Packing? Are you an over packer?

[edk35]

THIS IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved this post!!

I am a Recovered Overpacker. My first trip to WDW I packed 11 suitcases for 3 people

Then I started traveling for work once a month or so & learned how to pack business & casual clothes for 4-5 days, along with a travel coffee-maker and toiletries in a small carry-on that I was willing to drag around the Metro.

Now I can pack for a variety of Temperatures, Dress Code conditions & all the gadgetry modern technology requires for a 10 day trip in a single checked bag with meds & a book in a tote bag per person. I refuse to do laundry on vacation, I have never run out of clothes & usually have less than 5 untouched items of clothing.

I credit business travel with my recovery. Once you have to do that, you learn really quickly how to co-ordinate & condense.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Over-packer, here!

We went for 9 nights in October. For me, DH, and DS9 we checked 4 bags going to Orlando, carried on 3 bags, DS and DH each carried a backpack and I carried a large purse.

One of our checked bags was the "shoe bag" filled only with shoes and other non-clothing items. When we got to the room we unpacked the shoes and used the "shoe bag" to pack the dirty laundry in. When the shoe bag was full I condensed DS's clean clothes into my suitcase and filled his with dirty clothes. I managed to never mix clean and dirty clothes in the same suitcase. I never actually unpack and put things in the drawers at hotels - we just take things out of the suitcase each morning.

We brought an empty duffle for souvenirs, so going home we checked 5 bags (one of the carry-ons went home as checked and we carried the duffle in place of it).

Now I realize the majority of stuff in one of our carry-ons was stuff we didn't need and didn't use. But YOU NEVER KNOW what you might need! Better to just bring it all.

 

[ctrabada]

I, too, am guilty of over packing... My DH is the one who helps me reduce the mounds of clothing I usually pile in the closet prior to putting them in the suitcases. I used to travel for business a lot and pack conservatively, but for vacation trips, I can't help it! However, I AM getting tired of packing, then unpacking, then repacking clothes we never used! So, for our next trip, I told my DH that my goal was to pack 50% less than before... wish me luck!

 

[Ashes8380]

I'm a compulsive overpacker! I tend to pack a week or so in advance, then go back and weed out a bunch of stuff at least two times. I still tend to go home with a lot of clothing, even after the weeding out process! However, I blame weather for a lot of that. I tend to go to WDW in January, and the last two trips I have not needed any of my cold weather clothing. I'm hoping this trend keeps up for this year, but I always pack warm weather stuff just in case.

 

[Blondiex46]

not for me I always over pack for the kids and then I forget to pack for me, guess I should get started now....

 

[slo]

I am the biggest overpacker that you will ever meet!!! I lay out mine and my kids clothes days in advance and make sure that I have a couple of outfits each day that we are there (you never know when something is going to spill on you ).

I try to not overpack - but I always do, it's in my blood . I have finally learned to except it instead of change it .

 

[jeanadave]

This will be our first WDW trip. I ALWAYS tend to overpack on trips. I take a beach trip with girlfriends every year and one year I took THIRTEEN! pairs of shoes. I think I wore the same pair of flip-flops all week. Anyway, I'm hoping to pare things down a little on this trip. DH packs his own clothes and he also overpacks.

 

[fabumouse]

I pack a smaller backpack into a larger backpack. Then I cram dirty laundry into the larger backpack and check it. This trip I forgot to account for Splash Mountain and the Kali River Rapids when packing underwear - there is a downside to packing light!!

 

[Skroops]

I am totally an over packer! I tried to sit on my suitcase two trips ago to close it after packing for WDW, and then I realized...I need a bigger suitcase! So I bought a bigger suitcase for our last trip, thinking what is the difference if I plan on checking it anyway? I got nervous about it being over 50 pounds, but since it was a very light suitcase to begin with, it was only about 42 pounds. I took the advice from one of the DIS posters and used the space saving bags from Target. It worked like a charm! I used the bags for the dirty clothes then afterwards. So now I'm getting teased by my friends about the huge suitcase I am going to bring for our girls trip! LOL!

 

[Soprano]

I pack as little as possible.

We fly from the UK so usually end up buying our clothes during the time we are there.

You really do not realise how cheap clothes (well, everything) is in the US compared to London. So we stock up.

We ALWAYS come home with an extra suitcase or very large bag full of clothes and gifts.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I have a 17 yo daughter, so naturally that's 2 suitcases (one for shoes, one for clothes), an oversized purse (makeup, ipod, phone, more makeup), a carry-on (to hold a salon's worth of hairstyling devices and products, plus a change of clothes, and all the things that won't fit in the regular checked bags, and all her other girlie needs)...then she takes over my bags with the overflow.

I also have a husband who's under the impression that "if he doesn't bring it, he'll wish he had". So he'll pack at least 3 suits (no, we're not booked for V&A), 20 pairs of socks, 20 pairs of underwear (new, never worn...what if we're in a plane crash??? He MUST have clean underwear!)...but he'll forget shorts, shoes, T-shirts, razors, comb, bathing suit...you know, stuff you really need. So if you see a man running around the parks in a 3-piece suit and no shoes, come over to the woman who's desperately trying to act as though she doesn't know him and say "Hi!"

 

[katedrew94]

<sigh>

I am a terrible overpacker. We carry so much stuff!

We even have a drying rack that fits in our suitcase for longer trips. LOL.

 

[wwithers]

Oh yeah. I WAY overpack. I bring two medium suitcases instead of one large so that I don't go over the weight limit.

 

[LoveWDW]

I thought I could pack enough for a 5 day trip early Dec. for my husband and myself, assuming I would do sink laundry while at WDW, and be able to pack it all in carryon's. My husband snorted. We just got back from a weekend trip a couple hour drive away, and I used three good-sized duffle-type bags. So now I realize I'll need a suitcase that we check as well as the carryons. And I don't really over pack, I think. To pack: 1 pairs of shoes each, two pairs pants, maybe 3 shirts, underwear, pj's, hooded sweatshirt. scarfs, gloves, hooded rainrepellent windbreakers, travel-size toiletries, paperback book, cell phone. This is pretty minimal- no extra shoes, no slippers, no robe, no camera. From reading above I see I'd better pack a duffel for souvenirs and gifts.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Overpackers here! I dont see what is wrong with that though. We like to be prepared and not have to wish we brought that extra t-shirt or pair of jeans. I refuse to do laundry on my vacation. We also prefer to use the same products and toiletries we use at home so we bring it all! I prefer it this way and find this is the best way for us to travel-to pack everything we want to!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I leave DH to work out his own packing. He likes to torment me by not packing in a timely fashion (like a week before we leave) so I refuse to get involved. Somehow he didn't pack enough socks last time and he ended up wearing a pair of mine for the trip home. They were too small and slid down the back of his foot so he had "bunchy socks" on the plane. Perhaps he will pack some extras next time!

I always pack way more socks and panties than I will need, and I do the same for DS. If I get splashed, rained on, spill something, etc. I don't want to be rationing my socks and panties! Of course the day the water jet shot me in the shorts I just walked around soggy. Too much trouble to go back to the resort to change!

I had no intention of doing laundry at the resort, but I brought detergent and fabric softener anyway. Because you NEVER KNOW! Maybe this is why we never went anywhere when DS was younger. We never would have made it out of the house with all the gear!

 

[jann1033]

not clothes as i take stuff i can layer since we go in winter . tee shirts and capris with one pair of jeans( usually) and a couple of sweater/sweatshirts.. we have our winter coats. i tend to over pack junk, like do i really need a sewing kit? no. 3 set of batteries for my camera? no. boxes of cereal that we will bring home unopened? no. 2 nail clippers? no. magazines? no

 

[LaLa]

I could be in Over Packers Anonymous!! The last two years, DH has threatened to divorce me after his endless trips to and fro the car to unload all of our stuff. Our friends came with us last month and they actually brought 3 suitcases for a family of four for 7 days. 3. That's it. And they were small ones at that! They had to wash twice and I noticed in the pics they are wearing the same clothes a lot. I just would rather not have to do laundry on vacation and YOU NEVER KNOW when it might drop 20 degrees and you will be GLAD you packed that sweatsuit!

 

[mitchwebb]

Love this thread. I'm sitting here at 11:30pm leave in two days and I'm debating adding another suit case. I started with two cases and laughed as I started to pack. Added a third suitcase and a bigger carry on for me and still I'm going to have to get all three girls sitting on the cases to get them closed. Ten days five people but we do have a washer and dryer in our unit for the last five days.

 

[kjm4]

My wife is an over packer. She has a serious problem. Really! It has gotten sooo bad that I now tell her to pack what she thinks the kids will need and to leave it out. I then put about 3/4's of it back in their drawers. I then have to hide the suitcases so she doesn't sneek stuff back in. I've had to buy an extra suitcase at the airport (On the way to WDW, not coming home!) because the bag was way overweight.
Besides, you always need to buy a couple of new things at WDW to wear.