When do you Pack?

[codimouse]

repacking. i started a few days ago, but need to cut down on so much luggage so starting over.

 

[jamstew]

I pack the night before, but I have an owner's locker that has all my cosmetics, toiletries & lots of other stuff. All I have to pack are clothes and meds.

 

[stacy87]

I like to be completely packed about a week before I leave. I have already started putting things in my suitcase that I have bought - like toiletries and clothes especially for my holiday!

I also tend to pack and re-pack far too many times!! I like to be sure that I have everything I need though! lol

 

[perfectparanoia]

I have a packing strategy:

Step 1 (up to six months prior): Make a detailed list of what I want to pack (down to number of each type of clothing for each person). I call this the master packing list.
Step 2 (about 2 months prior): Make a list of the items I need to buy.
Step 3 (about 1 month prior): Obtain things I did not have and store in one of the suitcases (and check them off the master packing list as I go).
Step 4 (1 week prior): Pack all things that are not daily items and clothing that will not be needed until we leave (and check them off the master packing list as I go)
Step 5 (2 days prior): Collect all clothing that needs to be packed and is not and launder then pack it (again, checking it off the list).
Step 6 (1 day prior): Determine what items need to be packed 'day of' and make sure that everything else is all set.
Step 7 (day of): pack the small number of items remaining.

So, I sort of start months in advance but don't do the heavy duty packing until about a week before we leave.

 

[vacation_junkie]

I have a packing strategy:

Step 1 (up to six months prior): Make a detailed list of what I want to pack (down to number of each type of clothing for each person). I call this the master packing list.
Step 2 (about 2 months prior): Make a list of the items I need to buy.
Step 3 (about 1 month prior): Obtain things I did not have and store in one of the suitcases (and check them off the master packing list as I go).
Step 4 (1 week prior): Pack all things that are not daily items and clothing that will not be needed until we leave (and check them off the master packing list as I go)
Step 5 (2 days prior): Collect all clothing that needs to be packed and is not and launder then pack it (again, checking it off the list).
Step 6 (1 day prior): Determine what items need to be packed 'day of' and make sure that everything else is all set.
Step 7 (day of): pack the small number of items remaining.

So, I sort of start months in advance but don't do the heavy duty packing until about a week before we leave.

Its a bit easier for us cause we always go away when its cold here..so all of our summer stuff can be packed way ahead of time!!

 

[mpbest]

I stay packed. Just kidding! I generally start a few months out, throwing items into a box. Pulled out the suitcase two weeks ago. We'll have everything packed and ready to go a week out. There are always last minute stuff to throw in, like capris and shorts. It's been nice here so I've had on my capris, but the tops are all disney shirts I've made or picked up so they can be packed. My DH thinks I'm nuts too, but I can't wait to leave!!!

 

[gatormommy07]

I have a packing strategy:

Step 1 (up to six months prior): Make a detailed list of what I want to pack (down to number of each type of clothing for each person). I call this the master packing list.
Step 2 (about 2 months prior): Make a list of the items I need to buy.
Step 3 (about 1 month prior): Obtain things I did not have and store in one of the suitcases (and check them off the master packing list as I go).
Step 4 (1 week prior): Pack all things that are not daily items and clothing that will not be needed until we leave (and check them off the master packing list as I go)
Step 5 (2 days prior): Collect all clothing that needs to be packed and is not and launder then pack it (again, checking it off the list).
Step 6 (1 day prior): Determine what items need to be packed 'day of' and make sure that everything else is all set.
Step 7 (day of): pack the small number of items remaining.

So, I sort of start months in advance but don't do the heavy duty packing until about a week before we leave.

We must have been separated at birth!! That is EXACTLY what I do!!! I always have my list, with the number of items and all!! My husband makes fun of me, but I do not care!! He is always happy that he has everything he needs!

 

[perfectparanoia]

We must have been separated at birth!! That is EXACTLY what I do!!! I always have my list, with the number of items and all!! My husband makes fun of me, but I do not care!! He is always happy that he has everything he needs!

My husband was quite angry the first time I did this...until we used everything I packed. He no longer argues (or gets involved, an ideal situation).

 

[delaneyc52]

After all these years (going on trip 50) I have this packing thing down to a science. I developed my packing list and refine or tweak it each year. A day or two before, I pull out the list and ... ta da!!....pack! Now having said that, I have to tell you that I am just packing for myself. DH packs himself and the kids have left the nest.

 

[disneychard]

Its a bit easier for us cause we always go away when its cold here..so all of our summer stuff can be packed way ahead of time!!

.
I like this idea!!!

 

[momof3Disneykids]

Well. when we go on 3-4 day trips I pack the night before. when we went to the beach for 7 nights 2 years ago, I started about 2 weeks out getting stuff together. well I now have a box in my laundry room with a few things like sun screen, swimming diapers, sun burn relief spray... etc. I cant wait till the reall packing starts!!

 

[katt789]

My trip isn't until Feb 2011, so I'm definately not packing right now...but honestly, that's probably because I'm not living where everything I need is, so I can't!

I would definately pack far in advance, make sure everything fits, take it all out, put half of it (the stuff I really didn't need) back into my closet, and pack again, seeing how much space there is.

Then I'd unpack it all (except for the essentials that are only needed for that specific trip!) until a week or so before hand!

 

[can'twaittobewarm]

I start early. I already have one "Dinsey bin" full and I am starting on my second...once I get to the third, I'll pull out the suitcases!! I poke lots of things away ahead of time: cute matching Ts for the kids, puzzle books for the trip down, pesonalized stuff for the kids, summer clothes (as we have a VERY long winter here and will need only a limited amount of summer clothes before we leave in June).

 

[Sadie22]

Actual packing of the suitcase begins a few days before I leave. But I start tossing things in my "Disney Box" months before I leave.

Some stuff stays in the box all the time (mister fans, bodyglide, etc.) and I just start adding things as I think of them.

I agree! This helps me see what I need to replace, so I can shop sales using coupons in the months before the trip, rather than rushing out to buy things at full price just before we leave, or worse, having to buy things at inflated prices from the hotel gift shop.

 

[flipflopmom]

I do the same thing. Disney box stays packed. About 2 months before (now) I make a list of the consumable things I need to buy, and start getting one or 2 at a time at the dollar tree. Makes it a little easier than one big buy.

About a week before, I bag all the girls clothes up, 1 complete outfit w/ hair accessories, and label w/ name and day. Makes getting ready in the am a lot easier! Lay all my clothes out in the living room, on the couch, by outfit. Start harassing Dh to get his clothes out. By 2 days before, everything but the last minute stuff is packed (makeup, hair straightener, etc). That way, I can concentrate on the last minute stuff I need to do - clean house, etc.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

All toiletries, meds and any extras get packed about a month in advance. It gives me time to buy anything I need on sale way in advance.

We also try on swimsuits about 2 months before our trip so if we need new ones, we have time to go hunting. Same with shoes. I'll be taking DS14 out to find new tennis shoes this week so he'll have plenty of time to break them in before our trip. (Hope he doesn't wear them out!).

Clothes usually a few days before the trip.
We go in the summer and here in GA, we are already wearing our shorts/tees so we have already bought what we need clotheswise.

 

[Sinderelly]

I have a "Disney box" and we aren't going till November. When I find a bargain on something we need for our trip. Into the box it goes!

 

[JoShan1719]

I only live two hours away , so we pack the day of. But the week leading up to departure day I start putting everything together in one spot so I don't have to go looking everywhere for them.

 

[3floridarays]

An hour before we leave. Well, except last time - I packed about 30 minutes before walking out the door.

I have perfected procrastination into an artform.

 

[angierae]

This is our first trip, so I'm kind of overwhelmed. We leave in 25 days and yesterday I took a box and wrote "DISNEY SUPPLIES" on it and drew mickey heads all over it. As I buy stuff we're going to need we'll toss it in there. Yesterday, two boxes of drink mixes went in. I'm going to hit up the local dollar store at some point this week and see what I can find there, etc.

We're going to a sci-fi convention on Friday and Saturday, then Sunday morning leaving for Disney, so I have to do a kind of crazy double-packing so that we can easily move our "daily stuff" from one set of suitcases to the other.

It's going to be interesting, to say the least.