How early do you start packing?

[BroncosFan2010]

I may be crazy, but my cruise is three months away, and I am already beginning to pack! I blame all of you CC Members who have me addicted to this site!

Since it is FREEZING cold here in Michigan, I can pack all of my summer stuff without fear of having to wear them before Feburary!

 

So... how early do you start packing?

[cb at sea]

I start getting things together about 1 month out--but I don't actually "pack" it--it get's too wrinkled! Plus, because of the weight issues on the plane, it takes some re-arranging to get all the suitcases "weighted" correctly!

[45014]

As soon as the guest rooms empty out after the holidays I will start to put stuff in the suitcase. Right now it is in a stack (pile) in my husband's office.

[cdn seeking heat]

OK, how bad is it that some of my stuff does not technically make it to "unpacked" mode?

Some of the sundresses that I have purchased on the islands I won't wear in Canada (short skirt wraps with tank top) so I wash them and put them back in the luggage for the next year.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I probably start a month or so out. I start picking up the incidentials and keep them in the guest room. About a week before is when I will decide what has potential and then make final choices and pack the day before.

[cruisinbuddy]

We're going to start after Xmas. We're going to put one of the tables that we're using for dinner in the spare bedroom and put the suitcases on it and slowly start filling them up. We leave for our cruise, Jan. 10, 25 days, hehehe.

[BroncosFan2010]

Glad to see I am not the only one who starts super early!

I also start packing, then about a week before will completely redo everything, making the final clothing choices (based on what still fits, or is too big, etc...). My husband is being driven nuts by this as he thinks that the night before, he will just throw in a few pairs of shorts and some clean underwear and be all set!!! :rolleyes:

[tmusgrave]

Okay, at least now I know I am not crazy...

I have been secretly packing for weeks!

We are leaving in February also. The colder it gets here, the more items I find to put in our suitcases. They are calling for 6-10 inches of snow overnight which will likely result in a snow day. I wonder how much I will pack tomorrow?;)

[BroncosFan2010]

Okay, at least now I know I am not crazy...

I have been secretly packing for weeks!

We are leaving in February also. The colder it gets here, the more items I find to put in our suitcases. They are calling for 6-10 inches of snow overnight which will likely result in a snow day. I wonder how much I will pack tomorrow?;)

 

Where in Michigan? I'm in Kentwood (South of Grand Rapids). We have almost a foot of snow here! It was coming down around 3 inches an hour for a while! Everyone has a snow day! I am getting ready to go shovel.... My pre-cruise workout!

 

Everyone asks... "how do you get in shape before a cruise?"

I tell them... "Come visit me in Michigan, bring a snow shovel, and plan your cruise for the end of Feb... Plenty of time to get in shape!"

[mom2NnB]

As an upstate New Yorker, I have to pack away my summer clothes for room in my closets for my winter clothes, so I have been throwing stuff in a Large tote for weeks now. In another 2 weeks or so, I'll start actually packing it into suitcases. This way I can wrap everything with tissue to avoid wrinkles and send stuff to Dry cleaner (formals) before putting them in garment bag for safekeeping.

 

I cant wait to tell DH I am not the only crazy early packer. YAY, I'M NOT CRAZY!!!! :D

[Parrotheadfamily]

I guess it depends on what you mean by packing. We are planning a 12-night cruise in July. I have already started listing things I need and then when I see them on sale I pick them up.

 

For example, on black Friday I got 2 7-pc luggage sets for $50 at Kohls since the cheapest I have seen it is $100 for one set it was worth getting.

 

When you are packing for a family of four (3 females) it pays to start early!

[chotton]

We get the suitcases out two nights before we leave and pack the night before. If we have somethings that need to go to the cleaners we pack them seperated from the clean clothes and send it out as soon as we get on the ship.

 

We have been enough we dont need a list now. All the cruise musts (power strip, soft sided cooler, beach backpack, travel alarm clock, ect) are stored in the suitcases.

[vacation_junkie]

I may be crazy, but my cruise is three months away, and I am already beginning to pack! I blame all of you CC Members who have me addicted to this site!

Since it is FREEZING cold here in Michigan, I can pack all of my summer stuff without fear of having to wear them before Feburary!

 

So... how early do you start packing?

 

Oh about 3 months ago....:D

[slkmbz]

For the 01/01/09 cruise - we finalized what to take Thanksgiving weekend. It's pressed and prepped - ready to be put in the luggage the day we leave!

 

Typically I am packed at least one month prior to sailing because I don't wear those clothes at home - yes we sail when it's cold at home so we get a break from the winter!

[jenphan]

thank goodness i am not the only one ... i thought i was crazy for packing 22 days early. i have really packing, but i know exactly where everything is and where they go, so at a moment's notice i can throw everything into my luggage and head for the airport.

[printingchick]

OMG, I'm so happy to hear that there are others like me out there! I live in a cold winter state (in New England...brrr...) and don't use my summer clothes during the months prior to my cruise. I'm usually packing anywhere from 4-10 weeks in advance. (Ten weeks was the most excessive, but I was organizing my closets and figured I may as well start while the summer clothes were pulled out!)

 

Like Parrothead, I make lists before I pack. I decide what to wear for the formal nights, match up outfits for each day, etc. I dont' want to end up on the last day of the cruise with my only clean clothes being a plaid pair of shorts and a flowered t-shirt!

 

Yeah...I've heard those comments about how obsessive I am. The way I look at it, I'm vicariously living my vacation in advance while planning my wardrobe, which just extends the enjoyment of my trip!! It works for me!

[mstrc1]

OMG, I'm so happy to hear that there are others like me out there! I live in a cold winter state (in New England...brrr...) and don't use my summer clothes during the months prior to my cruise. I'm usually packing anywhere from 4-10 weeks in advance. (Ten weeks was the most excessive, but I was organizing my closets and figured I may as well start while the summer clothes were pulled out!)

 

Like Parrothead, I make lists before I pack. I decide what to wear for the formal nights, match up outfits for each day, etc. I dont' want to end up on the last day of the cruise with my only clean clothes being a plaid pair of shorts and a flowered t-shirt!

 

Yeah...I've heard those comments about how obsessive I am. The way I look at it, I'm vicariously living my vacation in advance while planning my wardrobe, which just extends the enjoyment of my trip!! It works for me!

 

 

Good post, as from being from cold climate starting to pack 4 weeks out getting all of those summer outfits out and the planning process goes on forever. We always feel like we are missing something and agree with you that you do not want to be on the last day or any day with not having the right cloths on.;) This helps to keep your mind off of the freezing temps and to warm your insides thinking of what lies ahead.:cool:

[Eskie398]

It's nice to see I'm in good company. As this is our first cruise (Feb. 7), I've already bought things on sale and have them laid out on a table in a spare room. I keep asking my husband to start going through his clothes as to what he wants to bring, but he is a bit of a procrastinator. It doesn't help that he travels quite a bit for his job and will be gone the week before our cruise. So I'm a little panicky that I won't get all his clothes situated until the very last minute.

 

Ramona

[Martini Mom]

I can't really pack the clothes since I live in southern California and need the warm weather clothes year-round, at least to some degree. It's in the mid 70's here now. I do try on the dresses/formals and make sure they still fit, take clothes to the dry cleaners, gather small toiletries, find my nice (sparkly) jewelry, put colorful ribbons on the luggage, etc.

[mea718]

Live in the cold midwest, so summer clothes went upstairs to guest room with luggage in October. On hangers in closet patiently waiting for the cruise. Really want to pack now to allievate the post-holiday letdown but fighting the urge.

 

Now I need to work on fitting into those clothes again after the food and drink fest called the 'holidays'! :o

[2/29/08]

Gary and I are from Brooklyn, MI.

5 min from Michigan International Speedway

We leave 2/17/09 on Carnival Miracle

Triumph 2004, Glory 2005, Destiny 2006, Legand 2007, Married onboard Victory 2/29/08

leap year!

[hmsdos]

We used to have a Music Room.... we no longer have... now we have a "Packing Room"... so, we start packing for the next trip as soon as we unpack from a current one :rolleyes:

[BroncosFan2010]

We used to have a Music Room.... we no longer have... now we have a "Packing Room"... so, we start packing for the next trip as soon as we unpack from a current one :rolleyes:

 

I love it! My guest bedroom has become the packing room. The garment bag is hanging on the closet door, clothes are scattered all over the place, I have piles of taking, maybe taking, Hoping I can fit into! and I'm dreaming I will fit into piles! The suitcases are almost full of things that have to be packed..... It looks like a tornado hit.

[hmsdos]

I love it! My guest bedroom has become the packing room. The garment bag is hanging on the closet door, clothes are scattered all over the place, I have piles of taking, maybe taking, Hoping I can fit into! and I'm dreaming I will fit into piles! The suitcases are almost full of things that have to be packed..... It looks like a tornado hit.

 

 

Thanks for the smile... good to know "we" are not alone:D

[kf657]

We have 60+ days and already packing...I set up a large folding table in spare room and pile the stuff on. I also keep a "vacation" bin-(one of those large storage bins)-and keep if filled all year round with travel supplies, ie nightlights, shoe bag, rain ponchos, cosmetic bags, sun hats etc. Ordered quite a few things on internet including for new tux for hubby! Oh, time to shovel the snow again!