I overpacked!!!!

[mickeyfan2302]

OK I just finished packing the clothes for my 2 daughters, DD10 and DD4. I really over did it. They are sharing 1 large suitcase, and I can barely zip it. I have been reading that several people only pack enough for 2-3 days and then do laundry, and I honestly thought about doing that, but then I was thinking that my girls are really picky one what clothes they wear. So I thought it would be easier to pack like 2 or three different outfits for each day. That way they can choose what they want to wear. I figured it would be easier to do it this way rather than fight with them because they don't want to wear what I packed for them. I have a feeling though that I am going to regret this in the end......Oh Well, you learn from your mistakes.....RIGHT

 

[LJRJR]

I usually do what you have done, pack giving the kids options as to what they want to wear and pack so they have a day and evening outfit. I then come home with a suitcase full of 1/2 clean clothes. When we went in May I did cut down alot, but I still had some clean. I have found that a few outfits were clean enough to wear 2X and the kids (especially my two boys) wore in the evening what they wore during the day. Good Luck! Dont stress over it and do yourself a favor and take out a few outfits, so your suitcase is lighter and your hotel room is less full of clothes. Have a great trip.

 

[Hannathy]

Why not have them pick out the outfits now? Especially the 10 yr old. When my DD was that old she was packing herself and I was merely helping. There is no way I would take 3 outfits a day! How will you get them back in because clothes are always harder to re pack than when you start at home. If you are going for 6 days have her pick out 9 outfits and be done with it. Actually the 4 yr old could pick out the clothes ahead of time also if picky put them in bags and she wears what she picked. How will there be room for what the accumulate while there? Have them decide now and avoid extra clothes and battles at Disney.

 

[csclemons]

Ditto on letting the kids help you pack. My DD4 is always more agreeable when she feels like she's done it herself! ...and remember, you'll need room in your luggage for all the fun stuff you buy at the parks!

CSC

 

[MandM-Mom]

I overpack aswell, becareful if you are flying if your bag is over a certain amount of pounds you will have to pay a fee! We fly Southwest and I made it by less than a pound last time and the ticket counter person said to make sure I don't put a stitch of something extra in it on the way back.

 

[Blondiex46]

how appropriate at this time. I am packing and I usually take too much for the boys but not enough for me. We are going for 10 days and there is a washer and dryer so we will do wash. I am trying to not take as much but I am afraid that I not going to take enough, if that makes any sense.

 

[Ariel8676]

I am a big time overpacker!!! What i do now is lay out all the clothes for all of us then go through them again and i end up realizing that we dont need a few things..then the next day i will do the same.
I agree with the PP about letting your 10 yo pick her stuff out now...
I defintitely wouldn't pack 3 outfits for each day..you arent' going to need it..maybe 2 at the most.

 

[momocay]

I am the queen of overpacking. Last trip was me, dd and dm. I had 2 large suitcases for 5 days, plus a small one. My dm was making fun of me nonstop, asking where I thought I was going. I thought it was fine, until we met up with the rest of our group. They each had 1 suitcase, for 2 people. oops! Needless to say, I came home with alot of clean clothes. But I can never decide what I want to wear until that day, so my habits wont change.

 

[Renysmom]

Take all the outfits that you packed out and lay on the bed as outfits, then have each of your DD come in and pick out one outfit for each day. Place each outfit in one of the large zipper bags so they stay together and have them write their names on the bags. When they are done, have them go back and pick out 3-4 backup outfits total.

If you have the girls pick-out and mark their outfits they are a)learning to pack and b) less fighting with you when you get there because they packed..

This worked miracles for us when we did it with our kids.

Have fun

 

[NotUrsula]

One outfit per day plus two spares for emergencies in case of rips/stains is plenty. It is also best to try to cross-coordinate the colors if possible, so that you can mix/match if needed. (And to minimize how many loads of laundry you need to do if you decide to do it.)

Always put some of every family member's clothing in every checked suitcase. That way if one of the bags goes missing for awhile, you won't have one person with no clothes at all while everyone else is fine.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would split up the suitcase, pack half of the 2 year old's stuff and half of the 4 year old's stuff in each. If that ONE big all-encompassing suitcase were to get lost.....

I think overpacking for a couple years (wherever you're going) is a rite of passage, so I don't really have any advice on that (I had something like 5 bags for a WEEK in Ireland while my friend had 2 and scorned me...then again, I looked really cute every single day and had going-out clothes in the evening, and she didn't!), but I definitely don't want you going anywhere with just one big suitcase for two people.