Do I need to pack that?

[Chuckanut]

As I grow older I seem to need more stuff.

 

[Lorenzo]

As I grow older I seem to need more stuff.

Ha. Yes. Can't pack in 2 hours when you realize you need to order a month of medications.

 

[Koolau]

DW and I fly with just our carry on so packing is complicated from time to time. BUT we know that we can buy what we need. We keep saying: "Money, pharmaceuticals, travel credentials. Everything else is optional."

 

[rodi]

I can pack quickly. I have a standard list that I modify for season or itinerary. However, I typically start packing earlier because i get excited and it's part of the anticipation of going somewhere. As sometime else mentioned, we have a landing zone and start tossing things there as we think of them then do a final pack the day before.

 

[punkinhead]

I traveled by motorcycle for many years so I know how to pack light. My wife... not so much. She makes huge lists and still forgets important things because her monolithic lists don't make a distinction between "necessary" and "maybe needed once in a blue moon". When we first got our motorhome she packed it to the gills even though I told her we had limited space and it we really needed something we had a credit card. On our first trip everytime we'd go through a town and pass a Walmart I'd say, "look, there's another one!".

 

[brett]

What helps for us is when we return from an extended trip and unpack we take note of anything we did not use, or used very little. It stays home next trip, sometimes replaced, sometimes not.

We also cut out the 'just in case' things. If we need any of those we can buy them as needed.

After many trips I cannot remember having to buy any of them.

 

[gamboolman]

The days of ms gamboolgal and I traveling with a Backpack are in the far distant past.

We take a couple of days to get ready to go on our Poker Road Trips... ha !

I was always the Packrat in the Oilfield... better to have and not need than to have and need.... A Slicker back onshore did me no good if I did not have it to use in the Cold Rain, etc....

When we pull up to the Hotel the Bell Hops bring 2 of them Carts and ms gamboolgal tips them alot as she is embarrassed that we have so much stuff.

This is a pretty good representation of us going to the Casino.

 

[Gumby]

I can still pack for almost any trip in about 15 minutes. There were times in the past when I traveled for court hearings in distant states on no notice, leaving straight from my office with nothing more than a briefcase full of documents. I simply repeatedly wore the same suit I had on when I left the office and bought what I needed as I needed it - clean shirts, underwear, new ties, toiletries, etc.

 

[6miths]

I am still pretty quick. Definitely have packing lists for different types of trips emailed to myself and on phone and computer. It used to be an adventure packing for low resource places in Africa and carrying some of the items we used for teaching. Often a one way trip for much of the stuff. People speaking of their USN duffels, I still have my uncle’s RCN duffel but I think the more common Canadian equivalent is the hockey bag! And yes very heavy when fully packed.

DW and I are usually carry on only now and manage quite well. Sometimes have to check a bag due to restrictions. How dangerous is a DeWalt nailer with no battery or nails. Guess someone else could have brought those!

 

[tulak]

It takes me a couple of hours to pack. I worry about forgetting something, but there are always stores at my destination if that happens. I travel often enough that it’s easy to pack.

The biggest debate I have is always around shoes, since I prefer to travel with only one pair - the ones that I’m wearing - which isn’t always possible.

 

[mountainsoft]

I cannot remember having to buy something that one of us did not pack.

I always joke with my wife that we're not leaving the planet. If we forget something we can always buy it at our destination. That said, I can't remember a time we've ever needed to buy something we forgot.

My wife can easily fit a week worth of clothes in her carry-on bag. It's a bit harder for me. A single pair of jeans takes up two thirds of my carry-on, leaving little room for anything else. Whenever possible, I only take the jeans I'm wearing. That way I can fit a few days worth of clothes into the bag.

Sometimes it's difficult to know what to take. Just last week we took a two night trip to the coast. Cold wind and rain was in the forecast so we took our coats, gloves, and raincoats. We also took our shorts (and short socks) "just in case". As luck would have it we had beautiful weather. We never wore the coats and spent the last two days in shorts.

 

[brett]

When we drive I really don't care. Whatever can get thrown into the car.

But when we fly it is carry on only, 8kg weight, sometimes stretched to 9kg each. It is what we can each physically handle comfortably under any circumstances.

 

[CO-guy]

We travel light these days. My wife and I each pack a couple of quick-dry clothing, electronics and toiletries in a small back pack. No worries about lugging luggage around.

Same! I have separate travel toiletries that are already packed. I just toss a few clothes into their respective packing cubes, load up my small back pack and off I go. The bulkiest item is usually my noise cancelling headphones.

I'm taking 5 trips in the next 3 months ranging from 3 nights to 2 weeks. For some trips I'll need an extra pair of footwear or my laptop, but otherwise the packing doesn't change. Just a small bag that fits under the seat in front of me.

 

[Palmtree]

Depending on where we are going, we are on opposite ends of packing. We can handle a 3 week / multiple country trip in europe with nothing but a carry on backpack each. We do this by making careful notes of exactly what did and didn't work out or get used from a previous trip.
However if we are driving, that's a whole other story. A week at the beach for just the two of us and our van is packed so full, it hard to find room for anything else.

 

[2017ish]

...

We flew this year, so I really cut down on the items packed. I definitely will be re-wearing some outfits! Also, my dressy outfits were limited to those that went with the same pair of shoes (one pair each for warm and cold weather).

...

OMG, DW and I joke about this! I pack two pairs of pants and wear one (2 of the pairs have zip off legs...), and she does that, plus one dress. A collared shirt or two for nice restaurants, and a jacket for the planes and nicer restaurants constitutes all of our variety. On a 2 or 3 month trip, there definitely is some repetition!

 

[HarveyS]

I like the way brett does it! A friend just posted to social about traveling to 4 different locations in Europe and "doing it all carry-on!"
Too bad she attached a photo. A large Away roll-aboard, a stuffed backpack that looked to be about 35liter, and an overstuffed fanny pack. I suspect she will be in for a surprise when Euro airlines deny the large Away bag.

 

[Alan]

Since I retired I find that 15 minutes = 2 hours. Why rush.

 

[brett]

I like the way brett does it! A friend just posted to social about traveling to 4 different locations in Europe and "doing it all carry-on!"
Too bad she attached a photo. A large Away roll-aboard, a stuffed backpack that looked to be about 35liter, and an overstuffed fanny pack. I suspect she will be in for a surprise when Euro airlines deny the large Away bag.

Absolutely. She is in for a huge surprise if she books on one of the regionals. Cannot imagine humping that shower on and off the trains in Italy, etc either. Along cobblestones or up and down a flight or two of stairs.

We both travel with 38L light weight carry on rollers.

Our challenge now is weight, not size/dimensions. How much we can each easily physically handle by ourselves.

Most of the regional carriers in SE Asia, Oz, and Europe that we have flown over the past 15 years have a carry on weigh restriction of anywhere from 6-9Kg. This is the reason why our bags are never bulging out! In Oz we typically pay a premium to upgrade from 6-10kg carry on weight.

Our observation is that bags that are bulging are much more likely to be selected for a weight and/or dimension verification.

Never a challenge with carry on getting from NA to Europe, Asia, etc on any of the international carriers. Generous allowances. Our challenge is that we may have 4-6 flights on regionals during a 8-10 week trip.

DW sometimes places items in my carry on in order to lighten her bag. We have a luggage scale that we use prior to leaving home. Most of the airlines have some leeway, a KG or so. One or two also include the weight of DW's purse in that total though that was only enforced once that I can remember.

More than once I have worm my nylon shell jacket at checkin stuffed with a few smaller, heavier items and carrying a book or an ipad in my hands! We will wear the heavier of our two pairs of shoes, dito for clothing at checkin time.

 

[1242Vintage]

I used to travel every week for work. Fly out on Monday morning and back on Friday night. Packing was a 15 minute job … usually done @ 4 a.m. on Monday morning.

Still the same for leisure travel. I use packing cubes and a smallish duffel bag. Takes just a few minutes on the morning of the trip.

Only difference now is wife usually wants me to throw a few extra items into my bag … like high heels. High heels in my bag make for an interesting conversation with TSA!

 

[braumeister]

I had a two week trip recently and used this bag for the first time. It was wonderful, and could hold way more than I needed (41 liters). The big advantage, besides being very lightweight itself (3 pounds), is that it easily converts into a very comfortable backpack. I think I've found my standard for all future trips.

Rick Steves convertible carry-on

 

[meleana]

We have a 2 week trip coming up the end of October and I’ve already started to pack and put aside toiletries and buy a few clothes!

What makes me nuts is all the airline and TSA luggage rules.

Plus, unless I start to put things aside I’m not sure what I need to purchase. I do make an extensive list.

We could do carryons if we had a washer/ dryer but on this trip we will be on a tour schedule with 4 different hotels in Sicily and southern Italy, so I have a lot of anxiety about checking a bag for fear it could be lost. Plus just the hassle of having to wait for the luggage at the carousel.

I don’t use packing cubes or roll up clothes. I never could understand how they save space. If anything they make it bulkier. It’s not like our clothes are toddler size. lol!

I use plastic freezer bags for toiletries. I will make sure the carryons have several days of clothes and toiletries in them - each bag with both our clothes in each of them in case one gets checked for some reason.

We also are taking 2 back packs as our personal items.

 

[Gumby]

We have a 2 week trip coming up the end of October and I’ve already started to pack and put aside toiletries and buy a few clothes!

What makes me nuts is all the airline and TSA luggage rules.

Plus, unless I start to put things aside I’m not sure what I need to purchase. I do make an extensive list.

We could do carryons if we had a washer/ dryer but on this trip we will be on a tour schedule with 4 different hotels in Sicily and southern Italy, so I have a lot of anxiety about checking a bag for fear it could be lost. Plus just the hassle of having to wait for the luggage at the carousel.

I don’t use packing cubes or roll up clothes. I never could understand how they save space. If anything they make it bulkier. It’s not like our clothes are toddler size. lol!

I use plastic freezer bags for toiletries. I will make sure the carryons have several days of clothes and toiletries in them - each bag with both our clothes in each of them in case one gets checked for some reason.

We also are taking 2 back packs as our personal items.

We have found it worthwhile to have the hotel launder our clothes if at all possible. If we are there for two nights and we give them the clothes to be washed the first evening, they will usually be ready before the second evening and can be packed away before we leave the second morning. Yes, it is expensive, but it makes life so much easier. We were very grateful to have that option on our longer trips. You can usually go on the hotel website to see if they have laundry service and make a plan in advance as to where and when you will send out the laundry.

 

[brett]

We do it all. Sometimes we rinse clothing out. Other times it gets sent to the hotel laundry. Sometimes, like at Rome Airport, our hotel will have a laundromat. Other times, in SE Asia, we take it to the corner store who in turn send it out..back same day at 5PM.

The best is often when we visit a local laundromat. We invariably meet up with other travelers, often Ozzies, to trade travel recommendations over a glass of wine or a beer and lunch in a cafe across the street from the laudromat! And exchange books.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

I tend to pack anything that we have room for and might possibly need. But my wife will say "We don't need that, we're not going to Outer Mongolia".
Hence, my suitcase is known as "The Mongolia Bag."

 

[marinauser]

Since I traveled for business a good bit, I just kept a carry on ready to go except for the clothes. I still do that and 10 minutes is usually enough to add the clothes.