When do you start packing?

[Mom2Christina]

So how long ahead do you normally start packing?

I have had a list going for a while now of what not to forget. Everytime I think of something I add to it and the list has gotten long! We must pack everything but the kitchen sink!

DS (11) has been bugging me about packing. I told him he can help me pack all the stuff that is not clothes or bathroom stuff on Sunday and Monday, which will be just a few days before our trip. I said no clothes because I will be doing laundry up until the last minute, I absolutely hate leaving ANY laundry behind because there will be a ton when we get back. Then I hate the idea of having clothes packed too soon, extra wrinkles, maybe musty from being in the bag too long. -HEY- Do you guys use fabric wrinkle releasers? I have never tried them. I just dont want to pack until all the clothes are done, otherwise I will have to count each item to make sure we have the right number of clothes. Kind of easier just doing it once and not finding out later than you need 1 more pair of jeans, 3 more pairs of socks and 2 more shirts. Then you accidentally forget to check that pile of pajamas and end up with 1. So I am counting the clothing, once, just ONCE.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I don't start until maybe two days before, or sometimes the day before. I might get together what goes in the backpack. But like you, clothes need to be washed first the day before. And most bathroom stuff has to wait until that morning. I've never used wrinke spray. Most things loose their wrikles after a while anyway. And you can always hang it in the bathroom during a shower. For one stubborn wrinkle, like a pocket flap sticking up, I use my curling iron.

 

[wvnative]

There are two packing styles in my house.

I get suitcases out of the closet about 2 weeks out. I start putting in things like my jacket and my Disney shirts. The kid sets hers on the floor and it becomes a cat bed for the next two weeks. lol

We generally leave on a Thursday. I do all of my laundry on the weekend and pack then. If it's packed, I won't wear it. I generally take the Wednesday before we travel as a vacation day as well for all the last minute stuff and to clean the house. If I happen to need something that needs washed, I'll throw it in with her laundry that day. The last of my packing is done that night (shoes, etc) and the hygiene stuff I use in the morning will obviously have to wait 'til morning.

My kid does laundry the day before and packs that night. It has nothing to do with wrinkles or counting outfits. She's just a procrastinator. lol

I am a list keeper so I have packing/to do lists saved on my PC.

 

[pixiewings71]

Depends, if we are doing a last minute leaving right now trip we pack right before, if we know a trip is coming we start packing a few days before.

 

[JoMarie]

Well, in July I came back from San Diego/DL on the 23rd and was going to WDW on August 25, so I just left the suitcase out and was constantly throwing things in it. Now, since I've been back (September 1), I still need to unpack (I hate it!) and I'm going back to San Diego/DL in January, so I'm going to just keep my suitcase out and pack slowly. It makes going to college and the cold weather much more bearable when I can come home and see my suitcase getting ready.

I think this might possibly be the earliest anyone has ever packed? 3 months before?

 

[l’amore bella]

I start packing the day before.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I think there is something wrong with me... There has to be others like me out there, right???

We are leaving on 11/29 and I have started setting stuff out, that's how excited we are

It isn't clothes though. It is food items like:

A box of fruit snacks
a box of oatmeal
bag of goldfish
other unopened snacks that I know we want to take and don't want us to eat before we go.

 

[Mom2Christina]

mommy2allyandaveri- You arent the only one setting aside food for the trip! For the past couple of months we have been staring at our 2 cases of Starbucks Frappuccinos and a couple of 12 packs of soda that we have been "saving" for the trip!

 

[AmiO]

Ummm, I pack as soon as I book the trip. I like to pack. Right now we're tossing the idea of going in Novemeber & I'm contemplating putting things in a bag.

 

[kkmcan]

mommy2allyandaveri we are doing the same right now for our Oct 14th trip. Got the box sitting out for the food and snacks we are bringing. Right now there is fruit snacks, goldfish and those water bottle flavor packs in there. I'll keep adding to it this week.

Next week I'll get out the duffel bags. We seem to use duffels these days as they are smaller for the trunk.

I've already got the Disney bag out. That's the bag that I keep full of our Disney stuff- ears, lanyards, pins, glow sticks, maps, penny press books and change, my hip bag that I carry in the parks, etc. We use this bag and then when we get home we put it away without unpacking it. It's ready to take for the next trip!

I do love the packing part! It means we are going! Ah, the anticipation...

 

[srauchbauer]

We leave in little over two weeks and I would love to pack tonight, but I don't have enough clothes to do that . We leave on a Tuesday I will pack on Sunday during Football (hopefully I don't forget anything) . I have been pulling backpack items since the first of September and making a list of those necessary items (DS stuffed lizard). Oh writing about it makes me want to go and pack right now.

 

[julieheyer]

LOL! You guys sound just like me!! I am already thinking about packing and thought I was crazy!! We went to the disney outlet store for new t-shirts already and are trying them out. I have the suitcase out but dd (6) takes things out that I have packed! When she was 2 she (unbeknowst to me) unpacked my bathing suit and shorts/t-shirts for our trip to San Diego. Needless to say, I had to improvise a bit on that trip.

I am so excited!! We leave on 10/14 and do DL 10/15 then DCA 10/16!!

 

[laura&fam]

I just read this thread last night and then my DH said today "it seems like we eat, sleep, and breath Disney and our trip isn't for a month". My thought, which I didn't say, was "what's wrong with that?".

I'm glad to know that I'm not alone! I haven't started packing yet, but I am in full planning mode

 

[jennine]

I too am an early packer. My lists have been growing for about a week now and I have started to put stuff into my kids' carry on bags(travel activities that they have never seen before, snacks, etc).

The luggage is all out and ready for everything......getting sooooo close I can taste it!

 

[pigletforever]

I have started gathering DS Disney shirts as they go thru the wash. I also have my list of what not to forget and grab a few things every time i go to the store. Real packing won't start until the Sunday before leave.

 

[tink713]

We are leaving for DL in 6 days and WDW in January so I probably won't even put my suitcase away. I leave things in my suitcase from trip to trip. For our DL trip I started to pack a month and a half before.