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!

Trip to the med about an hour.
Recent trip to Australia with the changes in weather…thank you Melbourne about 2 weeks. Still took too many clothes and the weather was fabulous!

Suitcase on spare bed about two weeks ahead, then as I think of things I put them next to it. Pack the day before. Short list on kitchen counter for last minute things: phone charger, hairbrush etc.

Wait until the last minute and then pack way too much as I don’t have enough time to properly work out what I’m going to wear. 🤷‍♀️

Half an hour. Sometimes last minute.com. I don’t need lists because I have a drawer with shorts, swimsuits and bikinis and have summer dresses and skirts tops in wardrobe/chest of drawers. I also have a box (open divided stationery kind) with miniatures of shampoo and so on on top of chest of drawers.

I took so many sandals when I was 30 and going to Kefalonia that they needed a separate suitcase I think! Once there I wore some around an olive grove, but you hardly need high fashion for that! 🤣

This is what I do but my list is on a spreadsheet which I add to when I return from each holiday if necessary.

I print it off and cross things off as I pack them.

I start about a week before the holiday.

It takes less than 15 mins. Decide what I want to take, pop it in a bag. Job done.

Bloody days! But I’m packing for all of us, dh included. If dh packed his own he’d get there and wonder why he only had magic beans.

I have a notebook I have my lists in. Full list of everything. A list for each of our carry on bags, and a list each for our wash bags. I then have a highlighter and I highlight the item once it’s fully packed and not getting unpacked. Some items have to be packed very last minute such as dds tonie box or our toothbrushes. Writing it out it does sound too much but it was trialled last year for Spain and worked so well 😅

Oh and also a list of stuff to do before we go such as lock cat flap, make sure lights are on timers, give dd travel meds 2 hours before, etc.

It takes me about an hour for 3 people sharing a 20 kg suitcase.

2 sets of PJs and plenty of underwear.
Layers if you’re going to a cold place. Gloves and hat are small but help to keep you warm. Comfortable shoes.
Unfussy non iron dresses if you’re going to a warm place. multiple swimwear and goggles. Shorts and tshirts for children so no creasing worries. One evening outfit (proper shirt for men).
I buy new toothbrushes with caps for everybody and 1 toothpaste, essential medicine, travel size shampoo and sunscreen then buy toiletries on the first day.
I have a multi-socket and USB charger with a plug converter.

We have an underseat rucksack each for personal stuff and travel in heavy jackets if necessary.

Big holiday (7 days plus) - a couple of hours

City break/long weekend - about an hour

Work trip - 30 mins max

I always work out the most bulky items to travel in and then set that aside. Then sort out an outfit for each day - making sure things broadly mix and match.

Do cosmetics and minimal make up. Finally small bag for travelling contains meds, headphones, charger, mints, ear plugs.

I sort it out in the bedroom first and then pack it up.

I always put passports and printed docs (tickets, hotel bookings, insurance etc..)in a plastic wallet than I leave it in a prominent place to enaure we pick it up before we leave.

We always pack very light and we tend to do active holidays.

So I think this often takes more thought and time than shoving loads of stuff in a big case for a week at the beach.

I usually start thinking about packing two weeks before - partly so I can encourage my teenager to get everything in the wash (and yet, still she finds something last minute that absolutely has to be washed and taken - drives me potty). And partly so I can make sure things from last holiday still fit the kids

About two weekends before I get most things ready and temporarily store it in the cases so I know roughly how we are shaping up. Then weekend before a trip, dh and I pack properly together - I iron clothes so they pack better - and we are usually packed that weekend so only need ten minutes to chuck in chargers and toothbrushes.

It works perfectly for us and causes no stress at all.

When it’s just me, twenty minutes will do it.

Packing for family holiday - I start 6 weeks out checking passport, ehic, credit card dates and do a couple of jobs a week. I like plenty of time to order (and return and re-order) new swimwear etc, and to spread the costs.

Actual packing I do in about an hour the day before but I start chucking bits into a suitcase a week before as I think of, or buy stuff.

I have a holiday checklist in my phone notes.

I pack the day before we go. If in economy, I take 2 hard shell cases, one of which is cabin sized. If we’re not in economy, I’ll take two big cases.

I make piles - swimwear, beach cover ups, gym gear, evening wear, underwear, trainers and sandals. I have those ‘stackers’ travel boxes for jewellery. Hairdryer and diffuser. I only pack once my separate piles are complete.

I have clear zipped plastic pouches of various sizes - one each for hair products, skin care, shower stuff, makeup, SPFs - I take a LOT of toiletries and have to put several things in my husband’s luggage due to the weight.

My husband doesn’t follow my system. He packs completely randomly and can be guaranteed to forget something essential as a result.

Depends on the holiday. I generally think about activities each day, where we will be having lunch/dinner, what I want to wear, and work backwards from there. For sunshine/pool/beach I will start packing about 2 weeks before as I like to build the fun.

On the flip side, in any last minute trips away, I can be packed and ready in 15 minutes.

I used to be able to pack for a 2 week holiday in 15 minutes, with just a carry on. Now I think it’s much more fun to take a different outfit for every day. Perhaps it’s all about different life stages?

What does "too long" mean though? If you're not leaving the house late or causing anyone distress, who cares what your process is or how long it takes.

That said, I have a list. I choose which piece of luggage I'd like to use - sometimes I change this once I'm actually packing, but this and getting out my passport are the first things I do. I monitor the weather for a couple of weeks. Think about what I might like to take. Start collecting a pile of things I think I'll want to take. During this time I'm checking my mini toiletries, topping them up, maybe buying a book or a nice travel bar soap.

Depending on the time of leaving home I then either pack the night before or pack before I leave. That bit only takes 20 min.

Another 30mins ish here, unless it’s skiing when there’s a lot of scrabbling in the loft for boots and goggles. We travel quite often and I’m not into clothes so it’s just a case of picking up the right number of items for the correct weather. I have a clear bag of mini toiletries and a wash bag that have most things in them ready to go and a bag of bits for self catering.

I can do it in a few hours or less, but I start thinking about it in advance, researching weather, thinking about activities and footwear. I keep lists of what I wore on previous holidays, which also include what I wished I’d taken and what I ended up not wearing. I am fussy about what I wear, and hate feeling I’m dressed inappropriately . I also prefer to travel with hand luggage only, so I do find packing challenging. I find it hard to envisage what I will want to wear in temperatures different from that I am currently experiencing.

It takes me a while as we usually only do the free under seat bag if we fly so I pack and repack a few times to make it all fit. I don’t find clothes too difficult it’s all the other bits I have to remember for everyone that stress me.

I happily use an airline where I get luggage included if not for a short stay. If we are travelling around and temperature is variable, I take appropriate clothes. We went to Nepal in the late autumn and it was cold and wet! If I’d just packed the obvious clothes it would have been a disaster. We’ve been the Antarctic and you cannot pack light for down there! A week in Spain with a chance to wash undies would be entirely different. Depends what you are doing and where you are going. I keep all previous packing lists and tweak with recent purchases if appropriate. Takes around 1/2 a day to pack but I sometimes have a few bits and pieces I need to iron but I always have a wash bag, hairbrush, make up and perfume ready to go.

Organised, list begins early. Packing is complete a few days in advance with clear list of anything that might be needed from current use so nothing forgotten.

I get it out of the way, and then all laundrey done, fridge emptied of perishables etc. I sometimes even mop us out of the door.

But I’m weird, and HAVE to come back to a sorted house.

I am a light packer usually just a carry on rucksack under the seat. I only take an eastpack overhead locker bag if Im skiing.
Wear the bigger heavier things travelling like jeans, coats and hoodies, and I pack max 3 outfits and travel wash.
Keep basics in my bag, like adaptor, powerpack, wear a small crossbody with passport cards etc and wear a money belt with emergency cash and cc.

Got it down to a fine art now. My family are.old enough to pack for themselves.

I check weather forecasts obsessively if its somewhere not predictable, because I hate packing the wrong things or overpacking. Then I make a rough list. If it's unpredictable I'll take lots of layers, like dresses that you can wear leggings under, and cardigans/hoodie on top if necessary. I pack a few days ahead in case I need to launder anything. For a typical warm summer week long holiday my packing would be something like two dresses, one swimsuit two pairs of shorts and 4 t-shirts plus layers for evening. Plus undies etc and a nightie/light pjs. Then one pair light trainers and one pair of sandals. I try to pack pretty light.

I personally make a check list on my Iphone using "notes" - and I keep re-using the same as most stuff will remain the same regardless of where you go.
Then a 2-3 days before I start packing and ticking things off this list.

On holiday we generally travel with one backpack each and no suitcases at all - we use compression packing cubes so easy to fit everything in. The only thing I do check in advance is passport expiration dates (do this when booking holiday and then again 3-4 weeks to go). Then we just pack the day before we leave (in case we need to do laundry of a favourite hoodie or whatever) and it never takes more than half an hour from start to finish.

From when the DCs were 10 years old or so, they packed for themselves to a printed out list I gave them - now they are 12 and 14 they no longer need the list and know to pack:
3 tops
3 bottoms
between 1 and 3 "layering" pieces like a jumper in case we go out for a nice dinner, a hoodie for the plane, a small packamac when we went to Japan in the rainy season
5 pairs pants
5 pairs socks
1 pair PJs

And then it depends on where we're going but maybe add 1 swimsuit and 1 hat for a hot sunny holiday, or heattech layers for a cold one.

Then: toothbrush, kindle/small book, MP3 player & charger. I have a small travel wash bag that doesn't really get unpacked in between trips. Never bring anything electrical besides my laptop in case I need to work, or multiple pairs of shoes besides maybe some sandals.

I don’t wear same old stuff for days at home and I’m not doing it on holiday. I’m not carrying a rucksack when I can have a nice spinner bag! Much easier and helps my back. I cannot see what’s wrong with actually taking decent luggage!