Overpacking!!!!!!!!!!

[BELLE16127]

Is there such a thing????? My DH seems to think so...LOL I dunno, I try and pack a pair of shorts and a shirt for each day and a nice outfit for dinner everynight for everyone. Now to be totally truthful last cruise we didn't wear even half od the "daytime" clothes we packed as I was in a swimsuit the majority of the time but then I throw in the "what if's" and thats where my trouble starts.......

What if we don't stop at islands and meed a something to wear each day????

What if we DO stop at each island and we want to wear shorts each time, say a pair early in the day over a swimsuit and then as I have read some do here go back to the ship for lunch, clean up and head back to shop or whatever that would be 2 sets in ONE day......

Then there is the I AM ON VACATION the LAST thing I wanna do is LAUNDRY and so you pack so much it's unbelievable just incase....

I don't even wanna talk SHOES here last time with myself and DD who was 17 at the time it was unbelievable how many shoes we took between the two of us.

So am I the only one or are there other women out there who are just like me??????

 

[mbaker]

You're not alone. Last night I put our luggage on the scale to make sure it does not go above 70 pounds per bag. My two big bags just made it.

 

[BELLE16127]

I haven't even thought of that one......I forget how many bags we took on the last cruise since I have piles of what I am packing in my room allready how many bags are we allowed to take anyway????? I would hate to have them ready and then find out I gotta change things around.......

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Originally posted by mbaker
You're not alone. Last night I put our luggage on the scale to make sure it does not go above 70 pounds per bag. My two big bags just made it.

A lot of airlines have changed their policy to 50 pounds or 45 pounds. You may want to check the weight limit for your airlines (assuming you're flying). I wouldn't want to get to the airport & be charged for baggage being overweight.

 

[allears]

belle16127, I'm with you! As a good boy scout I always want to be prepared! So we always end up with clothes we don't wear. But I'd prefer that to running out or doing laundry on vacation. I say long live over packers.

You're allowed two checked bags per passenger on the ship. That doesn't include a carry on.

We cheerfully refer to ourselves as the Howel's of Gilligan's Island. They packed like I would for a three hour tour. They were the only ones who had changes for clothes!!!!

 

[Dreamer04]

I have problems with packing. I have gotten better, but it is hard! Especially the shoe thing. For our next cruise, I have a list and I am sticking to it! I hope!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

I do laundry almost every day of my life, and I am NT doing it on my one vacation per year. So yes, I make sure we all have at LEAST one day outfit and one evening outfit, plus I bring some extras, especially for the kids.

One reason to be an overpacker: last December, we went to my company holiday retreat/party at Atlantis. The airline lost 1 of our bags and, but for the fact that we had overpacked (and we always put some clothes for everyone in each bag just in case), we'd have had nothing to wear.

 

[invaderzim]

OH, DON'T GET ME STARTED......

I am a TERRIBLE packer. Always always always overpack, no matter how many lessons I think I've learned and how many lists I make. I am a stickler for taking all the medicines I think we will ever need because I don't want to have to buy any. And I, too, tend to pack too many outfits.

Here's my pathetic story -- the NIGHT BEFORE our trip last month, I ran out to buy another suitcase. Mind you, we had just purchased a very nice give piece set (three suitcases and two carryons) in June. When I started to pack, I realized it just wasn't enough. So I ran out and bought a garment bag. That was a great purchase and became my favorite piece of luggage. However, I still ended upon the bedroom floor at 2:00 a.m. trying to figure out why I couldn't fit everything and what to leave behind; and we had to leave at 6 a.m.! The snorkeling gear and all the beach wear always throws me off. Next year for the Repo cruise, I have already decided NO snorkel gear. AND, my DD and I decided to buy a nice pair of black "dressy" sandals for evening wear. This past cruise I brought a black pair and a beige pair. Another waste of space.

However, in defense of all I brought, once our cruise ended up becoming a 10-day vacation, we used everything I brought and still had to do a laundry.

Next year, when we take three weeks (2-week repo cruise and one week in L.A.), I will have to resign myself to doing laundry at least twice because I refuse to try to pack for three weeks.

There are actually websites that help you figure out how to pack. I could never do one of those group tours to Europe where you are only allowed one suitcase!

Oh, another GREAT tip -- by packages of tissue paper from the dollar store. Put tissue paper between all your good clothes and fold or roll or put in garment bag. The tissue paper kept ALL my clothes from wrinkling.

I also give a huge thumbs up to the person who suggested buying a shoe bag. We did that and hung it on the outside bathroom door and it was a great help. Not only for shoes, but for brushes, combs, etc.

Good luck.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Hooray for all of you 'overpackers.'

To each his own, but I wince when I read the posts which state, 'take only half of what you think you'll need.' I admire those who can adhere to that, but it would put a damper on things (for a short while) for me if I ended up thinking, 'gee, I ALMOST packed that but didn't think I'd need it.' And yes, that includes many clothes. I usually DO wear everything I pack, a different pair of shorts, t-shirts for each day, and a different outfit for dinner each night. There have been times when I've returned w/2-3 unworn shirts (I usually take 10) but there's no way I'll underpack. I'd rather deal w/the burden of the heavy bags and space shortage than to have regret not packing enough. Also, doing laundry on a cruise is the last thing I want to do.

For all of you 'shoe addicts,' I overpack those too.

 

[madd4disney]

Not only am I taking sooo many different typs of clothes that I need different pairs of shoes for, but then I have a 5 year old who is insisting on having a different pair of shoes with each outfit as well. I think the majority of our bags is going to be shoes!!LOL Well, the solution to my problem is still a mystery, but I will most likely be buying even more pairs at Disney Market Place as well. So for all of those out there with this seemingly unsolvable problem, you are not alone and if anyone has any ideas- please let me know- I have a definate need for a solution!!!

 

[jin diesel]

I have the shoe problem!! For just 4 days at Disneyland I pack at least 4 sneakers, 4 flip-flops of different heights and styles and a pair of cute dressy shoes for God only knows what.

I NEVER EVER use all those shoes, but I continue to pack them...

 

[TheGottis]

Oh do I feel SO MUCH BETTER!

I'm a 'overpacking shoeaholic' too! And my 3 1/2 year old DD is following in my 'footsteps'!!

My husband has limited DD and I to:
*1 carry-on size suitcase for shoes
*1 jumbo suitcase for clothes
It's AMAZING what a good compact packer I have become because if it!

 

[CaribGirl]

Count me in for overpacking!!!

DH gets very little suitcase space, cause our 3 DD's and myself will pack all we need, and whatever space is left he gets!!!
DH is a good sport, he'l carry all the luggage!!
One trip I also had to run to Walmart at 2:30 a.m. to buy a large duffel back that I thought I would only half use. It went and came back stuffed!!!

 

[JC Butterfly]

I don't want to spoil the fun of this thread, because if you all want to overpack, that's fine by me!

I used to overpack but with the airlines cutting down on how big suitcases can be and how heavy, I started packing differently.

I find that shorts in neutral colors: denim, black, white, or kakhi tend to go with almost everything in my wardrobe. And if I'm only wearing shorts for a couple of hours because I'm in my swimming suit or changing for dinner soon or whatever, I find that a bottle of Febreeze freshens them right up and I don't need a "new pair" for the next day.

I like to have a few more shirts but I always and I mean always find at least 1 t-shirt I want to buy so that means less in the rotation. My husband has even learned that "vacation" is really just another word for "shopping in new places" so if I HAVE to buy 2-3 more shirts because I messed up the others, oh well!

I'm in the "don't want to do laundry" camp too but I like to make sure to leave plenty of room in my suitcase for all the new things (clothes and other wise that I want to bring home)

So overpack away (just remember to bring an extra suitcase or something!)

 

[LAMPSKIES]

I was given this bit of advice before our second of 4 sailings......."Pack everything you think you need.......then take half out......and you will still have brought too much!"

 

[qofhearts]

Ok can I just say my daughter's PRINCESS costumes are taking up a lot of room along with the disney stuffed animals ugh!

I just hope I have room for gifts!

I called our neighbor for a back up carry on. It could be worse, last time we did a 7 day she was in diapers...let's just say one whole suitcase was dedicated to pampers!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Ack! This is our problem -- we have a 72 pack at the bottom of the suitcase already!

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

Originally posted by madd4disney
Not only am I taking sooo many different typs of clothes that I need different pairs of shoes for, but then I have a 5 year old who is insisting on having a different pair of shoes with each outfit as well. I think the majority of our bags is going to be shoes!!LOL

Don't feel bad. We have one entire small suitcase that is devoted to nothing but shoes for the 4 of us. LOL

And I will have to do laundry the day before we sail because I refuse to pack 14 pairs of underwear for each of us.

 

[Tinkertude]

Just a word of warning. A friend packed all of her shoes and her dgd 's in one bag too. It didn't make it on the ship. So they had the shoes they had on and a pair of flip flops bought in the gift store for a whole week. It was not a disney cruise but since that time I always mix the suitecases with everyones clothes and shoes so that everyone would have something to wear incase of lost luggage.

 

[lookingforward]

I was reading this post and it dawned on me...
Living in Florida does have some advantages...
You may have to live with horrible, savage hurricanes BUT....
you don't have to worry about paying excess baggage charges when taking a cruise! No flights and the only limit is how many bags my car can hold...thank goodness for mini-vans and suvs!

I am a notorious over packer. My husband has given up tyring to reform me.