PACKING TIPS - What's yours?

[tinkerone]

Thanks for the tip about the packing cubes, I just bought some.

i love them. i have green for dh, purple for me and black for dirty cloths that have to go home.
really keep things organized and dh can understand the system.

 

[wishuponastarforever]

Scott wrote a nice article on this for Touring Plans if anyone is interested:

http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/0...packing-for-your-disney-cruise-line-vacation/

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Thank you Silverfox - SOOOOOO helpful.
Thank you all, especially original poster. This thread has been beyond helpful.

special thank you e-cube users - Just ordered some

 

[staley98]

I love travel Space Bags. We went on the Fantasy in June and our family of five only had I checked bag. We each took I carryon...thank you Space Bag!

 

[ZoneOrr]

I love travel Space Bags. We went on the Fantasy in June and our family of five only had I checked bag. We each took I carryon...thank you Space Bag!

I love the idea!!! How did you repack w/o a vacuum? I'm thinking about purchasing space bags

 

[staley98]

I love the idea!!! How did you repack w/o a vacuum? I'm thinking about purchasing space bags

They sell Travel Space Bags (set of 5 or 6) for around $25 at Bed, Bath, & Beyond that do no require a vacuum. The instructions say to roll the air out of them, but I knelt on them and smoothed them out with my hand. They were definitely worth the money.

 

[dizzi]

I, like others make a document i list what each of us will be wearing each day. I seperate it into categories like dinner and excursions etc.

Then I take a large ziplock for each category and put all the clothes from that category into it.

So for instance, our formal night will have ,all the clothes the 4 of us will wear for that night including everything socks ties panties etc etc.

I then make sure that each suitcase has some bags of formal wear and some bags of casual wear some beach wear this way if a bags gets lost we are still fine

 

[Moxin]

You can also add:
1.) Lay out the money you plan to take on the cruise
2.) Take twice as much!

*spits coffee*

This is SOOOOOOOO true

 

[TLLCanada]

Wow. A lot of people have put a lot of thought into this. Great ideas!!

My #1 tip...make a list and pack 2 days in advance. That way you are less likely to overpack.
#2- DCL has great laundry services on board, use them and pack less!
#3- ziplock bags and duct tape. Never leave home without it!

 

[Cin929]

Another huge packing cube lover! I just put unzip them fold top back and stick in drawers. Easy unpacking, easy re-packing.

Also take a pop up hamper on every vacation; I do try to get some laundry done. Recently used the laundry pods; worked great.

Definitely investing in luggage scale for next trip, usually get a surprise at the airport on the way home.

For cruises I usually bring the over the door shoe hanger; lanyards, charges, sunscreen ..it just keeps things so organized in the small room.

 

[AlisonM]

I really improved my packing skills when our family of 5 traveled by train around Europe for a month. Having to carry everything around made me realize how much stuff I used to pack but didn't need.

Packing cubes are a must as they keep things so organized. The space bags are a really good idea too. We always do laundry on the cruise but it isn't a big deal.

I always go with the philosophy that if you forget something (with the exception of your travel documents) you can buy a replacement if you really need to.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

Space Bags! I love them. I have the kind with the "dial" that you twist off to vacuum the air out. When packing to come home, I just kneel on, roll, and suck the last of the air out.

Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

 

[noahdove]

I have never heard of Space bags, but, what I do is that I pack my suitcase the way I will wear the clothes. So, when I open the suitcase, the first outfit is the one I will wear the next day and with this, I have a baggie with socks, unders etc...when that outfil comes off, it goes in my carry on if I don't plan on wearing the capri's or shorts again...My friend laughed at me with my baggie and outfil, BUT, I chuckled when she came out of the bathroom cause she forgot her unders!!! I only pack one extra thing to wear in case of emergency...

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks for the tip about the packing cubes, I just bought some.

Just a warning when the cubes arrive, so you don't panic. They will look very SMALL. So very different from what you see on their website. However, I learned very quickly, that the whole concept with these is that you roll your clothes, very tightly. You will be so shocked as to how much you will be able to fit. (just go to YouTube and watch demonstrations) I'm leaving for Africa soon and we have several, I absolutely love them already and we haven't even left yet!

 

[bethann77]

I use a lot of ziplock bags when packing. Each persons socks go in a bag, and each persons underwear go in a bag. When its time to unpack, you just grab the bag and throw it in a drawer. I have also put each one of the kids outfits in a bag and labeled it with the day they are supposed to wear it. I also pack all bathroom stuff in ziplock bags. We have had my hair product explode in transport and it was nicely contained in the bag.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Anyone got any tips for what I can pack my monofin in? I searched all over the house for something to fit and a giant queen air mattress bag was the best I could come up with which is flimsy, too big and awkward. Its quite wide but not very long. I wish someone had a mesh backpack we could take them to the islands easier with too. (Used to use the snorkel back pack but now my fins aren't split, they are together...)

 

[patches4me]

I use a lot of ziplock bags when packing. Each persons socks go in a bag, and each persons underwear go in a bag. When its time to unpack, you just grab the bag and throw it in a drawer. I have also put each one of the kids outfits in a bag and labeled it with the day they are supposed to wear it. I also pack all bathroom stuff in ziplock bags. We have had my hair product explode in transport and it was nicely contained in the bag.

I ALWAYS pack everything in zip lock too

 

[patches4me]

They sell Travel Space Bags (set of 5 or 6) for around $25 at Bed, Bath, & Beyond that do no require a vacuum. The instructions say to roll the air out of them, but I knelt on them and smoothed them out with my hand. They were definitely worth the money.

Jumbo zip locks work just fine and less expensive.

 

[cquick]

I believe the one you're' talking about is fine. It's the over the door ones that are banned.

Oh good....I'm glad. We don't put anything in it that is heavy, just the regular bathroom sink stuff that we don't want to clutter up the sink with (toothpaste, hairbrushes, deodorant, gel....etc).[/QUOTE]

We have an over the door bag that we put most of our toiletries and wipes and medications in....we bring heavy duty twist ties and attach it to a towel bar in the bathroom. I think anyone would get good use of one, but we esp. need it because our son is disabled and we need the bathroom with the roll in shower and there is no counter or storage in the ships bathrooms.

Works great for us!

 

[cquick]

I ALWAYS pack everything in zip lock too

me too!

 

[cquick]

1. Digital scale to weigh suitcases
2. Cross pack in case a bag gets lost (this bag can be your overnight bag if you come in the day before--which you should always do if possible--so you don't have to dissamble your "cruise bags")
3. Strips of duct tape on aerosol can lids (around the perimeter) to keep the lids on. Tape can be taken off and stuck to the container while in use, then re-taped back on to keep the lid in place (all liquids in plastic bags)
4. Plenty of kitchen garbage bags to keep dirty clothes in. Fill one up, goes in the suitcase under the bed--makes end of trip packing easy
5. Stuff shoes with socks so they don't have empty spaces that take away from packing space
6. Roll jeans/etc. and fit lengthwise (so it fits between the handle guides in the suitcase--helps give you a bit more room)
7. To avoid creases, pack shirts/dresses like a "U". (for example, put the bottom of the shirt in, put clothes on top of that, then the top of the shirt layers on top of it, so the shirt doesn't get hard creases).

THANK YOU! Best packing suggestions I've seen. Also, remember that you'll be wearing your bathing suit and cover up a lot of the time! AND you can wear the same clothes more than once unless you get ketchup or soda all over them!