Not to understand why people ask you if you're all packed days before you leave...

[Theoeopleversuswork]

Going on a work trip in a week and a colleague asked me today if I was all packed. Eh? We are leaving next Tuesday.... I have the whole weekend and haven't even started washing.....

I've been asked this question so many times in my life and am always bemused as to why people do this and what it is supposed to achieve. I can understand shopping and making lists in good time before a trip and I can understand packing big items which you won't use daily to cut down on prep time a couple of days in advance, but what use is it to pack suitcases several days in advance?

Don't you end up having to get stuff back out of the suitcase, use it and repack it if you do this? Are people just torturing themselves to be smugly organised? Or am I missing some great life hack?

I always pack the night before or even the day I'm leaving depending on the time

My mum uses her spare room bed and starts accumulation on it weeks before she goes away ...

@UrgentScurryfunge

It's not much of a conversation though.
"Have you packed yet?"
"No!?!"
Even if the answer was "yes", it's not going to really develop is it? "I've packed 3 bras, 10 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of pjs..

LOL: "I've also packed my pants. Snap!"
I get that it's people making small talk of course but it just seems a a boring and odd thing to use as an icebreaker. No one is interested and it stresses everyone out.

If someone is going on holiday I'd rather ask them what they are going to do when they get there than ask them about the state of their suitcase.

It's like these people who ask you how you got to the party/office, which junction you came off the motorway at etc. Such a dull topic of conversation.

I like to pack to pack early so I had days to whittle it down, make sure nothings missing. Even now, I'm not able to just throw an appropriate amount of clothes into a bag without working out all the changes of outfits I might need and contingencies etc

Why would you pack a week before! Surely you're taking lots of things you use every day. I pack for work trips in 10 mins that morning or the night before at a push if I'm leaving super early.

I always think its an old fashioned thing to say that - based purely on the fact my mother always packs about a week before a holiday - with some clothes that she bought weeks before but never worn as they are "for holiday", and always seems to almost panic when I don't pack until the night before or sometimes even on the day!
(She also likes getting to the airport about 5 hours before the flight :-( )

haha, me too!
People who have all their presents bought, wrapped and under the already decorated tree at the end of October - weird!

Agree - I only wear a small section of my wardrobe so need stuff before trips! I pack most of it a day or two before, to see what needs washing and plan my travelling outfit, then add last minute bits day of.

I've sometimes got stuff still spinning in the dryer an hour before I'm due to leave! 😂

I pack around a week before i go, i know in advance what i'm taking so they are washed and ready, once in the case they are off limits, i stress if i pack last minute and end up forgetting something, once i forgot underwear!

My mum does it. Asks a week before if we're getting ready. Week before I MAY start thinking about laundry. Truth is, the most stuff is being packed same day, i.e. toiletries, skincare, because you use them before you leave, so why pack them.

Depends how long your going for.
2 weeks in the Med, probably not a huge overlap so if pack more in advance than 2 weeks in Wales.
Even for Wales to, office wear is likely different to holiday wear, i have enough clothes to not have to wash what I've worn for the last few days and pack that, I'll just wear what's left in my wardrobe the lasr few days as long as I'm clean and tidy

Why do you have a wardrobe of clothes you mostly don't wear tho? Even if you can't afford new, surely you'd be better off say selling on Vinted then using that money directly to buy stuff you'd wear than constantly rotating 4 outfits whilst the rest just sits there?

Don't know about you, but I'm employed fulltime in a role that requires professional attire. There's no way I'm wearing that stuff on holiday and it forms the majority of my wardrobe (with gym gear a close second).

It's far easier to get the holiday stuff sorted the previous weekend and then get on with the working week.

Yes sorry, that makes sense, I thought you meant a large part of it that you never wear, not just different sections you wear at different times. That's why I'm surprised with the "have to wash it all the day before to pack it", because when I worked I wouldn't have taken those clothes on holiday so. I could largely pack I advance and just make sdo with a limited casual wardrobe for the last week or so.
Now I'm home with the kids who are to young for fancy holidays it's all one but I'd preferentially sort my favorite bits and pack them away so I'm not waiting for a tumble dryer at 6 am on leave day

I had this conversation with someone recently, and I actually asked her how it was possible to pack several days in advance.

Turns out some people genuinely have two of all their toiletries (holiday iterations of their toothbrush, shampoo, moisturiser etc etc), and dozens and dozens of pairs of pants/socks etc - specifically so they can pack in advance. This is a whole new concept on me.