How early do you start to pack?

[mhingher]

I'm all set for my trip, leaving on March 5th... except for packing! I guess I'm anal retentive b/c honestly I could have started packing a few weeks ago! But I think my DH would have signed me into a psychiatric ward!

How soon before your trip do you start packing? I work FT and I'm taking my last grad school course one night/week (which is a thesis so it keeps me busy!) so I don't want to wait until the last minute... I have some ironing to do... how soon should I start? I was thinking of starting to iron next week, and do a little bit at a time. We still won't know what the weather will be like, but I'm assuming a few pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of shorts and some capris will be fine...lots of t shirts and a few sweatshirts... help me please!

 

[newholidayx2]

In the summer I dont unpack! We're going away July 1-5, then 2wks later July 21-28
We'll be home then 3wks till Aug 13 when we leave for our 15day vacation!

It seems w/ea vacation I have more "stuff" that never gets completely unpacked!

but yes I can be a procrastinator - a friend & I are going away for the wknd & I just put my bag together but it is nice to only have to pack for myself and no food, etc

 

[JWP]

We leave a week from today, and I haven't started to pack. I just mentioned to my son that we should start to get our clothes together.

 

[sweetpeakaris]

Well, I have 4 kids, I always back there stuff 30 days before, and add to it later. Me and my Husband, always pack 2 weeks before and add stuff on the day we leave. So we always have luggage sitting in our living room for a month, lol. I hate doing things at the last minute, I am a planner and don't wanna get stressed out rushing too soon before we leave.

 

[Pinnie]

DH and I usually pack the night before. We travel a lot, flying at least once or twice a month. I keep a cosmetic bag always packed and just throw in a few last minute stuff I may need the morning I leave.

pinnie

 

[kathyseb]

When we get home, I do the laundry. I put DH's laundry back in the suitcase as it is just easier for me to carry it upstairs that way. He never unpacks it.
He does revisit the suitcase about two days before we leave to add seasonal items.
I guess he must have more clothes than I do. If I tried to do that, I would forever be digging around in the suitcase to get something out.

I start setting my stuff out about a week before we leave.

We are DVC members, so we do have a kitchen suitcase that is never unpacked. That one has coffee filiters, wine opener, etc in it.

 

[trappednabox]

Believe it or not, my mom already has my little sisters clothes in her suitcase! we did buy them for the trip, but still I think it's WAY to early for it to be there! I guess whatever helps her pass all the time till we get there!

 

[sweetpeakaris]

Believe it or not, my mom already has my little sisters clothes in her suitcase! we did buy them for the trip, but still I think it's WAY to early for it to be there! I guess whatever helps her pass all the time till we get there!

LOL! And i thought i packed early. You guys got me beat.

 

[Tinkim]

Believe it or not, my mom already has my little sisters clothes in her suitcase! we did buy them for the trip, but still I think it's WAY to early for it to be there! I guess whatever helps her pass all the time till we get there!

On our last trip I bought some things at the Disney store for the kids months before the trip. I did pack them in the suitcase but here is why. . . things mysteriously disappear around our house. It happens all the time with clothes, socks, shoes, paperwork, you name it. I am leaving in about 15 days and I have packed some things because we live in NH and we don't need any shorts in February but I won't really pack until probably next weekend.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'm a last minute packer. I can't help it- I honestly can't figure out HOW to pack early. I would if I could- but I can't! How can I pack up clothes, toiletries, etc. that we're still USING? LOL

So instead I wait until the night before- all clothes washed/dried- then I go through everything deciding on what to pack, then pack the necessities and toiletries (all except for what I'll use in the morning like hair dryer/etc.) and then stuff those in last minute before we leave.

As for things specifically for Disney trips (mugs, Disney stuffed animals, things I've bought for them to wear there first, etc.) those are usually put off in one spot in a large closet together- ready for packing when I get to it.... last minute ofcourse.

I make a packing LIST way ahead of time though. Always do. I've already got one for the upcoming trip.

 

[mjmcca]

I ususally pack last minute. I really mean last kminute simce i drive i am ususally packing up till the minute i put the key in the ignition. I think we are going to be going down to Florida next Friday. I have Today and Tommorrow to pack because this week i am working all week 13 hour days...uh well nights really and i wont have a chance to pack anything. Friday when i get home i plan to sleep and pack up the car when i wake up and off we go! I hope.

 

[ncbyrne]

DH and I have some specific Disney clothes that STAY packed in our Disney luggage! We take 3 or 4 vacations a year and I find that if I pack clothing too early, I forget what's in the suitcase and wind up having to take everything out and repack just before we go so I don't forget anything. I do however keep a train case packed with toiletry essensials and that never gets UNpacked...just stays up in the attic ready to go. When it comes time to pack clothes, I try everything on first and then pack them into outfits.
For everything else, I keep a running list of items and then pack a few days ahead.

 

[antmaril]

We (me, my DH and our DS (18) will leave for the airport tomorrow morning at 7:30. I do not have the suitcases up from the basement yet. Not worried at all. I am off today, so I have lots of time to get it done. We travel quite often and one thing I don't do prior to a trip is iron. Since hotel rooms today have an ironing board and an iron, I just iron as I go, if necessary.

Tomorrow at this time, we will be all packed and ready to go. By the afternoon, we will be checking in to the Boardwalk Inn - WooHoo

 

[slp87]

I typicallly start packing about a month ahead of time. We lay out a suitcase in our spare bedroom and start adding things like swim stuff, film, batteries, etc. We also go in March when it's still quite cool here, so we're not wearing the clothes we need to take and we start getting that stuff together as well. The Saturday before we leave on Friday I sit down and organize everything and zip up the suitcases.

 

[debbiedoo]

I have a box underneath one of my bathroom sinks that I put vacation items in. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc, etc, use those great coupons ua know. Then about 2 weeks prior I put together the what I call bathroom bag. I also have a suitcase for kitchen item(dvc member)to take along.

about 2 days prior I pack the clothes.

 

[slp87]

I typically start packing about a month ahead of time. We lay out a suitcase in our spare bedroom and start adding things like swim stuff, film, batteries, etc. We also go in March when it's still quite cool here, so we're not wearing the clothes we need to take and we start getting that stuff together as well. The Saturday before we leave on Friday I sit down and organize everything and zip up the suitcases.

We love to enjoy every last minute of WDW so we fly out about 5:30 on the following Sunday and get home about 10:30pm. With school/work the next day, we get everyone's clothes out & ironed that they're going to wear the first day back and have my DD's lunch packed in the refrigerator. We can get home and fall into bed.

 

[ladydancer]

We are leaving April 25 and all 3 families have started packing. Why?....because we will be wearing summer clothes we have just purchased so we just go ahead and put them in a suitcase rather than store them. Then you would have to take them out of storage to pack later.

My toothbrush, paste, shampoo, and all that stuff stays in my utility bag at all times and ready to go at a moments notice. I never have to repack this stuff, I just check it before a trip incase I need to replace something.

 

[ScottNBecky]

We usually pack about 1 week before, although the anticipation makes me want to start now!

 

[torianne31]

I'm leaving in June and I haven't started packing yet....



ok, I have to admit, I HAVE started a list of things to take and saved it on my desktop....

 

[JFrey4240]

I start the night before--too lazy to do it earlier. After a few trips I decided to buy a large toiletry bag and filled it with everything we would need except make-up. It is wonderful! Now I can pull it out, grab my make-up and we are good to go. It was expensive to go out and buy everything we would need at first but it was worth it.