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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to have not started packing yet??

69 replies

tactum · 21/07/2016 13:49

Off on UK holiday for a week on Saturday - can't wait!!! Just spoke to my mum who seems absolutely horrified I haven't started packing yet - or even finished!!!!!!

Why all the drama?! I'm up to date with my washing, have all toiletries in etc and anyway......there are shops there you know, it's not self sufficiency in the Amazon rainforest!!! I'm planning on lobbing everything in the car tomorrow afternoon, rather than have it take over my life for a week which is what she would do.

I know a friend who sets aside a room in her house about 6 months before her holiday and starts putting things in it - crazy! My kids are old enough to pack their own (with a bit of prodding), we all know what we need and none of us are going to come to any great harm if it isn't done with military precision.

So AIBU?!

OP posts:

HuskyLover1 · 21/07/2016 13:51

I'd want it done by tomorrow though. We're going away on Weds, and I will be packed by Sunday. I want to totally chill out on Tuesday night, knowing it's all done.

KayTee87 · 21/07/2016 13:51

Yanbu and I say that as someone who usually likes to start early and then repack 3 times

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/07/2016 13:54

I've spent a large chunk of my life travelling. I do it the night before and the morning of.

DH starts days before with immense drama and still does a worse job than me.

Bluecarrot · 21/07/2016 13:54

Of course not. I think that the laundry thing is the biggest issue with UK holidays. We are doing short breaks in family motor home this year and since we all have minimalist wardrobes we end up packing damp stuff, but it's no big deal. I pack the day before ( excl wet stuff which is al on one drying rack in house to grab at last minute) and have van loaded so I can enjoy a leisurely breakfast and coffee before we hit the road.

fourpawswhite · 21/07/2016 13:59

tactum am I your friend? Ha.

I kind of do that. I have a "holiday box" in the spare room. It is more for treats, toiletries etc. I find if I buy one or two things as I see them and pop them in it makes my last shop easier. I do not do clothes and stuff until nearer the time though. 6 months is about right for my box though.

takingsooty · 21/07/2016 13:59

I'm a night before packer, although I do make a list during the week before.
You'll take the same stuff either way.

ByTheWishingWell · 21/07/2016 14:03

YANBU. We're going away tomorrow morning and I haven't started yet. I'll chuck everything in the case when I get up. The only things I usually forget are baby monitors and phone chargers, and I can't pack them away in advance anyway.

Noodledoodledoo · 21/07/2016 14:05

Night before or morning of packer here - the only time this has changed was the first time I took my little one away for a weeks holiday but even then it was probably only two days before!

I went away for 10 weeks a few years back and had to leave for the airport at 2pm. Was still packing that morning - I knew I had everything as I had done it mentally just not physically put it all in a bag!

Was the same with my hospital bag - really had to force myself to pack it early!

Topseyt · 21/07/2016 14:06

I am another who packs the night before, having just made sure that the washing is up to date before that.

On the morning of travel I just shove in last minute stuff like hairbrush, deodorant and toothbrush and that is it.

I know some people do make a massive faff out of packing. I can't be arsed with that.

DH and the DDs sort themselves out.

chicaguapa · 21/07/2016 14:09

YANBU. We go away Saturday morning and haven't started packing yet either.

I do have a list though so when I get home from work on Friday I'll just go round and collect everything on the list and then put it in suitcases. It's not rocket science!

We also have what we call the holiday box in the loft which has all the adapters, inflatables and other things we just use on holiday so we don't have to hunt around for them.

Have a nice holiday and shopping for the bits you've forgotten in haste.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 21/07/2016 14:09

YANBU. Packing really far in advance just means I get really worried I haven't got everything I need and then I overpack. I'm a night before or morning of kinda girl.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 21/07/2016 14:10

(And my mum is like yours!)

SisyphusDad · 21/07/2016 15:56

Another 'day before if early start, otherwise on the day.'

trafalgargal · 21/07/2016 15:58

My partner is like your Mum he is packed at least a week ahead and fusses that I've not even started. By minus 3 days he has usually got to the point of having made sure every item of clothing is washed and dried and has my case open and starts packing for me. Drives me nuts as I then have to unpack and start again. He's wearing me down now tho. My last trip I was packed three days instead of three hours before leaving ......but it felt so WRONG !

confusedandemployed · 21/07/2016 16:00

We're off tomorrow and I've just packed for me and DD.

I still have some stuff to go in: hairdryer, straighteners, toothbrush etc. I'M you can't pack much earlier without having loads you still need and which have to go in last thing - and this leavesey you far more likely to forget something crucial.

That's what I reckon anyway.

useyourimagination · 21/07/2016 16:00

I'm going away tomorrow night - I've set aside tomorrow afternoon to pack :)

toadgirl · 21/07/2016 16:08

Once I went to Australia for six weeks.
I had to leave the house at 5am to go to Heathrow.
The night before, I went down the pub and got pissed (as was usual for me in those days!) and came home and threw some stuff in a bag at 1am.
Went to Australia without mishap and no worries.
Works for me

SweetChickadee · 21/07/2016 16:10

I make sure everything is washed and ironed, and then pack the night before

otherwise I just forget what I've put in and have to re-do it.

JapanNextYear · 21/07/2016 16:12

I do it the night before or the morning of if not going till 11-ish. Otherwise it takes over your life.

The time I have extra I spend endlessly googling restaurants where we are going - even though I know we'll just get pissed the first night we arrive and fall into the first tourist trap we see....when we are too hungry to make a rational choice.

SchnooSchnoo · 21/07/2016 16:13

I am at last minute packer, but I have to say, I'm shit at it and always forget everything.

Noodle I packed my hospital bag when I started getting contractions!

WankersHacksandThieves · 21/07/2016 16:15

Yup, Laundry etc up to date, lay out and pack night before except for toiletries, they get done in the morning. Obv depends what time you are leaving. We tend to aim for mid morning so there is enough time to do the last minute stuff before leaving. If I was going early doors, I'd want to be virtually ready except for things we needed in the morning.

piglover · 21/07/2016 16:34

Packing will take exactly as long as you let it take. YANBU.

dowhatnow · 21/07/2016 16:46

We are going tomorrow morning. I haven't started yet...

Still got several loads of washing to do, am about to go across town on an errand, have to fill in some forms and I'm currently sitting here mumsnetting!!!!!

TinySalmon · 21/07/2016 16:50

I pack the evening before a flight/holiday if we are leaving early in the morning the following day. If we leave later in the day, I won't pack until the morning.

I don't understand why people feel the need to pack weeks or even days in advance of a trip. But then again we holiday quite frequently so maybe not a big deal to us.

Anyway, certainly yanbu!

nennyrainbow · 21/07/2016 17:07

If you pack too long in advance, then you won't be able to use any of the stuff you're taking. So YANBU. I pack for myself and 4 DCs. I usually start 2-3 days before we go as it's for 5 people. DH packs his stuff the night before or even on the day of travel.

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