to think that actually, no "everyone" does NOT unpack on holiday!

[PyongyangKipperbang]

My sister and I have very different views on this!

She and I have gone away many times, always for a week.

She always spends a good hour or so unpacking, setting stuff out etc on arrival and then a couple of hours repacking before we leave. I just live out of my bag/case and dirty clothes folded into a plastic bag when I take them off to chuck back in the case at the end of the week. Repacking takes less than half an hour. The only item I unpack is my "going out" dress, of which I only take one.

She thinks I am abnormal as "everyone unpacks!" I think its probably more like a 50/50 split and when you only have a week, time is of the essence so I prefer to use the time to holiday (made up verb of the week) than fanny about putting my knickers and socks in a drawer!

YABU - I unpack!
YANBU - I live out of my case!

It totally depends how long I'm staying and whether I have an empty wardrobe to put my things in. Of course, I PREFER if I can unpack and have my clothes and toiletries laid out in a way I can see them easily rather than have to dig them out of a suitcase every time.
For one night, it's not necessarily worth it and if I stay at someone's place there may not be space.

I travel alone and leave everything in my case except the toiletries and anything that needs hanging up. Never put undies in a drawer that i dont know whats been in there before.

Yup me too- may take out a couple of dresses but nothing more.

I unpack, I like to be organised. I use packing cubes though, so they can just be placed on drawers/shelves apart from the one that has things that need hanging up. I also have toiletries/misc stuff packed into bags for different areas, bathroom, dressing table, bedside etc so it's just a matter of taking the individual bags/cubes out and putting them in the right location. Shoes lined up by the door. Done!

I unpack things that I will need often, firvexample toiletry bag, and anything that gets crumpled easily, firvexample ling dresses, and leave the great in the bag. If I’m going for long? Firvexample more than 4 nights, then yes I woukd unpack properly to save having to rummage all
of the time.

I don't unpack. I'm a heavy packer, and sometimes there just isn't room for all of my things to be unpacked. But I am going to try to unpack on my upcoming trip, to see what it's like. It's a short trip and only one small suitcase, so ideal opportunity to try unpacking.

I unpack begrudgingly for a week as I need to hang dresses, but I’ve just spent five days in Majorca and didn’t unpack at all other than my suncream, make up and toothbrush.

It depends. I've lived out of the case for a week's holiday before now, but there have been times when I'm away for only one or two nights and I've unpacked completely. I think it depends on whether I'm tired / stressed. If tired / stressed then need as much order as possible including clothes ready to roll.

I’m definitely an unpacker. Last holiday we arrived late and then got dressed to go down to breakfast before we had unpacked and I got so angry with the suitcase because I couldn’t find what I needed easily.

If I’m staying somewhere more than one night it’s very likely to be a beach resort so I just put a pile of t shirts, one of shorts, swimwear etc. There’s normally a drawer at least for underwear then if I’ve taken sundresses I might hang those or sometimes roll up on a shelf. I don’t really take any dressy clothes though! Whole thing takes less than 10 mins.

Also as a family of three we normally share one big suitcase so it would be chaos all trying to live out of it. Luckily my son really likes choosing his spot and arranging his things where he wants them (on holiday at least, it doesn’t happen in his bedroom at home!)

We’ve never stayed in a room that doesn’t have enough space for us all, although sometimes you have to improvise a bit especially with three sharing. Although don’t get me started about how many hotel bathrooms don’t have any space for you to put your toiletries, what’s that all about?

Actually, when we stay in a villa and have more space, that’s often when I get more annoyed and can’t find my things because they don’t have a specific place where they live and there are so many more rooms to put things down! I’m forever wandering round trying to find my hat / sunglasses / suncream.

This

I suppose if the knickers are so dirty they've grown legs?
If they contaminate the clean laundry then I suppose you just wash those bits if feeling particular!
We usually have more than one suitcase. Bagged laundry can go in zip side of suitcase depending how much, or have its own dedicated suitcase.

I suppose if the knickers are so dirty they've grown legs?

I mean, I suspect I have in the past worn clothes that have touched used underwear <<shudder>> because of close proximity/a minor tumble in my suitcase, and I've never been socially shunned or contracted a foul disease over it. Maybe I've just been very lucky.

I unpack but it takes 10 minutes....how much does she take for it to be an hour?????

I sort of unpack, packing cubes which I generally put in the cupboard/draw. This means I can shove the empty suitcase under the bed open. I repack the dirty clothes into the suitcase as I go along.

I quarter unpack, toiletries in the bathroom, though always kept in my wash bag. Clothes, I may hang a few up but underwear, nightwear, t-shirts, trousers and shoes stay in my case until I need them. I keep everything tidy as it's less hassle when leaving but my sister causes an explosion in Primark when she gets to a hotel room and has to check under beds and duvets before leaving.

I wash clothes before returning home these days (family of four).

We stay in Air BnBs mostly.
The clothes dry quickly in the sun so when I arrive home, I do not have to do fourteen days of laundry for four people.

Thing is, if someone is that bothered surely they just wash them? Although I appreciate difficult to do laundry with one hand clutching a pearl necklace.

If I’m away for a week I would def unpack but taken about 10 mins to hang up and put toiletry bag in bathroom. Sane to pack. City break likely to live out my case as I don’t take much. Like you have a bag for clothes I’ve worn then that bag goes in case when we leave

I’m so sorry you went through this. I’m stressed just reading about it.

Do you mind saying what city you were in?

I know it can happen anywhere.

Unpack. Much nicer. Clothes are not creased. Living environment better.

We unpack although we never used to. Used to be the same as you but increasingly found it displacing and unsettling and annoying to live in a mess. I don’t know why it takes your SIL so long though - my version of unpacking is just shoving things in the chest of drawers

I live out my bag, my OH unpacks. This is pretty representative of how we approach life in general to be honest 😂 I do actually concede it’s probably better to unpack but I rarely bother.

That's an excellent idea especially for a two week holiday. I don't think I've stayed in many places with a washing machine. I'm sure CP and similar don't have them. I might be tempted with kids especially swimming gear, towels and any accidents, would much rather wash.

I unpack unless it’s for example one night in a hotel before a cruise.

I did a five center holiday last year where I lived out of the case and I didn’t like that aspect of the trip.

Where do you all keep you full suitcases?

😁