What Packing method do you use?

[needabreakcanada]

Ok I'll bite where do you buy a 2qt zip lock bag?

 

Who makes it and where can i get one in canada?

 

Txs

[spunkie4]

I haven't read this thread in it's entirety, but after 37 cruises here are my hints.

 

Having been the victim of someone's bottle of alcohol breaking and soaking my suitcase, I now line the botton of the suitcase with a plastic garbage bag. This covers the sides also. When I finish packing, another goes on top.

 

Take only half of what you plan.

 

place long pants, shorts, etc., across the case rotating top of pants , then bottom of pants for the next pair. This is sort of my version of bundling. On top of the pants I place my shirts. If possible, I leave then on my hanger covered in plastic cleaner bag. This eliminates almost all wrinkles and makes unpacking easy when arriving. If the hangers cannot fit, I still use cleaner plastic between shirts. When the shirts are added, I fold the pant legs over the shirts.

 

Underwear is placed in zip loc bags for two reasons: I can compress the air and it's easy to sort my underwear from my husbands.

 

Underwear, etc., goes on the bottom.

 

I cross pack our clothes in case one suitcase is lost.

 

Any hair products (shampoo, hair spray, mousse, etc.,) are placed in a large zip loc bag before placing in the luggage.

 

max shoes is three pair and only three if doing formal night. Otherwise, two pair of shoes each.

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

Shirley

[oo ee oo ee baby]

Ok I'll bite where do you buy a 2qt zip lock bag?

 

Who makes it and where can i get one in canada?

 

Txs

 

I buy mine online. Amazon, drugstore.com, a lot of places have them (but I've never seen them in a brick and mortar store). Just google "ziploc big bags."

[Lovefuninthesun]

I used to roll my clothes until I saw this and it works even better than rolling.

 

 

Rolling still had some smaller wrinkles in my clothes, especially if they were linen. By the way.. I don't buy linen for travel clothes anymore. I've used the method above for work travel and even my suit came out unwrinkled.

 

Rolling does work, but be careful with your fabrics. It only seems to work well on certain clothes. I wear a lot of blouses and rolling doesn't work at all for those. I pack very light now and will throw in a extra shirt or so, but as long as I have a tide pen... I have never run out of clothes. Last cruise was 9 days in Europe along with an extra 4 days in Spain, a day in Lisbon and 2 nights in Orlando before coming home. All this was done with one 25 inch hard case roller suitcase along with the wine, olive oil and souvenirs I brought home.

 

I used the method in the video on our last get-away; was able to fit a lot in bag, but it wrinkled badly, worse than rolling it up, I think.

 

I always take a bottle/can of the wrinkle-out spray -- Downey makes some, as well as other manufacturers -- I even found it in a travel size.

 

I always stuff my shoes with underwear, which saves space, too.

[sweetcurves]

Ok I'll bite where do you buy a 2qt zip lock bag?

 

Who makes it and where can i get one in canada?

 

Txs

 

Needabreak,

 

Just go to any BIG grocery store and you should be able to find the large heavy duty ziploc bags. I'm thinking a big Walmart or even the Superstore.

[PrettyHazardous]

My packing technique is

Step 1 Pack everything I want to take

Step 2 Weigh my luggage

Step 3 Remove item that I don't really need

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the luggage meets wight requirement.

My DH is a Marine who packs the night before we cruise using the roll method or whatever the military (Marine Corp) uses and never leaves a thing. Me on the other hand I use the iron, fold and pray for the best plus bring a steamer and starting pack 1 month to 2 weeks in advance method. I never forget anything either thou!

I try not to take the exact same things on every cruise so I make lists as I start packing of what I need to remember i.e. glasses case, jewelry etc. But I'm an overpacker and I have no prob with it as I like options. I'm not a wear the same thing 2-4 times kinda girl.

[pcrum]

Needabreak,

 

Just go to any BIG grocery store and you should be able to find the large heavy duty ziploc bags. I'm thinking a big Walmart or even the Superstore.

 

I know I've seen them in Super Walmart in Orlando. Not sure about where you'd get them in Canada, though. If you have Walmart, I'd try there.

[sweetcurves]

I know I've seen them in Super Walmart in Orlando. Not sure about where you'd get them in Canada, though. If you have Walmart, I'd try there.

 

*sigh* Orlando.

 

My father, step mother, and little brother live NE of Orlando. I miss them. I miss it. I miss Florida. 57 more days!

[JoeMissile]

I'm going on an 8 day cruise this Sat, here's my list in it's entirety:

• 3 short sleeved shirts
  
• 3 t-shirts
  
• 2 pair shorts
  
• 1 pair Dockers
  
• 1 dress shirt
  
• jacket
  
• 3 underwear
  
• 3 pair white socks
  
• 1 pair dress socks
  
• 1 pair dress shoes
  
• belt
  
• flip flops
  
• tie
  
• razor
  
• shave cream
  
• toothbrush
  
• hairbrush
  
• deodorant
  
• aspirin, antacid, etc in a film container
  
• ball cap
  
• swimsuit
  
• two paperbacks (Crime & Punishment, Beau Geste)
  
• camera, mini-tripod
  

We're Plat, so the wash helps a lot. As you can guess, I'm sorta low maint.

[KeithsKelly]

Maybe TMI for some of the guys on here, but how do you ladies pack your molded bras without wrecking them?

[crusinpsychRN]

I'd wear the birkenstocks and leave the runners home unless you need them for an excursion like horseback riding. I'd leave at least one dress behind. Jazz up the other 2 with accessories.

 

I put my clothes in dry cleaning bags, leave them on the hangers (don't have to fly) and hang them up as soon as luggage arrives with almost no wrinkles at all. It doesn't make sense to me but it works.

 

Stuff that takes up room is the hair dryer and hair curler. I use the over the door thingie which goes in last and organizes all kinds of stuff.

 

Unpacking takes about 5 minutes!

[crusinpsychRN]

.

 

Underwear is placed in zip loc bags for two reasons: I can compress the air and it's easy to sort my underwear from my husbands.

 

Shirley

 

Hope you know who's is who's without sorting!!!:eek::D

[Lovefuninthesun]

Maybe TMI for some of the guys on here, but how do you ladies pack your molded bras without wrecking them?

 

It IS an issue! I stuff them with underwear!

 

BTW -- speaking of underwear -- I save up old stuff to take, and then throw them away after worn, so no taking it home, and allows a little room for souvenirs!

[spunkie4]

Hope you know who's is who's without sorting!!!:eek::D

 

LOL! That did sound strange!

 

When unpacking, DH hangs the clothes or places on shelves, per my instructions. I can say - "your underwear", "my underwear", etc.

 

Shirley

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

It IS an issue! I stuff them with underwear!

 

BTW -- speaking of underwear -- I save up old stuff to take, and then throw them away after worn, so no taking it home, and allows a little room for souvenirs!

 

lol, I am the exact opposite with underwear. I buy all new underwear for the trip, wearing them at least once to make sure they fit great, before washing and packing away.

[sweetcurves]

lol, I am the exact opposite with underwear. I buy all new underwear for the trip, wearing them at least once to make sure they fit great, before washing and packing away.

 

 

I'm going to have to buy all new underwears! I'm so happy about it! Yay weight loss!

[beerman2]

Roll is our method.

 

First time cruiser= Lay everything you think you will wear, then Take 1/2 of it and Put It Away.

[CalaDragonflyLady]

Ok I'll bite where do you buy a 2qt zip lock bag?

 

Who makes it and where can i get one in canada?

 

Txs

 

What you want are the 2 GALLON zip locks......sometimes hard to find, and I have no idea about Canadian stores.....maybe google? Sometimes I give up looking locally for stuff and just buy online.

[TLC371]

Ok I'll bite where do you buy a 2qt zip lock bag?

 

Who makes it and where can i get one in canada?

 

Txs

 

Hefty makes 2.5 gallon bags, that's what we normally use when we pack. I normally get them at the grocery store, and I think I have found them at Target as well. So I would suggest to just go look at where you normally buy your plastic bags at and see if they have them! I normally find them on the bottom shelf.

 

ETA: Here's a link to Amazon's listing of the bags we use, just to show you what the box looks like! http://www.amazon.com/Hefty-Gallon-Jumbo-Storage-Freezer/dp/B000E0XX96/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1345124977&sr=8-8&keywords=Glad+2.5+gallon+bags

[mibarron]

Because of this thread....I'm doing the rolling method for the first time for my cruise next week. I've already gotten at least 1/3 of extra space, than I've had in the past. We only do carry-on luggage. I think I might have to do rolling method from now on. I never realized how much extra space it gives you! Thanks all!!