Why do people act like it’s a moral failure to not pack light? AIBU to enjoy taking stuff on holiday with me?

[igotitbadforyou]

I’ve noticed this on a lot of packing/holiday threads. Lots of sneering and looking down on people for packing more than is “needed”.

Technically you could go on holiday with the clothes on your back and a spare pair of underwear and that be that, but I enjoy having options and taking some of my home comforts with me.

Why do people act like it’s wrong to do this? It doesn’t impact anyone else.

Packing light is good if you’re backpacking.

Otherwise, bring on the outfits, the books, the games, sports equipment.

My case is usually near the weight limit with toiletries and extras!
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, extension lead, chargers, tablets, insect repellent, beach bag, hand bag for night time, hair brush, books, word searches, pens, and other stuff!
I don’t actually take much clothes, during the day I wear my swimming stuff with beach shoes and a lightweight strappy dress in the evening, and I’ll wash anything that I wear if I want to wear it again!!

I've always been unable to pack light- I don't see the problem. Someone said at my hotel once- gosh that's a big bag, I saw her again in the exact same outfit 6 days later- I said gosh that outfit is really useful, you really get some use out of it.
Passive agressive, I know- but the size of my suitcase should be nothing to her- if you dish it out you have to be able to take it.

Yes, I always take my own mug. It’s just comforting somehow, and it’s quite a personal thing in my opinion, much like a pillow.

I pack reasonably light, 15kg hand luggage and a 7kg back pack for longhaul holidays of 2-3 weeks where we are moving every 2 days or so ,( ie is not very light) . I do this because I dont want to carry too much but on the 4 holidays I have done like this, I have always wished I had more clothes to choose from while away . I always check the 15kg bag anyway as I dont want to drag it around the airport

When I go on a staying put holiday I take more , though I still only take a 7-8kg backpack on the plane.

None of the airlines I use charge much extra for as. I only tend to fly for fewer longer long haul trips nowadays

Yanbu OP. I like clothes and shoe choices, and full size toiletries, I'll always check in luggage if possible.

OP I’m with you on this. When I pack I’ll be eyeing up the air fryer and contemplating whether I could fit it in alongside the kitchen sink. I do not want to be away for 2 weeks without all my favourite things!

I love this! 🤣

I start to pack a week or two before just so that I can guarantee that everything I want to take is washed and dried in time. There’s very little I have that is purely ‘holiday clothes’ so as stuff gets worn and washed I put it to one side ready to be packed.

I also practice pack when I am only taking the under seat bag, it’s quite difficult to fit everything in so can take a couple of goes to get it right.

Big suitcase and proper baggage allowance? Chuck it all in! I’m quite excited about having a choice of shoes on holiday this year!

I wish I had seen that, it's priceless! 😁

My husband is the same. With added moaning if we don’t have one of the things he decides we need after we arrive. Every time I say I’m going to leave him to pack everything everybody needs but I can never quite bring myself to do so!

HA what was this “pillar of adulthood” thing? Sounds hilarious, I need to see the thread

🥱🥱🥱🥱 and if everyone on said flight never flew again nothing would change because commercial travel accounts for only 2.5% of carbon emissions

This made me laugh!! And actually sums up my packing style.

I'm one of life's overpackers and I just accept it now. I can always carry my case (albeit it's embarrassingly big and I'm short!) and I pack for myself and x3 kids.

We have done UK holidays since Covid so have genuinely had to pack for all weather eventualities even though we go away in the summer

We have our first family holiday abroad this year and whilst the weather means that I won't have to pack much "warm gear" the lack of laundry facilities means I'm going to have to pack lots of summer gear as beyond rinsing out our swimmers we won't be able to get much washing done. We also need to take our own towels x5, plus toiletries for us all for x2 weeks.

Realistically (in my world) we all need x7 day and x7 night outfits for a 2 week stay.

That doesn’t sound like over packing to me, it sounds like packing light 🤣

The UK is only responsible for 1%, but that’s not stopping the Government driving the economy into the ground to reduce it further ;)

Every little helps :)

This is exactly what I mean when I say that people treat it like a moral failure 🤣

What we need and what I end up packing will be two very different amounts I'm sure.

I can't imagine surviving on x7 outfits for 14 nights but that's my starting point. It will escalate!!

13yo dribbles anything he ever eats down him so he probably needs about 200 outfits 😁

Am hoping guaranteed nice weather means I can at least pack lots of lightweight / summer stuff.

And I won't even go into what I have purchased (or need to buy) for our holiday 😉

Currently on city break with ds (21) and following his lead with hand luggage only- just the small rucksack…

honestly the whole airport experience was so much quicker and easier…. But I’ve ended up having to buy a couple of t shirts to meet the dress code for visiting cathedrals- so def need more planning next time!!

In my 20s I used to hop on a plane for a weekend away with a couple of t-shirts, underwear and a few toiletries shoved into my work backpack. I'm just back from a family holiday with 2 preschoolers where we brought 32kg of luggage between 4 of us. Times change.

But that's the "low cost" airline model. They don't want everyone to have hold bags as they need less fuel if passengers take less luggage with them on the plane.

I pay for a hold bag. I don't want the stress of packing light and having to take my case through the airport. I also have a bad back so try to minimise what I have to push/pull/carry.

I definitely think a hand luggage only trip can have its merits, when you’re away for a couple of nights. But for a long hot holiday I just can’t see it working!

It depends who you're travelling with and how you're getting there but I do think there's an element of selfishness to over packing that is where some of the morality comes into it. We're light packers through necessity as we don't drive and it does annoy me on the train when I would never take a larger bag than I can carry comfortably on my back and fit in front of me in my seat to find I can't leave the train by the nearest door because of over packers with their giant wheely cases blocking the way. I mean take what you want but it isn't fair if it's taking up more than. your fair share of the space. If everyone took enough cases for everything they wanted on holiday no-one would fit on the train so it's only the most self absorbed people who decide it's their right for just their families cases to fill the entire luggage rack for the carriage or block the aisle and wheelchair area. Then then usually take forever to get off the train with their impractical luggage they can't easily lift and create delays for everyone.

Trains have luggage spaces for a reason, and you can always put your suitcase above the seat. This is why I booked first class tickets