I'm going against the grain here. It takes me a week to pack. I lay out all my favorite clothes, try them all on. Then I try to match as many things as possible to eliminate extra things I don't need. Then shoes, etc. I have a huge pack list that I run through to make sure I'm not forgetting anything. Special trips obviously take longer than spending the weekend at my inlaws (that only takes me 15 minutes tops).

I'm a detail oriented person, but I do two weeks overseas in a carry on. Packing less takes more time than hauling out the biggest suitcase I own and piling it all in.

Packing is something that I really enjoy. I look over what DH packs too, but he chooses everything and packs for himself in about 5 minutes. He's forgetful though and often doesn't pack a cell phone charger or a computer charger and won't have a working phone/internet for weeks while he's gone. He runs out of toothpaste in Africa and has trouble getting more. He once went several weeks with one pair of boxers since he forgot to pack any (he washed them in the sink). His contact lenses are the only thing he 100% never forgets because otherwise he'd be blind. I try to maintain his toiletry bag all the time though (he travels weekly).

It takes me forever to pack now with kids! I used to be a night before person but since kids will be asleep in their rooms I start earlier, like at least a couple days, to make sure all the things are clean that I want to take. If going for a camping, beach or similar trip that requires lots of gear, I start setting things aside the weekend before. I always try to pack the car the night before so I can wake up and get going early. It's a million times easier to pack when kids are asleep (mine are little). I also like to make sure the house is clean and everything we aren't taking is put away add I find nothing more stressful than returning from vacation to a messy house. I used to leave bags packed and just live out of them until they were empty (ever see that Everybody Loves Raymond episode?), but now I try to unpack everything before I go to bed!

If I'm going somewhere on a plane by myself, I pack there night before. DH packs for business trips morning of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I pack for myself in about 10 minutes, usually a few minutes before i call a cab. For my kids, maybe 20 minutes.

Exactly....I can pack for a week in 20 minutes at most. I think people are fearful of forgetting something, but unless it is something really big, you can get it at your destination.

I'm done in a blink of an eye.

Depends how much joy it brings me. If I'm really excited about a trip, especially if it's a unique trip, I'll start gathering things way ahead of time. In that case I usually have a staging area. It brings me joy. I like the planning process. But I can leave the house, with a few minutes notice if I have to, if that's what the occasion requires.

Well, I'm going to Europe in two days for two weeks and I don't even own sandals or a sun hat. I'm beginning to freak out about it.

Anonymous wrote:I pack for myself in about 10 minutes, usually a few minutes before i call a cab. For my kids, maybe 20 minutes.

Exactly....I can pack for a week in 20 minutes at most. I think people are fearful of forgetting something, but unless it is something really big, you can get it at your destination.

I start 2 or 3 days before and put our toiletries in at the last minute, since we don't have a double of those.

DH - an hour before we have to leave for the airport. I leave a small half of the suitcase empty for him.

I'm going on a 'light adventure' trip on Friday and as of today (Tuesday), I am packed. I'm bringing special clothes & accessories so this isn't stuff I'm wearing on a daily basis.

I'm also really looking forward to this trip. For trips I'm ambivalent about or dreading, packing happens at the last-second.

Depends on the trip. Weekend away? Night before/morning of. Week + length trip or international trip - probably start a week out to make sure I don't need to run to the store for something or do laundry. If I start that early - it's normally just throwing stuff in a pile that I don't want to forget. I do have a constant pile of things to take to my parent's house b/c we go there a lot in the summer (they live on the water).

I pack for myself in about 10 minutes, usually a few minutes before i call a cab. For my kids, maybe 20 minutes.

24 hours before departure

Day of or day before. I don't own enough clothes to pack things the week before.

Back when I used to travel alot I kept a toiletry bag filled and ready to go at any moment, so that make packing easier and with fewer things forgotten. I'm out of the habit of keeping one up since we had kids, but based on our last trip, I need to do that again.

A couple days. To make sure everything I want to take is clean or to set it aside and not wear. I'm a pretty light packer and used to travel a lot for business and for fun. The toiletry and makeup bag is always set up. I have a standard set of pants/shirts that I take for casual or business and I augment that with weather and event appropriate stuff.

Generally less than eight hours prior to leaving for the airport.

I almost never pack anything until the night before, my mom starts packing a week in advance. Clearly different personalities, just curious what the "average" is.