When do you pack? Curious!

[wendychloecruiser]

I fill the suitcases with what I want and he gets whatever space is leftover.

[true45]

I fill the suitcases with what I want and he gets whatever space is leftover.

 

 

That's only true in our closet [emoji57]

[Jane2357]

I pack for both my husband and my self - sigh - as DH is color challenged. I once sent him off to a golf outing with his buddies and I geranimaled his clothing. Remember Geranimals kids clothes? Match the lion tag to a lion tag and it will match! :cool: DH doesn't care if his clothes do not "match" but I've tried to convince him that I would be judged a poor wife to allow this travesty.

 

I start packing a month before the cruise - as I have several sizes to chose from - don't judge. ;) I'm a certified member of Over Packers Anonymous or OPA -- and it is my worst nightmare to need something and not have it. It doesn't help me to know that X has rolling garment hangers that they can bring into your cabin if you find the closet too small. :eek: Hey, it was one of those aft wrap sky suites known for the small closet -- don't judge :cool:

 

We leave in May for 13 nights of Alaska and living in Florida - I've been shopping the winter sales. This really will be difficult packing even for me - layers, layers and cute boots!

 

[Syrreal]

I have a standard travel packing list on my phone with the usual (phones, toiletries list, Chargers, etc) but I generally don't start packing until the weekend before. Then I separate all the kids clothes (and cut in half) then my clothes (and also cut in half) and finish packing the day before or day of with the last minute use items.

DH will pack 2 hours before we have to leave.

[ORV]

I hate to pack and so I am a last minute packer. Hubby always packs himself. Our first cruise he did not realize that as warm as it gets on a Caribbean cruise that shirt you wore all day does not work for dinner that night. He ran out of clean clothes and ended up buying T-shirts at our last 3 ports of call. I thought it was funny.

 

Live and learn!

 

But it works just fine to do it the opposite way, which is what I do with some shirts. Wear to dinner then wear in port at a later time.

[hurwitz5]

I smiled when I saw your posting because we are in the middle of packing for the January 10th cruise on the Eclipse; perhaps we'll meet at the connections party. We are flying to Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday so we are making final packing decisions this afternoon. Our clothes and toiletries are on the big bed in the guest bedroom. We pack the stuff into the suitcases the night before we fly. If we were driving to the port, I wouldn't worry much about overpacking because you don't have to deal with the 50 lb. weight limit. I don't love packing, but I do love cruising.

[YMMBug]

We try to pack during the last week. Our big thing is to pack half of our stuff in each others suitcase so that if a bag goes missing we are both ok for a few days. Medication only in our carry on, in the original containers only.

[TeaBag]

I pack for both of us. I hang freshly laundered clothes in the guest room closet and I don't pack till the day or night before. I also hate packing.

[true45]

I smiled when I saw your posting because we are in the middle of packing for the January 10th cruise on the Eclipse; perhaps we'll meet at the connections party. We are flying to Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday so we are making final packing decisions this afternoon. Our clothes and toiletries are on the big bed in the guest bedroom. We pack the stuff into the suitcases the night before we fly. If we were driving to the port, I wouldn't worry much about overpacking because you don't have to deal with the 50 lb. weight limit. I don't love packing, but I do love cruising.

 

 

Hi

Yes working on this today

See you Sunday at sail away or Monday at Connections

 

A lot harder with flying yes

It should be easy for me but not lol

Linda [emoji620]🏝

[bonedoc7]

This is making me want to start packing, only 218 days away!

[jabrown40]

At the end of summer, I planned for my March Caribbean cruise by hanging my cruise clothes in a spare closet together. My large suitcase comes with a hanging bag, that holds all shirts together nicely, no need to remove hangers. My husband has the same. When we arrive, we are able to remove the bag, and pull all of the shirts out at once, to hang in a closet. My husband keeps duplicate toiletries in smaller bottles in a hanging bag, its always ready to go. I pack my toiletry bag as I get ready at home so I won't forget what I need. I like the idea of duplicate meds also, will do this next trip. Also have a list on my phone with chargers, sunglasses, bandaids, kindles, etc.

[RubyDog08]

Everyone is responsible for their own packing (although I prepare the overnight things for pre-cruise) & we finished last night. We're on the same cruise, so we will see you Sunday! :)

[fleckle]

Cross packing has never helped us when checking 2 bags because either both checked bags show up, or neither one does.

 

All necessities always go in our carry-ons.

 

After all these years of traveling, we pretty well know what we really need to pack and what is superfluous.

As for when we pack, usually last minute or close to it.

We each pack our own stuff. That way there is no one else to blame if something is forgotten or turns out not to be what you really want.

 

Everyone in our family has a different method of packing and it is useless to try to convince anyone else that my packing method is better than yours. ;)

We have each picked up packing tips from others along the way, tried them out, kept some but discarded most.

The best packing method is whatever works for you.

 

[Moonlitherial]

My husband packs his own clothes (I do have veto power) but I manage the chargers, medications, itineraries, toiletries etc. Our next cruise is in March and I've already got several outfits in the guest room closet. I'll continue to add and subtract from that as time goes past and we nail down what excursions we're doing and will actually pack most of the items into suitcases the week before. Final checklists the night before and we're off!

 

PS: There is nothing wrong with overpacking if you're willing to cart/carry it yourself when necessary :)

[Elusive_Cruiser]

We travel in 40'ish sleeps. Today I pulled out the new luggage and programmed the built in TSA locks. One can never do this too soon!

 

I will bring the luggage up to one of the guest rooms around 3 weeks from traveling and start to lay out the clothes... trying them on and deciding what needs to be purchased in Ft. Lauderdale during our pre-cruise day shop :)

 

Two days before travel, DH will grab what he wants packed. I will attempt to talk him out of much of his formal and dinner wear (Seriously, who needs two complete suits and two sports coats on a 11 day cruise?). I usually lose (I was taught to pick my battles!!). Night before leaving, we cross pack. Just in case.!!

 

Morning of departure, everything I touch gets put into the suitcase!

[Cruising Princess]

I have a dedicated "cruise closet" where I hang all of our cruise clothes. I purchased 12x10 cubes that I fill with smaller items (undies, socks, etc) and another with snorkel gear, store on top shelf of closet. I also purchased a hanging shoe organizer to store my flip flops and heels.

Only issue now is after 46 cruises I have a lot of gowns and DH custom tux that won't get much to any use With formal nights nixed.

I also make tons of lists and have packing lists on excel with different versions for Caribbean, Europe, etc.

I always cross pack

Pull stuff out and leave on guest bed

But best newest technique I use is leaving everything on hangers when I pack. It reduces the unpacking by over an hour. Yes I also overpack!

I use white plastic hangers and the cheap clippers ones (from walmarts, knolls, etc). I find things also aren't so wrinkled.

[bigbenboys]

Normally we pack the night before. We pack jeans, shirts, polo's, shorts, t-shirts and a swim suit. I'm packing 2 pairs of shoes. Tennis shoes and sandals. I wearing my boat shoes.

[true45]

I have a dedicated "cruise closet" where I hang all of our cruise clothes. I purchased 12x10 cubes that I fill with smaller items (undies, socks, etc) and another with snorkel gear, store on top shelf of closet. I also purchased a hanging shoe organizer to store my flip flops and heels.

 

Only issue now is after 46 cruises I have a lot of gowns and DH custom tux that won't get much to any use With formal nights nixed.

 

I also make tons of lists and have packing lists on excel with different versions for Caribbean, Europe, etc.

 

I always cross pack

 

Pull stuff out and leave on guest bed

 

But best newest technique I use is leaving everything on hangers when I pack. It reduces the unpacking by over an hour. Yes I also overpack!

 

I use white plastic hangers and the cheap clippers ones (from walmarts, knolls, etc). I find things also aren't so wrinkled.

 

 

Do you wrap the hangers in anything? I'm afraid they will make marks in the other clothes.

[ehfl]

I pack the morning of the cruise, then head to the ship.

[iancal]

Some time ago we got into the habit of checking what we packed when we returned home. We did it with an eye to reducing the amount of items we took.

 

Each time we unpacked we came across items that we either did not wear or wore only once. We took note not to include them next time. Doing this after several trips made us realize that we packed far too much. Extra shoes were the first to go.

 

We changed our approach to shopping. Now, when we shop for clothes a key consideration is often how will it travel, can we wear it multiple times, how does it wash, etc.

 

We always travelled with the you pack it you carry it attitude and this helped. Now that we travel more often we think that less is actually more. So our approach is that every item has to 'earn' its way into ours respective bags by virtue of it's utility to us on our trip. Our trips are usually longer and a cruise is typically an add on to a land trip. Plus, we have to fly to get to any port.

 

So now we are doing carry on only. It is ideal for us. We can physically handle it up and down stairs, don't have to check it and be concerned about it going missing. This is not for everyone however the more we travel the more we appreciate the freedom and the less we tend to even consider packing.

Edited January 4, 2016 by iancal

[luvscruising2007]

We have a rolling hang up bar that I already have in the spare room with potential cruise clothes. As we get closer to our cruise, about 3 months away, I will add to and remove items.

I will put the summery clothes on a table so that they are there when I finally start to pack.

We take one hanging garment bag and 2 large rolling duffles. Yes, I am an overpacker. But we drive to port, so it is not a problem.

I pack for both of us and then DH double checks to make sure I haven't forgotten. Items are put in the suitcases the night before we leave.

Think I will work on this today.

[Going Coastal]

We put things in a staging area because we cross pack.

Total time from closet to bags is about an hour, but this may be spread over a couple of days. We pack the same categories each time so it is pretty quick.

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

[NMLady]

The day I book a cruise I start the packing list, teaking it as time passes.

About three days befor the cruise I start putting things in the suitcases. I pack my husband's clothes. In the 27 years we've been married he has never done any packing -- doesn't even tell me which clothes he wants. :eek:

The day before I put in the last items, except for toiletries etc we'll use that night or in the morning. The morning of departure I add those items.

[iancal]

I cannot even imagine DW packing for me. Folding once in a while, packing never.

Edited January 4, 2016 by iancal

[goneclear]

My Wife gets the suitcases out about a week before we fly out. (We always have to fly to meet a cruise)

She starts packing a couple things a day a week before. She may put a couple outfits out a little before that.

I pack the night before I leave. We always fly out at least 4 days to a week before our cruise so I shop along the way. Usually leave home very light.