stuff, stuff and more stuff :( packing issue

:(. Ive down scaled a lot from my other cruises and vacations but still seems like I have too much weight

Ive tried to eleminate what I think I dont need but Im a pack everything but the kitchen sink kinda girl. I have no dicilpine. I seem to think meds ( prescript or over the counter)makeup stuff, nail stuff, face stuff, hair stuff, body stuff, organizing stuff, febreeze, wrinkle release, sunscrean, bug spray, travel stuff, electronic stuff, you name it stuff is all vital

How do you know what you dont need???? Does anyone have a " Take it" list that you stick to that keeps you from being like me???? How bout a "you dont really need it" list???

We are gone 17 days (10 cruise days 5ish between rome, florence and venice) were in hotels, taking trains, and I cant make my packing simple. :,(

What I have done is condence my clothing a bit with the thought I can wash in the sink or something.....

Thank you for any help! I love this thread and all that Ive learned over the last few years! :D

Oh and to give you an idea, so far, I have a large suite case, a 20in carry on and a largeish backpack. I can put my purse in the back pack at least:o

I try not to take too much stuff.

Have either never taken or taken & not used organizing stuff, nail stuff (get a good pedi & mani, maybe gel, before you leave), wrinkle release (never seems to work well), febreeze.

I used to take a lot of face products that I never used. Now I stick with my eye cream, moisturizer and make up remover pads along with my makeup. I've paired down the # of shades of eye shadow, lipstick, etc. & stick with one shade of eye liner.

Don't take body stuff, use what is provided in the hotel room or on board. I take travel sizes of my hair products.

I've never been to Europe do you really need bug spray?

Take prescriptions and some meds, pain relievers, anti acids and daily vitamins. I don't take anything else unless I see a need before the cruise. I figure I can buy what I need on board.

I don't know what you consider to be "travel stuff".

This is how I would pair down your list.

Have fun & enjoy your cruise how ever you decide to pack.

Mary Lou

hha I did read someones review who said they left their hotel window open in Florence and the mosquitos were terrible.

Travel stuff is like Neck pillow, eye mask, that kind of stuff :D

Thanks for your suggestions!

Condense your lotions and potions. Figure out exactly how much you need.

Use travel sizes and decant when necessary. You can buy you toiletries and OTC meds in Italy and the rest of Europe. For OTC meds I bring the blister packs, not the whole box.

Thru trial & error and preplanning at home I know that travel toothpaste is good for 14 uses, travel shampoo and conditioner good for a week, 42 uses of Argan oil in a 10ml eye drop bottle and one side of a contact lens case will hold 10 uses of hair gel. YMMV

Double up, triple up on uses for things-- Hand Sanitizer works like Neosporin (but it has a sting), Febreeze and Wrinkle release are concentrations of fabric softener (google homemade recipes and don't bring clothes that wrinkle), forget the travel pillow or get a blow up one or use a rolled up jacket. No polish on nails, get your nails buffed.

check out http://ladylighttravel.com/

How are you traveling between the Italian cities? You will regret having two suitcases and a backpack using the trains. Reduce it down to one.

hha I did read someones review who said they left their hotel window open in Florence and the mosquitos were terrible.

 

Travel stuff is like Neck pillow, eye mask, that kind of stuff :D

 

Thanks for your suggestions!

Don't eat bananas. Serioulsy. Tiger mosquitos are attracted to the smell of bananas. Also many hotels do not have air conditioning.

As an overpacker (one who's had to pay the extra weight charges on the plane at least once) I find that it's less the things that might come in handy (duct tape, nail stuff, hair stuff, sunscreen) that take up room so much as the clothes that I think I might wear and never end up wearing. Sunscreen and makeup you'll probably get a lot of use out of, but if you go through your clothes I bet there's at least one item that takes up more space than a tube of sunscreen that, on reflection, you'll never actually wear.

My advice: Try everything on, or at least hold it up in front of a mirror. Ask yourself honestly if you're likely to end up wearing it on the cruise, and thin your suitcase accordingly. I stopped myself from packing a heavy turtleneck to the Western Caribbean that way.

Also check out this thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1687293

Travel stuff is like Neck pillow, eye mask, that kind of stuff :D

 

Nope, don't take that kind of stuff.

Mary Lou

Nope, don't take that kind of stuff.

 

Mary Lou

Remember that scene in 'Up in the Air' where George Clooney throws away and repacks his colleague's suitcase in the airport?

Out went the neck pillow and the bed pillow and...........

I quite often bring a small pillow. But I'm also not packing a 25" checked bag AND a 22" carry-on AND a carry-on tote or backpack. It's all about what MY priorities are when I am packing light. I don't use a lot of make-up or hair product (toiletries OR electrics) and I limit shoes & clothing (more or less, depending on the type of travel).

I can't tell you what YOUR priorities should be if you want to pack light. There are TONS of websites that have minimalist packing suggestions (and many have been discussed here) If you WANT to do it, you will be able to do it. I'm sure most of your problem now is mental - you still have the "but what if" thought process going on. You will be in Europe. The odds are good you can buy what you need or launder your clothing. Your only true necessity is going to be your passport and some money:D Good luck!

One thing I did on our recent cruise was to take my own toiletries (I can't use the ship's stuff!) but I took only 1/2 bottles, with the intention of throwing out the leftovers. There was no way I was going to lug home 1/4 bottles of shampoo and conditioner. I made decisions to leave behind a bunch of stuff (shave gel, conditioner, etc.) so I wouldn't have to pack the weight of it home. *sigh* We were still overweight by 8 pounds at the airport! Drat!! LOL

Think about each individual thing and why do you need it?.... do you need Febreeze? I wouldn't take it. ;) I also bought nail polish remover pads instead of packing my bottle of nail polish remover, much lighter and so convenient!

I respect what others have said, but I would not want to have to spend some of my vacation time in Italy searching out drug stores to buy things. I prefer to have my own items. Having said that, I did once have to buy deodorant in Spain; it was fine. :)

How many bags does your airline give you free of charge? We flew British Airways and were allowed 2 bags each, which we took gladly! Are there two of you? You may want to take 3 bags between you because don't forget, you will be buying souvenirs and stuff in Europe - you may be fine going there but may be overweight when you fly home, thus incurring charges.

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I respect what others have said, but I would not want to have to spend some of my vacation time in Italy searching out drug stores to buy things. I prefer to have my own items. Having said that, I did once have to buy deodorant in Spain; it was fine. :)

.

While I actually do enjoy shopping in European drug stores and grocery stores/markets all over the world (it's how/where I get most of my souvenirs because I love to cook) I understand what you are saying! I really meant it more as insurance against the mentality of "I have to pack this because...what if". Bring your basics - toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, some painkillers or whatever meds you use at home on a regular basis. But don't sweat the "what ifs"

(now, I do some travel in developing countries and my packing list is a little more inclusive for those trips:p)

My Mom is fond of saying that no matter where you go, you take yourself with you.

If you are the type of person that lives with lots of choices and has a well-equipped cupboard for most medicinal needs...and a person that likes specialty products (cuticle cream, hand cream, body lotion, facial lotions and creams, etc.) then I think you will have a very hard time streamlining your packing. It's hard because the mentality is that you are going on a vacation...and a vacation should be the place where you can release the inner self, the ultimate self, and fully enjoy yourself while you are away from the cares of your everyday life. And your thoughts may be that you will feel somewhat deprived if you don't have the things that you would have if you were at home...and that doesn't really feel like a fun vacation.

So the first thing that would need to change, should you truly desire to make your travels easier on yourself, is to change your mindset regarding all this stuff. From the tales that I have heard...even getting all that luggage into a taxi in Europe could be a trial...things are just SMALLER over there...and you will want to adapt if you want to have less hassles on what you are calling your dream vacation in your countdown.

You have a nice amount of time to prepare. Do some trial runs at home and monitor what you use for 17 days...really take stock. See if you do what you think you do...use what you think you use. See if you can't find alternatives that could become your travel routine that still fits in with your lifestyle. And when I say what you use...I mean clothing too. Maybe you use far less than you think you do.

Test your manicures. See how it lasts for 17 days. What do you REALLY need to live your life for 17 days. Test everything. Buy trial sizes, or allocate product into travel tubes. How long does it last? Make a project out of it. That comment earlier about gel in a contact case was brilliant. Wow. If you enjoy organization...then apply that to thinking outside the box to really get yourself organized for a fun vacation.

:(. Ive down scaled a lot from my other cruises and vacations but still seems like I have too much weight

 

Ive tried to eleminate what I think I dont need but Im a pack everything but the kitchen sink kinda girl. I have no dicilpine. I seem to think meds ( prescript or over the counter)makeup stuff, nail stuff, face stuff, hair stuff, body stuff, organizing stuff, febreeze, wrinkle release, sunscrean, bug spray, travel stuff, electronic stuff, you name it stuff is all vital

 

How do you know what you dont need???? Does anyone have a " Take it" list that you stick to that keeps you from being like me???? How bout a "you dont really need it" list???

 

We are gone 17 days (10 cruise days 5ish between rome, florence and venice) were in hotels, taking trains, and I cant make my packing simple. :,(

 

What I have done is condence my clothing a bit with the thought I can wash in the sink or something.....

 

Thank you for any help! I love this thread and all that Ive learned over the last few years! :D

My first suggestion is to dump the wrinkle release, febreeze,take only 1 body lotion, 1 perfume, leave the shampoo and use what's in the room, only the make up you use on a daily basis.

Maybe scale down the electronics. Are any of them multifunctional? eg cell phone takes videos, you can leave the camcorder at home.

Bringing more than one computer/laptop, only take one and share.

You will have access to stores while traveling if you need certain items so don't fret about not taking some things with you.

Wow some of this stuff is really great and very helpful! Thank you soooo much.

I really did work on the clothing. everything has multiple purposes and will be washed also. Ive also inlisted the help of my co worker who is a Minimalist when it comes to everything. I know she can guilt me into less :D Shes helped me with my purse before when I really loved a smaller purse! LOL

Ive been reading off my list with her too :D

I once heard a radio interview with Nate Berkis, I think it was (not sure I spelled that right). He talked about how most people are "just in case" and that he tried to convert people to becoming "just enough." I usually travel with my mom, who is totally "Just in case" and I've been working on becoming more "Just enough".

That said, one of the real joys of a cruise for me is dressing up for dinner. And another joy is not wearing the dressy stuff more than once, maybe twice, on a cruise. Daytime I make sure my pants, shorts and tops mix and match and I send them out to be laundered. Since I tend to pack the same two colors of tops anyway, what difference if it's the same one again, or another of the same color (turquoise and bright pink, usually)? White pants and shorts, blue pants and shorts (with capris substituting for either one).

Whatever the length of the cruise, I take half that many pair of undies. I take two daytime bras so I can wash one out, wear the other. Evening bras depend on what dresses I take, racer back, etc. I've been able to get away with one pair of dressy sandals for evening, in a metallic that goes with everything. I take a couple of pair of walking sandals and one pair of slightly dressier sandals for not so dressy days and evenings. Usually one pair of tennis type shoes, that I wear on the plane.

Shoes are a problem for me, since I wear size 10 and they take up a bunch of room!

Next cruise we go to the Norwegian Fjords and above the Arctic Circle so a rain coat, sweater, and jeans are going to be needed, and maybe a pair of waterproof boots/shoes. I am a big believer in waiting to buy a sweatshirt from a port, and wearing it throughout the cruise when needed. I wear sweatshirts around the house all winter, and love to have one as a vacation memory.

I take sample sizes or decant into travel bottles for my toiletries. I am very picky about lotions and hair care, so won't trust to use the onboard stuff. I have a tiny travel dryer (1200 watts), curling iron and flatiron, that all fit into a very small pouch.

I still take way too much.

I use clinique make up and at the counter in Macy's they will give you some empty little containers. You can also buy tiny containers in Bed Bath and Beyond to decant into.

If you feel you need bugspray, buy the individual packets and only take a few. It's doubtful you'll have daily swarms, unless you're going to the Amazon River!

Only you know what you really need for your comfort and enjoyment, so you'll have to decide what that is. I wouldn't try to conform to others standards of what is important. I have a couple of things that I take on every trip long or short that other people might roll their eyes at, but they are important to me. (Portable DVD player and videos is one.... can't sleep without it! I know... weird!:rolleyes: ) But I don't take shoes for every occasion, so I make up for the space there!;)

I am a contradiction, because I am a "what if" type of person but wind up practicing it in a minimalist fashion. I travel primarily to Europe with a standard carry on wheelie bag and a large handbag. I've done it in both winter and summer - so packed for a variety of climates.

Hard to believe that I can get it all in a carry-on but I do! Including things like small pen-sized bug spray bottle, first aid kit and OTC drugs, clothes drying line, matchbook size sewing kit, and even a "spork" and a collapsible bowl which folds flat and can double as a plate - good for in-room meals or picnics. And all the standards including small silicone refillable bottles with shampoo conditioner body wash, etc. Make up is kept minimal - I try to find eyeshadows which are pencils - easier to pack and less chance they will break up like powders. The key is finding small sizes of things or consolidating them into one small container.

Another item I always take is a good-quality folding duffle bag with ID tag. While I may go with one bag, I may wind up buying things and need the duffle to stuff my clothes and shoes in and check on the return trip. I then pack the gifts/other items in my roll on.

The biggest problem for most people is clothing. While I don't do it every trip, I do subscribe to the "throw and go" theory - which some may find controversial. Essentially, set aside some of your older but still serviceable clothing items in a box or drawer and when you go on a trip, use those items to develop or fill in your wardrobe. As you travel, you can jettison these things along the way which frees up space in your bag for purchases.

Keep your clothing choices simple - eg. plain t-shirts, simple cardigan rather than a pullover (can wear open or closed) and look for fabrics that are wrinkle free and quick dry - so you can wash them if needed and they will be dry by morning. I take a couple of Purex combination soap/softener sheets in a plastic bag along with the rolled up clothesline. Much of my "travel" clothing will dry within a couple of hours and I DON'T buy expensive made-for-travel brands. You can easily find clothing with quick-dry properties at typical department stores. My mainstay tees I use on trips I got at the athletic section in a Target. The fabrics dry very quickly.

I also dress in the same neutral color palette (mostly black, with some tan, white, and gray) and will add one "color" to the round up - usually red. I take quite a few scarves (which are a BIG fashion accessory in Europe) and some costume jewelry to spark things up.

Shoes do take up a LOT of room and should be kept to a minimum. Again, if you are going to need dress up shoes for the cruise, and won't wear them for the rest of the trip, consider a "throw away" pair or two.

Hope some of these tips help.

Again, thanks to everyone for your help. i went home last night and weeded out some more stuff plus a pair of shoes!! :o hha.

I do make lists for every item and log the outfits I want to wear every day so that helps not to pack more clothes than I need. Im gradually going through the stuff lists and trying to make it more compact or decide to do with out. I think I got my checked bag down to about 30-34 lbs now!

Yes I am doing a trial packing run now that I have all the stuff Ill need. I get really bored and anxious for this trip! hha:p:D

My Mom is fond of saying that no matter where you go, you take yourself with you.

 

 

So the first thing that would need to change, should you truly desire to make your travels easier on yourself, is to change your mindset regarding all this stuff. From the tales that I have heard...even getting all that luggage into a taxi in Europe could be a trial...things are just SMALLER over there...and you will want to adapt if you want to have less hassles on what you are calling your dream vacation in your countdown.

 

 

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So true about the sizes being smaller. DD lives in Rome and a BIG car is a Ford Focus wagon.

Also what types of places are you staying when traveling? If BnBs those might not have elevators, if they do it can be puny.

The elevator in DD's building can barely hold four skinny people. When I visit my tote goes on top of my carryon which is on top of my check thru. Just enough room for me.

Trust me, if you will be taking the train, you don't want to have more than one suitcase and one tote or carry-on. You have to get all your things aboard the train (and off it) yourself, and storage areas on the train aren't big either.

When I'm traveling in Europe and will be taking the train, I will at MOST have a medium (24-25") suitcase and one other bag, preferably one I can either wear on my back or as a cross-body, leaving my hands free to deal with the suitcase. DON'T bring a large, wheeled carry-on. Too difficult to deal with in addition to your checked bag. Instead, look for something like this:

http://www.ebags.com/product/Patagonia/MLC/137745

Be sure to have locks for your suitcase or anywhere your valuables are packed (including your backpack). Train stations are prime locations to get pickpocketed.

Some tips on cutting down that haven't been mentioned yet:

Limit your pairs of shoes and purses. I take ONE pair of shoes that can be used for dinner every night (dressy enough for formal but okay for casual), and two pairs of walking shoes, plus, maybe, a pair of sandals. Similarly, I bring ONE small bag for evenings and ONE bag for sightseeing.

I wouldn't bother with bug spray unless you're abnormally sensitive to bites.

Limit heavy things like electronics, large bottles of hair/body products, and books.

Wow. That's a lot of stuff and a lot of luggage, and you'll never be able to manage all of that yourself if you are taking trains. Some train stations in Europe have a lot of stairs. Some trains are very crowded.

I am taking a three week trip to Europe this summer, that includes a week long cruise. I won't take more than about a 21" roller board, a small carry on and a cross body purse.

You can easily live without wrinkle release spray, febreeze, bug spray, and I'm sure lots of your other "stuff". I am not sure what organizing stuff, face stuff, nail stuff, etc. is, so can't offer advice how to cut it down.

I agree that you really need to limit shoes and purses. I will bring one very small foldable clutch with me. Probably wear my heaviest walking shoes on the plane, bring a pair of fancy sandals for the cruise during the evening, and another pair of sandals. That's it.

You are probably planning on bringing far too many clothes. You don't need two or more outfits every day, and everything should coordinate. You can send out laundry on the ship or where you are staying.

 

check out http://ladylighttravel.com/

 

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Thank you for this site - I checked it out briefly and found several ideas I want to try.

If you're worried about taking the bug spray get the towelettes. I got my last ones from Avon I think. They are packaged flat and take up no room and weigh ounces.