Packing for holidays

5timesnannie, I took far too much to Florida. Just take comfy stuff as it's toooo warm! And no-one really dresses up at night. Make sure you've a light waterproof jacket tho! We love it! Have a great time.

I've got to pack for a 16 day cruise next week. Need 4 formal evening dresses for a start! Then chargers for kindle, iPad, iPhone, spare battery and charger for mobility scooter. Oh and camera charger. Extension bar to plug everything into. Helping hand.
Sort out which pearls etc to take and all that's before thinking about underwear,shoes, dresses, skirts, tops, shorts, nightdresses, first aid kit, waterproof cardigans----
Help! I only own 4 suitcases!

Glad to see that your trademark pearls are high on your list galen

Another way to learn to cut down is to travel by train, which means that if you can't carry it, you can't take it. It's quite amazing how much rubbish stuff you don't need

It's not the clothes so much as all the polyfiller (make up and creams!).
Everything comes in heavy containers. Anyone got ideas how to decant the stuff and make it lighter.

I collect free samples of toiletries throughout the year and take these as they are usually small does away with the need for lots of bottles etc

Samples and travel sizes toiletries.
Clothes are black, navy, taupe, white. All go together to mix and match. Only take trousers.....ankle grazers, linens and pallazo pants.. walking footwear is (ancient) velcro strapped Clarks sandals, plus pewter coloured flit-flops which are super comfy but also dress up. A few sheer scarves/wraps. Travel wearing the bulkiest of anything including a pashmina. Important::::: two separated lots of medication one on person, and one in luggage, in case anything gets lost/delayed.

If going somewhere hot I have to take loads of sun tan cream (very fair skin). It seems to weigh quite a bit. But is too expensive to buy on hols. I also end up bring the wee bottles of shampoo etc home , only to wonder why when get home

Like galen I am packing for cruise next week. Waterproof cardigans??? Hadn't thought of those!

Having just googleated the long term weather for the Lake District, sun cream is one thing I definitely won't be taking. Hardly surprising as the weather is always awful there. Wellies, raincoats, brollies, jumpers and plenty of them, seem to be in order. Not much fun at all with three little ones in tow but hey that's what I signed up for.

Oh how I wish we were going somewhere warm where the children could play on a sunny beach and swim in the sea and grandma could sip Sangria

In the next life maybe.

Always pack too much for package holiday but have managed to motorbike around northern spain + Isle of Man with luggage in back pack + in panniers.

I have over the years of extended travel around the world tried all of the above tips. Now I live in France so there is a big bag of stuff with my kids, I take hand baggage only which is always full to the absolute limit allowed.

My tip? My watchword is 'I never travel light'. So much more relaxing and stress free.

Made a short trip to N spain by plane + could only take hand luggage, I bought all my toiletries after going through to departures in Boots. I was able to use my points saved on my advantage card for some of it. So was able to 'By pass' the liquid + weight allowance. It was also cheaper to buy lunch deal than pre pay for the 'yummy' plane food.

When we had a touring caravan clothes went straight into the drawers and wardrobe in the van, along with bulky items, including a small tent, placed securely on the floor. There was room as well for the crate or two odd bottle or two of wine which we brought home if we went to France. Storage never seemed to be a problem even with five of us.
When we go to stay with DD we leave some clothes there - however last time some didn't fit as I'd lost weight!

Just returned from a week touring the West Country and the boot was crammed full of 'stuff' needed (or not) for just two of us.
I wish I'd taken my wellies though

Just got out my new holiday handbag and packed the passports

I have just read vegasmags's excellent tip about putting undies, etc, into drawstring bags - if you can't/don't sew then those small washing bags, either drawstring or with a zip, are excellent for keeping undies, nightwear, socks, t-shirts etc in order.

About a week before we go away, preferably when DH is out of the house, I have a mad few hours deciding what to pack. All the 'holiday clothes' including the sleeveless tops that I wouldn't wear in this country, get dragged out from storage. I usually have as staples: taupe, white, navy and black cotton/linen crops/trousers. These are laid out on the bed and then I try on all tops with each colour. The theory is that I will only take tops that will go with more than one pair of crops. The reality is that I end up with a totally trashed bedroom, and am bemoaning the fact that "I have nothing to wear!" Eventually I work out what to take but funny thing is that all the stuff I shove back under the bed is the same as the stuff I shoved back last year and the year before.....
When DH and I repack to come home, we pack one case with washing and the other case with clothes we have not worn, I'm sure there's a lesson there somewhere.
We're off on our jollies in two weeks time and I know this pantomime will be carried out again, plus of course the last minute dash around the sales to pick up bargains. Guess which suitcase they'll probably end up in, on the journey home.

Having got fed up with trying to find pairs of earrings which match among my jumble of jewellery, I've bought a dossete box to put them in!
whitewave I missed a comma waterproof, cardigans!

Also, snowshoes, dried pemmican and union flag!

Galen, what's a waterproof cardigan?!

I am about to go to Australia for 73 days. I have checked the weather 25 deg during the day and 8 deg at night. My son does not have central heating so I will need winter night wear with summer day clothes. I do have a list from the previous trip and rework it for the current trip. I usually pick some clothes I would like to wear and then build up a flexible wardrobe round them. When it gets too big I work out which tops go with most items and start to limit the colours. I have packing blocks so that items are kept together either for purpose i.e. night wear with torch, eye blind etc. Or by type i.e. underwear. I take a large net for dirty laundry. I have Rohan clothes which dry quickly including Tilly knickers. If I take any tatty underwear I order a replacement before I go. Like Cherrytree59 when I am at the airport I use my Boots card to buy a meal deal. I look forward to getting sushi. If I have one night stops I put the clothes for the next day in one packing block together. It makes it so much easier to get off without having to search through the whole case. I have 2 cases both on wheels, one for the hold and the other, a small one, for the cabin. My camera, kindle and laptop comes with me in the cabin case. They fill it. I have a travel vest and trousers for travelling so that all my documents are in my various pockets. I take a Kipling bum bag and always pack cloth bags for shopping, books etc. I have used a duty free bag to bring back extra stuff after a holiday and once in Australia the airline complained about a an extra bag of winter clothes – returning in December, I said I would put them all on if she wished and she let me get on. I had them all on when I disembarked in Manchester. There was snow on the ground.

The book 'Colour Me Beautiful' published by Hamlyn has 2 pages entitled perfect packing. with rules, travelling wardrobe and 2 lists one for a 3 day city break and one for a one week beach holiday. May be a useful start.

Better start updating my list now I've got the book off the shelf!

galen what's a dossett box ? I have never heard of one. Also glad I shan't need a waterproof cardigan. I am taking my ideas from your good self as you are clearly a seasoned cruiser.
What do you expect the temperature to be?

We are travelling down to S'hamton by car and someone is going to take it from us and park it. Hope it works OK, have you ever done that?

No, I use a taxi. I leave on 30th August.
A dosette box is a device to help people remember to take pills. It's lots of little boxes in one. Put the pills or earrings in each section. ( but don't confuse pills with earrings)

Yes so do we leave on the 30th
But on Celebrity not Cunard - too posh for our purse .

Can begin boarding at 11.30 am. Hope to arrive some time after that. What time does your boat sail? I think ours is about 4.30, but not absolutely sure.
Dosette box sounds a brilliant idea. Although I haven't that many earrings.

Board at midday. Usually sail about 6pm. I'm on port side ,so against the quay so won't be able to watch you sail by. Give a wave though in case I'm up on deck?

I only wear one pair at a time!