When do you start packing??

[kkayluvsdis]

Hi All!

We are 12 days out from our cruise and I am more than ready to get out the suitcases. My husband, however, disagrees and thinks it's crazy to start packing this far in advance. I feel like I need to see everything laid out so we can determine what we might still need to buy and for cruising I find it a bit more stressful to pack because if you forget something you can't run to the nearest Target to pick it up! Just curious, when do you start packing??

 

[lklgoodman]

I start making lists of things I might need to buy about a week or two before the cruise. I might start packing things like pirate costumes, door magnets, shoes, etc a few days before, but clothes, meds, and toiletries get packed the day before we leave.

 

[deliela999]

I have these collapsible plastic boxes and for any vacation I put one out a couple weeks before the trip to toss little things in as I think of them or buy them. A couple days before a trip we get the suitcases out and at that point it's mostly just clothes we need. I also write out a list of the last minute stuff to put in the day of so I don't forget anything...like the time we got to Gatlinburg without toothbrushes.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi All!

We are 12 days out from our cruise and I am more than ready to get out the suitcases. My husband, however, disagrees and thinks it's crazy to start packing this far in advance. I feel like I need to see everything laid out so we can determine what we might still need to buy and for cruising I find it a bit more stressful to pack because if you forget something you can't run to the nearest Target to pick it up! Just curious, when do you start packing??

Well, after 3 years of multiple trips (retired folks here), we pretty much pack the same things for all trips.

Originally I set up a basic packing list (that I added items to as I realized they should be on there) and I still use it to cross check myself. We also use the dining room table to stage things to pack, usually starting around 2 weeks out.
But the actual packing seems to happen just a day or two before.

 

[lklgoodman]

I'm curious, do you do the majority of the packing for the family(like costumes, door decors, for your kids)? I do all the packing for myself and my dd, plus anything for the whole family like plane snacks, totes bags, snorkeling gear, etc. My dh packs just his own stuff so he does it 30 mins before we leave, lol!! Although I said in my previous post that I do it the day before, it can take me several hours to do the actual packing. I also start planning what clothes and items we will take several weeks ahead. So although I don't actually put the stuff in the suitcases until the day ahead, I do spend several weeks planning and gathering. My dh can pack his one little suitcase in 30mins, because I do the other 3(sometimes 4), lol!!! If you do the same, that's probably why your dh thinks you don't need to start yet.

 

[deliela999]

I'm curious, do you do the majority of the packing for the family(like costumes, door decors, for your kids)? I do all the packing for myself and my dd, plus anything for the whole family like plane snacks, totes bags, snorkeling gear, etc. My dh packs just his own stuff so he does it 30 mins before we leave, lol!! Although I said in my previous post that I do it the day before, it can take me several hours to do the actual packing. I also start planning what clothes and items we will take several weeks ahead. So although I don't actually put the stuff in the suitcases until the day ahead, I do spend several weeks planning and gathering. My dh can pack his one little suitcase in 30mins, because I do the other 3(sometimes 4), lol!!! If you do the same, that's probably why your dh thinks you don't need to start yet.

We're the same way, but DH gives me crap for overpacking and taking too long. 2 years ago for WDW he took the biggest suitcase for himself...joke was on him. He had room left when I needed a place for the sparkly princess dresses. glitter everywhere

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We leave in a week and I started putting some items aside this morning. But I have been known to start doing this two weeks out. I don't actually pack but have an area where it can all go without being disturbed or getting in the way.

My wife thinks I am crazy for starting one week out; but if I know I want something along for sure on the cruise I set it aside. This way I know where it is, and it won't be with the dirty laundry and I don't discover it until the day before we leave for vacation. My wife is usually the day before (maybe two) and I have seen my her scurrying around looking for things last minute.

 

[Karin1984]

About a week before departure I put my suitcase in the corner of the living room and during the week, I throw in stuff I don't need anymore before leaving. By the end of the week the suitcase is full.
The day before leaving I check if there is anything left I need to purchase. The evening before I fold and pack everything.

Nowadays instead of making a list of everything I could bring, the day before I go through everything I put in the suitcase and look for things I can leave at home. Going through how likely it is that I need it / use it, can I buy it at my destination if I really need it? Also brought it back that I can bring only one book (I would love to be an avid reader, but I'm not, so, only 1 book to read a page or two before going to bed) .

 

[ashley0139]

Packing is part of the way I get excited about a trip, so I will usually pull out the suitcase 1-2 weeks beforehand to start throwing stuff I know I won't need before the trip in. I enjoy the list making and preparation part so it is all part of the fun.

Unpacking on the other hand...I'm still staring at a full suitcase from a trip I got back from two weeks ago. I actually need to unpack it today so that I can start packing it again.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Our season has now changed. Instead of putting away the summer clothes, I've packed the cruise clothes and put the rest away. Same with the shoes. And I like a separate set of toiletries for travelling anyway, so that's done, now. Our trip is next March.

Tell your DH he can pack the night before. You're starting now.

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

I start packing my carry on about 1 week out. Suitcase probably more like 3-5 days but that’s because our house doesn’t have a lot of room to be laying out suitcases for weeks.

I find I have A LOT of extra items I bring on a cruise that I don’t bring on a regular vacation (door magnets, nightlight for bathroom, chip clip for curtain, champagne stopper, seasickness meds, etc) so I have a list and start by packing that stuff in my carry on. At my age there’s just too much for me to remember it all without a list lol.

 

[hcox31]

I'm an organizer/packer. I pack for myself and the two kids. I lay the suitcases out about a month before. Two large hardside suitcases. Everyone gets a "section". Hubby's stays empty until a day or two before. lol. I start tossing things in as we go. Like, if I do laundry and see shorts in the laundry, I'll toss those into that persons section. About a week before I start organizing everyone's section to see what else we need. This was my bedroom floor two weeks before we left.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I start making lists as I have the chance, but honestly, suitcases upset our dogs and we cruise during the school break (I work in special education and we cruise in April) that immediately follows my busiest time of year, so I'm lucky if I've started packing 2 days before departure.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

I guess about a week or 2 before the cruise we really pack but technically we start early. We pretty much always buy new clothes for the cruise so I guess I could say we already started packing for our next cruise 9 months out.

 

[msmama]

I start putting things out (on the guest room bed) whenever I do laundry and know I won't wear it again until the cruise. I like to do a deep clean of my house before I start packing so whenever I manage that I can start packing (usually 5-10 days before).

I could do it the night before, I've become quite an efficient packer, but I like spreading it out. It makes it more fun. Plus, I like to coordinate outfits (luckily only 2 of us so it's pretty easy) and pack in a way that it's easy to UNPACK when we get on the ship.

 

[kkayluvsdis]

I start putting things out (on the guest room bed) whenever I do laundry and know I won't wear it again until the cruise. I like to do a deep clean of my house before I start packing so whenever I manage that I can start packing (usually 5-10 days before).

I could do it the night before, I've become quite an efficient packer, but I like spreading it out. It makes it more fun. Plus, I like to coordinate outfits (luckily only 2 of us so it's pretty easy) and pack in a way that it's easy to UNPACK when we get on the ship.

Yes! I am the same with the house cleaning, changing bedsheets, etc! I have a pre-trip check list that is numerous items in addition to the actual packing. It's just one of those things that always takes longer than I anticipate.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

So typically I lay things out on the guest bed as they go through the wash or I pick them up. This trip I’m relying on my husband gathering everything and bringing it downstairs for me to verify and organize because of my limited mobility (post surgery). We leave Friday so things will start coming to me today/tomorrow.

 

[kkayluvsdis]

I'm curious, do you do the majority of the packing for the family(like costumes, door decors, for your kids)? I do all the packing for myself and my dd, plus anything for the whole family like plane snacks, totes bags, snorkeling gear, etc. My dh packs just his own stuff so he does it 30 mins before we leave, lol!! Although I said in my previous post that I do it the day before, it can take me several hours to do the actual packing. I also start planning what clothes and items we will take several weeks ahead. So although I don't actually put the stuff in the suitcases until the day ahead, I do spend several weeks planning and gathering. My dh can pack his one little suitcase in 30mins, because I do the other 3(sometimes 4), lol!!! If you do the same, that's probably why your dh thinks you don't need to start yet.

Yes! I am pretty much packing for all five of us. My husband will do most of his clothing and his specific toiletries (contact lenses, saline, etc) but for the most part I pack those as well. He is great at putting it all in the car, though!

I'm an organizer/packer. I pack for myself and the two kids. I lay the suitcases out about a month before. Two large hardside suitcases. Everyone gets a "section". Hubby's stays empty until a day or two before. lol. I start tossing things in as we go. Like, if I do laundry and see shorts in the laundry, I'll toss those into that persons section. About a week before I start organizing everyone's section to see what else we need. This was my bedroom floor two weeks before we left.View attachment 447874

That's pretty much what my bedroom floor looks like too before we leave-including the kitty!!

 

[lklgoodman]

The kitty looks like it's going to jump in the suitcase, lol!!! My dd is in 6th grade. I've never heard of a school doing this, but they take all of the 6th graders camping for 2 1/2 days. My dd leaves tomorrow, I've just spent 3 hrs trying to get all she needs into the one suitcase she can take. Her hiking boots take up nearly half the suitecase!! Packing for a week cruise is easier than this 2 1/2 day trip!!!

 

[tiffyms02]

We leave Friday for our cruise and I started packing early last week. With Halloween being Thursday and having kids’ class parties/trick-or-treat, I figure I need to be mostly packed Wednesday. As others have mentioned, I have a place where I gradually add things to before I put it all in suitcases. I enjoy the process too; it’s fun when you get close enough to justify packing!