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.

If I’m packing for a work trip, I take only exactly what I will need because I know exactly what I’ll be doing when.

Holidays are different so I always have things for emergencies/weather conditions/unexpected excursions.

I always pack light. It's habit left over from the days when suitcases didn't have wheels.

Yes I’m with you, I hate the thought of not having the right things and enjoy having a selection of outfits

all this nonsense in magazines about taking a big shirt to wear on the beach then to go to dinner or sightseeing, it would be all Sandy but then I suppose it could be washed out

I think it’s because the light packers view themselves as being both more organised then heavy packers, having thought through all the things they could do and planned accordingly (with a side smugness of having acquired clothing items that can work for multiple occasions), and also smug that they aren’t so shallow as to want to look fashionable or view clothes as fun.

In reality the light packers often end up having to waste holiday time buying things or borrowing things.

(I think it was Kate Adie who admitted she always made a thing of travelling light when going to war zones because she didn’t want to look like that vain female journalist who carried too much stuff, then often ended up having to borrow clean shirts from camera men for tv appearances when she invariably ended up on the ground longer than planned and ran out of “6o’clock news” appropriate outfits.)

I just don’t want to pay extra and this is what these vids are usually aimed at, but if you don’t mind go for it!

I would love to be one of those people who stroll through the airport with one little bag or rock up to the beach with a towel and a book but I am an overpacker!

How?

It is weird that people get angry over this.
I saw someone comment on another thread that it "enrages" her when her niece's bring full-sized bottles in their cases on holiday instead of farting about decanting stuff.
Why would it "enrage" anyone?? It's their luggage. So bizarre!

Maybe stereotypical but men generally pack lighter than women. Hair products, skincare, make up, hair straighteners, other toiletries, usually more than 1 pair of shoes etc. Lots of men are happy just to take some clean undies, socks and tshirts!

Elizabeth Bennet's line in Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV version):

"Maria, these are your gowns and your trunks; you may arrange them in whatever way you wish. Lady Catherine will never know..."

I've got good at packing light over the years but I live away from the entire office my family, so often am travelling back with DD and I have learned what needs to go in and what I absolutely won't use and so don't need to haul halfway up the country and back.

I also do naturally wake up early (always have) but can't see what that has to do with being an adult!?

Hate spending money, but do spend it on decent food for home. Just not out and about. I don't think you should HAVE to spend money just cos you can afford it though. We can afford to eat out when on a day out but all of us prefer a picnic, for example. And it just happens to save money.

Is it just people who preach about it you have issues with? Or anyone who happens to fall into the category?

It's also a bit of a disability tax. I'd love to not have to take so much stuff but it's either that or be in an inordinate amount of pain/not able to do anything.

I'm lucky to go abroad on average 6/8 times a year.. we go for 5 nights... l only take a 10kg case( plus under seat bag) l manage 5 dresses.. two swim suits with cover ups.. sun hat... A pair of sandals ..a pair of flip flops. Plus toiletries/ sun cream etc. We always have a villa with washing machine/ dishwasher.. but l find that suits me.. if l were going longer I'd buy a 20kg and take more. So l suppose each to their own. I'd rather go for my 6/8 times for 5 nights rather than once or twice a year for longer. ( Just sorting my things now for Corfu on Thursday).

Cabin crew glide through airports with their compact rolling luggage, breezy and unflustered.

Whilst regular travellers may not reach that level of packing mastery, you also don't want to look like a sweaty bag lady or saucepan man.

I'm a pleb who books a package holiday for our family so hold luggage is included. I don't care if someone thinks it's a moral failing or what it says about my class status. With two kids and the new border controls for entry into an EU country I'm not going to be dashing out the airport anyway. And coming home I've never got through border checks before my suitcase is on the luggage carousel.

I refuse to do laundry on holiday apart from rising a bra or maybe a pair of socks or undies but for a week I'd take enough knickers to ensure I can wear a pair during the day and then shower before dinner and wear a fresh pair of knickers. Although this is the third year I've packed my make up bag and only ended up using a single mini lipstick, mascara and an eyeshadow crayon. So next year I won't bother with that. More room for my big sun hat and then all the nice stuff I've bought in supermarkets or whatever.

Because it's usually on threads where the OP is stressing about how to pack 5 pairs of shoes and 17 bottles of different toiletries into one 10kg cabin bag and asking for advice. To which the advice will always be "you are taking too much?

Never seen anyone criticised for packing too much unless they are are complaining about how to carry extra bags or not wanting to pay for it.

I try to pack as little as possible because I can't be arsed carrying too much so if we can do one bag between 4 of us it is for my own convenience, not for a sense of superiority.

I love taking loads of stuff. We like to take stuff like loads of board games, jigsaws, enough clean clothes to change at least twice a day, so many pairs of pants! That’s why we tend to prefer driving holidays as we just load up our car with everything, scooters, bikes, favourite pillow, games. Like little snails

We are flying off for a week in a couple of weeks and will no doubt look like we are off for six months!

I plan to take full advantage of the 20kg hold luggage for each of us!

Yes but cabin crew are often only doing one night in a hotel before returning home. They can pack light as it’s literally just an overnight bag.

That’s so true. I also find with all this “just take a capsule wardrobe and the white top can be worn day 1 with a bikini, evening of day 2, daytime in day 4…”. But I don’t want to wash the bloody white top in a sink and I’m sweaty/messy enough that I need a different top for each daytime (sometimes 2!) and evening 😬.

Yes I’m not washing and ironing clothes on holiday just to save packing a bit!

Some people are complete competive knobs, see plenty on MN. Just do your own thing, Who cares if someone sneers or looks down on you?
When you get to my age you don't give a fuck anyway what people think of you and it's so liberating.😀

Dd just returned from 2 weeks away with a small rucksack.
I have no idea how she did it and quite frankly don’t wish to know!

She said when she was flying out Ryanair were trying to charge her for this bag, which is about 35x30 cm. Said she proceeded to board the flight wearing 3 extra tops and an extra jumper 😂

My parents are light packers and I think a childhood of putting on the same wet shoes and socks each day has scarred me, plus never having anything I actually needed if something happened. Last time I went away with them I had a hand luggage suitcase for a week and they still made out I'd packed too much stuff.

I like to wear nice clothes, I like to be comfortable. I like to have choice as to what activities I do because I have the right clothes.

DP always says there's shops in other but I don't want to spend my holiday trawling the shops for whatever he couldn't be arsed to pack

YANBU

I'm on holiday! I like to have clothing options.

3+ nights, and I'm taking a suitcase.

Hahahah COMPLETELY agree! Friends, family, and now my DH have always laughed at me / rolled their eyes at me for how heavy my bag is as if it’s some kind of deficiency or silliness on my part. I mean, I’m not asking anyone else to carry my bag for me, and not over the weight limit so it has zero impact on anyone else. My DH also prides himself on packing light as it’s somehow superior, to the point of eg not taking a jumper because “it won’t fit in his bag” because he’s chosen a ridiculously small bag and WE’RE GOING IN THE CAR SO JUST CHUCK A JUMPER IN THE CAR ANYWAY and then being cold. Ludicrous.

My mantra has always been “why ‘pack light when I could take more stuff”. I like to have options! (And toiletries).