Over packing?

[donaldsc]

A day or so before the cruise for everything except my electronics and photo gear. Those get packed maybe a week before the cruise. I just do not understand why people pack months before the cruise - makes no sense to me.

 

DON

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

I pack all my fancy/evening outfits the night before but everything else is packed way in advance. I use one of our guests room aka the cruise room and have everything ready hanging and everything else in packing cubes and a couple of other travel type pouches and am always ready to go. (Being military and always ready to move never dies)!

 

I also have lists that I b*stardise for each trip and boy do I like to take a lot as we drive to the port.

 

We have a few weeks yet to the next cruise but I could cruise the next day if the need ever arose:cool:

 

Now the night before is then spent helping someone else panic pack! (But hey I have a list for that too):eek:

[MrsPete]

I'm a planner, and I take it in stages:

 

- I often buy clothes with a cruise (or other vacation) in mind at the end of the summer -- gotta love a clearance rack! I also pick up sunscreen, etc. at the end of the summer. This isn't exactly packing, but it is planning.

 

- I have toiletry kits and a travel first-aid kit that are "always ready". When we return home from a trip, we replenish them so that they're ready to go straight to the suitcase next time. My rule is that they sit on my dresser until they've been checked, and once I've "approved them", they go into the linen closet. Again, not really packing, just planning.

 

For a specific cruise (or vacation):

 

- A week or two before the cruise, I'll start pulling "favorite things" as they come out of the wash -- I divert them to the dining room table, where they pile up.

 

- A week before the cruise, I'll pull out my many-times-used cruise packing list and use it to pick which of the "favorites" get to go into the suitcase; a bunch of the things I've laid out end up going back to the closet. I check each outfit carefully to be sure I have the right bra, shoes, jewelry to match each. And I check to see that nothing's missing a button, has a loose hem, etc.

 

- My personal rule is that if we're leaving on Saturday, the suitcases must be PACKED AND FINISHED on Wednesday night. Why? Because we always realize that one kid's sandals are too small, that my husband's favorite shorts were crammed behind the seat of his truck, that we don't have any sunscreen in the house, that neither of us went to the back to get cash ... and if we discover these things on Wednesday, we have two days left to fix these problems without stress, whereas discovering them late Friday night is stressful.

[Haoie]

Don't leave until December and I'm already thinking about getting started!

[carol1962]

I have started gathering stuff and putting outfits together and we don't sail until 9/9! Arriving 2 nights prior, and staying 1 night after cruise, and the cruise is 10 days! So we will be traveling for 2 weeks. Any one have any packing tips to share, or a good packing list?

[sheeniwoo]

Lol now I don't feel so odd that I've already started packing. The build up to the cruise, isn't it so great!?! I Love it!

 

The travel drawer sounds like a good idea actually.

 

 

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[lenquixote66]

How far in advance does everyone start packing?

 

Today is August 8, my cruise leaves August 25 and I started packing today with a check off list. I'm afraid I'm going to forget something! So far I'm nowhere near overpacking, but hey it's still early.

 

 

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Usually the night before or the day leaving for the cruise

[tbmrt]

About 5 weeks before our cruise, I inventory what I need to buy, prescriptions to be ordered, etc. Then I start putting items that I won't need in the interim in shopping bags in a closet. I add to these in the weeks that follow.

 

About 2 weeks before before I start decorating a room in my house with clothes I intend to bring.

 

The day before we leave I pack, trying to pack less stuff than usual (not very successfully).

 

Although both of us are rarely sick, I almost always come down with a cold/sore throat on a cruise. I bring lots of meds, bandaids, antibiotic cream, extra supplements, etc. This year I even asked my doctor to give me a Z Pack just in case. I know that some of these are supposedly available on the ship, but don't want to risk things I need not being there and having to pay lots of $$ for them.

 

After seeing the meds I intend to bring, my husband said "Are you packing for an epidemic??" Thought that was quite funny.

[hapster85]

The cruise we took this summer, we both packed the day before. Last year, we started a few days out. The cruise before that, we started a week early, so I guess we're getting better timewise.

 

Now we just need to learn to pack lighter.

Edited August 10, 2016 by hapster85

[maryann ns]

We take long trips such as last winter when we were six weeks including our trip to Antarctica.

 

I make lists, including a need to buy list.

 

Once our spare room has no more quests I take everything there with a table for my carry on, another for DH's, a chair each for what we will wear on the plane, and the bed for our two larger bags.

 

As things arrive in the spare room they are checked off the list but we do not pack until the day before.

 

We have another list for last minute stuff (glasses, keys, wallets, etc.) to make sure this gets taken.

 

And we have another list for the house to make sure everything is done there.

[Joannedisfan]

My trip is less than a month away. I got my suitcase down a month ago and started throwing things I knew I would need in it. Mostly small stuff I wont need before the cruise. Actual packing will happen the week before the cruise, with any last minute additions the morning before we fly out. We don't fly till 3pm.

[slidergirl]

I just got my first smartphone. Found that you can do basic lists using Reminders and Siri. AND then there is an app called "AnyList" that ports from Reminders into very cool lists. For groceries, it even breaks it down by categories. It can do other types of lists also, but seems that groceries was the impetus for the app.

 

Wondering if anyone thought of using Reminders to make your packing list? I think it would be kind of cool to just tell Siri to "add my blue denim Athleta shirt to my packing list" and have it catalogued. I could be sitting at work, bored, and suddenly remember I wanted to take that shirt with me - I'd just whip out the iPhone (or iPad or iTouch) and tell Siri just that...

 

Now, this would not be for all you super-organized folks with the Excel spreadsheets and accordion folders full of pages. But, for the casual traveler, it could be helpful.

[southerngirloutwest]

We're flying to Fort Lauderdale on Friday for our Oasis OTS departure on Saturday. I haven't started packing yet. :eek:

 

Tomorrow is THE packing day!

[78232]

We aren't going until Nov but as I shop for groceries I pick up a few things for the trip like first aid items, medicines, sun screen, toothpaste etc. and they go into an empty drawer. I have started to put together outfits and take a picture of then with my phone. This will make it easier them my hot weather clothes are no longer fresh in my mind. I am even trying to reduce the amount of clothes by mix and match thus wearing some pieces more than once. I sure hope I don't get them dirty before the second wearing.

[Blondilu]

Many,many, many years ago I took my first trip that didn't involve a parent, grandparent or one of the aunts. It was a 1 week trip to Hawaii with a friend and I was so excited I packed 3 months in advance. It was cooler where I lived and the clothes were summer clothes so I wouldn't need them, but still.....

 

Now, about a month out I start packing in my head. Pull out the suitcase and throw in stuff I won't need otherwise and things like my always packed toiletries and first aid stuff. A week or so before I finalize the thought process for clothing, stick it all in but leave the bag open for any last minute changes in my wardrobe choices.

 

This last time was different. I'm driving to my sister's house tonight and we're leaving on Sunday for Alaska. I didn't even start thinking about packing until a few days ago. I feel very disorganized for starting so late but there has been so much else going on. Not to mention work. So, I'm probably overpacked but oh well. I still only have my 24 inch suitcase and 1 other smaller bag. Plus a bag for the road trip that will stay behind in the car when we board. The way I figure it is if I can manage my luggage on my own then it's all good.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Blondilu

[sheeniwoo]

I just got my first smartphone. Found that you can do basic lists using Reminders and Siri. AND then there is an app called "AnyList" that ports from Reminders into very cool lists. For groceries, it even breaks it down by categories. It can do other types of lists also, but seems that groceries was the impetus for the app.

 

 

 

Wondering if anyone thought of using Reminders to make your packing list? I think it would be kind of cool to just tell Siri to "add my blue denim Athleta shirt to my packing list" and have it catalogued. I could be sitting at work, bored, and suddenly remember I wanted to take that shirt with me - I'd just whip out the iPhone (or iPad or iTouch) and tell Siri just that...

 

 

 

Now, this would not be for all you super-organized folks with the Excel spreadsheets and accordion folders full of pages. But, for the casual traveler, it could be helpful.

 

 

 

I don't know if it's the same thing but I use notes on my phone and create little bullet points that can be marked after I pack the item. I did not know that I could tell Siri to add something to my list, which I'll be trying today!

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

I don't know if it's the same thing but I use notes on my phone and create little bullet points that can be marked after I pack the item. I did not know that I could tell Siri to add something to my list, which I'll be trying today!

 

 

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I do something similar. I have a list in notepad on my phone. I put an x by an item when I have it and xxx by an item when it's packed. I basically just reuse the same list each time.

[Shortcake3]

I'm a over packer for many years and I like it... I love my packing cubes from Amazon which are great to divide your clothes

[slidergirl]

I don't know if it's the same thing but I use notes on my phone and create little bullet points that can be marked after I pack the item. I did not know that I could tell Siri to add something to my list, which I'll be trying today!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

No, it's different. AND I LOVE IT! In Reminders, create a list. Then, you can tell Siri to add an item to the list. Now, you can't order things, it is a Siri adds them. If you don't mind that, it is really cool.

 

this is there the Any List comes in. I created lists in there matching my Reminders lists. I was able to import everything to the lists. My grocery list was amazing - it actually sorted according to things like "Frozen", "Dairy", "Produce"... When I picked something up and put it my grocery cart, I just touched the item and it was crossed out!

[lovevacadays]

I start packing 3-4 days before my cruise. I like to be sure I'm packed at least one day ahead. It's easy for me as I have a packing list from previous cruises and just add to it.