When do you start packing?

[At Sea 4Ever]

I make our list about 3 months out then about a month to a month and a half I start pulling stuff out and putting it into suitcase. A month to 3 weeks out my house looks like packing central! I feel the longer I stretch out packing the longer my cruise feels. All the excitement leading up to sailing is the best part!

 

 

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[SAS21]

I'm gonna be on the other side of the spectrum. When I return from a cruise, I refill all my little containers for my bag. Toiletries are always ready to go. If I'm on a spring cruise, my shorts go into the suitcase when my winter clothes come out. So I'm already pretty much packed for my May cruise right now. Of course, several weeks before we're ready to go I will go through my list to make sure nothing is left out.

 

I've collected travel everything ... mini curling iron, travel cords, extra chargers. They all stay packed and ready to go. AND to answer your question ... YES, I AM OCD

 

I pretty much do the same thing with the toiletries, flat iron and cords, I just refill containers when my next cruise is coming up. Which I did yesterday for a cruise 2 months from now. Clothing, I looked thru everything, pulled out some pieces I want to bring. I put clothing in the spare bedroom and and usually pack about 3-4 days out, except for evening wear which is packed the morning I leave.

 

OCD also. But I rarely forget anything..

Edited February 24, 2014 by SAS21

[shutterbug63]

About three weeks out I kind of peruse what I've got for my son & I and decide what I might need to buy. About two weeks out, I lay out a cot in my room and start laying out outfits day by day using my packing list and then start putting in any pieces I'm missing. The last 3 days or so before we leave, I start rolling and packing stuff and checking stuff off my list. That's also when I gather all our electronics (cameras, laptops, son's game stuff) and put it all in one place.

Edited February 24, 2014 by shutterbug63

[laedw]

I have laid out the bathing suit and coveralls. Now, I am trying on the warm weather outfits to make sure everything still fits (so far so good in spite of the pounds put on by hibernating over the winter)! I have not pulled out the suitcase yet. I have a packing list and I looked at it yesterday. Will start packing suitcase this weekend with toiletries and add the clothes and other items the day before I leave. Woo-hoo! So happy to get out of Dodge!!!:D

[LuvWilliam]

I'm gonna be on the other side of the spectrum. When I return from a cruise, I refill all my little containers for my bag. Toiletries are always ready to go. If I'm on a spring cruise, my shorts go into the suitcase when my winter clothes come out. So I'm already pretty much packed for my May cruise right now. Of course, several weeks before we're ready to go I will go through my list to make sure nothing is left out.

 

I've collected travel everything ... mini curling iron, travel cords, extra chargers. They all stay packed and ready to go. AND to answer your question ... YES, I AM OCD

 

You sound like me... I have my travel necessities packed and ready to go! Unfortunately, they'll be waiting for another 296 days! =)

[Surfguyxxx]

I begin about 2 months out looking at what sorts of things I need and what I don't (steamer, binoculars). About 1 month out I grab my packing list. I also start pulling out some dress shirts and pants that I'll wear on the ship but not at home, maybe getting them to the dry cleaners. 2 weeks before I start to put things in the spare bedroom that I'll need like shorts, tee shirt's, shoes, flip-flops; those sorts of things. 1 week to go and I am pretty set and the final packing the last night! :cool:

[golfer1966]

We cruise in 3 days time and I started packing 3 weeks in advance. Hubby on the other hand leaves this until right before we go.

 

So when does everyone else pack?

 

 

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I start a day or two before we fly to the departure port and my wife actually does it the night before. She claims she doesnt forget anything that way.. :eek:

[pcur]

I "stage" clothes a few months before. Then, I tweak what I'm going to take. If I'm concerned about airline weight limits, I'll do a "weigh-in". I take all my clothes off the hangers, put them in a trash bag, weigh the contents with our Luggage Buddy hanging scale, and then hang the clothes back up again. I also weigh my toiletries bag, shoes, etc., and then add the amounts together. Then, I re-tweak what I'm taking.

 

About a month before the trip, I corral my husband into the closet and force him under threat of divorce to select what he's taking. This involves trying on pants to make sure they still fit, etc. Then, we put all his clothes in a separate part of the clothes rack. He tells me how many tees and knit shorts he wants to take.

 

The day before we leave it all goes into the suitcases. Then, we weigh everything, and tweak again as needed.

 

It's a real challenge for our next trip. We are gone for almost 2 months, and he's "delivering" 88 lbs of car parts that has to fly with us!!! :eek: Life is never dull at my house; I never know what he's going to come up with when he wanders in the weeds, so to speak. :D

[debshomespun]

I start a mental list about a month before the cruise. About 3 weeks before, I start to gather the toilitries, sunscreen, hair necessities, and put in the spare room. About 2 weeks before, I start to gather the clothes and shoes I will be taking. 1week before, I go through all my accumulated "stuff" and decide what are the must go to cruise, and must stay home. Then the night before, I pack my suitcases.

 

This works well for me. We are now taking longer cruises, and it makes it much more of a challenge for packing. At least on RC we are D+ and Celebrity Elite, so we can use the free laundry. I still bring more than what I need. :D :D

 

We will be going to Australia/New Zealand next Jan/Feb for almost 6 weeks, and that will be a real struggle as to what and how to pack. Australia will be hot weather, and NZ will be much cooler! :eek: :eek:

[SHAZA0208]

I'm gonna be on the other side of the spectrum. When I return from a cruise, I refill all my little containers for my bag. Toiletries are always ready to go. If I'm on a spring cruise, my shorts go into the suitcase when my winter clothes come out. So I'm already pretty much packed for my May cruise right now. Of course, several weeks before we're ready to go I will go through my list to make sure nothing is left out.

 

I've collected travel everything ... mini curling iron, travel cords, extra chargers. They all stay packed and ready to go. AND to answer your question ... YES, I AM OCD

 

I knew that I couldn't be the only one.

I return from a cruise with everything washed,dried and folded ready to leave for the next one.

I've read that there are no launderettes on RCI::eek:

[sauvichick]

Started packing already:o (about 6 months in advance)! The packing list is almost complete and I already started throwing things in the suitcase. It includes items I don't need until the cruise...travel/sample sized toiletries, flatiron, summer hat, new coverups (will get washed), polar water bottle, collapsible wine bucket, etc. So I am a little OCD too! I don't want to forget anything!

 

And Shaza0208 I wish there were washers and dryers on RCCL because I am going to attempt to bring 1 suitcase this time. My friend keeps laughing over this one!

[DrD]

The night before. I do some planning ahead of time with regards to making sure I have what I need, but the actual packing is the night before. We always do at least one pre-cruise hotel night so I do have an opportunity to repack and/or buy anything I forgot (although that hasn't happened yet.)

[Szzanni86]

We cruise out March 16. All is packed on my end except for my gown and hubby's suit. Hubby on the other hand has yet to pack a single thing!

 

 

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[Paulette3028]

We cruise out March 16. All is packed on my end except for my gown and hubby's suit. Hubby on the other hand has yet to pack a single thing!

 

Some people might say it is a 'man' thing....but my hubby starts preparing for the next cruise the day we get home from the last one.

 

He loves the planning almost as much as the cruising, as well as the planning for the packing. Gosh!

[Szzanni86]

Wish mine did! Lol

 

 

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[hellsop]

We cruise in 3 days time and I started packing 3 weeks in advance. Hubby on the other hand leaves this until right before we go.

 

So when does everyone else pack?

 

I've got a recurring list for cruises that I alter a bit to suit the itinerary. So from that standpoint, I'm always packing. There's separate toiletries for traveling and things like the collar stays, bow tie and cuff links, dress shoes and hosiery that go with the formal wear never really get unpacked per se. If I need them between cruises, I know where to find them.

 

About a week out, I'll start setting things aside that will be going into bags, getting laundry out of the way, assembling things from the list. Checking for missing buttons and things that don't fit from last time.

 

The afternoon/evening before departure it all gets assembled into the luggage. It drives my partner up the wall because she never sees all the prep work happen, and thus what looks like her three-evening project I get done in what seems like 90 minutes or so.

 

"Aren't you going to pack?"

"I'll get to it. Don't worry about it."

 

"When are you going to pack?"

"Maybe tomorrow."

 

"I don't want to miss the train because you haven't packed."

*SHOOP* "It's done."

"What? How? ALL OF IT?"

"Yup. Come to bed when you're ready."

"ARRRGH!"

[katrina915]

I don't completely unpack from previous cruise if I am going in the next six months or so.

 

Have packing list that I start working on a few weeks before so I can do a little at a time.

[sjb317]

We are leaving 4/4 for a 30 day B2B cruise on Radiance. I will probably pack the day before, maybe evening before if I decide to work that day. Husband will definitely pack evening before. Our first flight leaves at 0730, if later in the day, he would probably pack that morning!:D

 

Sherri:)

[seaofwonder]

Do laundry the night before. Pack some the night before and then the rest in the morning. I don't really have special vacation clothes. The clothes on vacation are what I wear at home (for the most part).

 

My list is in my head and doesn't change from cruise to cruise (or even if it is a land trip).

[chickadee1]

Although I don't pack until much closer to trip, as I "almost" finish different lotions and perfume, I put the small quantity away so that I can take it with me and then toss the remainder at the end of the cruise! That way I have room (and airplane weight) for any extras I like!!

[sanditoes4]

Well it makes me blush to admit it, but when I was cruising (soon to be reinstated :D ) I packed months out. I live in cold weather 9 months of the year so my off season clothes sit sadly in totes far too long each year, making packing pretty easy.

 

I start with a calendar, I write down what will happen each day of the trip, airplane (pants, t-shirt and a cardigan with tennis shoes), FL (jean shorts t-shirt and sandals), boarding ship (swim suit, tan shorts, t-**** and sandals)......you get the point.

 

I will pile all that in the suitcase, I will thumb through it and try to pare it down, as most of us know we bring way too many clothes on a cruise. I try to zip it and continue to remove things knowing I won't wear it.

 

Now that I've written a book I'll say about 2-3 months out, then I mess with it until I am happy and zip it up. My suitcase sits on the laundry room table so it makes doing that mundane chore so much happier!!!:)

[Sat1]

I pre-pack a week early to see if all will fit. Remove, then pack nite before.

[cayugashue]

I'm packing as we speak! Leaving Friday! Woo whoo!

[lazeyey]

I'm leaving on Friday and just started packing today.

[VaTech8912]

Night before. My dog does not like to see those suit cases out. Depression sets in.:eek: