How to avoid overpacking

[Overpacking4eva]

Evening! I tend to stress myself out with preparing for a holiday and I'm trying to work on that! Going on a two week holiday soon and one of the things I want to work on is overpacking (of clothes). Here are the specifics:

• Couple, no kids
• Two weeks (two different places), both with washing machines
• UK self catering
• Walking/visiting local sights type holiday

I have tried to do it logically before, one outfit per day. But realistically I will wear the same fleece more than once, but even one every two days is 14 fleeces between us. Or should I just wash stuff (but then there's the worry about if there will be a way to properly dry it!) I've been to a few places that had a washing machine but no clothes horse!?

I find it overwhelming when we get home. We have three or four crates of stuff which just goes straight back into the attic and that's made a massive difference and avoids packing the entire house, but I fall down on clothes!

Are you driving or another form if transport?

I used to stress about packing, but decided to start travelling light and the stress instantly faded away. A couple of pairs of jeans, couple of dresses, shorts, t-shirts and a jacket, 3 pairs of shoes and plenty of knickers and socks. You can always nip in a supermarket for something in an emergency.

Pack for 8 days, wash on day of arrival of 2nd place. You probably won’t need to even wear any of it but at least it will go home clean.

Will the temp be cold enough to need fleece? If driving I would take one of those little clothes horses so you can wash and dry stuff or see of there is a laundry service near where you are staying

if you are travelling by car( I assume you are because of your reference to crates) you can take as much as you want.
I only grasped this recently, and it's made a huge difference to my pre holiday stress levels!
Also, don't even think about what clothes your DH is taking - that's not your concern.
You can contact the owner of the holiday house and ask if there are drying facilities, but you can wear fleeces for more than 2 days if you are wearing something underneath them. You could even take your own clothes horse if it will make you happy. Otherwise you can dry them on coathangers hung on the backs of doors. Take a few hangers of your own as many holiday homes only have ones that you can't remove from the cupboard.

Maybe I am the wrong person to respond to this as I pack ridiculously lightly and only ever go with cabin baggage on a flight (and at that, the underseat sort, not even the 10kg cabin bag) and have done 6 weeks in Asia on that. I probably did not look my best in the same "only" fleece that I had with me, but a) I wore it about 3 times (actually on flights and air con trains) mainly because it was hot, and b) I had a clean t-shirt below it, and had showered before I wore that. You have a car, and you are in the UK, you have washing machines, and generally there is a 24 hour supermarket nearby in the UK if you forget something. You can actually take what you like because the car will support that, and if it makes you feel happier just do it - but maybe try and get away with what you would wear in 4-5 days, and just wash it a few times, as others have said, put a clothes maiden in if you are worried about drying facilities. You are going in the car so you can take whatever full-sized products you like, and other comforting things that you normally have. The main thing that I don't like about having to travel SO light is shoes, I travel in my most comfortable trainers and make it work with my outfits and the environment, the second is tech, it is heavy. I hope you manage to lighten your load, it is amazing if you can do it, I have been beyond happy many times when I hoist my tiny backpack on my back and walk straight out of the airport and get on my way xxx

Are you driving? Could you not include a small clothes horse in the boot? Pretty flat, it won't take up much room.

We used to go SC for a fortnight to a place with a washer (and dryer I must admit) and I used to pack one smallish bag with clothes for me and three DC (when they were little tbf).

Everyone took one fleece or hoody (and wore it) and wore walking boots. Packed flipflops and trainers. So this will work for you. Three pairs of shoes (and wear the biggest) for a start.

One outfit a day is ridiculous if there is a washer. You can wear a dress twice, wear shorts 2-3 times. It’s not a fashion show.

I’m guessing in UK it might not be hot – so I would take one hoody and pack another; take 2-3 pairs shorts or whatever you wear in warmer weather; 4 T shirts or tops; one pair jeans or leggings or linen trousers or whatever you like in that line. Or one or two summer dresses if you prefer to shorts (I do). Obvs underwear and toiletries. You can do one wash at each place you stay, or two if there's a dryer as well.

Why would you need to change your fleece every two days?! Take two fleeces max.
Five t-shirts. One or two nice tops in case you go out for dinner. Maybe a cardi if you need one. Two or three pairs of trousers. Maybe a dress if the weather looks nice. Pyjamas, socks, underwear. Walking boots. Trainers. Done.

Agree with @IMissSparkling

Pack a clothes horse. Pack your own detergent.
Don't pack your H's clothes unless he has lost the use of both arms.

One fleece will do you. Fleeces dry easily. Give it an extra spin if you want to give it a headstart.
Bring plenty of extra socks, and underwear to last a week.
Make sure the footwear you bring is suitable for your plans, not brand new, and suitable for anticipated weather.

Surely you don't wash your fleeces every second time you wear them? They are on top of your t shirt/top surely? Two for the fortnight would be fine and wash them when you get home. As you have access to a washing machine you can take a weeks worth of clothes and wash as you go? You dont need a new outfit every day as trousers/shirts/skirts can be worn for several days before washing. Just fresh underwear and tops daily.

I have 2 fleeces for the whole winter and do gardening in them every day...they get washed about once a month each.

14 fleeces just blew my mind. One every 2 days? What?

Pack four outfits and wear one. That gives you five outfits for the two weeks which you then wash and rewear.

It’s a mindset. Start on the basis of one cold/wet weather outfit (walking trousers, fleece, waterproof) one hot weather outfit (shorts, tech T-shirt), two evening options (jeans, dress ), one set of night clothes and the right shoes (walking shoes, evening trainers, flip flops or slides). One or two sports bras, two normal bras. Then stuff the spaces with T-shirts, pants and socks. Fair to want another dress or skirt etc but if you’ve got that, you’re covered.

I wash as I go while away (including bringing back all but one outfit clean on return). I would pack maximum a week worth of clothes, 3 fleeces max (thin lightweight ones)

I think you first need to revisit how often you wear clothes before washing.
2 jumpers max - one to wear, one in the wash if it gets dirty.
Maybe 3 pairs of trousers for day time wear. 3 or 4 evening outfits. Half a dozen tops. One pair of city shoes, one pair of walking shoes, one evening par (and you'll be wearing one of those to travel in).

Denim jeans/shorts are good as you can wear plenty of times without washing. Comfy trainers. I’m camping for two weeks this week. My son and husband share a cabin bag each and I share one with my daughter. It’s so freeing travelling light.

Keep a journal while you’re away of what you’re actually wearing/need so you have it for your next trip.

I would take and plan to wash at second house.

Daytime clothes- As others have said 2- 3 fleeces absolute max. 2 pairs shorts/skirts, 2 pairs trousers, 7 tshirts, 2 summer dresses.

Evening clothes- 3 outfits for going to pub, dinner

Comfy bottoms for wearing in the house and slippers

Trainers, sandals, walking boots, and shoes to wear to pub.

I try to pack less each holiday. If I was really concerned about drying I'd pop the airer in the boot

Trousers, shorts, jumpers and fleeces can all be used 3 or 4 times at least, unless you’re expecting to get particularly sweaty/dirty/wet. A fresh t shirt or top for every day, and perhaps another one for evening time if you plan to go out for dinner etc. if you have a washing machine I’d do a wash a day or two before you leave the first place and maybe another wash half way through the second place. So realistically, you are probably packing for a 7 day trip.

Thos were my thoughts. Take two fleeces each!

I would pack 2 jumpers, one waterproof, maybe a second coat that actually looks nice if going in the UK. Maybe a light cardigan for better weather. 8 pairs of pants and socks. Maybe 4-5 other outfits in total, possibly something extra if e.g. you'll want to go out for dinner in the evening Vs living in walking trousers in the day. Done.

Basically this works no matter how long I'm going for. If it's boiling and stuff needs washing daily then it's hot and pretty easy to dry and if it isn't you only need to do one wash in the middle.

yeh I don’t even own anything close to 14 fleeces or hoodies! More like <counts> yeps three. And four cardis. @Overpacking4eva maybe add in a lightweight waterproof that you can layer up if you get cold?

Unless you are staying in micro-houses there will be radiators to dry stuff on.

Plus, a lot of technical stuff takes barely any drying.

When we go away I often do a load every other day (4 of us) just so it is a much easier to get it dried. DH thinks I am mad but it is no effort to shove a wash on, and if they are not massive loads they just get hung up and dry.

So you only really need 4/5 sets of clothes...1 x walking stuff (as is tech and will dry really quickly) 2/3 day clothes and 1 evening/nice stuff.

Thinkung on it, he issue you do have is potentially the weather....so you may need to think 2 hot/2colder weather day outfits.

If this was me (and I'm not known as an under packer) I would take

3 short sleeve t shirts, two long
3 shorts, two trousers
Two warmer layers
A dress
Waterproof
7 knickers
2 bras
7 pairs of socks unless you wear sandals in which case 4
Swimming costume

Trainers, sandals

The shoes thing is key for me tbh.

After a few years of packing shoes I didn't need for our annual bucket-and-spade holiday to Wales (which yes, did include the odd meal out) I realised that there is no occasion at a UK seaside resort in the summer which cannot be covered, footwear-wise, by walking boots or flipflops. I also took my running shoes, but only bc I went running. Smart shoes for evening – no need.

Fourteen fleeces? WTF? Did you say fleece when you meant pants? Why on earth would.you need a different fleece every two days, what are you doing in them?

If this holiday is in thr next week or so I don't think itnis going to be cold enough in most parts of the UK for regular fleece wearing in any case.

Also what are the 3/4 crates of stuff you take on a self catering holiday in the UK?