Jump to content

Overpacking Addict!


Carvia

Recommended Posts

I need serious intervention! Every trip I always, always over pack. And I always tell myself when I'm back home and emptying my suitcase (most of which was NEVER, EVER used) that I will NEVER over pack again.

 

So I'm on the Voyager this Sunday. I started out today with a normal sized suitcase. That lasted about 30 minutes. I soon realized that I need my extra large suitcase. It's almost completely full and I'm only half way packed. Problem is - I like options.

 

Are there other over-packers out there? Do you tell yourself that 'next time' you will not over pack? And how about those of you who pack only the bare essentials. Do you ever wish you had packed something you left behind?

 

Tomorrow is the day I must get my packing finalized. I truly want to travel light. I just don't know how. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I need serious intervention! Every trip I always, always over pack. And I always tell myself when I'm back home and emptying my suitcase (most of which was NEVER, EVER used) that I will NEVER over pack again.

 

So I'm on the Voyager this Sunday. I started out today with a normal sized suitcase. That lasted about 30 minutes. I soon realized that I need my extra large suitcase. It's almost completely full and I'm only half way packed. Problem is - I like options.

 

Are there other over-packers out there? Do you tell yourself that 'next time' you will not over pack? And how about those of you who pack only the bare essentials. Do you ever wish you had packed something you left behind?

 

Tomorrow is the day I must get my packing finalized. I truly want to travel light. I just don't know how. :(

 

Years ago I was also the overpacker. It took me many years and many cruises to realize that mix and match is the way to go on a cruise.

If you are flying, it will cost you plenty to overload your big suitcase. And if you need more than one, you will pay for two of them at a price for each.

I have learned to take the bare minimum of pants, tops, skirts and mix and match. From 12 plus pair of shoes, to 3 pair and a pair of beach/water shoes.

Trust me, no one is going to even remember what you wear on board. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I need serious intervention! Every trip I always, always over pack. And I always tell myself when I'm back home and emptying my suitcase (most of which was NEVER, EVER used) that I will NEVER over pack again.

 

I truly want to travel light. I just don't know how. :(

 

I'll tell you how..... it's by packing only those clothes that you really feel GREAT in.

(YOU know what those pieces are..... because you ALREADY wear them, because you LOVE them, because you LOOK GOOD in them!)

 

Do not pack the "marginal, "what if" crap. Do not pack the "suppose I need this stuff". Odds are, you won't wear them!

 

Yes, "new clothes" are fun for vacation, but more often than not, they do NOT serve you well. In order to curb your over-packing habit, I suggest you pull out everything that you have worn RECENTLY and FREQUENTLY and pack that first.

 

You may be surprised at how little else you need!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

 

I am also an overpacker. So is my husband.

 

Whenever we go away we have tons of luggage. I like having options.

 

We tried packing light once and were not happy. I kept looking for things I wanted but ended up leaving home trying to pack light.

 

So now I just overpack to my hearts content. The last few cruisers were on the Explorer right out of NJ so we were able to drive to the pier. We have to fly to our next cruise.

 

Even with the luggage restrictions, we will probably still overpack. Maybe not as much as when we drive to the pier, but I'm sure we will be paying extra for luggage.

 

I'm very impressed with people that know how to pack light. I just know that I can't do it.

 

Whether you have one suitcase or five; enjoy your cruise!

 

Noreen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have tried using the Pack for 7 days regardless if its 15 days rule and still end up with more evening slacks then I need. I lay out my ladies slacks then try and match with blouses. Then I have my shorts to deal with and blouses for them, and I end up with to many blouses. I did manage to get by with 3 evening shoes. I am still working on improving my overpacking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't overpack (I use almost everything I pack and I wear some pants twice) but it still takes a large suitcase, a medium suitcase, a doctor bag, and a carry on to pack the 2 of us for a 7 nighter.

 

Show off!

 

I have just overpacked for my trip on Voyager. I will now go put my 3 suitcases in my minivan and drive to Galveston where I will meet up with my overpacking friend. Hopefully with all the stuff we're bringing along with Carvia's stuff won't sink us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a medium overpacker. :) When I go on vacation I take lots of pictures and I don't like to be wearing the same clothes in every shot. I have compromised by bringing different tops for each day but wearing pants/skirts/shorts multiple times during a week. I also bring the bare minimum of shoes. I love my shoes as much as the next person, but when I'm on a ship (or at the beach) I wear flip flops 95% of the time. So I bring flip flops and a few nice pairs of shoes for the dining room and leave it at that. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried, I truly did try this time. I emptied my suitcase and eliminated a lot of stuff ... and even then my bag was still pretty full. I was quite proud of my efforts toward becoming a light packer until a family member asked me if I planned on doing any shopping ... and if so ... where in the world was I going to put my purchases since my one suitcase had very little space for extras. So... I now have TWO suitcases. And since I'm bringing TWO suitcases I re-packed the stuff I had eliminated earlier, dividing it between the two cases. And I still have plenty of room left over for all the booze and the rest of the stuff I plan to buy.

 

It's hopeless. I'm an overpacker and probably always will be.

 

Bethco, we need to compare overpacking notes at the M&M. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im an overpacker...and you know what...I dont care!!! A girl needs her choices! how often do you go to your closet at home and wear the first thing you pick out. Sometimes you just dont feel like wearing a certain thing, or maybe the day turned out differently than you thought and you want to wear something else.

 

I bought myself a set of spinner luggage..I overpack...I carry it all myself...so no one has to care but me! And Im happy about it! Even when I come home and unpack the stuff I didnt wear, when I am on the ship I like to have choices!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always overpack, never wear most of what I take but I also like choices. My daughter always wants to pack for me, lol! I carry my own stuff but I always say the next time I am going to do better. Also, the shoe thing. I have gotten better with that but I always take more shoes than I wear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Over the years' date=' I have scaled back some, but I still tend to overpack a bit. I like to be "prepared" for weather changes, so I tend to bring a little of this and that on my trips. I always have a large suitcase (62 linear inches) and a carry-on with me every trip.[/quote']

 

this is kind of what I do, too. Over the last year I've been weaning myself off the "what if this happens ... " mentality. It's getting too hard to handle more than my big (29") suitcase (brand new, too, still sitting in the wrapper near my kitchen chair where I can see it every day! my old one just gave up the ghost after out last trip), my carryon bag, and my oversize purse (for flying only). Of course, if we ever drive to the port, all bets are off!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It took me some practise and a few cruises to start packing lighter. I used to pack for every event, plus a couple of "what if" outfits. I also used to shop for new cruise clothes, starting shortly after booking each cruise.

 

I think it hit me hard a few years ago, when I went through my closet and tossed most of the cruise clothes into the Goodwill bag, never worn or hardly worn, because I wouldn't wear that stuff around home. I could have paid a hefty portion of a new cruise for what I tossed. The main reason I got rid of it was that it just wasn't in style any longer, it was all stuff that was hanging around waiting for a cruise to happen.

 

That was when it occurred to me to build a wardrobe rather than just buy clothes. Start with good basics and add to that. When we have a cruise coming up, I go to my closet to shop for outfits, I no longer buy anything just for a cruise and I've learned that with a few pieces you can pack for a week and not look like you're wearing the same clothes.

 

The key is quality over quantity and accessories. Start dressing from the shoes up. The bottom portion can go with several top portions. Yada, yada, yada....it works when you plan it out the right way.

 

I only pack cocktail dresses and I don't even own a long gown any longer. I'm not going to the Oscars, it's a cruise ship and a nice cocktail dress looks great and packs in almost half the space of a gown.

 

Our last cruise was 13 nights with 4 nights pre and post hotel stays, plus 2 travel days at each end. For a total of 19 days I packed in one 24 inch suitcase and a carry on, plus my purse. I packed for one week and 3 formal nights, even then I came home with a couple of tops not worn. My husband had his large rolling garment bag plus a carry on. He wore everything he took several times, we did rent a tux to save space. We did cross pack some items, in case a suitcase didn't make it.

 

Our laundry/dry cleaning charges for the duration of the trip were around $100, well worth the expense of not hauling several suitcases along.

 

But, everyone has to do what is right for them, I just got weary of all the work of overpacking and coming home with stuff that had only taken up space and time but never used. And...all that organizing, what a chore :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OP-

 

I understand completely. I overpack too and completely enjoy having options. This year I am determined to pack lighter.

 

I like to have 2 outfits per day: a shorts outfit for daytime, and then I like to change into a sundress for dinner and the evening. I cannot see around this. I don't want to wear shorts to dinner, and I cannot wear a sundress all day and then go to dinner dirty. Of course, each sundress has to have pretty shoes that match so in general I need 7 shorts outfits and 7 sundresses/cocktail dresses. How can we do anything else-someone please tell me. The only thing I may be able to cutback on are the shoes. I should be able to wear my shoes for several different outfits. That's my goal; cut back on the shoes. That's the only compromise I can handle.:o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Overpacking is now an expensive habit with the new charges now in place by the airlines.

 

I usually only pack dresses for dinner. The no wrinkle dresses that fit in a ziploc are perfect. Jean skirts, khaki shorts, black slacks can easily be worn more than once.

 

I agree, only pack your favorites. You can plurge on swimsuits, they take up little space.

 

Write out your daily itinerary and plan ahead. You should know if it's a tour day or beach day. Think about what you'll wear each day. If you're going to pack really light, you're not going to have options. It takes more time to pack light, but it's worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OP-

 

I understand completely. I overpack too and completely enjoy having options. This year I am determined to pack lighter.

 

I like to have 2 outfits per day: a shorts outfit for daytime, and then I like to change into a sundress for dinner and the evening. I cannot see around this. I don't want to wear shorts to dinner, and I cannot wear a sundress all day and then go to dinner dirty. Of course, each sundress has to have pretty shoes that match so in general I need 7 shorts outfits and 7 sundresses/cocktail dresses. How can we do anything else-someone please tell me. The only thing I may be able to cutback on are the shoes. I should be able to wear my shoes for several different outfits. That's my goal; cut back on the shoes. That's the only compromise I can handle.:o

 

 

Dress from the shoes up, instead of selecting the dress, then shoes to match, you could eliminate several pair of shoes that way. Since formal nights are in between casual nights, you won't be wearing the same shoes every night.Take day time sundresses instead of phorts and tops, the dresses generally only take the same amount as a top. So that way you could eliminate several pair of shorts.

 

I wear the same clothes the first and last evenings, plus embarkation and disembarkation. Every cruise I've been on I see people disembarking that I never saw all week, it's not as if anyone will remember what clothes you had on. I do have these things laundered or dry cleaned.

 

The only thing I don't skimp on is bathing suits, I take at least 3. Those pack like nothing at all so not a problem. I do take only one cover-up and that is a pareo rather than a dress. You can use a pareo for a multitude of tasks. Those things can be packed in a compression bag with no worries of wrinkles.

 

I don't pack underwear and bras for the whole 7 days and nights, I wash a few things in the sink mid-week. It's no big deal, I throw them in the sink with some of the ships shampoo and let them soak while I'm showering, then swish around, rinse and hang in the shower. They are all dry by the time we're getting ready for dinner. I don't even think I own 16 pair of underwear (enough for 7 days, plus travel day).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...