Any good secrets to packing!!!!

[Gayle]

DH and I are leaving the end of March:D I try not to pack to much. But it always seems to be more than we need. I have trie rolling the clothes up and lying them flat in the suit case seems to always take up to much room.:mickey:Any help would be great::)

[ColleenMcD]

I have bought the space saver bags that you can roll the air out of....it worked great!

I pack one bag for each day..everyone's clothes in the same bag...and then zip and roll out the air...

[tinkman]

Gayle, being a guy I don't know how much I can be, but I'll try. My DW have very different theories on packing. She packs way too much and admits it about 1/2 way through our trips. As you mentioned, rolling works very well for me. I experiment one night and packed with all my stuff lying flat, then rolled everything and found it took only about 1/2 as much space. We normally fly Southwest which doesn't charge for 2 pcs of luggage each, but you have to keep the weight under 50lbs. I bought a cheap luggage scale at #$%Mart, looks like a fish scale and it is very accurate. I pack 1 check-luggage and I keep the weight to about 30lbs. I take a carry-on with only the essentials so on the return I can really pack it out leaving plenty of room on my checked luggage for anything that I might bring back.
Nobody likes to think of doing laundry on vacation but on our last trip I took a load down to the pool area, we normally stay in a studio at OKW. I took a book, a nice cold beverage and had a very relaxing time sitting around the quiet pool reading.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Doing laundry is our secret. I know it is an "icky" thing to do on vacation, but if you're staying on-site, it is just so easy that we wash in the middle of the trip and can really cut down on what we take.

For us, we spend a fair amount of time swimming, so it is easy to throw in a load during one of the pool times.

[buzznwoodysmom]

The only tip I would give is rollling the clothes, but I see you've already tried that. If you roll things nice and tight it will take up less space than folding. If your rolling and still don't have enough room then you are probably just packing way too much stuff. I am an overpacker too, so I understand. Typically we use just over half of what I pack. LOL.

Doing laundry half way through the trip is another good suggestion. Laundry doesn't sound like the funnest thing to do on vacation, but it's really not a big deal. Use that time to hang at the pool. That's what I did in December and it was a non issue, did not take away from my vacation at all.

[kakn7294]

We usually travel in the summer when I know it's hot and humid everyday so I only need shorts and t-shirts or tanks. I pack one outfit per person per day with 1 extra outfit for mishaps and perhaps a second extra outfit if we're planning a nice dinner. I also try to pack things that mix and match so that it requires less shoe changes. When we've traveled during cooler times, I packed mix and match layers. I don't take our own beach towels and I pack the smallest size toiletries that I can. I refuse to do laundry on vacation, even when we were in a DVC room with a washer and dryer. I'll wash out stains in the sink or hand-wash something for an emergency but that's it.

[DizneyRox]

You pack it, you carry it is my motto. Everyone handles their own bags on my trips. It has done wonders for keeping the luggage down. When you realize that you will need to handle that second suitcase with all your shoes in it in addition to the big bag with all the clothes you'll never wear, it makes you think twice about packing.

[kakn7294]

You pack it, you carry it is my motto. Everyone handles their own bags on my trips. It has done wonders for keeping the luggage down. When you realize that you will need to handle that second suitcase with all your shoes in it in addition to the big bag with all the clothes you'll never wear, it makes you think twice about packing.

That's our park bag motto - you want it, you carry it.

For suitcases, I make my kids pick out their outfits at least a week in advance. Usually they pick out far too much stuff so then we have to pare thing down to a reasonable amount of stuff. If it don't fit in the suitcase, it's not going along. They are NOT taking 20 pairs of shoes (athough the 12 yo still tries - such a girlie girl!).

[wildernesslady]

I would also pack your clothing inside a trash bag inside the suitcase. My past two Disney trips I had to deal with wet clothes due to weather.

[Dopey's Girl]

Rolling really does work. I roll like items all together with the items more prone to wrinkles on the outside, no more than 3 things in a roll. Socks get stuffed into shoes, or any nooks and crannys. I also pack very basic items. Denim, solid colors, everything matches everything else. I also only pack 2 pairs of shoes (wear one and have one packed). I always think I want more, then they end up sitting!

[Gayle]

Thanks everyone for the great ideas:D Now just to figure out how to pack evening dress for formal night on the cruise!!!!!!:mickey:

[SuzieBell]

I would also pack your clothing inside a trash bag inside the suitcase. My past two Disney trips I had to deal with wet clothes due to weather.

GREAT IDEA! And anything valuable that might ruin if gets wet! Especially in the summer during rain storms! Our luggage got stuck out side and I DID do laundry so I wouldn't have to do it when I got back! I had to re-wash EVERYTHING! Luckily all the souvi's were inside a wdw shopping bag.
I will try rolling - don't your clothes wrinkle more?

[drhama]

I have been using zip top bags for much of our clothing. Keeps things neat and if the TSA opens your bag, your unmentionables do not get dumped on the table for public display. Also nice to keep things isolated that have an unpleasant aroma. I do some laundry a some point durring the trip but there always seems to be something at the end that is just nasty or wet.

[disneynarula]

We also do laundry. I would rather do that then pack too much.

As long as it's not too hot I usually wear the same pair of pants/shorts twice. I try to bring pants/shorts that are neutral and will match almost anything.

I only bring two pairs of shoes and pair of flip flops for the pool. I bring tennis shoes and a nice pair of sandals that could go with shorts and a skirt.

It really depends on how extensive you want your wardrobe to be.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I will try rolling - don't your clothes wrinkle more?

I have found rolling to be quite the opposite. Our clothes is less wrinkled when I roll. I try to roll very neatly. For shirts I fold them in half, tuck the arms around, then roll from the bottom to the top making sure the shirt is as flat as it can be. I found I had far more wrinkles when I simply folded the clothes.

If your worried about wrinkles buy a travel bottle of Wrinkle Release, I think its made by Downey. It really works well, not good as an iron and ironing board, but it does the job good enough for a day in the parks.

[Davy Crockett]

From many years of international travel I adopted a rather different approach which may help. I would suggest checking with overnight style shippers and even with U.S postal service now they have the flat rate boxes and see about shipping the clothes straight to your resort. This way you avoid the air travel related cost and the hassel. You just put an additional box and pre-filled out return label inside and when you get ready to check out you just place the dirty clothes in the boxes and have them picked up by the service you choose. It does require a little extra effort on the front end so that your packages arrive the same day you do, but if all other methods haven't worked for you maybe this will. Have a great time!!!

[mickeys_princess_mom]

Doing laundry is our secret. I know it is an "icky" thing to do on vacation, but if you're staying on-site, it is just so easy that we wash in the middle of the trip and can really cut down on what we take.

For us, we spend a fair amount of time swimming, so it is easy to throw in a load during one of the pool times.

Same here! Don't mind at all. Less is more!!:mickey:

[mook3y]

this isn't necessarily a "packing" tip. But packing an over the door shoe holder takes very little room, as it folds flat. Then you hang it over the bathroom door and you will have a lot of extra room to organize and store the stuff you do bring. :)

[SuzieBell]

I have found rolling to be quite the opposite. Our clothes is less wrinkled when I roll. I try to roll very neatly. For shirts I fold them in half, tuck the arms around, then roll from the bottom to the top making sure the shirt is as flat as it can be. I found I had far more wrinkles when I simply folded the clothes.

If your worried about wrinkles buy a travel bottle of Wrinkle Release, I think its made by Downey. It really works well, not good as an iron and ironing board, but it does the job good enough for a day in the parks.

Thanks BuzznWoodyMom! I do bring that wrinkle release and it does work - I'm not ironig! Packing for a short trip next week and I will see how the rolling goes! :D

[buzznwoodysmom]

Thanks BuzznWoodyMom! I do bring that wrinkle release and it does work - I'm not ironig! Packing for a short trip next week and I will see how the rolling goes! :D

Yeah, I don't mind doing laundry one afternoon while at the pool, but I am NOT ironing on vacation! But I hate ironing at home as well.

[Janmac]

I have two packing tips.

One I read somewhere which seemed so horrible to me since I used to be a major overpacker - I'd bring several of everything. The tip was to lay out what you thought you'd need - and then only pack half of it. Apparently there is some study or something that says a typical person on vacation does not wear 80% of what they packed.

The second tip came about after I decided not to be that typical person and because I didn't really believe I wore only 20% of what I had packed. I kept track of what I actually wore, and 20% was close. I also noted what I did wear and why. That helped me to know what to pack the next time. And now I wear 90% at least of what I pack.

This isn't so helpful to a first time packer.

A bonus third tip is that it helps me to get a feel for where I'm going. I pack differently if I'm going to Florida than if I'm going to the Washington state coast. People seem to wear different colors as well as clothes. Summer on the Pacific coast requires a sweatshirt and/or windbreaker, which are not so necessary in Florida. And for some reason I feel like wearing more art deco colors in Florida than pretty much anywhere else.

Good luck - especially with those evening clothes. Can't help you there. :D

Jan

[Gayle]

Thanks for all the great Idea's, cannot wait to go:mickey:

[natstroop]

This is more of a packing savings tip:

Because of the rising costs with airline baggage, I packed differently for our last trip. There was me, DH, DD13, DS11, and DS10. I only had the one carry on-sized bag from my set, so I borrowed 4 more from relatives. I packed each childs' clothes in "their" bag and they rolled it on the planes themselves. I used the other two for paper work, snacks, and just plain space for the anticipated souvis that would be coming home with us. DH and I each rolled one on. We then only had to check one suitcase. Saved a ton on baggage costs.

[SandmanGStefani24]

may not help the initial part of things, but I found a tidbit that helped me last trip. I packed an empty backpack in my carry on hardsided luggage so I could have room for my gifts and souv. It made the trip back easier, and the initial part easier too, as I didn't have to stop for the baggage. Straight to the parks!

[gratuspater]

My favorite piece of luggage is the "Skyroll", think of a garmet bag designed to roll around a hollow tube. I can fit 2 pair of jeans and usually 3 to 4 shirts in the garmet bag, then the tube is divided in 2, so on one end can go socks, underwear, and what nots. On the other end goes anything that I don't want to leave my sight, wallet, tickets, important meds, documents. If all of my other luggage was lost, I would still have all my essentials, and it carries very easy with a shoulder strap, and can usually fit under the plane seat, if not, it easily fits overhead, but is always within my reach. I paid roughly $100 for it several years ago at the mens warehouse, but I'm sure if you google it you can find them elsewhere. :)