Ladies HELP

[SoloAlaska]

23 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

That's very much like the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method.  It works.  

Exactly I’m a huge fan of it. As long as everything coordinates there are so many options.

[SoloAlaska]

21 minutes ago, Harry Lake said:

I could be gone for the rest off my life with a fraction of that. Whew.

You can go with a lot less but I think it’s a happy middle ground that most people can embrace. I wish I could do the personal item only trip but it doesn’t work for me.

[shipgeeks]

I have to take exception with those who say "No one notices what you are wearing".  I sure do! 

It might be to think "That's great how she combined X with Y; I'll have to try that", or "That dress is perfect here", or just enjoying the scene.  I would not look down on someone who wore the same thing for all 12 nights, or chose to wear things that I wouldn't, but overall, I really enjoy the whole visual.

More variety than any fashion magazine.

[Mum2Mercury]

13 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

You can go with a lot less but I think it’s a happy middle ground that most people can embrace. I wish I could do the personal item only trip but it doesn’t work for me.

Well, the 5-4-3-2-1 method means you're bringing 15 items of clothing.  It'd be hard to pack for a week with "a lot less".  

[SoloAlaska]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Well, the 5-4-3-2-1 method means you're bringing 15 items of clothing.  It'd be hard to pack for a week with "a lot less".  

I’ve had friends travel with 5 items packed. It’s like the 100 days of wearing the same dress challenge. You don’t “need” much. As I said I can’t do it personally especially since those ultralight wardrobes usually feature wool fabrics to which I am very allergic.

[Mum2Mercury]

1 minute ago, SoloAlaska said:

I’ve had friends travel with 5 items packed. It’s like the 100 days of wearing the same dress challenge. You don’t “need” much. As I said I can’t do it personally especially since those ultralight wardrobes usually feature wool fabrics to which I am very allergic.

Yeah, I don't think I could do with five items. 

I, too, am very allergic to wool.  

[Keksie]

11 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

I’ve had friends travel with 5 items packed. It’s like the 100 days of wearing the same dress challenge. You don’t “need” much. As I said I can’t do it personally especially since those ultralight wardrobes usually feature wool fabrics to which I am very allergic.

I may not need as much but on a vacation where I want to have fun and enjoy myself I want a lot.  Lol

[SoloAlaska]

54 minutes ago, Keksie said:

I may not need as much but on a vacation where I want to have fun and enjoy myself I want a lot.  Lol

Exactly me too. I like getting changed before dinner most evenings. For me that’s 25 items including shoes, accessories, and outerwear and I’ve got tons of options. I’m going on a 16 days cruise in just over 2 weeks. However I am sure as I’m packing a few extra items will make it into my bag 🤦🏼‍♀️. I’ll try to remember to take a photo of every outfit and make a collage of my one suitcase wardrobe.

[simplelife]

Once you accept the fact that nobody really cares (and probably won't even notice) that you rewear a top, or pants, or a pair of shoes, it's a lot easier to scale down what you bring.😊

[Canukvic]

I think those of us in North America do a lot of laundry and wash clothes frequently because we can. We all have washer and dryers. We have gotten the notion that things must be washed after a couple of wearings. People in other countries don’t have our machinery, so they don’t wash stuff as often. 

[islandgirlejfan]

I'm a light packer.  My lightest was just last year when we went to Europe-23 days in a Delsey under seat bag and a backpack from Amazon.  Our trip was a combination land and 7 days cruise trip.....7 airports in total!   When I pulled my bags up a cobblestone area in Santorini, I was more sold than ever about keeping it light!  When our flight was canceled to the UK for our trip home in Spain, we walked right off the plane with everything we owned.  Most of my clothing was in the underseat bag...the backpack had our harder items in it. 

The way I select my clothing is that I stay with neutral colors.  I have a black pair of knit slacks that are for chic nights, a dress from Goddess on the Go that has two toppers that will it change up and no, you would never know it was the same dress.  You can keep it light with bottoms and go a little more overboard with tops pairing little light covers over tops or dresses.  I have Columbia travel shorts that are very light and ExOfficio undies that can be washed out in the basin.  I take one bathing suit and coverup.  Most of my items are dressed up with scarves, jewelry and so forth.  I bought a pair of Solely Jane shoes that have interchangeable tops without adding more shoes, however I also pack flip flops, sandals or flats and I wear my tennis shoes or orthopedic shoes.  Poshmark has been one of my best friends....I get all sorts of neat things there!

Speaking for myself, my stress level has went down considerably with taking less.  The biggest reason is we clean out our bags as soon as we return home, put our hard items away such as tablets, chargers, make up, toiletries away and put the clothing in the laundry room.  When I was a heavy packer (and I really was!) everything had to be washed and put away.  It took days for us to reorganize.  Now, I wash at the most 25 to 30 items of my own and the same for my husband.  There is less to have to worry about leaving behind and I don't have to stress over packing the bag.  There are many great videos on YouTube on how to pack.  Everyone has their thing but since we downsized our lives, it's become very easy to just not stress over what I'm going to wear on a cruise any longer.  
 

40 minutes ago, Canukvic said:

I think those of us in North America do a lot of laundry and wash clothes frequently because we can. We all have washer and dryers. We have gotten the notion that things must be washed after a couple of wearings. People in other countries don’t have our machinery, so they don’t wash stuff as often. 

This is SOOOOO true!  My English friend Sadie used to tell me that Americans wash the life out of their clothing.  I have to admit though that I have a tendency to spill things on me, so they hit the washer normally.  At work, I have a bottle of Dawn at my desk.  It pretty much will solve anything!  I always take a little with me to wash out my *accidents*! =P

[SoloAlaska]

54 minutes ago, islandgirlejfan said:

I'm a light packer.  My lightest was just last year when we went to Europe-23 days in a Delsey under seat bag and a backpack from Amazon.  Our trip was a combination land and 7 days cruise trip.....7 airports in total!   When I pulled my bags up a cobblestone area in Santorini, I was more sold than ever about keeping it light!  When our flight was canceled to the UK for our trip home in Spain, we walked right off the plane with everything we owned.  Most of my clothing was in the underseat bag...the backpack had our harder items in it. 

The way I select my clothing is that I stay with neutral colors.  I have a black pair of knit slacks that are for chic nights, a dress from Goddess on the Go that has two toppers that will it change up and no, you would never know it was the same dress.  You can keep it light with bottoms and go a little more overboard with tops pairing little light covers over tops or dresses.  I have Columbia travel shorts that are very light and ExOfficio undies that can be washed out in the basin.  I take one bathing suit and coverup.  Most of my items are dressed up with scarves, jewelry and so forth.  I bought a pair of Solely Jane shoes that have interchangeable tops without adding more shoes, however I also pack flip flops, sandals or flats and I wear my tennis shoes or orthopedic shoes.  Poshmark has been one of my best friends....I get all sorts of neat things there!

Speaking for myself, my stress level has went down considerably with taking less.  The biggest reason is we clean out our bags as soon as we return home, put our hard items away such as tablets, chargers, make up, toiletries away and put the clothing in the laundry room.  When I was a heavy packer (and I really was!) everything had to be washed and put away.  It took days for us to reorganize.  Now, I wash at the most 25 to 30 items of my own and the same for my husband.  There is less to have to worry about leaving behind and I don't have to stress over packing the bag.  There are many great videos on YouTube on how to pack.  Everyone has their thing but since we downsized our lives, it's become very easy to just not stress over what I'm going to wear on a cruise any longer.  
 

This is SOOOOO true!  My English friend Sadie used to tell me that Americans wash the life out of their clothing.  I have to admit though that I have a tendency to spill things on me, so they hit the washer normally.  At work, I have a bottle of Dawn at my desk.  It pretty much will solve anything!  I always take a little with me to wash out my *accidents*! =P

When I was in high school I worked at a store that sold exoficcio and the sales pitch was that you can wear them for 7 days before needing to wash them. I can’t remember what made them special but I have Capilene underwear from Patagonia and they have an anti odour technology that mechanically kills bacteria that is amazing. I literally have worn my workout tank two days in a row and you would never have known.

 

An old upholsterer once taught me baby wipes were the solution to everything, I love all those old school secrets.

[Kristelle]

1 hour ago, islandgirlejfan said:

When I was a heavy packer (and I really was!) everything had to be washed and put away

 

 

When  I get home from a holiday, anything in my suitcase that has not been worn (or has been washed on the trip and re packed) doesn't get washed again when I get home, it just gets put straight away, a job which takes me  5 minutes.

Any worn clothing in the wash bag gets tipped into laundry hamper to do next washing day.

 

I get that some people enjoy travelling light   - I am not one of them.

 

 I have a luggage allowance  (1 suitcase, not 4!!)  so  I use it and enjoy wearing different clothes on different days/activities.

[LarsenPNP]

I just did a mock packing for a South America / round Cape Horn cruise, which will have warm and cool day needs, and I fit everything into the Nomad Lane Bento Bag (under the airplane seat/personal item) and a Delsey 19" International Carry-on Spinner.

 

I wear a US size 12, I have way more than 5-4-3-2-1. The key I found was to think in terms of weight.  For example, 3 silk tops might equal the weight of one cotton button up. I'll happily take 3 over 1 🙂 . Merino is warm and lightweight for a sweater, and I choose these as my warm layer vs. say, an Irish Fisherman's knit. So it's about not only amount you bring, but the weight of those items.

 

That's not to say I won't allow myself an indulgence if I have the room. This trip its an oversized cuddly sweater. I'll be the one curled up in the Crow's Nest on HAL with my double espresso and biscotti. Yummm....

[crystalspin]

On 9/15/2023 at 10:03 AM, nannaBcruisin said:

How do you condense? How much of what do you bring? I’ve seen women with only one carry on please tell me how you do it. 

I had a long answer written but the computer re-started and the editor reset. 😞

 

Here is the entire outer clothing I took on my 26-day TransAtlantic/Mediterranean cruise in 2015:

 

 

I did also pack a swimsuit (never used, and no longer bring) and a couple printed scarves in "my" colors. A couple light nighties and the requisite undies and socks. I did all laundry in the sink! (I had an awful fear of hot-wash-hot-dry ruining everything!) The Personal Item contained toiletries/medical, electronics, and knitting in a hobo-bag to be carried around the ship!

 

I guess if you look at the illustration, this could be seen as a "capsule wardrobe"... but with a dearth of neutrals! To my way of thinking, coral and teal DO go together! 

 

Since 2015, we have flown on a couple VERY LOW WEIGHT allowance international airlines. I got to thinking (like @LarsenPNP emphasized) in terms of weight, to the point that I replaced our heavy generic Chinese packing cubes from eBay with incredibly lightweight but strong ones from Eagle Creek. I weighed EVERYTHING on my kitchen/utility scale! 

 

Sadly, the above is my only visually captured cruise wardrobe I have; the website with the "paper doll" depictions disappeared one day. Subsequently I have relied on "spreadsheet" tables with columns for our two carry-ons and two Personal Items, and sub-columns for weights if necessary.

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by crystalspin

[crystalspin]

On 9/15/2023 at 10:03 AM, nannaBcruisin said:

...How do you condense? How much of what do you bring? I’ve seen women with only one carry on please tell me how you do it. 

Hi again Nanna! I realized I hadn't really answered your questions. 

-- How do you condense? 

1. Not all at once. In 2001, we were still using two 29" hard-shell Samsonite pullmans AND carry-on suitcases. We got off the plane in Dublin (not a cruise), and our checked bags did NOT. On the walk to the hotel, I realized that (due to my compulsive cross-packing), we would be OK for two weeks with just the carry-ons! 

2. So if you really do have four suitcases, try to make it with three, then two. Consider it a challenge and not deprivation. If your trip is to different climates, OR full of activities/ports, make a list of outfits for each. Pack from the list!

3. When shopping for new (or eBay!) clothes, shop like a traveller. Example: I have very few leggings left in my closet that noticably bag at the knees, even worn multiple times. @LarsenPNP made the point with tops. Cotton, in general is bulky and does not travel very well. 

 

-- How much of what do you bring?

1. 4 bottoms (at this point in my life, all pocket-leggings!), 8 tops (mostly rayon tunics), 4 over-layers being three of different 'warmths' and a raincoat or all-weather jacket. 8 undies, 8 pairs socks, 3 bras, 2 nighties. Cross-trainer type sneakers, slip-on shoes for around the ship, and all-black "formal" flip-flops for dinner. For cruises only: a fifth very skinny shiny legging and a sparkly (or other fancy) tank top plus a shawl or filmy coverup.

2. This includes what I am wearing to travel and board.

3. I pack for my husband by the same formula. His pants are all nylon cargo pants, and his shirts also nylon. His "topper" layers are probably a baseball or leather jacket and a "grandpa" cardigan, plus the foul-weather coat. Same underclothes but travel T-shirts not bras! Two pair of boat-shoes or loafers, one being black. For dressy dinners, a guayabera or black nylon shirt, maybe both.

4. We plan to rewear clothes that are not soiled, rinse smalls out in the sink with the bodywash, and/or use ship's laundry. Substitute hotel laundry for non-cruise travel.

5, We are not small people, but the above fits in 22" rollaboards. Which I still cross-pack in case of the unpredictable! 

 

-- please tell me how you do it. 

1. As I hinted above, in baby steps! 

2. Be realistic with your own personality, but challenge yourself, too. Four bottoms & eight tops is over a week of outfits if each bottom only goes with two tops; if some tops go with more than one bottom,-- more options! 

3. Don't go too far! We once packed in 14-inch "suitcases" with no second pair of shoes. The heel fell off my boot on the ramp off the plane at destination! Bizarrely it happened again on the way to Alaska, but I did have a second pair of shoes (not boots) that I got to wear every day of the cruise and 14-days on the ground!

 

I have more stories, but this post is plenty long already!

[LarsenPNP]

I thought of one more piece of advice:

Pack clothes in YOUR style.  You might read in various places that you need specific travel clothes or gear. If you wouldn't wear it at home, you certainly won't be gravitating toward it while traveling (or if you do, you just don't feel comfortable in it). The last thing you want when traveling is to be adjusting/tugging/feeling self-conscious about your outfit. If you wear neutrals at home, pack those. If you are into brights, pack those. Pack what makes you feel good.

[Canukvic]

On 11/19/2023 at 6:51 PM, LarsenPNP said:

-1. The key I found was to think in terms of weight.  For example, 3 silk tops might equal the weight of one cotton button up. I'll happily take 3 over 1 🙂 . Merino

This is brilliant. I never thought of weighing each top. I’ll target my shopping this way now.

[SoloAlaska]

I use to have an ultralight friend who cut off all the labels in his clothes and gear to lighten his weight.

 

@LarsenPNP I’m using you as an excuse to buy some new silk fabric in Italy next week. I can’t wear any wool but for warm layers a down sweater with 750+ fill can also be really light and extremely compact for its warmth.

[LarsenPNP]

1 hour ago, SoloAlaska said:

I use to have an ultralight friend who cut off all the labels in his clothes and gear to lighten his weight.

 

@LarsenPNP I’m using you as an excuse to buy some new silk fabric in Italy next week. I can’t wear any wool but for warm layers a down sweater with 750+ fill can also be really light and extremely compact for its warmth.

Of course I'll serve as your excuse! But as far as I am concerned, you NEVER need an excuse for shopping in Italy. Safe travels!!

[SoloAlaska]

16 hours ago, LarsenPNP said:

Of course I'll serve as your excuse! But as far as I am concerned, you NEVER need an excuse for shopping in Italy. Safe travels!!

Everything was going to fit just right in my carry on… but then where would I put my shopping. My medium suitcase is awaiting repair/replacement so my big pelican case will make the trip. It’s got lots of extra space, unique looking which means no one will grab it by accident, protects things within very well, and great on cobblestone. So I can buy all the fabric and glass Christmas ornaments I want.

[shipgeeks]

I, too, have realized that bulk makes a lot of difference.  We do not have AC at home, so any time I'm in a place that has it, I'm really cold.  That means cruise ship public spaces.  So I pack only garments with sleeves (preferably long) for dining rooms, theater, etc., but I've found that they can be very light as long as there are sleeves and not too low around the neck.

I do not do cardigans, shawls, or ponchos, but a silky or jersey top keeps me comfortable.

[LkGcruiser]

Of course when it comes to the weight of clothes summer/warm weather clothes are generally lighter weight. For other seasons I use the layering principle, usually a lightweight marino wool pullover sweater and one or two dressy very light silky jacket for evenings that I can mix/match with different tops and pants. 

[LkGcruiser]

I’ve gotten better with packing light for clothes and shoes, however, my question to all our ladies out there is how do you master the 3-1-1 rule for toiletries, makeup and hair products? That’s always been my downfall. 

[crystalspin]

8 hours ago, LkGcruiser said:

how do you master the 3-1-1 rule for toiletries, makeup and hair products?

Hi Kathy!

Here are some points I have come up with over many land-based/airplane-reached travels.

(1) Nothing that is not liquid or paste goes in the 1-qt zippy bag. Nothing. This means splitting your toothbrush from toothpaste, comb from styling gel, etc. The non-liquids can go in another zippy, possibly a gallon one, OR in a pre-2001 hanging toiletry bag or Dopp kit!

(2) Just because the rule allows 3oz of a product, doesn't mean you NEED that much. I have 3, 2, and 1oz GoToobs (or another brand IDK). I have the smaller size GoTubs for things I need even tinier amounts (I did buy the larger GoTubs but they do not fit well in the qt-zippy. We use them for our nightguards and as a small soap box, in the Dry Bag.)

(3) If you travel with a significant other, divide the non-personal things like bug-dope (Repel comes in a magic-marker sized tube!) and mineral-based sunscreen between the two zippies. 

(4) Makeup. One smaller lipstick in the zippy (it might slip by in the Dry Bag, but I don't risk it). Everything else dry. I'm going to try one of the swirly powder foundations that keep popping up on my FB feed!

(5) Hair. I have very short hair (see my atavar?), but I do like a little gel for my "flip" SEE: 1oz tube. I also have seborrhea of the scalp and hairline, and need to rotate through a series of FOUR shampoos, about one every two weeks. I'm going to see if I can get five weeks out of two kinds... By doing so at home. If you have normal hair -- there are solid shampoos and conditioners! 

 

Specific for cruises:

(6) Fly in a day (or two!) early, which we really need to do anyway with flights the way they are. Find a Target or drugstore, buy liquid things you need more of than you can possibly fit in zippy -- my DH's legs are like sponges for body lotion -- take on board.

 

Bonus point:

(7) For your first aid/medical bag. All of the ingredients of cough syrup are available in solid/pill form. Look for dextromethorphan and guaifenesin (together or if you're lucky separate pills).