Packing: Just in case or Just enough?

Are you a 'just in case' packer or a 'just enough' packer? I've been organizing today as we leave for our cruise early Wednesday morning. (Hurray!) I am definitely a 'just in case' packer.

Last cruise my sister said she didn't pack a lot of things because she thought, "Oh, Robin will have that if I need it." Yeah.

Here's the contents of my 'Just in case' bag.

[

They all fit inside:

And it's the same size as one of my shoes and weighs 1 lb. 8 oz.

Now to go whittle down the clothing to something manageable. A much harder thing to do!

Robin

Just in case. I don't want to spend time hunting down a band aid or sinus pill. And I've needed a sewing kit every cruise.

As far as clothes, I pack mostly dresses, with maybe one pair of shorts for the plane. I pack a day outfit and night outfit for each day. I also typically throw in a spare dress for evening (in case of spills!) and spare t-shirt or tank top for daytime.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A small sewing kit goes with me everywhere! I'm a "just in case" packer, too....I like my options, and while I'll rewear shorts that I've only had on for a bit, I'm not big on rewearing stuff I've been in all day. I bring at least 1-2 outfits more than I think I'll use....just in case!

I don't do many dresses...I find shorts more comfortable, and easier to deal with on a windy ship!

I've stopped bring too many casual shoes....I can wear my flip-flops ashore as well as at the pool....not a big deal! I have never needed sport shoes. I will bring some "neutral" evening shoes that go with MANY things! Makes life easier that way!

Your "just in case" looks fairly minimal to me. I've seen lists on these boards where a person would need an extra suitcase for all the stuff they think they may need.

I probably pack about same size but different items than you. For instance, I'd not pack detergent and a small clothesline (is that the winding cord?). I use the provided body wash, the laundry line already in the shower, but I do take a couple plastic clothespins.

Our last cruise, out of a group of 8 people, only one person borrowed anything and no one had excessive luggage. She forgot her camera charger and had to get Bonine from another person.

As long as I've been on these boards, it's rare that I read someone state they didn't take enough, but many times have read people swearing to cut back the next trip.

We do take some "just in case" items ... but only a limited amount.

LuLu

Hi:), not sure what all the pills are? The only pills I bring are some Aleve.

I don't bring any of the other stuff in your photo.....the Tide? The Shout?

That lint brush? (I think it is a lint brush)? The clips? The sewing kit?

Nope, not part of the items I pack.

I started out being a "just in case" packer -- well, more of a "just in case I need more clothes choices" packer, not so much the other stuff. :o

Since then, I've been working toward being more of a "just enough" packer. I'd love to someday be a "McGyver" packer -- you know, the one who packs 9 pieces for 21 days and can make a clothes drying rack out of toothpicks. :D

I don't bring much of the stuff pictured. I guess I've never had a problem finding something on the rare occasion I didn't have it with me. Perhaps someday I'll have an issue and be sorry, but until then I will keep weeding out stuff with every trip.

I probably take double that in terms of medication / first aid, but my health isn't the best in the world and I'd rather not be caught without.

Clothes on the other hand I am definitely a just-enough. I can get something washed and wear it again if needed so I don't overpack on clothes, but when it comes to health stuff I pack everything I might possibly need.

All the things in your pictures seem pretty reasonable to me. Where I may differ is that I like cloths pins that have hooks on them because on the cruise line I go on they have a cloths line in the shower and sometime I hand wet clothing anywhere I can hang them. I also bring inflatable hangers. I believe shirts hung on them dry much faster. I also bring a product called Camp Suds as a laundry detergent. A 2oz bottle goes a long way.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=inflabable+hangers

http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Dawn-Campsuds-Purpose-Cleaner/dp/B001ANXJVI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398548387&sr=8-1&keywords=campsuds

Shak

Great 'demonstration'. :)

I am definitely a just in case packer. :o

<snip>

Shak

 

 

 

Your weather clock is wonderful.

I just noticed it for the first time. :)

 

I'm a just in case packer too. I have been trying to whittle down my items for our cruise next month but it's so hard! I always like to bring extra clothes, a mini medicine cabinet, etc., and I usually can on land vacations but this will be our first cruise so I'm trying to be smart about it. I do plan on taking some OTC medicine (pepto, bonine, etc.) and will keep that in a small cosmetic bag in my carry on. My clothes are where I'm having a hard time bringing only the essentials. If only we could drive to the port and then my problem would be solved :)

 

 

 

Your weather clock is wonderful.

I just noticed it for the first time. :)

 

Thanks, I am glad you like it. It is a freebee at Weather Underground.

Shak

I am a just in case packer. We have been driving to port recently and luggage is not a problem. I have an outfit for each day and a different outfit for each night. I do try to reuse skirts or pants and bring multiple tops. I like options.

For medications and other items, I do bring just enough. I carry a little sewing kit, a mini first aid kit and every day type meds, tums, tylenol and maybe cold meds. I make sure I have bandaids for the off chance of developing a blister.

But, in the end, we all have great cruises regardless of what we pack. Isn't it great.

I'm a just in case packer.

I pack two little bags with just in case items. One is for fabric care and one is for first aid. The cases are the ones that the eye doctor gave us when DH had cataract surgery. I think plastic sun glasses and perhaps eye drops came in them. They are not very big. They stay packed all the time, but I check expiration dates before each trip.

In the fabric bag I have a small bottle or Woolite and a couple of plastic clothes pins for hand washables. I also have a few packets of Shout which have come in handy more times than I can count for stain removal before the stain sets for good. There is a small peel-off lint brush, a sewing kit and a few pairs of extra shoe laces.

In the first aid bag are the usual band aids, antibiotic and anti-itch ointments in small tubes, antihistimins, Tylenol, stuff for constipation and Immodium.

We have learned that when traveling our bodies might not adjust to the foods which are different than what we eat at home. Most times it's a few days until our bowels find their rhythm, but once in a while a new food will cause loose bowels that are most definitely NOT Norovirus. If you go to medical for something, they will immediately quarantine you, as they should, so for the occasional belly ache, I always pack Immodium.

All the things in your pictures seem pretty reasonable to me. Where I may differ is that I like cloths pins that have hooks on them because on the cruise line I go on they have a cloths line in the shower and sometime I hand wet clothing anywhere I can hang them. I also bring inflatable hangers. I believe shirts hung on them dry much faster. I also bring a product called Camp Suds as a laundry detergent. A 2oz bottle goes a long way.<snip>

We are going on HAL, and they do have a clothes line, but I take the extra one so I can hang our bathing suits separately. I hate to put on a wet suit! And I try not to have to wash things out, but we've never been on a cruise longer than 14 days. Hope to someday. This upcoming one is 9 days, so I'm taking the Tide just in case. :D

<snip>

 

But, in the end, we all have great cruises regardless of what we pack. Isn't it great.

Yes! I am so excited. I have been gathering and packing all weekend.

Robin

Hi:), not sure what all the pills are? The only pills I bring are some Aleve.

I have chronic sinus problems and when I need something for a sinus headache, I need it NOW. Hence, the pills. Wish I could get away without having to carry a pharmacy with me though! :D

Robin

<snip>We have learned that when traveling our bodies might not adjust to the foods which are different than what we eat at home. Most times it's a few days until our bowels find their rhythm, but once in a while a new food will cause loose bowels that are most definitely NOT Norovirus. If you go to medical for something, they will immediately quarantine you, as they should, so for the occasional belly ache, I always pack Immodium.

That's why I bring the Immodium too. We don't eat very high in fat here at home, and it seems the first few days of a trip, one of us will react to the change in diet. It's definitely diet-related and not sick. So I take both fiber pills and Immodium, depending on what 'traveler's complaint' we are having. :D

Robin

I'm a just in case packer as far as extra items but I seriously need to cut back on the clothes I bring. Last year I brought a different outfit for everyday both daytime and evening. I ended up wearing the same 2 pair of skorts almost every day and only about 4 of the shirts. I don't need to wear a different dress to dinner every night either. I can probably cut the amount of clothing I bring in half. I did have a whole extra bag just for my shoes. That one will be hard to cut down on.

I'm a just in case packer as far as extra items but I seriously need to cut back on the clothes I bring. Last year I brought a different outfit for everyday both daytime and evening. I ended up wearing the same 2 pair of skorts almost every day and only about 4 of the shirts. I don't need to wear a different dress to dinner every night either. I can probably cut the amount of clothing I bring in half. I did have a whole extra bag just for my shoes. That one will be hard to cut down on.

Here's how I control my packing.

I make a chart for the number of days of the sailing. Daytime clothes are listed on top. Evening clothes are listed on bottom. There is a top to match every bottom except when the item is a dress.

I pin the chart to the cabin wall with a magnet.

As I wear each ensemble, I cross it off the chart. Many tops cordinate with the same bottoms so I pack fewer bottoms, but I do like a fresh top every day.

For example: For evening, I only have two pairs of bottoms that are black pants. All the tops go with black pants. Most of the tops are floaty chiffon jacket-style (lightweight and not too prone to wrinkling) that I wear with any of three black tank tops or camisoles. I can go on a 14 day cruise and wear something different every night (excluding formal nights). I also wear the same pair of black sandals every night as they go with the black slacks.

This may not work for everyone, but it does keep me honest about packing and wearing.

I think what you're packing as "just in case" is pretty reasonable. My details differ a bit, but my "just in case" is about the same size as yours, and I consider myself a light packer.

- I don't pack a lint brush.

- I pack my OTC meds in a SMTuWThFSa case instead of small ziplocks, and I write 2 pills every 4 hours (or whatever) in Sharpie on the case, but I think I like your plan better.

- Vaporub wouldn't make my emergency needs.

- I wouldn't bother with the laundry stuff; rather, I use the shampoo that's in the bathroom . . . and I use my own good stuff for my hair.

I pack a lint brush because my dog sheds like crazy. I keep one at work too.

Plus, I don't own any dress pants. I can wear jeans to work and wear dresses a lot. I'd have to actually go shopping for them and I'm not interested in that since I obviously don't wear them at home!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am definitely a 'just in case' cruiser and have what is dubiously called 'Froufie's Dr Bag' - a fairly large pink quilted makeup/cosmetic bag? Filled with a bit of this and that - as mentioned, various meds, sunburn relief, motion sickness stuff, bandaids, polysporin, eye drops, and anything else I think I might need...

Have a small sample bottle of johnson's baby wash (got it from dr.'s office :) )...that I pack for rinsing out bathing suits or whatever in the sink - altho I have used shampoo as well - and pack my own hair products/shower wash etc as I don't like what is provided.....

Also a fan of various size ziplock bags, and cosmetic bags for different purposes - always come in handy (as do some of the small pockets in my luggage!)...

I think what you're packing as "just in case" is pretty reasonable. My details differ a bit, but my "just in case" is about the same size as yours, and I consider myself a light packer.

 

- I don't pack a lint brush.

- I pack my OTC meds in a SMTuWThFSa case instead of small ziplocks, and I write 2 pills every 4 hours (or whatever) in Sharpie on the case, but I think I like your plan better.

- Vaporub wouldn't make my emergency needs.

- I wouldn't bother with the laundry stuff; rather, I use the shampoo that's in the bathroom . . . and I use my own good stuff for my hair.

I am extremely sensitive to scents. So I bring the Tide for emergencies just in case (heh) I have to wash something out.

The Vaporub is also for the stupid allergies. It helps if there's a scent in the room I can't bear (often something the steward has cleaned with); I put it under my nose like my cop-father did when he had to go to an autopsy. (Ick.) But it does help.

The lint brush is for DH's tuxedo. It seems he always ends up with bits on it.

Robin

 

 

Robin

And I am definitely a just in case packer. That's why I need 10 pairs of shoes... Just in case. :D