When do you start packing?

[omalley1118]

LOL!!!! I thought for sure you were the wife when I was reading this... My HDTV wouldn't know to pack if his life depended on it. I am the same as you. I love to pack those initial things to save time and get excited about the trip. It makes it more real for me. I also am a great lover of lists!!!!! It depends on what season, etc. we are sailing in Nov, so summer clothes won't be worn here daily. That allows me to pack them early. I may not actually put them in a bag, but I will make piles in the corner of the room. Wat can I say, packing makes me happy. PS: I also have to unpack as soon as we are on board or in a hotel....

Of course by HDTV, I meant DH.... Darn that autocorrect...LOL

 

[EPCOTatNight]

Of course by HDTV, I meant DH.... Darn that autocorrect...LOL

Some people are married to their HDTV.

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[MDennis28]

I dream of packing early. I put my open suitcase on a spare bed and throw a few things in. Usually it ends up being last minute. The latest I have been was staying up all night to pack and leave at 4 am for a 6 am flight. My DH waited in the warm car with the motor running as I scurried around trying to finish! Going to try and Not repeat that scenario again...a little too stressful!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

The day after we return from our previous Disney cruise.

 

[sorceressk]

If I am lucky I start packing 2 or 3 days before the cruise. Most of the time I am up the night before our flight packing and trying to figure out what we have forgotten. Of course it might be easier because there are just two of us and we are both boys.

This is me. I pack the night before. And if u forget something--so what? It's a Disney cruise-who cares!?!?

 

[Pages]

3 months out and I am making my list and travel binder! Packing and planning is half the fun!

 

[Tozzie]

I am a night before to day of packer, I don't have the time or desire to pack weeks or even days before a trip. I have bins filled with toiletries and other incidentals and I relplace them when I return from a trips so I always have what I need. The only thing I did last year when i put my summer clothes away for the winter is I put the clothes that I knew I would want to take on this summers med cruise in a separate bin. If I need anything cleaned or pressed well the dry cleaning service on the ship is cheaper than here at home and will take care of it on the ship

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

I'll start putting things aside up to two weeks ahead of our departure date. Any article of clothing that I know I want packed and will not need for any other occasion. Documents, toiletries, medications, sun screen, etc. My wife is a last minute packer, hurrying to get laundry done sometimes the day before.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

I am a night before to day of packer, I don't have the time or desire to pack weeks or even days before a trip. I have bins filled with toiletries and other incidentals and I relplace them when I return from a trips so I always have what I need. The only thing I did last year when i put my summer clothes away for the winter is I put the clothes that I knew I would want to take on this summers med cruise in a separate bin. If I need anything cleaned or pressed well the dry cleaning service on the ship is cheaper than here at home and will take care of it on the ship

That's what I don't care to do. Maybe, it's because I'm a man, but I can't imagine putting one seasons clothes away. All my clothes stay together. I also live in New Orleans where I can and do wear shorts during the Winter months, so I guess there is no such thing as Summer and Winter clothes.

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[ratt1345]

Since we live only 2.5 hours away from Port Canaveral, we pack 2 days or the day before the cruise. For the Alaska cruise 2 years ago, we packed around 3 days before we had to fly out.

 

[ludari]

I keep a cruise packing list so those items I will not need I pack a week or so before but I usually finish packing a few days before my scheduled depature.

 

[mommy2tati]

The day before our flight...always.

 

[dizzyr]

I try to start a week out for clothes but because of work I find myself packing at midnight the night before for 90% of my vacations. Best laid plans.

I do keep a folder of needed documents-passports, tickets, etc for all vacations so I can grab it and have all our travel plans. Works awesome until you forget that folder-I managed to leave it on the counter with our Halloween party tickets for Disneyland one year. Realized it half way to the airport and had to race home to get it. We made our flight by some miracle, though. That's a mistake I probably won't make again. Next cruise is 7 days and the first vacation with two kids. I have high hopes of packing earlier than the night before we leave this time!

I like how you say probably - you're keeping your options open lol!

 

[dizzyr]

I'm usually a last minute night before kind of packer which is surprising since I don't cruise until November and I have everything else planned already including the 6 days in Orlando before the cruise! I'm actually bummed because I have nothing to plan so maybe I'll start a packing list

 

[omalley1118]

I dream of packing early. I put my open suitcase on a spare bed and throw a few things in. Usually it ends up being last minute. The latest I have been was staying up all night to pack and leave at 4 am for a 6 am flight. My DH waited in the warm car with the motor running as I scurried around trying to finish! Going to try and Not repeat that scenario again...a little too stressful!

Wow! Just reading that made me stressed....LOL!

 

[I heart d1sney]

My cruise is in 60 days and I've been creating my packing list for about 2 months now. I've already packed the important things that I won't need (passports). I like to be prepared, and hate forgetting things!!

 

[PrettyPrincessJen]

I pack along the way. I made a list two years ago and have been buying/gathering items all along. This kept my mind busy and our costs spread out. We needed big items like 5 passports, luggage rack/luggage trailer etc. (we drive not fly). We keep a "cruise bag" that items are placed in. Starting three weeks before the trip (next week for us) we will wash clothes like crazy to make sure all laundry is caught up so we have the most options available for our trip. T - two weeks we make a list of items needed and days we will be gone. We also list special items like water shoes or pirate costumes.(Continue clothes washing/cleaning up house to make sure we leave a clean house). At the one week mark we lay out the suit cases in a large line and pack a person a day (there are 5 of us). We then pack carryon bags. Finally we make a list of last minute items that can not be packed until it is time to go.
I must say though I have been having nightmares about leaving our passports and my camera by mistake with no one to send them to us. I will be riding out the driveway with my items in hand, because at the end of the day only the documents are necessary everything else is gravy!!

 

[ranidayz]

I would like to know the average time that people start packing. We're at T-minus 22 days and I started packing weeks ago. Let me clarify. When we got our cruise documents, they went in my carry on along with other important paperwork (DCL online form, hotel reservation, passports, dog immunization records for boarding, etc...). Basically, I pack something when I think about it, so that I won't be trying to remember everything that I need the morning that we leave. Over the next 3 weeks, I will pack anything that I won't need/wear before we cruise. Anything that is for "cruise only" will go in immediately. The reason that I do this is because it's a lot less stressful, and I get little bursts of excitement every few days. Also, if i realize that my suitcase is too full or too big, I can change/buy bags before the last minute. Now, my wife is different. I LOVE her to death, BUT she will wait until she is forced to pack. We leave on a Friday, she will be finished packing on .......Friday. I will make sure that I, and our son are ready to go no later than Wednesday. I will also try to encourage her to not wait, but I'm not to optimistic. So, are you more like me or my DW? When do you start packing?

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I always have a bag/box set aside for cruise things. As I acquire them during the year - I throw them in. I also have a list of what goes on the cruise -- it's gotten pretty standard over the years. For my first cruise, I was literally totally packed about two months in advance - but that was in March and no one needed their summer clothes. Now that we usually go later in the year, I can't be so diligent.

Toiletries get packed first as we don't miss them. Cruise specific stuff is next. For clothes, everyone gets a list emailed to them - if they follow it, they'll have everything - if they don't - they won't.

I make sure to pack some of everyone's clothes in each suitcase in case any suitcases get lost - that way everyone has some clothes. I started something new last year on the advice of a neighbor. Everyone's clothes get neatly stacked and put into ziploc bags which I squeeze the air out of. It's very easy to unpack quickly and nothing is wrinkled. It also helps avoid the dreaded 'storm damage.' One year during a terrible downpour, SW left all of our suitcases out while waiting for the plane. When we got home, everything - I mean every single thing - was soaking.

The final touches (chargers, documents, etc) get added a couple days before.

Good luck on your packing!

 

[lilpooh108]

I bring my hardshell suitcase up the month before, and randomly throw things on top of it/in it as I remember to. That way, I don't forget the random stuff and it gives me an idea of how much space I have/need.

About a week before I make a list and start packing "for real." Throughout the years I've been emailing my list to myself, so it's convenient b/c I can see what season I cruised in, stuff I needed for the kids depending on how old they were, and it makes me remember what I brought before but didn't need.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I started Sunday for my cruise this saturday, although we leave friday because we are hitting up DW for a day first (avoid flying the day of the cruise).

Honestly I would not have packed until thursday night, but I have to figure out how to fit in 120 FE gifts into my bags with my clothes.