What's your packing process?

[MrsJigsaw]

How long does it take you to pack? Do you make lists, just do it in a couple of hours, or spread it over a day or two?

I think I take far too long, and my husband agrees! He gets everything out that he wants to take in about 30 mins. My process seems to take about 2 days (off and on!).

Admittedly, I like to take on responsibility for the joint stuff, e.g. toiletries, medical supplies, travel snacks, but I still dont know why it takes me so long. Perhaps its because I'm fitting it around personal holiday prep such as painting toenails and dying eyelashes!

Any tips shared much appreciated!

I make a list a few days in advance (or get an old one out if I have one that’s suitable) then pack the night before we go. We don’t have space to have bags and cases out for days in advance.

40 mins max
Have a master list and refine list according to type of holiday
Always think it’s funny when people ask you about a week before you leave if you have packed yet

I have a very drawn out process! 🤣 I have a list of my phone which I look at afew weeks before & see if I need to buy anything- toiletries, kids clothes bits etc. Then a week before I get the cases out & start packing & crossing off list, I do abit every day over at least a week. Im going on holiday on Wednesday & have 2 nearly packed cases, just need to pack toothbrushes & that sort of stuff now 🙂

I ask myself these questions
where am I going?
what is the weather like?
what will I be doing?
I pack an outfit for each day with some crossover if necessary, separate activities if necessary. I pair everything up. Pack a spare pair of clothing if needed and keep it all minimal. Takes me an hour max.

Well, I just put everything on the bed that I want to take, so it needs to be done in an hour or two.
Put stuff on bed, then pack hold stuff between 2 cases. We each sort out our own small bag with personal stuff. I don't know how you can make it last 2 days..... doesn't stuff get creased sitting in bags/cases for so long?

I have a list that I revisit and tweak for each holiday. I usually start doing things about 6 weeks out such as making a shopping list for cosmetics and checking that holiday clothes fit and are still in good condition. I gather together all the bits and bobs I have bought by sticking them in a washing basket. The day before we go I usually do the actual suitcase packing which takes about 30 mins tops.

I loathe packing but my approach is a tremendous whittling down process so that the physical packing takes me about 15 minutes usually on the day of the trip. The washing, ironing and mental anguish usually occupies about a week before.

No need to "pack toothbrushes"..... just keep a sponge bag for each person, ready to go in a drawer (with travel sizes of everything). When you are packing, remove bag(s) from drawer and put in bag. Sorted.

It depends a lot on the type of trip, surely?

We are doing a holiday later this year that involves a few different activities and that we will start packing for well ahead of time - I have already started a list, there will be a few different things to buy like mosquito repellent etc

But for a self catering break in the UK, I can pack in less than an hour.

About 20 minutes. I travelled loads for work and now for pleasure so it's a quick & easy process.

I have friends who start about 2 weeks before they go which I find crazy.

20-30 mins max.

Depending on where I am going and for how long it’s fairly simple. I will know how many and type of tops/trousers etc I will need. Appropriate numbers of underwear. Lay out and ranger roll it all then assemble into bag.

Pull out the travel toiletries back and drop in. Add the pouch for chargers etc and top up with anything extra. Hand luggage will have passport, any docs, a travel jumper and a book / EarPods.

job done!

Max 30 mins, we travel fairly light though, just got back from a week in Jamaica and the suitcase was 19.4kg for all 4 of us. We have a list for things like eczema cream, insect repellent, sun hats, night light, swim goggles etc, but clothes wise I just chuck a few things in appropriate for the weather for everyone and it doesn't take long.

I have a master list which I print for all holidays. Before starting packing I go through and cross off anything not suitable, ie if I’m going to the Algarve in July I cross off gloves, if I’m doing a city break in Europe in December I cross off suncream.

I’ve usually checked whether where we’re going has items like a hair dryer and a washing machine as this will affect what and how much I take.

Once I get going it probably takes no longer than an hour. I do my stuff, DS stuff and anything communal. Dh does is own (I know).

I have a list & tick as I go - same list whether for a weekend UK break or a month-long tour somewhere.

I usually pack on the day if I'm leaving home after 11.00, or the night before if it's an early start. Probably 60-90 minutes max.
Packing cubes really have changed my life, essential for my usual touring holidays.

For a UK self catered holiday probably 1-2hrs- including packing kitchen stuff, toys and bags for three of us
For a weekend away for me 10mimutes, husband a bit longer- mainly to ensure he has enough medication
The child- about 20 minutes- including toys and books...

It takes me about 3 weeks to go away for 2 days.

i have to prepare detailed lists and triple check everything. I can’t buy anything at my destination if I forget something. I have complex medical issues and have to bring special toothpaste, bedding for the hotel room, towels, the soap to wash my hands at every stop, etc. plus things like my EpiPens and all my other meds. absolutely everything I use gets brought. It’s exhausting and kind of terrifying.

I really only travel because I have a child and she deserves to travel.

A week before try on clothes and create outfits plus check if I need to buy anything.

Write a list and start making some piles of stuff.

The day before I actually pack and that takes about two hours.

Last year I did book a trip a holiday the day before and packed in an hour in the afternoon and didn’t forget anything.

I write a list a few weeks ahead, when I’ve a spare 5 minutes. The weekend before I will loosely put everything in bag. Will iron and pack properly the day before. Then leave the list next to the bag for the morning, to pack the last few bits that need packing the day of departure

I have used the Packing List app which is really good. There’s standard items I think and you can put things in but once it’s listed you can just reuse it etc. Tick them off. I started using it for camping when it was more important to remember stuff as didn’t want to forget torches or matches or something crucial for camping. However I’ve used it for holidays too. There’s two parts to it “Packing” and “To Do” and each has different sections or categories. So can have section for Clothes, Toiletries, Documents, Beachwear, Children’s Toys, etc. The “To Do” is things like take bins out, turn water off, windows closed, etc.

We are the other way around! Hubby takes days ironing his clothes, getting toiletries and medication together. I pack all the stuff for myself, my son and all the general joint stuff like first aid kit, charges, travel snacks, etc and take 1-2 hours or less getting everything together.

I have a travel wash bag that has everything in there for myself and son so don’t need to pack anything like that. I can just grab both wash bags. A few minor things like make up etc are already in a small bag too.

Can he pack all household / general stuff? Have a list for that and leave him to it if it only takes 30 minutes?

There are some clothing apps too. I’ve not used them. You can take photos of your clothes and then suggest outfits. Not sure how they work but maybe these would be helpful. I struggle with UK holidays and being not sure of the weather etc. I over pack as have different scenarios for weather. Use the clothes app or maybe have a few lists of outfits / combinations of outfits for different activities or weather? Might save you time if you’re like me and the biggest time wasting activity is getting clothes out of the wardrobe and putting them back etc. As I said though, I’m much quicker packing than hubby, and the deciding of clothes takes the longest for me.

I have a template list which I modify according to time of year and destination.
It can be adapted for self catering/ UK / beach holiday etc.
I start about two weeks before and pack the stuff. Stuff being toiletries, sun creams, everything but clothes. The clothes go in the night before but are all ready. I pack for DH as well but his is easy.
I have to take a lot of medication and sorting that takes me a couple of hours alone because I need to take enough in case of delay plus a list of drugs, medical conditions and translation in case of needing medical care. All that has to go in hand luggage if flying.

I have a Word document* that I rely on with lists of items to take and reminders about things to do before we go. I note a lot of stuff on it because if I need someone's passport number or a check on when one runs out, I don't have to go and get the actual passport from their storage place. It has info on cabin bag sizes and where things are stored, notes on last year (ie my suitcase got damaged, get a new one before next time).

I think a lot about what clothes I'll want to take before it's actually time to pack. The packing itself doesn't take long, once the decisions have been made. I try not to do it in a hurry as it's more likely I'll forget something. I have a checklist where I can tick things off when I've put them into the suitcases. DS packs his own these days but I check when he's done, just in case.

*Actually I have twenty! several, for weekends away, DC's residentials, Covid-blighted, short stays, long hauls, etc. I should really delete most of them, shouldn't I

I can pack in around half an hour. But we don’t generally take much with us- clothes, toiletries, small medical kit with painkillers, suncream, swimming stuff, gadgets and chargers. Most of our holidays are city breaks so we don’t even need all of that.

I’m very relaxed about packing, as I backpacked a lot and realised that you don’t need much and almost anything you forget can be bought while there.

I make a general list to make sure I have enough of everything and that it’s clean. The important things (charging cables, battery packs etc) that are easy to forget I write down. The documents needed (copies of passports, insurance details, boarding passes, parking confirmation, car hire, etc gets printed out and put in a plastic a4 envelope as it’s purchased. So the paperwork is started up to weeks ahead and a list a few days before but actual packing is the night before.

I have a tried and tested master list. Some of the things that I only use for holidays also all reside in the holiday box with the list. E.g. plug adapters.

I just make sure everything is washed, clean, topped up, in date and still in good working order a suitable time in advance. Then just pack according to list and tick off the day before or day of (subject to timings).

Pretty simple.

It also stops the situation where you pack half the house into your suitcase over "what if" anxiety, only to then end up miserable dragging it around and looking after it feeling anxious about losing or forgetting things.

I try to frantically wash all the clothes we need in the run up or buy new stuff if necessary then pray it’s all dry the morning we leave followed by shoving it into the case with toiletries after we’ve used them that morning, then weigh the case to make sure it’s not too heavy. Typically involves redistributing things across suitcases after weighing, then we are good to go. I have no time to think about anything else especially eyelashes and so on. I then plan the itinerary for the holiday en route to the airport.