When do you start packing?

United States
May 5, 2009 8:19am CST
We're going away this Saturday, but only for a few days. We're taking a little trip to visit a friend in Canada. I haven't started packing yet. I've only just begun thinking about what I want to pack. I will probably begin packing later in the week. When do you start packing for a trip?
5 people like this
26 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
5 May 09
Ipack right at the last minute. Imake a list though of essential things that I don't want to forget during the week before I'm leaving. Things like medicines (which Idon't take regularly but Ialways take them 'just in case' and my battery charger for the cell phone). I was away a couple of weeks ago and left on the Saturday morning but I didn't pack anything until the evening before leaving.
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
5 May 09
I don't trust my memory THAT much nowadays. I would hate to arrive at my destination and realise I had left something important at home so I prefer to keep a list running throughout the last week before leaving. So far so good!
• United States
5 May 09
I'm making a mental list. That's what I do. I keep going over the list in my head non stop. I won't be able to forget anything because I can't stop going over the list.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 May 09
im starting packing on my may 11 in the evening before we go to boracay.Im really excited on our flight with our family outing.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
5 May 09
I am so glad that you are getting away for a few days. Was this trip the one that wwas cancelled because you were sick? I usually think about how many days I will be gone and how many changes that I will have to make a few days before. Then I start to put those clothes to one end of my closet. For the children, I would pack a clean set of clothes - right down to socks. brief or panty, in a clear plastic bag. Everything they need for a day in one bag per child. Then put the bags in a suitcase. Each day they would take out one set of clothes and put their dirty clothes back into the bag., This worked well for me and the boys knew that they had to keep that set of clothes clean for the day. Not the baby of course. I hope that this helps. Oh, pick up some new toothbrushes, someone is sure to forget theirs!
• United States
5 May 09
That's a great idea using the bags. Yes this is the trip that was cancelled... actually it was cancelled twice now. The swine flu scare is worrying me that it may be cancelled again, especially since my kids have been coughing lately... but so far it looks as though we'll be okay to go.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
5 May 09
I'm so glad. I remembered something else I did. To cut down on food expenses whilst travelling, I would put de frosted hot dogs in boiling water just before we left so that when we stopped to eat, the hot dogs were cooked and the children had a hot meal.I would also carry hot water for tea and coffee for us and one time I heated up a large can of beans and had it in a separate thermos flask. I told themt that we were having a picnic and they always enjoyed it and it reduced the whining and stress of going into a restaurant with disgruntled kids - also reduced the cost too. The kids liked the break so that they could run around. Rememer plenty of wipes, hand santizers and a roll of kitchen towels. Oh, and lots of bottled water too. I do hope that you have fun on this trip.
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
9 May 09
My husband starts packing a week before. I don't have enough clothes to pack and wear so I do it all the night before and the morning I go. I'm usually still throwing stuff in the bag as we're walking out the door!
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
5 May 09
It usually depends how long we are going away for. Most times I will start doing laundry on Sunday. Then as I fold and put clothes away I will start laying out outfits for the trip. We have a spare room so I use the bed in there. I figure out how many outfits we need and then add 2 extra for each kid in case of messes or accidents. So as I find a cute outfit I'd like them to wear I lay them in sets on the bed. Then when I get enough for each kid I put them in their bags. I usually stretch it out over the whole week that way I have time to make sure I didn't forget anything.
• United States
5 May 09
That's usually about what I do, but since I do laundry everyday, I just wait until a few days before we're to leave, just in case the kids need to wear the clothes I've packed.
15 May 09
I am one who plans things every day whether it is the menu or going out or teaching the children .I dont know whether I am right .I plan too early my schedule.So when we plan for a vacation or plan to go for a wedding or any other ceremony I do the packing very early and what is needed is always purchased before it self .I can never do any thing at the last moment.In fact the day before leaving I will relax.
@111flylcx (267)
• China
5 May 09
The day before leaving or the last night before leaving.I uauslly donot like taking many thinks for a trip.It is troublesome to carry much things going out.When you have a trip,you have to look after them.It is boring for me.
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
5 May 09
That's my way too, right at the last minute!
• Malaysia
7 May 09
i'm a last minute packer haha. i usually pack the night before the trip
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
6 May 09
I go on regular holiday trips overseas for anything from 5 nights to two weeks. I usually only pack half a day before I leave my home, or at most one day. That's because I am a seasoned traveler and the things I pack are usually quite standard. I have a list made out in my travel diary which serves as a packing checklist for me. It makes packing for me very easy.
@GreenMoo (11834)
7 May 09
I normally pack just the day before, though I start thinking about what I'd like to take a few days prior to that to ensure that everything I need is laundered in time. If I do it earlier than that I get frustrated at not being able to use things I've packed, or confused because I can't pack some things until the last moment. Have a fabulous trip!
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
6 May 09
I ussualy pack evething the night before I leave. I keep one small bag opene for last minite items. I also plan my trip well enough ahead.
8 May 09
it depends how soon I am going sometimes it is a week before and sometimes it is 3 weeks mgraham126
@prinzcy (32305)
• Malaysia
7 May 09
I am not the type that will pack my things early for any occasion. Regardless how excited or not for the trip, I will pack my stuffs the morning I am leaving. I usually bring almost everything so that I don't have to buy a new one along the way. Besides, I need to save the cost for some shopping at the destination. So I bring big bag with space for souvenir
@sblossom (2168)
6 May 09
I usually start packing one week earlier than my trip. Because i need to buy gifts for my friends and family when I come back my country, sometimes I shoped one month earlier then I put the gifts to my suitcase, in case I forgot. have a good trip.
• United States
7 May 09
If I am going on along trip then I might start packing a month ahead of time. But, if it is only a week end trip then I usually will not start packing until a couple of days before I am leaving.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
5 May 09
Usually my wife and I start packing the week before to make sure that the clothes we want are clean. It also lets my wife match up my outfits so I "look right" to her. My computer and camera equipment I usually pack the night before as I use them right up to the time we leave.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
6 May 09
i do my packing at least 3 days before a long trip. what needs to be added i just do add them as i remember to add something before the actual trip. i admit that many times i don't know what i will need along the trip. but i basically pack up first those basic things. so that i will not have to worry about them. i do have to put them in one separate bags those basic necessities. so that i can check them again before leaving for the trip. I usually consider money or pocket money as one of the basic things and also those personal hygiene stuff.
@mapuang (612)
• Philippines
6 May 09
usually i start packing before the day we go (if only a few days vacation) but of course if a long vacation usually i start packing 1 week before. i dont want to forget anything.
@dookie03 (578)
• United States
5 May 09
I usually start packing like 3 days ahead of schedule just because i like to pick out my outfits to wear. Plus we all know which outfits you look better in vs. the ones you don't. But my wife will pack like the night before we leave. Probably cause she knows it drives me nuts.
@uicbear (1900)
• United States
5 May 09
I am a procrastinator, I have accepted this fact about myself. The other thing that delays my packing, is that I usually work up until the time I am going to leave to wherever, and I really don't want to take on the chore of packing before I absolutely have to. Normally, my packing routine is that I wash the clothes(if necessary) that I am going to pack and throw them into the suitcase straight from the dryer. This usually makes my night before departure extremely stressful and tiring, but I guess not enough for me to change my ways.
• Philippines
6 May 09
i usually start packing my things for a trip is the night before our trip. for me, you dont really need much time for packing your things. unless of course you'll be away for a month for your trip. the longer your trip will be, more time should be more spent for packing.