (score!).

Ohhh Jealous!!! I'm going tomorrow or Saturday to get my last minute things!
I'm going to try Ross they sometimes have that kind of stuff there!

 

[MrsPinup]

Good tips! We are going on a 9 day vacation and I am dreading how quickly our suv will get filled up

 

[FourM's]

Has anyone brought up the Purex laundry sheets? Those are my favorite for doing laundry when we travel. We always fly when we got to Disneyland and do carry ons to avoid paying baggage fees, so we are very limited on the amounts of liquids we can bring. The sheets have laundry soap and fabric softener built in. I love them! Lots of good tips on this thread.

 

[xXtowerOFterrorXx]

I just finished packing today and something Ive learned from my Mom is to, it may sound strange, roll your shirts. Fold them over once, tuck the sleeves in and roll it tight, like dough. You can fit way more stuff into your luggage that way. I packed enough clothes for 8 days in a tiny 20" suitcase that was designed for only 1-2 day trips.

 

[nannyz]

My ex-husband was a sailor. He taught me how to pack a duffle bag.
I always amaze my SIL at how much more I can get into a duffle after he thinks it's full. I rarely use suitcases.