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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:

PacificDogwod · 21/07/2016 17:31

YANBU.

It is one of the most satisfying aspects of being an adult to pack only shortly before a trip.
My childhood holidays are forever linked to my mother being stressed out of her box for the week before we left, and the final few hours she appeared at the brink of a nervous breakdown. We all avoided her as best we could and tip-toed around her.
I now travel with 4 DCs, have a dog and guinea pigs to sort out before we leave, and I genuinely don't know what she got that stressed about.

Idliketobeabutterfly · 21/07/2016 17:39

Nope, Yanbu. We do it day before or our four year old thinks it's a unpacking vs packing game.

Sgtmajormummy · 21/07/2016 18:28

Off on Saturday for a week's self catering in the car. Third year of going to the same town so no big surprises. All linen included.

Clothes are: 7 changes of underwear, 7 shorts and tshirts, one going out outfit, 2 pjs, 3 costumes and a towel FOR EVERYBODY.
A box of kitchen stuff including my favourite kitchen knife, a torch, toilet paper and minimal breakfast ingredients for the first morning.
Chargers for mobiles.
Toiletries and suncream.

Started packing yesterday. No time today. Will finish tomorrow and have the car packed on Friday night ready for an early start.
Kids pack a small bag for themselves with toys, books or tech.
No packing drama necessary. Anything we've forgotten we can buy.

I do like leaving a clean house, though. Nothing worse than coming back from holiday, only to find the crap you left behind in the same place.

hollieberrie · 21/07/2016 18:29

I'm going away at the end of July. I've been packed for about 3 weeks . Its just cos i'm looking forward to it soooo much.

Ruhrpott · 21/07/2016 18:35

I don't stress about packing, night before or morning of depending on what time we are leaving. I do stress a bit about cleaning house before we go as have a colleague come and feed pets while we are away.

MrsSippy · 21/07/2016 18:41

Oh heck, I'm not really going anywhere until next April and I've started buying some things already and chucking them in a box that I keep for this reason.

roundtable · 21/07/2016 18:47

My mum and sister start packing about a month beforehand.

I horrify them with my last minute packing the day before. It really irks them I think.

DragonMamma · 21/07/2016 18:50

I'm about 2 days before, mainly because I like to chill out the day before and get in to the holiday mood (which usually means a bottle of wine and a takeaway).

This year is different though, we are going away for 4 days on a UK break and only getting back 12hrs before we have to leave to go abroad so I'll have to back 2 separate lots and have them both ready to go at the same time...!

DurhamDurham · 21/07/2016 18:52

When my parents are going on holiday it is literally like a military operation. Mum washes all holiday clothes and then dad irons it......they then decide which they would like to take ensuring that they have outfits which complement each other for the evening. They don't even take everything they've just washed and ironed.
They go away two days after we get back from our holiday at the end of July and their preparations are well under way.
We will pack a day or two beforehand and my husband does like to have a list but we don't let it take over our lives

JudyCoolibar · 21/07/2016 18:53

YANBU. I always start packing the night before.

Sara107 · 21/07/2016 19:33

We don't have enough clothes to pack in advance, if we're away for 10 days that's 10 pairs of pants, (about 16 for dD) and so on. If you pack a week ahead then you've taken all that out of circulation! And toiletries, I just take what we're using from the bathroom. So all last minute really.

EastMidsMummy · 21/07/2016 20:23

How can I pack stuff days in advance? I might need it. YANBU.

DoreenLethal · 21/07/2016 20:25

I am off Saturday am as well. The OH has put a wash on whilst I make origami things for work and I am off to the allotment in 12 mins to plant out the rest of my lottie plants.

Packing? Last thing tomorrow night I suspect. I have got the passports and driving licences out though.

Underbrella · 21/07/2016 20:39

My mum's the same. We are flying on Monday with our 4 under 6 and she thinks we're mad not to be packed already. Dunno why she's surprised because we're usually still washing the night before we leave & I've always been the same. We don't have enough clothes to pack in advance & I find I do stuff better when the pressure is on. We're only taking 2 suitcases - how long can it possibly take to fill them? We have passports, tickets, apartment keys, insurance & cash. Anything else can be sorted. My parents rarely travel but even a weekend away requires advance planning to the nth degree.

SpaceUnicorn · 21/07/2016 20:51

Night before, every time. It takes an hour max, so I don't understand the need to do it days/weeks ahead of time.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/07/2016 22:29

It takes me hours and hours to pack ... I can't stand it!

FayaMAMA · 21/07/2016 23:36

I start packing around two weeks before I travel, and then re-pack it almost every day so I don't forget anything... I've definitely changed since having my daughters though. I went travelling for 2 years when I was 18, I had a flight at 10am and just packed a bag instead of sleeping the night before... Oh youth.

DrCoconut · 21/07/2016 23:46

We go away on Saturday for 2 weeks. Our suitcases are already there having been sent by courier we have 3 DC this year so not enough room in the car for everyone plus cases plus baby stuff, DH fishing gear etc. I've surpassed my own expectations I must admit.

chipsandpeas · 21/07/2016 23:54

i finalise my packing the night before but for weeks before hand i have the suitcase in the spare room and just chuck stuff into it, mainly stuff ive bought specifically for the holiday, things i only use on holiday or things i wont use til i go away
then the last minuite stuff like phone chargers etc get thrown in once everythings charged up
hand luggage is usually sorted about a week before i go except my purse and phone but again finalised the night before or even in the morning depending when im leaving

and i make lists, many lists

Maki79 · 22/07/2016 00:00

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the posters request.

Middleoftheroad · 22/07/2016 00:07

Hate packing as it ends up taking up night before my hols when I want to relax so packed last sat for this sat. Two medium holdalls for four of us, south france campsite. We're going on train so cant just shove ethg in car which made me more ruthless. Packed old ts and towels which I dont intend to bring back, so bags will be even lighter.

GuiltyPleasure · 22/07/2016 00:21

We're going to Ibiza 4am Saturday. Arrived back this morning from a trip to New York with DD. Seriously jet lagged. Lots of lists prepared to make sure I've packed everything for 5 of us especially for DS who has severe autism. It'll be fine. Whole day to pack 5 cases is more than enough

Caboodle · 22/07/2016 08:34

I've always been a last minute packer before but this time packed last Sunday for a holiday next Monday. Packed for 5 (me, dh and 3x dcs....dh can do his own of course but is working crazy hours in our business so he can have the week away). Tis blissful to know it is all done and I haven't felt the need to add anything or re-pack. Will definitely pack early from now on.

Kr1stina · 22/07/2016 08:49

I think it's easier to be disorganised about packing if

Your children are small, because you can swap clothes about and they don't care

You are traveling by car, so it doesn't matter if you have too much

You are going some where where you will have access to a car and have cheap shopping nearby - so you can pop out for anything you have forgotten

Harder if you are travelling with cabin luggage only and can't buy things easily when you get there

WankersHacksandThieves · 22/07/2016 08:56

It's also easy enough if your house is generally organised and you have a list.

i.e. It's easy to go and get x amount of shorts/t-shirts/underwear etc form a drawer, grab jacket from a coat rack and shoes from the shoes rack. It's a bit harder if half the stuff is in the ironing basket or drying rack, shoes are scattered under beds, you've not seen their jackets for weeks and might be in the back of the car, their drawers are full of stuff that doesn't fit, socks aren't matched in pairs etc etc.

My boys camp a lot so they have a toiletry wrap thing that is fully stocked that hangs in the bathroom, they just need to add anything that they don't have duplicates of like acne cream to it and it's good to go. I keep a bag pretty much ready too and Dh travels light....

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