Do you pack your own bags while going for a trip?

@rajeshfgh (1629)
India
August 10, 2008 8:15am CST
I have become a man now, but I still struggle while packing my bags while going for an outstation trip. I always need help from my mother or whoever's around to help me fold my clothes and put them inside the bag for me. I never have been able to master the technique of folding my clothes and if I ever try doing it, it will ruin the ironing done on it. What about you, do you pack your own luggage or you're like me?
7 people like this
32 responses
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
11 Aug 08
I pack my own bags, my kids bags, and I try to pack for my husband. He always packs way to much so once I'm done with his packing he goes through and packs more. I don't understand it but he always ends up with more then me and my daughter put together. My daughter and I take the medium bag and he take the large bag! Either way he can pack his own bag I just prefer to do it for him.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
12 Aug 08
I have found that rolling actually takes up less room then packing shirts on one side pants on the other.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
11 Aug 08
PS - A trick to packing your bags... I take the pants, shirt and underware along with any thing else that goes with that outfit. I lay the pants out first then put the shirt on them then any thing else. From the bottom of the pants I roll every thing up together. It helps because you get less wrinkles and your outfits are all set when you get to where you are going.
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
hey, thanks, that's a good idea you've suggested here. Rolling instead of folding. But, is the size taken up inside the bag the same in both the techniques.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Aug 08
Yes i pack my own bag when going on a trip i even pack my husbands bag... I don't like when someone else packs my own bags becuase they might put something in the wrong place and that makes mad when i can't find something...
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Aug 08
I think that he could do it himself...
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
11 Aug 08
hey, that's nice. But the question is you're packing your hubby's bag, can he manage to do it himself. I am not sure but chances are he can't. Am I right?
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Hey, you don't sound too confident. Anyway, I am sure even if he can't he'll learn soon enough from you.
@shooie (4984)
• United States
10 Aug 08
Yes I pack my own clothes and my husband packs his. I have packed my own bags as long as I can remember even as a child. When we would get ready for camp I would pack my bags as well as my brother and sisters they would pack theirs. But a little advice Mom's not going to be around forever maybe you should watch her or whomever and learn how to do it or take an iron with you so you can do touch up when you unpack your bags.
@shooie (4984)
• United States
11 Aug 08
well a lot of the hotels have irons you can borrow. They also make the travel irons as well.
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
11 Aug 08
Hey, that's a very valid point which you've made and it had crossed my mind when I was replying to the earlier posts. I have to learn to do it myself and will make all conscious efforts to do it. Taking an iron, though, would be a burden on the already filled up luggage.
@vipulchawla (2220)
• India
10 Aug 08
Well, you can call me an opportunist person in that respect. I have been away from home for more than 7 years now. So, i have learnt somewhat to live alone. Whenever, i would leave home to go back to college earlier and go to my place where i work now, i would always ask my mom to pack up my bags. I become too lazy when i know there is someone to help me out especially when the other person is my mom. Rest of the times, i don't think i am left with any other choice. I don't have anyone to help me out with packing my bags. So i have to do it myself. And often what i would do is just stuff the clothes inside the bag without even proper folding the clothes. The same is the case with me. I would often end up ruining the ironing of the clothes.
• India
12 Aug 08
Ya, i guess, we guys are too lazy to perform the household work. I never used to mop the floor. In hostels, it would be the responsibility of the caretaker or the college, and now being in a rented flat, we hire one person to clean the house every weekend. But washing clothes is the biggest trouble. Anyway, I hope u learn to live alone soon..All the best
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
11 Aug 08
Yes, being alone makes you do all sorts of stuff. I actually feel sorry for you as I have also been alone for 2 months and I know the pain you have to go through. I even had to mop the floor, but I must warn you, I used to do it only when dust really started to get stuck to my foot. . I think we guys are just lazy to do things ourselves.
1 person likes this
@Ganesh44 (5547)
• India
10 Aug 08
Yes I do it myslef....but parents do advise me to add certain things .....sometimes they come up certain things also....otherwise I do it myself Thanku Ganesh
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Aug 08
I apck my own bags .. and so does my hubby whenever we take a trip.. I do pack my son's bag but he is special needs child sooo :)
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
11 Aug 08
Nice for you'll but I struggle every time I have to go for any outing or trip.
@sharie16 (2212)
• Philippines
11 Aug 08
i do it personally...i am a girl, so i think we should really do it..doing things like that shows how organize we are in terms of things and how we perform in life also...LOL...its always good to know that we can do simple things in our own way...
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Yes, I think girls have an inherent quality of being organised and keeping everything around them organised which is very much lacking in guys, atleast as far as I am concerned. I guess the quality can be achieved only by practice. Some tips on packing would be highly appreciated by me as well as many like me. Thanks.
@sharie16 (2212)
• Philippines
12 Aug 08
yes thats what guys are lacking..and i believe practice makes it perfect, as long as you are willing...you need to see your mom packing your things and learn from that...lol...
@pitstop (13745)
• Australia
11 Aug 08
luggage - Who packs your stuff when you go on a trip!
When I was single I used to do it myself - I used to literally dump everything in a bag and travel! Now my wife packs everything neatly - all I need to do is give her the clothes I need along with toileteries etc etc and she does the rest!
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
I should say you're lucky that you're married and have a caring wife. As far as my packing is concerned, I try to fold in everything and make it neat but at the end though, the result would be same as the dumping technique. I don't know what to do or what to say, it's the same everytime I try to do it myself.
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
11 Aug 08
Dear friend, Usually I do my own packing of bags while going tour or any other journey and if is a long one then someone will me backing in short journeys less than 4 days I would do myself packing and in case anything forgotten will be reminded by someone in my home itself. Mostly I do a recheck of materials after packing.
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Do you do it well-enough. I try to do it and the result is disastrous. So, I let my mom do it.
@metschica25 (5399)
• United States
12 Aug 08
Hi , yes i will do all the packing but sometimes my soon to be hubby will help out . i like to wait to the last min , because i am always using most of the beauty stuff , or still doing the laundry . if it were up to my fiance he would just throw everything in and i am not cool with that
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Yeah, I too try to fold clothes and arrange them inside the bag but the end result is similar to that of dumping everything. So, I think you can't blame your fiance but train him properly how to pack up. Any tips here too would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
• Philippines
12 Aug 08
yes i do pack my own luggage everytime i go for a trip i done this the night before my trip so that i wont forget something or i list down all the things which i will need for my trip.
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
That's great to know. I kinda struggle everytime with my luggage and allow it to be done by my mom who always comes to my rescue on seeing my poor state while packing the bag.
• Philippines
12 Aug 08
Certainly, I do it myself. I pack my own things that way if I need to get something during the trip I know where to find it. I make sure that the inside of my bag is properly arrange so I won't have a hard time finding things.
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
13 Aug 08
That's really great. I hope even I can be so confident of packing my own bags.
@LOULOU323 (213)
11 Aug 08
Hi I like to pack my own bags for a trip away,if I pack them myself them I am certain that the contents are right,and that the little black dress that I so wanted to take is not going to be left at home.I have certain things that I will take just for holidays,my holiday underwear and my swinwear,so Yes I do like to so it all myself
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
That's great to know that you can pack yourself and are good at it too. I kinda end up messing up everytime I try to pack myself, especially with the clothes.
@icegermany (2524)
• India
11 Aug 08
i always pack my bag when going for a long trip or a short trip no matter, but i also pack my family´s bag too. we r three myself , my son, n my husband n pack all of our bags. it was difficult before to pack all of our bags but now i have become an expert n usually dont forget to pack anything , as we had been for trips most of the time.
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
That's nice you care so much for your family. Will your husband be able to pack easily without your help, though? I always struggle with it and would like to know if there are men like me out there.
@Lavsri (48)
• India
11 Aug 08
Yaa...Ofcourse..i pack all my clothes added to that i should even pack my hubby's clothes..initially it was too difficult for me to pack even my clothes i used to depend on my mother but since i'm married i got used to all these..
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
That's nice. I am not so good at packing bags and so I have started this discussion. What about your hubby? Can he pack easily without your help?
@rosedust82 (2066)
• Philippines
11 Aug 08
Yup... I pack my own bags when I go to a trip. My parents have always left me to my own when it comes to stuff lilke that. Of course, they would at times help me fold clothes not only to help me but it's actually more of a bonding thing. Plus if I pack, I have no one else to blame if I forget something... Hahaha! But really, since I've been going around frequently, I've actually mastered the art of packing down to a tee. Even the smallest crevices are not protected from me...
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Hey, that's cool. I think experience and effort teaches you all things, let alone packing up. I need to spend more time over my clothes and bags rather than yielding easily to my mom's help.
11 Aug 08
Yes I always pack my bags myself, I find that taking natural fabrics minimises the amount of ironin you need to do. I roll clothes rather than fold them, you don't end up with creases that way. I enjoy packing and would have to choose my own outfits when going anywhere, therefore it makes sense that I pack it myself. I also like to be secure knowing I have packed my suitcase myself when going abroad.
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Hey, that's a good suggestion of rolling the clothes instead of folding them. But, I am not sure if all the clothes can be folded up. Will the space consumed be still the same?
• India
11 Aug 08
I always pack my husbands bag, I can say my husband cannot fold his clothes . I think it happens just that we are so used to someone around helping us, we hardly want to do the trivial work any more. from toiletries to chargers I keep everything, inspite of that he finds so many other things missing, either a missing button on his shirt inspite of me double checking . so there goes all your effort of packing someone else bag if they find fault in it .
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
I agree with you that if one knows that his/her work will be done by someone else, he'll expect them to do it rather than trying himself/herself. The same thing happens with me when I leave it to my mom. But, I will surely make a conscious effort to pack up myself the next time I go out somewhere.
• Philippines
11 Aug 08
Yes I do pack my own stuffs in my bag when I go for a trip. I mastered it as time goes by. I usually use small bottles for shampoo's and for soap.. water based soaps are really good to use rather than bar soaps.. and it is very convenient..
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Yes, they do take less space. Solid things for my personal needs are okay but it's the clothes which bug me as they're the most difficult things to pack up.
• Canada
10 Aug 08
no way, i am a lazy guy, i never do anything by myself. i ask my mother or my sister to do it for me. i hate to do any work. just play and play.......LOL, one time my mother got ever angry at me but then my dad said its ok.
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
11 Aug 08
you're like me dude. Though, I try to do it myself and always fail or some help comes my help seeing my disastrous efforts.
• Philippines
11 Aug 08
yes i did pack my own bags my mom taught me how to do it on the first day i traveled alone
1 person likes this
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
12 Aug 08
Hey, that's great! . Even I try to observe and learn from my mom, but it's disastrous when I get down to doing it myself. I think I need to put more effort and experience behind it.