When do you Start Packing?

[gtalum]

Not sure why so many people have an aversion to packing two suitcases instead of one.

 

 

In my case, we pack light because we hate schlepping bags around. For air travel, I hate to check bags because they lose so many and mainly because I hate waiting at the carousel after arrival. That doesn't apply to a cruise, but the tricks I've learned for packing light are hard to unlearn. We also never buy much if anything in the way of souvenirs when we travel.

[Arizonamama]

Cruise # 7 for me. I started packing yesterday and I cruise on 10/21. Guess I'm an early packer. :)

This is me to. Our cruise is 10/07 & i've been getting little things together like shampoo, creams, deodorant etc. I've already been shopping for things we need and have been putting things in our carry on bag. I have to much to do during the day. So starting to pack here & there seems to help. I am definately not a last minute person. :rolleyes:

[Senoj84]

Im going to start 2 weeks before since this is my first cruise.

[rubycruzr]

I actually will start placing things on the extra bed as early as 2 months prior! As I buy stuff that are on sale or stuff I will need, I place it on the bed. The suitcase will come out maybe a month prior. I start placing things out so early so that I can get a total view of what I have and what I still need.

 

Next cruise will be the kids first so packing early will be a must! I will be packing for myself plus 3.

 

Also packing early gets me all "pumped up" and siked for my trip.:D

This is pretty much the method I take, too. Use the extra room to lay stuff that I know I will not need before the cruise. As it approaches, add in more - spread our for the visual of what is and is not there. I don't bring the suitcase out till the last possible minute because my dog freaks out. She is old and knows the suitcase means I am leaving. If the suitcase is open she will get in it...no matter what else is in there.

Now my 3 grown children and their friends who ususally join us - pack at the last minute before they leave home. Then they will gather at my house and raid the kitchen for ziplocks and unpack and repack their luggage in the middle of the kitchen floor or wherever they find space and then bring out my scales to see if they are over the limit...well, you get the picture. It is ususally chaotic the nite before, but I love it. What great memories!!

[Pegs222]

When I'd pack too early, say 3 or 4 days ahead of departure day, I'd forget what I already packed. Now I pack the night before.

 

On our last cruise it was only my 17 y/o son and I. I bugged him for a month to make sure he had things he needed. He assured me he did. He packed the night before just like me assuring me he had formal wear, enough shorts, slacks etc.

 

First night nothing fit right and his belt was too big! He had a brand new pair of jeans that he insisted on wearing to the dining room about which we had a big argument! NO jeans in the dining room! "They're the only thing that fits!" He managed to wear a slacks he didn't think fit but looked fine to me. He had to punch a new hole to use the belt. He was so upset. He hadn't tried anything on and he'd grown much taller and got thinner! Boys!

 

And that is why it is vital that I make a list and cross it off when I pack it. If I did not have my list, I would forget half of what I need.

[dlbutler5]

We usually pack around 90 days out with lists attached so we don't forget what is in each bag.

[*Mach*]

And that is why it is vital that I make a list and cross it off when I pack it. If I did not have my list, I would forget half of what I need.

 

I have a list, too... it has one item...

 

( ) Stuff

 

As soon as I check that one off I'm done!

 

:D

[MAB121655]

I put a laundry basket in the corner of my bedroom and have been tossing things as I buy them. It's just about full and am starting to wonder if I'll have room for my clothes in the suitcase!

[crusinmama06]

My family calls me the "professional packer". At this point, I can do it in my sleep. So I always wait till the last minute, usually the day before we leave.

[cruiseapril]

Two weeks before- there's a sense of satisfaction looking at the packed suitcase and carry-on- especially in New England when the weather is still cool, er cold.

[henepup]

My Mother is already packed for our cruise in March. She unpacked it twice. First she got a new suitcase, then she had to check to make sure everything was there. lol

We usually pack about 3-4 days before the cruise.

[Rocknsoul]

Started this morning, on & off all day, not nearly finished...leave tomorrow!!:eek: :p

[PINEVIEW01]

I always start 6 months out and have to try everything back on every month. I'm getting better the last two I hve started less than a month prior. But, I always end up re packing the night before. That is what I have been doing tonight. I'm flying out Sunday for London and a TA. They are harder to pack for. 50#'s in the USA than 70#s Transatlantic. Shifting larger amount for US carry ons and than putting stuff in the big bag:eek:

[TheDINGOateMyBaybay!]

I cant pack early as I woould end up pulling out everything to make sure I put everything in there to begin with. Haven't packed a darn thing and leaving on Saturday...

 

Shopping on the other hand..........:eek:

 

 

Just wondering how soon (or late) people start packing for their trip.

 

Out of excitement do you pack real early, or do you wait til the last minute and cram everything into a bag and head out for vacation...

 

Do you tend to overpack or underpack?

[farler05]

Normally I pack a few days before my trip. This cruise, we shopped for all our toiletries & assorted stuff about a month ago. Clothes went in the suitcase on Sunday. Some last minute stuff today. Tomorrow anything we need for morning showers goes in the suitcases. And done, ready to fly out tomorrow night!

[BlueJacketsFan1]

My wife has already tried on her dresses twice. She has already started to pack and has even put several things of mine in my suitcase. We are getting close to being 30 days out, and that is probably when I will start looking at different things to take.

[tinyrose]

Let's see---my flight is early Saturday morning and I just finished packing about 4 hours ago. That is pretty typical of all my packing. This time the packing was harder as we're cruising to Alaska for the first time. Much, much different than "warm weather" cruise packing.

 

I have traveled quite a bit---both cruises and land trips---and think that I am getting much better at packing just the right amount. Usually only come home with 1 or 2 clean items.

[niffer03878]

We leave in 2 days... I had every intention of packing this past Monday (it's now Friday) but well.. that didn't happen lol.. I have to work a long day today so that really only leaves tomorrow (kind of by default)... I have had my list of what to pack pretty much since we booked our trip back in April but it's the actual act of packing that I dread doing... I'm just hoping we don't forget anything important. We don't have much cash, so we can't just buy what we forget.

 

Just get me to Sunday and on the ship and I'll be one happy camper :D

[sandravb79]

Cruise # 7 for me. I started packing yesterday and I cruise on 10/21. Guess I'm an early packer. :)

 

Will you cruise on the Sensation, by any chance? I will be on its 10/21 cruise :)

(if you replied on the role call thread, I almost never look at userIDs)

 

Our last cruise was two weeks in the Baltic area, so we had to take quite a bit. We left the house at 1 pm for a 5 pm flight, so we started packing around 11 am.

 

That's me

 

I put a laundry basket in the corner of my bedroom and have been tossing things as I buy them. It's just about full and am starting to wonder if I'll have room for my clothes in the suitcase!

 

That's also me.

 

I always pack at the very last moment, and always overpack. However, I start very early on shopping for vacation. I don't live in the best climate in the world (summer has forgotten about us this year), and can't for example buy sun lotion in another period that july-august. So I already bought that. And summer clothes.

[munchkin4]

We sail October 1 and I have a small rolling suitcase out on the spare bed that I have been putting a few extras in: power strip, medicine kit and stuff like that. I also bought all new toiletries and have them packed. I have had this done for a couple of weeks. A week before I'll begin packing things that don't wrinkle so bad: jeans, swimsuits, underwear, socks. The night before we leave I'll finish with the "wrinkly" stuff like cotton shirts, etc. This year, since we are not flying, we'll take one large rolling suitcase with clothes, 2 small rolling (will probably check one and carry one) and probably an overnight & garment bag (We are spending 2 nights pre-cruise). Kind of hard to tell about the small ones until I actually start packing.

 

I, too, keep a packing list and daily garment list. It helps me from overpacking. I also keep a notepad in my desk drawer at work so anytime I read a good tip on CC I can write it down.

[new2mecruisin]

My parents are cruising on the same cruise as my family of 4 in 6 weeks. Mom is probably already completely packed!!! (with her suitcases by the door!! just kidding!!) :D Me on the other hand will do a mass laundry weekend the week before we leave and everyone's clothes will 'gather' in a particular area of the house for the entire week. :eek: I will stress the importance of packing their own suitcases to my DD's and then I will go and repack (pull out what I feel are yuck outfits and make them pack some of their nicer outfits that they may not particularly care for...but look awesome on them....I know, I'm an evil mother!!) :otheir suitcases. I will not be packing mine until last minute mainly because I hope and pray I lose the weight I'd like to lose in order to fit into some hardly worn, really nice outfits that I bought for our last trip but weighed too much to wear them this summer. If I don't lose the weight I'll be scouring all of CNY for summer outfits in late October!! :confused: Yeah, you guessed it - I'm a procrastinator!! :( BUT, although I haven't packed a stitch of clothing yet, I have 2 very detailed lists made for the girls and I. DH is on his own and almost every single trip he has to buy clothing because he just throws stuff in a bag and we've gone on beach trips where he's forgotten to pack swimming trunks. We find it quite comical. :p I normally remember everything, right down to packing a band-aid (lots of 'just-in-case- items). But as far as clothing goes - I try to pack as little as we can possibly get away with!! Too many trips I've over packed and it burns me every time as suitcases get dumped at my washer and dryer and I'm washing clothes that weren't even worn!!!

[Minoushka]

I start a few weeks before

Need to pack for 2 Boys and me -ironing takes FOREVER

Always overpack on some items

Always afraid of missing something

one outfit each per evening -shorts and tees for daytime

I always shop before cruising

I like dressing sport chic

[corinnv]

We vacation some place warm every Feb. I purchase new outfits for my 3 girls in August....then pack them. My 8 yr old is a bit of a pain and picky, so she likes to pack he own suitcase. :cool: She is very funny, as she counts out the days, lay out the outfits then pack like a pro. She has lots of practice.

[corinnv]

sorry double post

[LHP]

Lately we have ended up packing the weekend before....because it never fails that hubby has to fly to some "remote jungle" only to fly back the day before we leave for our cruise.

 

Now Oklahoma City is not a "remote jungle" but he is flying home from there the day before we fly to New York for our Victory cruise.

 

Last month he was flying in the San Juan the day before we left for our cruise on the Fantasy.

 

I am so tired of that! I have to pack and then worry about his flight not being delayed or canceled. aauuugghhh