Unpacking on vacation...?

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Most of the time we unpack fully but we don't normally move from hotel to hotel on a vacation.

If we are switching hotels we only unpack what we need for the first one, put the dirty clothes into a white garbage bag (I hate mixing clean and dirty clothes!) that goes into 1suitcase and when we switch hotels, we unpack the rest of the way.

The kids and DH get the dresser and I get the closet.

 

[elemusing]

Well, I am a convert. Before DH, I grew up living out of my suitcase on vacations. After DH, I unpack everything, and let me tell you - it is so much better IMHO. I hate it when we go visit his parents and live out of a suitcase there. It is hard for me to keep track of everything.

 

[jacstangler]

`When going to disney we drive and take a lot of hanging clothes that go right in the closet. Most of the time for other items we unpack. I like the idea of cleaning the drawers out the wipes and we will start doing.

John

 

[chaoscent]

Iron Did someone say IRON???? I use either wash/wear or dry clean. When I go to Disney I only take wash/wear. I unpack everything cause I have to know where everything is before I leave the room. I hang up our nice clothes and jackets and everything else goes in the drawers. I bring a pop up hamper from the dollar store for dirty clothes (& then I can throw it away at the end of the week) and normally do laundry twice (we stay DVC) during the week. Any dirty clothes at the end of the week go in a trash bag. We normally pack an extra bag as somehow our "stuff" seems to reproduce while we are there and I always come home with more "stuff" than I need .
Penny

 

[Jump4Joy8390]

Earlier in the summer I read a post on the DIS about e-bag packing cubes which would eliminate ever having to unpack. I bought them and am very eager to use them!

We use the Heys packing cubes and I loved them so much that I bought a second set! Each person has a couple for just their clothes, and we'll use one of the bigger ones for all the bathing suits. What's really great about them is that they hold a lot, and once you zip them up, you can shove them in anywhere - in side pockets, in your carry-on, anywhere! And you just take them from your suitcase and pop them into the drawers and voila! you're unpacked! Best thing ever!

We also have 3 toiletry bags that we hang on the towel racks, or shower bar, or on the back of a door. Unpacking and packing is a breeze for us.

 

[ppony]

I'm glad to see some other live-out-of-suitcasers here. I mentioned it once on another thread that we don't unpack and you would have thought I said I wore the same pair of underwear for 2 weeks straight. Somehow some didn't understand how easy it is to keep dirty from clean. Then too, we did a lot of split stays back then too. It was far easier.

We did unpack, ONCE. On our DCL cruise. I was under the impression we almost had to. I guess we sort of did BUT we had a quite and thusly a TON of drawer space! I didn't know what to do with everything!!! I dind't have 1/2 as much stuff needed to fill those drawers. I found myself not knowing where I put anything. I think I'll give it a shot again in our villa stay since it's suppose to be our "home" away from home.

 

[DisGirl23]

I unpack. We totally move into our hotel room when we get there.

 

[MrIncrediDad]

Funny for this question to come up. My DW and I have always lived out of our suitcases. We thought it was easy and quick. We are at AKL right now and decided to unpack everything this trip. We made this decision partly because we are traveling with our 1yr old DD. So far it is working out well.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Have a great time at AKL! I'm checking in on Monday!

 

[Elvistelth]

I don't unpack but the wife & kids do. I bring this for dirty laundry and it works well:

 

[disneyfan19712006]

I totally unpack. I have to have everything in easy reach and I HATE looking at suitcases. I usually hid them in the closet area. Or on a cruise under the bed.

 

[Halbleib1]

Long trips I unpack everything where as dh leaves his clothes in the suitcase. They are in space bags and easy to get out of the suitcase as needed though. I usually just throw the whole space bag holding my clothes into a dresser drawer. My son's clothes I unpack completely.

Short trips we all live out of the suitcase except for things needed daily.

 

[disneymom8589]

DH and I are opposites in this. He empties his suitcase and puts things in drawers and closets while I keep things in my suitcase (with the exception of my toiletries bag). The only time I unpacked everything was on the Disney cruise.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Okay, now I am fascinated with all the people who separate their dirty clothes. We usually just put it on the other side of the bag and I fold up the used underwear and socks differently to make sure I don't mix them up.

I guess bringing some sort of cloth laundry bag would not be a bad idea, but we usually have to re-fold everything in the bag in order to fit it all in for the way home.

 

[kathrna]

We've used packing cubes for the last three vacations. There are four of us and we each have a different color. I take the cube out, unzip it, fold back the top and put it in the drawer. When it's time to go, lift out the cube, zip it up, put it back in the suitcase. It worked wonderfully this last vacay. We moved three times (AKL, SSR and Vero Beach). It was soooo convenient. Plus you ask the kids, "Did you pack up your stuff?" I can tell by what color cubes are missing from the suitcase.

 

[Cherinva]

For me, it depends on how long the stay is. A 1 or 2 day trip, I won't, but any longer than that, and I will completely unpack. Either way, I always unpack all of the bathroom toiletries.

 

[left_arm]

My wife lives out of her suitcase, while I unpack everything I'll need while I'm in that hotel room!

 

[darrengs]

If we are staying for more than 2 days then we unpack. There are 4 of us and I just find it easier to unpack then it is to rifle through the suitcases, it seems whatever is needed is always on the bottom.