I am an over-packer and would love suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s important to look back and see what you did wear. For me it ends up being the same things, at least for European trips. Sometimes I go with a carton and still wear half! I think that I usually gravitate to comfy stylist simple and basic colors (usually black).!My go to now is a 1-2 pair of well fitting black pants; a knee length orb long black dress (sleeves in winter sleeveless in summer); a couple shirts (white maybe one red or teal);!two pairs of shoes (silver sneakers and black loafers or sandals, if this is a city trip); one cardiga. sweater and one jacket. Simple clean lines that can be dressed up with accessories.’but think of it this way while you may want to bring fashionable clothes, it’s really best to try to blend in…you will do well in well fitted black trousers and a white shirt; or a black dress with a gold necklace and flats. Everything should wash, not need ironing and be comfortable. With practice you’ll get to your traveling wardrobe. Plus I usually find a light suitcase allows me wiggle room to pick up something too…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once packed for 6 weeks in carry ons. This was for a trip to Paris and the Alps in the summer, and what took up the most space was the hiking boots. We carried our fleece and rainjackets with us on the flight. We knew we had laundry facilities available, and just packed minimally. No electronics for the kids either - they watched movies on the plane, and had books at their destinations. Just capsule wardrobes, shared toiletries and important medications (Epipen and Synthroid: you can't get Synthroid in France). We had an Embassy event to go to and had one nice outfit for that, that we rewore for nights out.

My parents are like you. They cannot travel without several suitcases for every short trip. I have no idea what they put in there.

Did you buy books or were staying with family who had books?

We bring one kindle & headphone per kid and a deck of cards, plus chargers for kindles and phones.

Would love books but a) our kids get motion sickness while reading but can listen to audio books and b) books are bigger and heavier than a kindle.

PP you replied to. In Paris we stayed with family who had books, and in the Alps we were pleasantly surprised to find that our chalet resort had a bilingual library. DD finished all the Harry Potters there! We were just planning on letting them be bored, so that they'd run around and make friends. Yes, we have motion sickness too. No reading in the car or on the plane. I'm not bringing audio material, everyone can just sleep or watch movies.

Uh, I guess you never fly domestic? We fly to west coast often on connecting flights, and there it is BYOD - your own tablet or bust. My kids can’t sleep for 9 hours in the middle of the day, eventually this results in fighting and grumpy kids. I mean 9 hours of staring at the back of a seat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to be okay with rewearing and have clothes that all matches each other

So like here would be my packing list for 1-3 week long trip this summer

One rayon tank dress
One pair of flowy linen pants
One pair of shorts
One sleeveless tee
Two t shirts
One button up sleeveless shirt
One hoodie
One casual jacket
Two pairs of shoes
Underwear—one pair per night times 1.5
One bra

With the caveat that all the tops can all be worn with the bottoms. Like I’ll wear the tops over the dress so the dress is like a skirt and also the dress by itself. The hoodie and jacket has to go with all tops and all bottoms. Etc

One pair of pants? For a week?

Also, my DH jeans take up 1/4 of a carryon, men’s clothes are generally thicker and bigger than womens. I don’t want him wearing the same pair of pants for a week — at least if I’m downwind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We once packed for 6 weeks in carry ons. This was for a trip to Paris and the Alps in the summer, and what took up the most space was the hiking boots. We carried our fleece and rainjackets with us on the flight. We knew we had laundry facilities available, and just packed minimally. No electronics for the kids either - they watched movies on the plane, and had books at their destinations. Just capsule wardrobes, shared toiletries and important medications (Epipen and Synthroid: you can't get Synthroid in France). We had an Embassy event to go to and had one nice outfit for that, that we rewore for nights out.

My parents are like you. They cannot travel without several suitcases for every short trip. I have no idea what they put in there.

You’re probably well off. You can afford the hotel laundry.

[Anonymous]

I put an extra pair of panties in my back pocket and a toothbrush and passport in my front pocket. Everything else will work itself out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We once packed for 6 weeks in carry ons. This was for a trip to Paris and the Alps in the summer, and what took up the most space was the hiking boots. We carried our fleece and rainjackets with us on the flight. We knew we had laundry facilities available, and just packed minimally. No electronics for the kids either - they watched movies on the plane, and had books at their destinations. Just capsule wardrobes, shared toiletries and important medications (Epipen and Synthroid: you can't get Synthroid in France). We had an Embassy event to go to and had one nice outfit for that, that we rewore for nights out.

My parents are like you. They cannot travel without several suitcases for every short trip. I have no idea what they put in there.

Thank you for a help-free, whimsical answer that served no useful purpose, but one which you wanted to get out there. This is completely unhelpful to the OP (and anyone, like me, who similarly overpacks and would be interested in reality-based answers). But really good to know you hike in the Alps with your severely allergic children, have important embassy functions for which you can wear a dress you can squeeze into your suitcase and which - importantly - pulls double-duty (Yay for you!) for that one night out on the town with hubby during your otherwise rustic, high-altitude “vacances.” And also very good to know about your doltish parents who overpack with God-knows-what they need and apparently don’t use. You charmed me with your sincerity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once packed for 6 weeks in carry ons. This was for a trip to Paris and the Alps in the summer, and what took up the most space was the hiking boots. We carried our fleece and rainjackets with us on the flight. We knew we had laundry facilities available, and just packed minimally. No electronics for the kids either - they watched movies on the plane, and had books at their destinations. Just capsule wardrobes, shared toiletries and important medications (Epipen and Synthroid: you can't get Synthroid in France). We had an Embassy event to go to and had one nice outfit for that, that we rewore for nights out.

My parents are like you. They cannot travel without several suitcases for every short trip. I have no idea what they put in there.

You’re probably well off. You can afford the hotel laundry.

Seriously having your clothes sent to be laundered is serious money.

I hike to the hotel laundromat, scrounge for the coins of the realm (because none can take a credit card in 2023) and burn a vacation day waiting for my laundry to be done in 20 year old machines without timers. You can’t leave it — I did that once and found my clean clothes strewn on top of the dusty dryer (see above about no timers)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once packed for 6 weeks in carry ons. This was for a trip to Paris and the Alps in the summer, and what took up the most space was the hiking boots. We carried our fleece and rainjackets with us on the flight. We knew we had laundry facilities available, and just packed minimally. No electronics for the kids either - they watched movies on the plane, and had books at their destinations. Just capsule wardrobes, shared toiletries and important medications (Epipen and Synthroid: you can't get Synthroid in France). We had an Embassy event to go to and had one nice outfit for that, that we rewore for nights out.

My parents are like you. They cannot travel without several suitcases for every short trip. I have no idea what they put in there.

Thank you for a help-free, whimsical answer that served no useful purpose, but one which you wanted to get out there. This is completely unhelpful to the OP (and anyone, like me, who similarly overpacks and would be interested in reality-based answers). But really good to know you hike in the Alps with your severely allergic children, have important embassy functions for which you can wear a dress you can squeeze into your suitcase and which - importantly - pulls double-duty (Yay for you!) for that one night out on the town with hubby during your otherwise rustic, high-altitude “vacances.” And also very good to know about your doltish parents who overpack with God-knows-what they need and apparently don’t use. You charmed me with your sincerity.

This has to be the “minimalist traveler” Europeans from this thread: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1146431.page

[Anonymous]

OP here….

Thanks so much for the replies. I definitely get stressed packing and it takes forever. I’m getting ready to go to a resort for 3 weeks and I really need to rein it in.

My biggest problems:
I take too many undergarments. Different style bras and lots of underwear. I went to the beach earlier this summer and took a ridiculous amount of clothing. I took 2 pair of jeans, 5 pairs of shorts, 8 tops, 5 swimsuits, 3 coverups, and 4 pairs of pajamas. I also took two pair of shoes, 4 pairs of socks, 2 light sweaters and a sweatshirt. My biggest problem, is the little stuff. My tablet, charging cords, extra reading glasses, 3 pairs of sunglasses and anything you can pick up at a pharmacy….just in case. I really need help.I even pack different types of underwear. My husband died 2 years ago, so it’s just my clothes. I was an over packer when he was living too. I so want to learn to be efficient. Again, thank you all and I look forward to more suggestions.

[Anonymous]

OP again….I also took 3 dresses. I’m hopeless.

[Anonymous]

I actually find it helpful to start with the shoes.

3 pairs, max, on any trip. Wear the biggest pair, pack the other two. One pair for heavy walking, one pair for a nice restaurant. One waterproof pair for beach/pool if needed.

Then 6-7 outfits, but each outfit must go with ALL the shoes. All tops/bottoms must also match with each other. Underwear = number of outfits + 2. 2 warm layers max.

No more than 2 outfits to sleep in, and go with small shorts and a tank, they don't take up space.

One pair of reading glasses. ONE pair of sunglasses.

[Anonymous]

do a mini wardrobe
clothes that can go from dinner to daytripping
pants
3 tops
cardy
jeans jacket
miyake pleats frock

swim suit
sarong that doubles as a scarf

shoes
haviana
pumas
ballet flats

[Anonymous]

I used to be like you! What’s worked for me is putting my goal suitcase open on the floor and the week before I leave I just toss in everything I think I would possibly need for the trip. Then the night before I sort through everything and cull down into what will fit into the bag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again….I also took 3 dresses. I’m hopeless.

Why are you bringing jeans- especially 2 pairs - on a summer vacation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here….

Thanks so much for the replies. I definitely get stressed packing and it takes forever. I’m getting ready to go to a resort for 3 weeks and I really need to rein it in.

My biggest problems:
I take too many undergarments. Different style bras and lots of underwear. I went to the beach earlier this summer and took a ridiculous amount of clothing. I took 2 pair of jeans, 5 pairs of shorts, 8 tops, 5 swimsuits, 3 coverups, and 4 pairs of pajamas. I also took two pair of shoes, 4 pairs of socks, 2 light sweaters and a sweatshirt. My biggest problem, is the little stuff. My tablet, charging cords, extra reading glasses, 3 pairs of sunglasses and anything you can pick up at a pharmacy….just in case. I really need help.I even pack different types of underwear. My husband died 2 years ago, so it’s just my clothes. I was an over packer when he was living too. I so want to learn to be efficient. Again, thank you all and I look forward to more suggestions.

You only need one pair of jeans, one sweater OR sweatshirt, not both, and 2 pajamas. 2 swimsuits, 1 coverup.

I wouldn't skimp on the underwear, actually. They are small to pack and I find it nice to change into a fresh pair in the evening if it's been hot at my location.

Hugs to you, having lost your dh must be hard. I hope you can unwind and enjoy your vacation!