Another Packing Thread - What's YOUR Strategy? - YouLookFab Forum

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Another Packing Thread - What's YOUR Strategy?

Anonymous

A week or so ago, Elizabeth P posted a snazzy montage of the items she was packing for a trip abroad. She asked for advice and got lots of great comments and suggestions, but a comment from Suz caught my attention:

"Have you tried Gaylene's suggestion of making a list of all the activities you are going to be doing each day and plotting an outfit for each?"

I was surprised, because it's never crossed my mind to pack for a trip WITHOUT doing this. But clearly that's a far from universal impulse. That really got me to thinking about different approaches to packing and dressing in general.

So with that in mind, I thought I'd add to the tradition of packing posts with my "standard" list of packing essentials and the custom list for an upcoming trip. This trip is pretty loose and casual. I'm driving over 2 days to Colorado with a friend who has a house there, will stay for four days of mostly 1/2 day hikes and lounging around and then fly back home. For most trips, I make a more extensive clothing list that is by specific day, with what I'll wear in daytime and evening of that day, including jewelry and any special undergarments required for each outfit. It usually takes me about an hour to make a packing list. I do it a week or so before, so that I can spend a little time with it and refine to optimize space. I mark each item off the list as I put it in my bag. I actually pack about two days before departure, so I have time to discover something is in the dirty laundry, in bad condition or whatever and make adjustments as needed.

I do keep my toiletries pre-packed, and refer to my list just to double-check that everything is still present. I pretty much just pack my makeup as I put it on the day I am leaving. The list mostly reminds me to check supplies and make sure I don't run out of something half-way through the trip.

The clothes and shoes for this trip will easily fit in an international-size carry-on, and I'll put my toiletries and purse in a backpack that will fit under the seat for the flight home. On the drive up, I'll add a change of clothes and sleepwear to the backpack. so that is all I'll need to carry into the hotel where we will stop to overnight after day one of the drive.

I'd really be curious to know how you plan your packing? Are you a list-maker, a spread-it-all-out-on-the-bed fan, some other strategy?

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16 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Anonymous

I like to leave a lot of unstructured time and figure things out as I go. My strategy is figure out how many days I'm going for, the climate, and pack accordingly, in a wabi-sabi kind of way, making sure it all fits into my carry-on.
It takes me about 10 minutes. No lists.

For me, it is the preamble to packing that is time-consuming. For example, washing all the needed items, eating up all the perishables, taking out the garbage, etc. For this stuff, I make a list.

Anonymous

I decide on shoes first, making sure all activities will be covered. Then I brainstorm like crazy to come up with outfits for each pair. If it's a lengthy trip, I write down all the outfits, and from there figure out the undergarments that go with. I still agonize somewhat over what to bring (I'm an overpacker), but this method seems to get it done pretty efficiently. I use spacebags to maximize luggage space, and bring an extra one for laundry. Big fan of the spacebags! https://tinyurl.com/y7fwt6mg

Have fun on your trip!!

Joyce B

Veteran

I also make a list and then spread the clothes on the bed. If the trip is for a meeting, I put the entire clothing of each day in a space bag. The number of space bags equals the number of meeting days. Other than that, I put underwear in a bag for regular traveling so that I can find it easily. I pack regular clothing as it fits in the suitcase. I also have my toiletries mostly ready to go except for the day's make-up which I add in the morning of the trip.
Your trip sounds fun, enjoy it!

Anonymous

I should say: I only ever travel for pleasure, and it's usually for a short amount of time.

Happy packing Ryce!

Anonymous

I'm similar. I have a pre made packing list that I save as a new list each time I travel. I keep toiletries mostly ready to go. I create a clothing list for each trip, which tends to be similar most times (fall, spring, summer). I like to pack it a couple days before just to make sure I've got it all and can't think of anything I've missed.

Since my list is in my phone notes, I delete the item after I have it packed. The list is erased line by line after it's in the bag, and I can see what's remaining to pack or do. When it's empty, I'm all done and ready to go.

JAileen

Veteran

If I fly, I always check my bag. I have a wheelie duffle from REI. My carryon is a North Face daypack. Despite the NYT's 5,4,3,2,1 rule, I pack underwear and socks for each day, and then throw in yet another set, for in case, and several bras. I lay out bottoms, jeans, shorts, whatever, and then lay tops on top of them that would make outfits. I figure I can probably repeat pants, but not tops. If we have a special event, I make sure I pack all appropriate elements for an outfit. I keep my toiletries bag together in a drawer in the bathroom. I just use a zip lock bag. I don't take a hairdryer or anything like that. Even with dawdling, I can pack in an hour or so. The two most important things: having your laundry done, and knowing the weather forecast. But even that can trip you up, if the forecast changes!

ETA: Ryce, your organizational skills are very impressive!!

LaPed

Veteran

Almost all of my travel is activity-based, so it's hard to imagine packing without planning for activities first -- will there be beaches? mountains? desert? city? I guess I'm a shoes-first packer, but only in the sense that my shoe choices are the most limited part of my wardrobe so it's always pretty obvious to me which ones I need to bring.

I do have to write lists now, because I usually end up being in charge of DH's and DS's packing as well -- too much to keep track of in my head.

Sara L.

Veteran

Ryce - You're so organized! I make lists but only of the big items - everyone's bags, the cooler, baby stuff (monitor, portable crib), etc. I don't make lists for the minutia in each bag. My toiletries bag stays packed so it's easy - I just need to add the daily make-up type stuff. I lay everything out on the bed a couple days before the trip. I have a mental list of the trip's activities and check that I have all the pieces before I pack my suitcase or duffel.

However, I DO make lists for my kids. I don't pack anymore for the two older boys (9 and 11) but I make a list of everything they need to pack, have them place the items on their floor, and I go over it before they pack it into their duffels.

rachylou

Veteran

Now that's interesting. I'm wondering how activities oriented I really am, when it comes to packing. I think a lot about how I'm going to schlep stuff, warmth, and walking. I think about the manner of trip - plane, car, staying in a home or hotels, staying with family or not, and if family - which darn uncle we're talking about, lol. I've got the uncle who does nothing before 1 pm, the uncle who'll make you walk like motorized transport was never invented, the uncle that will require full Edwardian dress (which means several outfits a day and real jewelry), the uncle that will want a pre-dinner walk, the wine uncle, the scotch taken neat uncle... And then there's whether my mother or brother or Lilypup will be present... medications which need refrigeration or the equivalent...

I do always make a printed list, tho.

DonnaF

Veteran

I make lists; evaluate; decide I want to remove or switch items out; make the changes; study the weather once again. I am very temperature sensitive, so I sometimes also throw in additional items at the end.

I am away from home right now, and at the last minute decided to wear my jeans skirt (didn't plan to take) instead of my jammie like poly pants. Good thing because we traveled through 110F temps and the poly might have stuck to my legs.

I have started to list destination, temperature range, and note whether I wore certain items and why. This trips looks to be a few degrees warmer than anticipated, so I doubt that I will be wearing my jeans jacket and white jeans. We traveled by car so space wasn't/isn't really an issue so I erred on physical comfort vs. packing super light and suffering from being too hot or cold.

Lucy

Veteran

I love packing posts! Probably because I travel a lot.
I have two strategies. Mainly, I make a list of activities and needs. Often I am going to a conference, and then adding a few days in the library, so while they are both work related, they require very different clothes; one professional, the other jeans. Once I work out the weather and what I need then I pack from the list.
But I have also taken to saving the lists and repeating them. Eg we usually go to visit family in another city for 2.5 weeks in December. I have lists from the past 3 years. This saves me figuring out I need x tops, x dresses and x jeans. I just pack from the generic list, substituting in the exact pieces I want. As a lot of my travel is pretty repetitive, I have found this a good time saver.
And as others said I always plan shoes first, and I keep a pack of toiletries ready to go. How funny we all have the same makeup strategy, popping it in as we apply in the morning

anne

Veteran

I am hopeless at packing, so taking notice!

Sisi

Veteran

You are very organized Ryce! I am not very good at packing. Anyway my packing strategy improved a bit when I started to keep in mind activities. The light-bulb occurred after a trip to the mountains. I had taken a ton of t-shirts and jeans but I had not the right gear for hiking and I had not a dressy outfit for dinners in the hotel.

I also have a pre-made list that I adjust every time. The list is useful to remember things that I tend to forget: lenses case and liquid (!), essential medicines, and ... sleepwear.

I agree with Smittie that "preparing" the house before leaving is annoying.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

I start by listing the activities I'll be doing (mental list if it's a short trip, written down if it's a long trip), checking the weather forecast, and then I decide on my shoes first. Then I start laying everything out on the bed, grouping outfits together by day and activity. Then it all gets rolled into my suitcase, and I almost always pack light - one carry-on and nothing else.
I keep my toiletries packed in a hanging travel bag, and when it's time for the trip I take it off the hook in the bathroom closet, go through it briefly to make sure everything I will need is there, and pack it in the suitcase.

Lisa

Veteran

I adore packing posts and have quite a few on my blog. My strategy is to start with shoes and activities first (because one dictates the other) then I fill out the rest of the outfits from there. I plan outfits visually first, the essentials second because I travel often and have that down by now.

Style Fan

Veteran

I am impressed with how organized you are Ryce. I travel for business and pleasure. I keep my toiletries bag packed at all times. I have doubles of everything. I rarely travel by air these days so I don't have to worry about the guidelines for that. Thank goodness!
I consider the weather and activities and then pack accordingly. I do take a special occasion outfit if I need one. I usually go away for a month or two at a time. I can get by with minimal bottoms because I mostly wear jeans. Most of my clothes are a simple formula so packing has gotten easier over the years.
I do take lots of Yoga clothes because I do that everyday. More is better I have learnt.
I make notes during my trips and now I am really becoming an expert!