Why can't I be a minimalist packer?

[fizzbuzz]

Every single time I go on holiday,pack entire contents of wardrobe, and wear about 10 items.

Try really hard to do mimimalism, but just can't do it. Need to take everything just to have "choice " of what to wear. Eg "feeling fat days" (plenty of those", "feeling thin days" (very rare)

Was just about coping, when long tops and skinny jeans came in, so now have to pack those AS WELL as rest of stuff like baggy crops, and t shirts.

Have reached desperation point, have filled ENTIRE family suitcase with my clothes, and feel absolutely fazed by what to take out.....Please help, am going mad!

Am not taking sarong which can be "cunningly " arranged to look like lots of different tops or dresses, they look bloody awful on me. Nor am interested in decanting lots of liquids into shitty little bottles (as they go in seperate bag as suitcase is full)

Please help!!!!

I am no help I have eaten into everybodies baggage allowance.

Yes, have often had to pay excess baggage charge when used to fly.......(sigh)

Help help help, am drowning in sea of clothes

I fail to see the problem.
One swimsuit
Undies
Toiletries
A frock or two
Trousers/shorts/skirts

Park hardly anything for the kids,they couldn't care less.

Dh and I once went with dd to Thailand for a month with one rucksack and one stroller.Check in woman couldn't believe it.

No can do....my clothes are my security blanket.........

A frock or two?!!!

Well... I usually go with three skirts, two dresses, one bikini, one sarong. Its all the creams, lotions hairdryer, round brushes and millions of shoes that take up all my space.

And I stick to black and white t-shirts to go with the skirts.

I think to be a mimimalist packer you have to be a size 10...sarongs and my 34hh norks do not go together (unless sarong has built in cantilever

Anyway am going to Vendee/brittany border, so can have a climate like UK there, which makes it even harder........

Will have to face up to fact, that I do not need 3 pairs of pink cropped trousers, nor 12 white (but all different IYKWIM) t shirts.

So what do I need?

How many jeans, skirts, tops, cardi's trousers are realistic for a fortnight?

Right... forget jeans, apart from one pair, which you will wear for travelling in. Also, one cardie/lightweight jacket, also to be travelled in.
So in the case... underwear, black t-shirts/vest tops. White t-shirts/vest tops.
A couple of loose dresses you are comfy in.
Shoes... black, flat... they will match any skirt you wear if you have one of the black t-shirts up top.

Ditto - white shoes, white t-shirt up top.

But, I look crap in black and don't own any black t shirts. White is great but can emphasis norks/muffin, so have to be careful...

I am the same - totally useless - mammoth suitcase for me - teeny tiny suitcase for DH and DCs. I wore a fraction of the clothes and wondered why on earth I bothered.

You need the following:

Undies
Toiletries
Books
Sandals
Trainers
2 dresses
2 skirts
2 shorts/crops
4 tops
1 swimming costume

AND NOTHING ELSR

plan it.
how many days are you going for?
what are the different occasions. eg beach, dinner in posh hotel etc
wear everything at least twice. take washing powder and wear everuything at least four times.
relax

Well evicted a fair amount last night, whatever dp says.............have however replaced it with other things instead

dp has packed and has only used 8kg of his allowed 15 so I have somewhere to slipp into

How can anyone use half their luggage allowance.....?

he says all he needs are three pairs of shirts some tshirts and underwear and the clothes he is wearing.

He's right! Give yourself a limit of say, 15 items, then pick the best 15. Lay them on the bed and make sure at least some of them go together. Agree, the only jeans you need are the ones you wear to travel.

Following Aloha's brisk advice the year when I dithered madly on MN instead of packing, I intend to take - if the weather picks up - some pants, a bra and two frocks on holiday. Ditto for the Inferiorettes.

And then the rest of the packing can be books.

Look at everything you've packed and then HALVE it, at least. If you have four pairs of pants, pick two, etc. If you still have too much, then sacrifice one item at a time. Do it slowly. I had to do this when DS and I went on a one month trip. I packed way too much for him (really, what does a five month old care about clean clothes?), but learned a valuable lesson about what I do and don't need.
Also, can you just buy some of your toilettries where you're headed?

There is nothing that spoils the start of a holiday so much as lots of heavy luggage.
Remember, it is possible to a/wash clothes abroad, and b/buy shampoo outside England

My stepdaughter and her friend (15&16) brought only tiny wheeled cases with them, yet managed a succession of stunning outfits and swimwear AND a dazzing array of cosmetics.

Yes, I've suddenly realised that er shampoo is quite readily available in France .