How many suitcases are you taking ?

[Mumishappy]

I'm curious how many suitcases people typically take on long overseas trips. Our family of four adults is heading to Japan for three weeks, but we're only packing three days' worth of clothes into one large suitcase. The other large suitcase is entirely dedicated to souvenirs for family back in Japan, with a smaller bag nested inside the clothing suitcase. We often see people with many bags and wonder why they need so much! How many suitcases are you bringing ?

Last holiday I was on 22.9kg, for a week

Limit was 23kg!

Thats my main case, I have cabin bags too.

I'm only taking one pair of trainers because we'll mostly be staying indoors, where you don't really need shoes (at the swimming pool and hot spring onsen, where slippers will be provided)

I don’t get it? What’s funny about that? It’s the usual luggage limit when you buy a package holiday isn’t it? The holidays I’m looking at next year have 20kg hold luggage included for each traveller. So clearly a very normal amount of luggage to have for that kind of length of time?

I don’t ‘under pack’ to prove anything to anyone it’s just a personal preference to wash rather than drag loads of stuff about. I’m a single parent and need everyone to manage their own things, if all my kids and me had a full sized suitcase it’d be a disaster. We only take a few days worth of clothes anywhere we travel to, and do a quick check before booking the hotel that they have a laundry. Apartments tend to have washing machines as standard, but I double check. I’d much rather do a bit of washing every evening than carry a sack of dirty clothes about with me, that actually makes me feel sick. People saying they hate the idea of having to do washing on holiday - it’s about as much effort as making a cup of tea, or am I doing it wrong?

Yes? Why not? I have enough pairs of knickers for two weeks and more.

I thought I packed light but this thread tells me otherwise.

We've just done 8 days abroad. Had one big hard shell case between two adults and a seven year old. 26kg wait limit which we hit.

And a rucksack each.

Didn't pack many toiletries. Bought majority of them over there. Shampoo, Conditioner, shower gel, etc.

Also ran out of clothes and had to do three loads of washing whilst there!

But, I did pack fourteen 500ml cans of drink that I can't get abroad. 🤣

Which got drunk and freed up loads of space for souvenirs to bring home!

Our suitcases are packed and ready to fly. One weighs 23 kg and the other 16 kg, which is well within our 25 kg allowance per luggage

I pack pretty lightly but you are extreme OP!
Are you going soon? If so, you will sweat buckets and nothing will be able to be worn twice. And trainers will be sweaty as anything.

I suppose if you're not doing anything else in the evening then putting a wash on is one thing but we're out until the early hours, out all day, we pop back a few times depending on where we are, I like getting changed into different clothes for different events/restaurants, I want enough things to change into when I fancy it, not when they're dry. I always book flats with washing machines just in case, but wouldnt do so in order to do my normal chores. Thats not a holiday to me.

We dont drag it all around either, thats what taxis are for

One carry on and one underseat case. Can easily still fit in 2 extra pair of shoes, a couple of handbags (one inside the other) and clothes for 2 weeks. Travel bag has travel size toiletries only. Interchange the outfits and either wash some of the clothes or get the hotel to launder them. I do everything possible not to take a fullsize suitcase because I have Global Entry and don't want to wait for a suitcase when immigration has only taken me 3 minutes. Fly in the biggest shoes (normally sneakers) and whatever jacket I'm taking.

I don’t pack light. If I’ve got 20kgs, my suitcase is usually 19.something. I go on holiday to relax, not to do laundry or swill my smalls out in the sink.

I take enough underwear for each day I’m away, plus a couple of spares. 3 or 4 bikinis, and plenty of day and night outfits. No way would one pair of shoes be enough either.

I hate doing laundry on holiday (and it can be extremely expensive if staying in hotels) so I usually end up taking enough for the whole trip unless it is over 2-3 weeks. Usually end up with a 18-20kg suitcase.

We usually take one 22kg checked case, plus 2x40 litre cabin bags, and one or 3 personal bags, and a Yoyo stroller. Family of 2 adults and dcs aged 2 and 6. We do laundry on most holidays and usually book apartments or airbnbs with a washing machine. We don't bring back many souvenirs, not enough to need any extra bags on the way back.
We only pack water/beach shoes, if there will be beach time, and wear our normal trainers most of the time, have never needed any other shoes. We bring books for the dcs but not for adults (just a kindle). I never bring food, and decant certain toiletries to the minimum needed, but I buy shampoo and shower gel there for the whole family. I usually pack enough clothes for 4 days and that's always been enough (the dcs need more, but their clothes are smaller).

We usually travel by public transport to airports (from central London) and usually in the other country, so having more cases to pull would be a hassle, especially with one adult pushing a buggy, and our nearest tube station isn't step-free.

Wow 14 cans of drink. That explains why you hit the 26kg limit! It's a good thing they didn't burst. Personally, I'd avoid taking any liquid items, particularly on long flights, just to be safe. We once had a suitcase break due to rough handling, but at least we ended up with a brand new one.

There is no need for us to bring alcohol since my uncle has a sake brewery 😋

🤮 my upbringing would never allow me to this.

I do take enough Yorkshire Tea bags for a week though. That is actually quite a lot as I live off the stuff.

I think maybe the answer to your question about why some people take a lot more luggage than you probably lies here. They are likely to be doing quite different things to you on holiday. I thought you were packing very light, but if you’re spending the bulk of your time by the pool or in onsen resorts you’re going to need far less than someone who is planning to be outdoors all day in changeable weather. If I was staying indoors for three weeks by the pool we could get by with one cabin sized bag between two of us, as we wouldn’t need spare shoes, and would probably just pack a few outfits and do laundry.

In my case, my ancestors would not allow it

What a strange comment! My upbringing didn’t dictate how I should do or not do laundry when on holiday! Though I don’t remember my mum doing anything that could be described as housework on a holiday. Which must have been nice for her! She was also the least judgemental woman on the planet so she certainly wouldn’t be pulling faces at other people’s decision not to do laundry on holiday.

You're going to have to explain the joke...

I usually so many boxes of Yorkshire Tea for my family and friends, but this time I downgraded to a supermarket-branded tea due to our tight budget. I wonder if they'll notice

That makes sense 👌

One hold suitcase per person.

I refuse to do more washing than a bra or a top if absolutely needed. It's a holiday and not normal chores in a different location.
Even in a s/c appartment I like a washing machine for emergencies but not for using it daily, that stopped when DD outgrew the messy eating toddler days.

True, what you do is your choice. It's none of our business. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was making fun of you

OMG. They are going to notice.

Good luck!!!