Can someone explain to me the dark art of women packing?

[wales4ever]

But only if you have a few hours spare to explain it to me......:confused:

 

We leave for our cruise on Wednesday afternoon.

 

I will be getting my case down from on top of the wardrobe on Wednesday morning and packing (tidily) in less than 1 hour. Everything will be clean, packed well and everything I will be taking I will wear on the couple of nights pre cruise and the 2 week cruise.

 

The missus started last week with a ream of A4 paper filled with items she hopes to take... Today - Sunday she has been upstairs for around 6 hours packing??? She still has all day tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday morning to go yet. I tried to explain she could take 23k not 23 ton but it fell on deaf ears.

[cruise kitty]

But only if you have a few hours spare to explain it to me......:confused:

 

We leave for our cruise on Wednesday afternoon.

 

I will be getting my case down from on top of the wardrobe on Wednesday morning and packing (tidily) in less than 1 hour. Everything will be clean, packed well and everything I will be taking I will wear on the couple of nights pre cruise and the 2 week cruise.

 

The missus started last week with a ream of A4 paper filled with items she hopes to take... Today - Sunday she has been upstairs for around 6 hours packing??? She still has all day tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday morning to go yet. I tried to explain she could take 23k not 23 ton but it fell on deaf ears.

 

Hmm, I'm both with you, & not at the same time :)

 

I take about a total of 13 kilo, divided up between a carry on, & a small duffle, so I'm a light packer, but it will literally take me three or four weekends to pack it :) When you're living out of a carry on for 3 or 4 weeks you really need to scrutinize every item. :)

 

I pack for my DH too, same way.

 

We have an agreement, as long as neither of us makes the other their pack mule, we can take what we wish. This, (& 5 flights of stairs in the underground) has resulting in packing lighter every time.

 

Good luck, & have a great cruise :D

[helen haywood]

Just keep in mind that if you are flying (no, not airline weight limits, surely you know about those) that its a good idea to cross pack. Meaning put some of your clothes in her bag and vice versa. That way if one of your bags goes astray you will both have some clothes.

[lisiamc]

We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you. :D

[DirtyDawg]

"Can someone explain to me the dark art of women packing?"

 

Do you really want to know?

 

Think very carefully before you answer that.....

 

In Raiders of the Lost Ark those nasty bad guys really wanted to find out what was inside the Ark of the Covenant and look what happened to them.:eek:

 

Some mysteries should remain mysteries.;)

[attilamom1217]

But only if you have a few hours spare to explain it to me......:confused:

 

We leave for our cruise on Wednesday afternoon.

 

I will be getting my case down from on top of the wardrobe on Wednesday morning and packing (tidily) in less than 1 hour. Everything will be clean, packed well and everything I will be taking I will wear on the couple of nights pre cruise and the 2 week cruise.

 

The missus started last week with a ream of A4 paper filled with items she hopes to take... Today - Sunday she has been upstairs for around 6 hours packing??? She still has all day tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday morning to go yet. I tried to explain she could take 23k not 23 ton but it fell on deaf ears.

 

and the problem is?????? ;)

 

I'm not as bad as your DW, but I do overpack. Mostly because I'm afraid I won't have enough. 7 nights equals 10 tops (some for day time; some for evening); capri pants (at least 4-5 pairs); shorts; two gym outfits, 2 bathing suits, light jacket, couple of sweaters, bathing suit coverup; something to sleep in, formal wear... Not to mention my own toiletries, camera, ipod, kindle; chargers for ipod, phone, camera and kindle. Plus makeup, brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, bandaids, seabands, OTC medicines - just in case - plus prescription stuff; Then, of course, there are the shoes!!!!! Getting them down to six pairs :eek::eek:.

 

Thinking about each item takes time - mix and match - making sure every top matches every bottom! And finally, of course, reviewing packed to ensure I didn't forget anything.

 

DH packs day before in a couple of hours - done!

Edited November 16, 2014 by attilamom1217

[sperkins921]

and the problem is?????? ;)

 

I'm not as bad as your DW, but I do overpack. Mostly because I'm afraid I won't have enough. 7 nights equals 10 tops (some for day time; some for evening); capri pants (at least 4-5 pairs); shorts; two gym outfits, 2 bathing suits, light jacket, couple of sweaters, bathing suit coverup; something to sleep in, formal wear... Not to mention my own toiletries, camera, ipod, kindle; chargers for ipod, phone, camera and kindle. Plus makeup, brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, bandaids, seabands, OTC medicines - just in case - plus prescription stuff; Then, of course, there are the shoes!!!!! Getting them down to six pairs :eek::eek:.

 

Thinking about each item takes time - mix and match - making sure every top matches every bottom! And finally, of course, reviewing packed to ensure I didn't forget anything.

 

DH packs day before in a couple of hours - done!

 

Basically the same here. DH is the same as yours. Only he inevitibly forgets something that can't be picked up at CVS/Walgreens on the way to the port ;)

 

One year, it was his dress shoes. Another time, his dress socks (and he wears sandals on vacation- so that meant he had NO socks *sigh*). I can say as a woman, I've never forgotten anything I couldn't either live without for a week or two; or replace at the drugstore on the way to the ship.

 

There is method to our madness.

[catsdinner]

Well, it depends on what kind of box or suitcase you are putting the woman in :D

[royalcruz]

This has to be the funniest thread I've read in a long time.

DH has proclaimed that he will stand on top of the wardrobe and throw his clothes....whatever lands in the case is going with us!:D

Edited November 16, 2014 by royalcruz

[dkjretired]

"Can someone explain to me the dark art of women packing?"

 

Do you really want to know?

 

Think very carefully before you answer that.....

 

In Raiders of the Lost Ark those nasty bad guys really wanted to find out what was inside the Ark of the Covenant and look what happened to them.:eek:

 

Some mysteries should remain mysteries.;)

 

There is nothing on this earth that can explain the dark art of woman packing. We go to our daughters in NJ for one night and she brings three bags, two for her and one for the dog, she brings more stuff for the dog than I do. I bring a gym bag and it is usually not me that forgets something.

Edited November 16, 2014 by dkjretired

[pcur]

But only if you have a few hours spare to explain it to me......:confused:

 

We leave for our cruise on Wednesday afternoon.

 

I will be getting my case down from on top of the wardrobe on Wednesday morning and packing (tidily) in less than 1 hour. Everything will be clean, packed well and everything I will be taking I will wear on the couple of nights pre cruise and the 2 week cruise.

 

The missus started last week with a ream of A4 paper filled with items she hopes to take... Today - Sunday she has been upstairs for around 6 hours packing??? She still has all day tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday morning to go yet. I tried to explain she could take 23k not 23 ton but it fell on deaf ears.

 

Just think of it as an extension of a woman's inbred gathering instinct. Very fulfilling........................not quite as good as shopping, but close. :D

 

The way I keep my husband's snarky comments at a minimum is I stage my clothes a very long time before I pack. Tweaking the clothes is part of the endorphine release. Then, I pack in a few hours the day before. For both of us. He is hopeless when it comes to packing.

Edited November 16, 2014 by pcur

[81Zoomie]

My DH has friends who only take carryons all over the world. I haven't succeeded with that yet. I try not to overpack, but always seem to end up with clothes I do not wear. I usually try to sort clothes the week before and then start removing what appears to be excess. But, I confess, more times than not, I am up late the night prior packing...

[babyher]

"Can someone explain to me the dark art of women packing?"

 

Do you really want to know?

 

Think very carefully before you answer that.....

 

In Raiders of the Lost Ark those nasty bad guys really wanted to find out what was inside the Ark of the Covenant and look what happened to them.:eek:

 

Some mysteries should remain mysteries.;)

 

 

 

 

Could not agree more . When it comes to a lot of what my DW does I just mind my business and don't ask.

 

Never ask a question unless you are damn sure you can handle the answer. *LOL*

[gkm]

My DH forgot his trousers on a 6 week cruise in South America and Antarctica. He wore jeans on the flight and had at least packed his black suit (with the pants), so he had a decent pair of trousers to wear at night. He spent the better part of the first leg of the cruise shopping in every port looking for pants but didn't find anything he could wear. The laundry was his friend and he often was sending one pair of the other for same day laundry service. I don't think that'll ever happen again. I remind him before every cruise now. :D :D :D

 

Garry

[Negrilgirl]

We have to have an outfit for our many moods. And we never know what mood we will be in- so we have to take lots of outfits with us!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Lsimon]

This could very well be the most dangerous thread any married man could ever respond to.

 

I'll play it safe with my answer: Go with the flow, relax, and have a great cruise.

[Cruise Junky]

This could very well be the most dangerous thread any married man could ever respond to.

 

I'll play it safe with my answer: Go with the flow, relax, and have a great cruise.

 

Smart man...it's a trap, don't respond ;)

[Kirsten T]

Of course, there are the many dissertations on "Man the Hunter vs. Woman the Gatherer" that might begin to scratch the surface... but that's so clinical and boring. I like DirtyDawg's Raiders of the Lost Ark comparison so much better. :)

 

As a card-carrying woman, I can assure you gents that not all women pack this way. Yes, I have a 1-page checklist with stuff I want to bring, but it's a short enough list to pack in a couple of hours. What makes this possible - and it was not always so - was the mantra I acquired around age 50 that now makes travel much less stressful:

 

I will probably never see these people again.

 

This means:

I CAN wear the same dress pants 7 nights in a row.

I CAN wear the same formal outfit both formal nights.

I CAN bring only my worst undies and throw them away instead of bringing them back home (thus creating space for - yay! Shopping.)

 

Appearing neat and clean is important, but I can do that with a 22" roller bag. This rocks for many reasons.

 

In defence of over-packers, however, it may be that the process of gathering the vacation stuff together is an important part of the pleasure of vacationing. See? We're back to the Hunter-Gatherer thing after all. While she's searching for the magnets, Post-It notes and duct tape, go cook your woman a steak and everyone will be happy!

 

Cheers,

Kirsten

[Wastegirl]

I can tell you why it takes women weeks and men one hour. Simple my DH removes from his wardrobe everything I had washed, ironed and chosen as suitable for cruising. He does not plan a thing, just knows his formal wear is in that spot in the wardrobe, his Tommy Bahama shirts are hanging in another spot, his shorts in the drawer and his undies all lined up next to his socks. All matched correctly and ready to pack.

 

It is not the packing that takes time, it is preparation for packing and men seem to have a blind spot and think elves look after their clothes.

 

This does not include me making sure my DH has enough clothes in the first place and purchasing replacements as required pre cruise.

[DirtyDawg]

I can tell you why it takes women weeks and men one hour. Simple my DH removes from his wardrobe everything I had washed, ironed and chosen as suitable for cruising. He does not plan a thing, just knows his formal wear is in that spot in the wardrobe, his Tommy Bahama shirts are hanging in another spot, his shorts in the drawer and his undies all lined up next to his socks. All matched correctly and ready to pack.

 

It is not the packing that takes time, it is preparation for packing and men seem to have a blind spot and think elves look after their clothes.

 

This does not include me making sure my DH has enough clothes in the first place and purchasing replacements as required pre cruise.

 

Funny, I buy, wash, iron and fold all my own clothes and I still pack less than an hour. As for my DW, she takes longer. Do I say anything - not on your life!:eek: Sorry, not on MY life!:D

 

As I said some mysteries should remain mysteries.

Edited November 17, 2014 by DirtyDawg

[SPacificbound]

The male and female psyche are not the same. You can't change it so accept that you are different and you'll both be happy. :)

[Ma Bell]

To each his own. Does it really matter how much someone brings? The real mystery to me is why it seems to be such a big deal for some people.

[babyher]

Funny, I buy, wash, iron and fold all my own clothes and I still pack less than an hour. As for my DW, she takes longer. Do I say anything - not on your life!:eek: Sorry, not on MY life!:D

 

As I said some mysteries should remain mysteries.

 

 

 

 

Same here

 

I was single for a good many years between my 1st and 2nd marriages , and before that no one would ever confuse my first wife with a home maker . I cook , clean , do laundry etc for myself and my 2 kids . And have to say I am pretty good at it.

 

Not every husband is some dope that would eat cold beans out of a can , put a diaper on a baby upside down , and wear dirty clothes that don't match if their wives took a day off

[blindrid]

But only if you have a few hours spare to explain it to me......:confused:

 

We leave for our cruise on Wednesday afternoon.

 

I will be getting my case down from on top of the wardrobe on Wednesday morning and packing (tidily) in less than 1 hour. Everything will be clean, packed well and everything I will be taking I will wear on the couple of nights pre cruise and the 2 week cruise.

 

The missus started last week with a ream of A4 paper filled with items she hopes to take... Today - Sunday she has been upstairs for around 6 hours packing??? She still has all day tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday morning to go yet. I tried to explain she could take 23k not 23 ton but it fell on deaf ears.

 

If you need to ask, you haven't been married long enough or not enough cruise. ;)

[geocruiser]

This is why I plan what I am taking and packing. In my day to day life I don't wear dressy cloths. Going on a cruise is like living in a fairy tale for me. No cooking or cleaning. All I have to worry about is what I will wear. I want my outfits to look nice with matching accessories. So, this is where the planning comes in. I go through my closet and take the best with me. When I pack for me it is one of the only times I can think about me. I makes me look forward to our cruise.

 

PS

I also pack for my husband.