Oh Girls!! I'm having a rough time packing

[Solo Cruiser]

My 17 night cruise and 1 night post cruise stay is coming up in 2 weeks and 5 days. I have read and re-read the boards about packing and here's what I've done so far. 1 30" 1 27" suitcase. Some formal or dressy clothes for dinner in each bag. Long knit pants for European shore excursions (temps are supposed to be in the 50s and 60s) with long and short sleeved knit shirts are split between the two bags. Capris and tops for hanging around the ship a also split. 2 outfits for the gym and 2 swimsuits and covers too. Now add to that appropriate sleepwear, undergarments, and all the cosmetic/shower/hair incidentals and my bags which I thought were so huge are overflowing. Where am I going wrong?? :(

[serene56]

Do you have one outfit for each day?? start seeing what can be worn more then once and inter match the outfits. Assessories?? Are the clothes folded? Or layed in the suitcase. Can you roll any of the clothes?

[jp2001]

How many pair of shoes/purses do you have? Like it or not, It’s what takes up the most space. If you have more than 6 pair of shoes (including flip flops), is there a way to reduce this number? If only 1 or 2 outfits require you to bring extra shoes/purse, etc., I think the outfit(s) and accessories need to stay home (except if it is the best and only formal outfit that you feel is perfect for formal nights). That is just my humble opinion and just because you asked for advices, I am not the fashion queen but I think I do pretty good with packing (went for a 10 days on-land vacation with only 1 backpack and one mid-size carry-on and came back home with two items not even worn, I had plenty of different outfits, with the mix & match method).

[JanetMarie]

Are you rolling your clothes? Using the outside pockets of your luggage? Stuffing things in your shoes?

[Solo Cruiser]

BRILLIANT!! keep the advice coming... I'm going to go upstairs now and start rolling clothes : )

[lszu]

If you don't care if your undies are wrinkled, put them all in a plastic bag and squeeze all the air out. I use Pack Mate bags for this, but maybe ziplocs will work, too.

Rolling things and stuffing things in your shoes are good tips. Also, if you have more than one evening bag, try putting one inside the other.

Tough temperature range to pack for. You probably would need both long and short sleeves.

[Trevoli]

Beware, though, of weight limitations.

You can do all kinds of things to compress the bulk, but that won't affect the weight.

T

[madelinerose]

Solo, I feel for you. 18 nights is a lot of packing!

I'd try to cut down on the shoes and take lots of black because it goes with everything. Take 2 cardigans and then the shirts can be short sleeved and rolled into almost nothing. When you roll, things fit in the corners.

You may want to try taking clothes that coordinate rather than "outfits". I would think that 1 pair of casual, black pants can be worn with a lot and definitely more than just once.

If your formal things go with black shoes, take just 1 pair,and, of course 1 evening bag, if that.

Good luck!

[lakeluvr]

of your wardrobe?
I usually pack around khaki and black, both of which will coordinate with White, Red, Blue, etc, etc.... Then you are able to limit your shoe color. Then with your cardigans and short sleeve tops you can layer various colors or go mono-color for that slimmer look!
A well-packed suitcase will wrinkle less than one packed loosely or too tightly. If possible, wear your bulkiest shoes and sweater and don't pack it!
Lisa (an overpacker, but I TRY!):p

[Solo Cruiser]

Lisa and all:

Thanks so much!! I repacked the smaller of the two big suitcases and took some suggestions that have been made here. I would take a pair of knit pants, put the tops that I'd planned to wear with them on top of the pants and rolled them up. BOY that works wonders. My wardrobe color choices have also been pared down. I'm taking black, gray, khakai and cocoa knit pants (leaving out the beige and navy ones) and shirts in both long and short sleeve that go with either the black/gray color spectrum or the khakai/cocoa one. I'm also taking several capri and twin set outfits for bumming around the ship. It looks like I'm going to be able to fit everything in with your ideas. Of course I'll have at least 2 more meltdowns between now and cruise time LOL.

[madelinerose]

Sandy, repeat after me....[b]no more meltdowns!!! :eek: [/b]

It's vacation, it's time to [b]de-stress![/b] :D

[Solo Cruiser]

Madelinerose:

LOL OK I sat here and repeated it 3 times. Hope that does the trick : )