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.

I always want to take enough for a week, so that I (e.g.) don’t have to start washing and ironing, or paying £££ for a laundry service. But all that will fit nicely into a non-huge suitcase.

An ex colleague used to take one of those absolutely enormous suitcases for a week, but I suspect that was partly because she’s a clothes-shopaholic (at least of anything she sees as a nice cheap bargain) so I dare say at least some of the space is for yet more bargains to bring home.

But as for the ‘capsule’ holiday packing sometimes recommended by fashion journalists, forget it! One I once read actually said that virtually all you needed was a plain white swimsuit, which would then serve as a top, to team with a long black skirt for the evening.

Evidently it hadn’t occurred to the daft moo that it might well be wet or damp, because, you know, you’d actually been swimming in it?

Why have I never thought this myself!!

Couldn’t agree more.

Why is it such a badge of honour to travel light?!

I went to se Asia last year for 2 weeks with 2 children. I went out and bought new quicker drying knickers so I could wash them as I knew no way was I packing 50+ pairs of knickers (needed spares to change as so hot and humid.

Why is it not fine to have hand luggage?

I used to ‘travel light’ when it saved me a lot of money but it’s usually cheaper/ same price to take checked in luggage anyway now that airlines have started charging -approx £90 for cabin bags bigger than a handbag !

To be fair my flights were about £19 each way, so the total £80 to add hand luggage and bags still felt like I was getting a good deal 🤣

Urgh I am so sorry, I would be absolutely gutted if this happened to me.

Its awful.

I am incapable of packing light and always have a hold case. We have cheeky friends that we go on city breaks with - they can be guaranteed to buy something when away that they will ask to put in our hold bag for the return journey. Real skinflints.

If I have hold luggage I pack plenty choices. This year we went away for the first time with hand luggage only, I was stressed about how I was going to manage but actually it was fine and I still managed to take choices incase I didn’t want to wear something I’d initially planned. Plus not waiting in baggage was delightful
i still think if I have room in the case you best believe I’ll be filling it!

lol yes it’s like when my dad used to laugh at me for taking after sun/bite cream/spare socks and he’d always end up needing them!

Nope, thank goodness 😭 just me and myself on my travels!

Oh no I voted the wrong way! I love unpacking my many many things as soon as I arrive in holiday - it makes me feel at home where we’re staying. My uncle takes his clothes to a launderette for them to be cleaned and neatly packed for him pre-holiday. I want to have enough £££ to live like that.

They are good company nonetheless.

Omg I take everything I need to be comfortable. The in laws always have something to say about “packing light” and why on earth would I need my hairdryer (erm 3 females , two with extreme long hair , hotel dryers don’t cut it 😂)
a million pairs of pants, my good shampoo, trust me it’s all coming with me

I always think that once you need to check baggage, it doesn't really matter how much you bring. You'll still have to queue for bag drop and wait for collection, so might as well take more!

I’m sure not all skinflints are bad company?

It’s a speed thing. When I go away I like to take options and I can’t get all my toiletries under the limit which some airports still impose. My husband and friends would definitely rather I packed lighter to avoid waiting in the baggage hall. They’re all in the “turn your pants inside out” gang.

I don't pack light. If I am going away in the car I treat the car as a space that needs to be filled looked at a flight the other day. To take a case is an extra 120 pounds will have to factor this into the cost. No way can I do hand luggage only

See I don’t know if I’ve just had extraordinarily good luck lately but every time I’ve had a checked bag it’s been on the belt by the time I get through passport control

Depends where/ when/ how long I am going for. When we had kids with us, we looked as if we were emigrating...😅.
Flying in a cheap 3/4 day break, I can get everything in hand luggage down to a fine art. Including toiletries and make up and decanted into travel bottles, and even have a perfume atomiser.
Longer than that, kitchen sink goes...😅. Especially on a cruise as you need day/night outfits.