I am an over-packer and would love suggestions.

[Anonymous]

OP, I hear you, I’m an over packer because:

1) I don’t like being limited to one choice a day/occasion

2) I am a klutz and inevitably spill something on my clothes

3) I’m not a small person, so my clothes take up more space, especially cooler weather items

4) I’ve got curly hair, lots of it, and specific products I can’t find in every drugstore.

I’m trying to get past the first hang up, because it’s something that only happens on vacation! At home I wear the same thing over and over, so I know it’s silly. I now take out options as I pack and realize I don’t need that much.

For the second issue - packing dark clothes and stain wipes helps a bit! And I try to stay somewhere with easy laundry.

[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.

On some planes, you need a tablet or phone to watch the movies as there are no screens in the back of the seats.

[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.

Sorry for your loss OP.

I'm the 3 item poster.

For a resort where you don't need to move your luggage from place to place, and you might be dining with same people every evening, I would add in carry-on

3 swim bottoms, 1 is reversible from stripes to solid, 1 is a pair of swim shorts for SUP or kayak, could also jog in then

3 swim tops that can mix and match with bottoms. Two are reversible, floral to solid, black to navy

5-6 dresses for dinner that are lightweight
2-3 sundresses that could also be coverups eg Sweaty Betty Ace Explorer midi or mini dress

Sarong/wrap/cardigan

The reason 3 works for me is in case something doesn't dry overnight, then there's something to wear, and you could go a few days without washing if you wanted.

Enjoy your trip!

[Anonymous]

I wash tshirts and underwear in the hotel sink. I have a travel clothesline to dry things (stretchy, with suction cups on each end for over the bathtub). I never travel with jeans - bulky and can’t be dressed up or washed and dried overnight. I usually bring three pairs of pants - two in bag, one on my body. All are quick dry of some variety so I can wash if needed. One sweater or jacket that goes with everything. I do bring accessories, because that is how I “dress up” or change - scarves, necklaces.

I think in order to make this work you have to really not care too much about outfits. I really don’t - i want to be clean and comfortable and appropriately dressed, but clothes don’t make my vacation better. They are just…clothes.

[Anonymous]

Tablets/iPads don’t take up a ton of space if you don’t have cases on them. Seat screens are not guaranteed.

[Anonymous]

You need to adopt a wardrobe/style with basic mix and match pieces before you travel and then packing will be much easier since the bulk of your clothing coordinates.

When you pack, you lay out actual outfits with multiple tops going with two or three bottoms.

You add a layering piece or two plus a dress.

Black hides stains. And black can be dressed up with jewelry.

[Anonymous]

Depending on what you’re doing/where you are going do you really care about squeezing everything into a carry on.

We went to St Tropez for three weeks a month and a half ago. We each checked large bag and a carry on size bag.

We were staying in same hotel the whole time.
Did a couple of overnight trips to other towns and just took one of the carryons for those excursions.

[Anonymous]

NP I usually prefer to check a bag because I hate the stress of wondering if there will be room in the overhead bin for my bag. Especially if it's a trip that requires taking a laptop because that requires a carry on big enough for that alone. Side note: the bin above my row should be for my row!!

The other issue is that I usually want running/athletic shoes for working out, and I don't want to wear those on the travel day because they have to be tied and untied in the security line. So there's a bulky item in the bag plus the workout clothes (although that's usually not big, just a dedicated bra, shirt, shorts).

I don't know if I can get past checking a bag, but I can use some of the tips in this thread to at least stop overpacking the checked bag!

[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.

OP - I'm like you. I always pack both too much and not enough - like I find myself without a cute outfit for dinner tonight, but also I have six pairs of sandals.

Can you just accept that this is who you are and not beat yourself up about it?

Alternatively, why not just pack like you do this time - and keep a list of what you end up actually using. Then next time keep yourself to that list. If you feel like you need less stuff than you're actually using, then look for more stuff that can do double duty - a skirt that you can wear all day then out to dinner or whatever. Stuff that washes in the sink. That kind of stuff.

I do feel like some of this "pack light" stuff is premised on just accepting being dirty or a little uncomfortable some of the time. I sweat so I like to change my shirt at least once during the day - packing light would mean dealing with more stink than that (or not being a person who sweats). Etc.

[Anonymous]

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

Dresses fold up small - don't beat yourself up over three little dresses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

OP - I'm like you. I always pack both too much and not enough - like I find myself without a cute outfit for dinner tonight, but also I have six pairs of sandals.

Can you just accept that this is who you are and not beat yourself up about it?

Alternatively, why not just pack like you do this time - and keep a list of what you end up actually using. Then next time keep yourself to that list. If you feel like you need less stuff than you're actually using, then look for more stuff that can do double duty - a skirt that you can wear all day then out to dinner or whatever. Stuff that washes in the sink. That kind of stuff.

I do feel like some of this "pack light" stuff is premised on just accepting being dirty or a little uncomfortable some of the time. I sweat so I like to change my shirt at least once during the day - packing light would mean dealing with more stink than that (or not being a person who sweats). Etc.

^ Also I am really sorry about your husband <3

[Anonymous]

OP, here’s what you do:

Lay out everything you want to pack.

Group by category

Look for your least favorite piece in each category and remove it

Look for anything you have duplicates of and remove (e.g. sunglasses, hairbrush, sneakers)

Remove anything that will get wrinkled

Remove anything that can only be worn once/only goes with a very specific outfit. Don’t bring a fancy dress and shoes unless you know that you’ll be attending a wedding or fancy event.

Be realistic. Do you workout daily IRL or are you more of a once a week girl? If the latter, one workout outfit.

Pack your favorites! In the example above, pack your absolute favorite workout outfit.

[Anonymous]

I roll our clothes instead of folding them. That seems to help me fit everything in our carryons.

Also remember that you also get a personal item (at least we do on Delta). Be strategic with that! Use something with alot of space. The kids can use a backpack and you can put stuff in there (more clothes, shoes or snacks). I like to take a midsize beach bag that zips, and usually toss shoes, snacks and toiletries in it. I also put my small crossbody travel in it right before boarding.

For cold weather trips, we use layers instead of jackets. Jackets are so bulky, and we prefer layering with cozy thick sweaters and gloves/hats instead. This works well for us.

[Anonymous]

*crossbody travel purse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

PP you replied to. Really? I didn't know that. All our travel budget is spent on visiting parents/siblings overseas.