Who Packs their bags a week early?

[Scrufsmom]

Maybe it is me! Am I the only one with all the excitement unable to contain myself that I have to start packing my bags a week early? I am! It puts me in the mood, I smile for a week (even though I am smiling for months) about my trip. My coworkers think I am crazy for every trip I plan I have little sticky notes everywhere of what not to forgot, what to buy, what to bring with me, how to pack, what to pack, when I should start packing.

Do you pack one of those jumbo suitcases filled with your entire closet or a small suitcase with just the necessaries? Are you one of those people that sends themselves packages to the resorts filled with bottles of water, food, diapers, etc?

I know that when I travel I am one of those jumbo suitcase families. Although we have never mailed ourselves any packages I know alot of people that do. Let's see who actually starts packing early and what it brings to your vacation. With me packing earlier it does get the excitement flowing full force. Sometimes it even gets me thinking of leaving earlier and most of the time I do so with an added day to our vacation.

C'mon who also does this?

 

[spider0215]

I'm almost neurotic when it comes to packing for a trip anywhere. I go to WDW in Sept and already started. Bought punchos the other day. Like to pack light since I fly but not sure which suitcase I'm bringing this time. I will probably be mostly packed by the middle of Aug knowing me.

 

[brobrosmom]

For our trip in January I started packing right after Thanksgiving. We were taking the 3 kids so there was a lot to pack. I had a suitcase, several small bags, a stroller, and two of the Rubbermade plastic bins.

 

[SmellsLikeJapan]

Whenever I pack, I use a small duffle bag (I only stay a weekend with my dad). I get so confused on what to bring I have to ask my mom to help, because I usually forget the hygienic things like toothpaste and my toothbrush, lol. I tend to pack the night of, mainly cause we leave on Friday immediately after school, but I graduated (off to college! ) so things will be a little different this year

 

[rainydayplay]

Normally, I've started packing by now. But, there's just so much going on that it will be after next weekend when I really start. At current count...26 days to go!

(Although...I have bought stuff...I need to make a list of what else I need to buy so I can start getting it next week....)

As a side note...I had everything for myself and my DD fully packed and ready to go at least 1 week in advance (except for little things, like toys). The night before...I put her in bed and loaded the car. Then, my DM had her stuff ready after I loaded the car...so I got up the next morning 2 or 3 hours before we were scheduled to leave, got myself ready to go, then finished loading up the car. I think I managed to have us out the door 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

 

[scotas]

I start packing about a month and a half ahead of time. I need to because i second guess everything, and I would never make my flight if I wanted until right before my trip. Out of one on those standard sets of 3 suit cases. Dh and I end up with one medium, one small.

 

[nan214]

I start packing at least a week early and am already buying stuff for our trip in August. I was going to mail stuff down, but we are going to use a grocery delivery service instead. Packing and planning is half the fun for me. My dh thinks im crazy!

 

[smiths02]

I could not possibly have packed a week in advance b/c my family would not have clothes! We are leaving on Thursday and it is capri/shorts weather here, so what would everyone wear if I had packed last week? I guess I just don't have that many clothes.

(I have been making lists and buying items all this last week though...but I can't buy too much ahead of time...example, I bought a bag of goldfish and hid it but my 2 year old found it and gave it to DH, so now they are gone)

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

I had all of our bags (5) on the floor of our bedroom about 2 weeks in advance! I just put things in them as I thought about it. It worked out great and i didnt forget a thing!

 

[girlrea]

I started packing in March. We go next week. Bags packed ready to go.

 

[TinaLala]

The second I've booked the vacation I start packing!! We go in August and I haven't started packing yet (haven't booked vacation yet either) but I'm going to have to pack in secret because the kids don't know.

Plus I have birthdays, Daisy bridging ceremony and camp to get through first. Not to mention Middle School to get ready for before we leave...we're coming back the day before school starts so I'm going to have to get school stuff ready before we go.

I've made a list of what to pack, but since all funds are going to the trip, there's not a lot of funds available for pre-purchasing things. I'll be packing the week before - YIKES! Last time I did that I forgot to pack diapers!

 

[katebug92]

I love to pack a week or even more early!!!
however i am also one of those people getting things from the packed bags to use but that doesnt bother me.
I leave in 26 days and already wanting to start packing

 

[disneymayz]

I pack about 3 months ahead. For our Disney vacation I get all new shirts (buy t-shirts clearance through the winter) and I have enough shorts that I can pack and still have a couple left.

I only take the basics. Nothing extreme so I can get away with a suitcase a tad bigger than a carry on.

 

[luckytobeme88]

I usually start packing a month ahead of our vacation. I begin with the non-clothing items first then the rest a week before we leave.

 

[VAYankee]

I'm a list person; a couple months before any trip, I start making lists of things I think we'll need; I found some good packing lists on other threads that I modified for our June/July trip. Everytime I go shopping, I try to pick up some of the things I'll need and put them away for our trip. My DH thinks I'm nuts - he is a night before packer and thinks everything he will need will magically appear for him to pack! The night before we leave, I finish the last minute packing for everyone so all we have to do is get up the next morning and leave. We will be driving down, so it's probably easier for us, we don't have to worry about luggage or shipping groceries, etc.

 

[AbbyPan]

Cheryl don't you feel bad...I pack up to a month before our trip...i know sick!

 

[Talock]

I'm a list person; a couple months before any trip, I start making lists of things I think we'll need; I found some good packing lists on other threads that I modified for our June/July trip. Everytime I go shopping, I try to pick up some of the things I'll need and put them away for our trip. My DH thinks I'm nuts - he is a night before packer and thinks everything he will need will magically appear for him to pack! The night before we leave, I finish the last minute packing for everyone so all we have to do is get up the next morning and leave. We will be driving down, so it's probably easier for us, we don't have to worry about luggage or shipping groceries, etc.

A list makes more sense to me as well. If you pack early then you got the bags always in the way (unless you have a ridiculously big house). As well as get limited to just wear the clothes you didn't pack (usually your least favourite ones)

I do start a list so I don't forget anything, and buy what I need to buy ahead of time. Packing I leave for right after the last laundry before the trip.

 

[Tinkerspell]

We start about a week early, usually getting the park essentials together and pulling out the luggage to figure out what's going where.

This year is different. We're getting EVERYTHING done a week early, because my SIL is getting married the day before we leave. (Seems we're getting her honeymoon.) So, with all that pre-wedding lead up, we've gotta pack the week before.

Man, only 10 more days!!

 

[Pixieflip]

Since we usually go in the winter, it's really easy to pack shorts and capris very early. I also have a couple of Rubbermaids that I store trip things in year round. If I see fun travel games or books or whatever, I just toss them in there all the time. When summer is over, I throw the sunblock in the travel container. Just trying to plan ahead like that so last minute rushing is cut down to a minimum.

So, yeah, we print off the vacation packing checklists about a week (or two ) early and start the magic. My one DD even draws pictures of each of her outfits on a chart, one for each day!!

 

[arielmomma]

I usually pack about a month ahead of time. I actually have a WDW box at my house that I continuously throw things in throughout the year so that I just throw them in my suitcase when the time comes like glow sticks, rain ponchos, water fans, fun crafts to do head of time, etc.

I'm impressed that you can wait until a week before hand!