Do you unpack your suitcase and use the drawers, closet, etc? with poll

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

When I was single and traveling, I lived out of my suitcase but now I unpack. It makes it easier for me to keep track of our stuff. Then the suitcase is left open and dirty clothes are thrown into it at the end of the day, so not much packing up has to happen when we leave. Except of course for trying to figure out where to put all of the stuff we purchased!
I'm not surprised to see many other people unpack too but I am surprised that so many people are worried about "cooties" in drawers! I'll gladly throw my clothes in the drawer and not think twice about it. Even if somebody's dirty clothes were in there before me. What is going to happen? I don't get it.

They sell 2 1/2 gallon sized ziplock bags at Walmart. They are big enough to put several pieces of clothes or a pair of shoes in them easy.

Ziplock brand?

 

[Lilsia]

Ziplock brand?

I had to get up and check LOL. The 2 1/2 gallon bags that I have are Hefty brand.

 

[isabellea]

Thanks for the tip, im going to look out for these at dollarama. I had switched to packing cubes but might try a combo next trip to save more space. Now that my kids are much older, their clothes are too big to fit complete outfits into regular ziploc freezer bags.

Ziploc bags (any brand) allow us to save so much space after removing the air in them. DH also has a really funny technique to remove the air by laying down on them and rolling! Lol. Then, when we leave all our dirty clothes go in our suitcase(s) and we add the ziploc kits on top that are left so the clean clothes stay clean!

 

[Moliphino]

I don't unpack, but I do put pajamas and clothes that can be worn again in the drawers between uses. Dirty clothes go in a laundry bag.

 

[Mightybee987]

We hang some clothes on closet, but mostly live out of our suitcases. I put the kids clothes in Ziploc bags too.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We unpack and put everything in it's place. We use the dresser, closet and drawers in the vanity area. I use a lot of toiletries and hair products when I shower and get ready. Digging through luggage for this stuff every morning would be a PIA. This is why we may avoid split stays in the future. Unpacking and packing it all up gets annoying.

 

[vintagemomma]

This thread and a few youtube video's has finally pushed me to purchase packing cubes. We are doing a super budget trip this time. It's so my daughter can compete in Feb, so we are flying a discount airline we never use, etc. Trying to figure how to cut down on number of bags we usually take hoping cubes help. The weather in feb certainly doesn't help with lightening the packing load.

To not get totally off topic, we do a combo. I put toiletry bags in bathroom, hang some things, and unpack others. I wipe drawers out before use, and bring a pop up mesh laundry bag for dirty clothes. When kids were younger I would do the zip locks for each day it made getting ready so easy in the morning because I could just toss them each the bag for the day which I marked like this-DD name- day of the week. That way if I was showering or something my DH could assist them too. And as they got older they would just look for their own bags. Hmm maybe I'll make them pack their own zip locks and label them. Might cut down on the teen clothing drama we seem to have every darn day here at home which I could see being just as bad or worse on vaca.

 

[nkereina]

Another packing cube user. Its so easy to pull the packing cubes out and throw them in the drawers. Your clothes aren't touching the potentially dirty drawers, everything stays organized, and you can easily and quickly toss them in the drawer and pack them back up again. We put dirty clothes in a laundry bag in the bathroom, and out empty suitcases go under the bed. We will put any souvenirs we purchase in the suitcase until its time to pack up to leave.

 

[FoxC63]

Ziplock brand?

Ziploc makes 2 gallon Freezer (which is thicker than the norm) 10 count found at:

Walmart $4.78: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-P...t8TJJ-bel63hfJv5hy_JIU-oSjo9d43gaAqzMEALw_wcB

Target $4.89: https://www.target.com/p/ziploc-174...BcZX3nCccr60p8HZLW4aAkd-EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[FoxC63]

This thread and a few youtube video's has finally pushed me to purchase packing cubes.

Today Ebates is 12% cashback at Shoes.com They sell Eagle Creek brand packing cubes, plus there is a 30% off coupon that can be applied. I bought a few early this morning as well as Ziploc 2 Gallon bags at Target.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Today Ebates is 12% cashback at Shoes.com They sell Eagle Creek brand packing cubes, plus there is a 30% off coupon that can be applied. I bought a few early this morning as well as Ziploc 2 Gallon bags at Target.

Me too, never heard of packing cubes. I just wish I could fine some that say DRYER safe.

 

[FoxC63]

Me too, never heard of packing cubes. I just wish I could fine some that say DRYER safe.

Good luck with that, hopefully those who have them "DRYER SAFE" can chime in to help you. My dryer has been broken since my son turned one year old, he's almost 16 now and I've never missed using it.

 

[1st_trip_10/05]

I always unpack our suitcases. Drives DH nuts! LOL! Going to look at packing cubes. Never thought about the dressers possibly being dirty. Yuck!

 

[vintagemomma]

As far as drawers being dirty, I do wipe them out, but how is the outside of a shirt or pants touching the drawer any different than touching the seat on a bus or ride? I'm much more squicked out by the remote. hehe

 

[Superchikk]

As far as drawers being dirty, I do wipe them out, but how is the outside of a shirt or pants touching the drawer any different than touching the seat on a bus or ride? I'm much more squicked out by the remote. hehe

My husband won't touch the TV remote! He gets the plastic bag from the ice bucket, puts the remote inside, and ties a knot. It still works through the plastic, but you're not actually touching it. Even if I clean it with a Clorox wipe, he won't touch it! Ha!

 

[Superchikk]

Another vote for packing cubes! I have all the heart eyes for packing cubes. My favorites are the Amazon Basics brand, and we use more medium size than anything else. You can easily fit 4 of those in a carry-on size rolling suitcase, plus a pair or two of shoes, depending on your level of packing skills. I also used to put my kids' daily outfits in gallon size ziploc bags, and I feel like this is the grown-up version of that. You can fit SO much in the cubes, and they hold everything together. DH travels a lot and often does 1-night trips. He will try to only take a backpack, and the packing cube keeps his clothes from getting maimed in between the equipment he has to carry with him.

I will typically pull our packing cubes out of the suitcases & toss them into drawers. Toiletries go in the bathrooms - DH & I have hanging toiletry bags, and the kids' have to sit on the counter. OR if we're on a longer trip (more than 3 nights), I bring along an over-the-door shoe hanger and use it for all kinds of things - their toiletries, accessories, snacks, etc. to keep things from getting scattered all over the place. It hardly takes up any space in the suitcase and is a huge help. I've hung this over the bathroom door, over the connecting door to another room (that wasn't being used), and over the closet rod. Love the flexibility of it.

I typically will pull out our outfits for the next day before we go to bed - hang the shirts & spray with wrinkle releaser & lay out everything else we need so it's grab & go in the morning. Making choices or having to think too hard first thing in the morning doesn't work well when we're all in a hotel room together. We also have breakfast items in the room so everyone can eat while we're getting ready or grab a breakfast bar as we walk to the bus.

We probably travel as a family a little more than average, and my kids are used to it. So whether we are at Disney or somewhere else, we're following the same process most of the time. Once you figure out what works for you, stick with it!

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

My husband won't touch the TV remote! He gets the plastic bag from the ice bucket, puts the remote inside, and ties a knot. It still works through the plastic, but you're not actually touching it. Even if I clean it with a Clorox wipe, he won't touch it! Ha!

Yup, I also do the same, actually bring my own bag.... If I don't do that, I make sure to wipe it with a clorox wipe.

 

[Superchikk]

Yup, I also do the same, actually bring my own bag....it's like a condom for a remote LOL. If I don't do that, I make sure to wipe it with a clorox wipe.

That's exactly what he calls it!

 

[Disneyonmymind]

We keep our suitcases on the luggage rack, hard furniture, hard chairs and tables. We started doing that years ago when I read it reduces your chance of bringing home bed bugs - ick! I will hang jackets and a few other things in the closet. Also, this may seem odd but I always put up the ironing board and use it for additional "horizontal space."

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

That's exactly what he calls it!