Going on holiday. Pack in advance or just grab and go

Berty · 02-01-2009 10:32AM #1

Alright,

I had a conversation and nearly an argument with another couple last night discussing packing for holidays.

Myself and GF are very organised and make lists of what we need and tick things off when we get them and pack them and not just for holidays either.

This other couple just grab stuff the night before and that will do them. They even did this the night before flying to Italy to get married. The only things that were packed in advance where their wedding outfits other than that they did not even think about it until the night before.

We are going on a 3 week trip in April and herself bought a new suitacase and carry on bag(they matched you see) in Dunnes the other night and we both went through our wardbrobes to see what we had and what we will need to get. Some shorts, t-shirts and cheapo sunglasses are in the Post through Ebay already.

So do you think about it and pack before, pack the night before or simply panick the night before?

Note to Mods: Travel related maybe but nobody every goes into that thread enough to have a good old AH discussion

AlmightyCushion · 02-01-2009 10:37AM

That's rediculous. I never bother with any of that crap. I never get hit with a surcharge for bringing too much luggage either. Being a nudist has it's advantages.

Rb · 02-01-2009 10:47AM

My girlfriend is really well organised, makes lists and starts packing a day or two early.

I, on the other hand, like to leave it as late as possible. I will ensure I've plenty of clean clothes, but the actual packing I leave until the very last minute as I'm generally pretty on top of things and know in advance if I have everything I need available or if I need to pick things up.

Berty · 02-01-2009 10:50AM

I got it from years ago when my parents used to drag us off on Holidays for one month every summer. We used to have to wear our shi*e clothes for 2 weeks because everything else was for the holidays and was already packed.

Our bags will be packed around 2-3 weeks in advance. The only things to be packed in then will be toileteries, laptop, Sat Nav - everyday things.

Rb · 02-01-2009 10:54AM

Wow, 2-3 weeks seems a little excessive!

Do you mention this in interviews?

Berty · 02-01-2009 11:03AM

Rb wrote: »

Wow, 2-3 weeks seems a little excessive!

Do you mention this in interviews?

There is organised and there is OCD. We are verging on the OCD part so I wouldn't be mentioning it to an employer.

I have no need for anything that is in the bag. Everything is usually new anyway so I wont want to wear it before I go. Anyway it will be last Summer/Early Autumn in Australia so anything I wear over there I wont be wearing here anyway so why not pack it all in.

I noticed something recently with my friends also. There are organisers and followers. I am an organiser. On our short trips away I normally find the hotels, book the hotels and haggle prices of hotels and select the best flights, find out who is driving to the airport and who is going in who's car. There is always one who helps me and the rest just ask "How much?"

The same thing happened recently with that wedding in Italy. We were given a "good rate" with Top Flight for flight, hotel and transfer to Sorrento. I could have gotten this myself by booking privately and had my own hire car for €600 less but I was told to be quiet because its her wedding and do what they are all doing. :mad:

BaconZombie · 02-01-2009 11:03AM

Missing option:
"Packing with less then 15 Minutes before you have to leave to make your flight".

The last few times I had most of my stuff in the washer/dryer a few hours before I have to leave to get the Taxi/Bus to the airport.

I work off the ideas that feck it anything I've forgotten I can buy when I'm over there.....

Edit:

My OH is an OCD freak and always freaks out at me because I don't have stuff ready at least the day before so it's always a fun start to the trip.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 02-01-2009 11:03AM

Throw it in the night before. If I need it, I'll buy it when I arrive. Probably cheaper anyway.

It's a holiday for Christ's sake - it's supposed to be chilled out. It's supposed to be relaxed.

I simply don't understand hyper-organised people. Life's too short.

stovelid · 02-01-2009 11:06AM

Bit of a git for being well-prepared and packing. And then hardly using or wearing anything that I pack.

Berty · 02-01-2009 11:06AM

BOFH_139 wrote: »

Missing option:
"Packing with less then 15 Minutes before you have to leave to make your flight".

The last few times I had most of my stuff in the washer/dryer a few hours before I have to leave to get the Taxi/Bus to the airport.

I work off the ideas that feck it anything I've forgotten I can buy when I'm over there.....

AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH I dont know how you do it. My brain cannot compute that and I hate leaving something to chance "hoping" I can buy anything I dont need when I get there.

Ok Im not buying sun tan lotion till we get there because its cheaper over there for better products but thats it.

Would you consider yourself more prone to the problems of possibly forgetting your flight details or passport?

inforfun · 02-01-2009 11:07AM

I pack as late as possible. Only items i might "prepare" are passport and tickets.
Cant think of anything i might forget that i can not do without for 2 or 3 weeks or can not buy at my holiday destination

Best holiday i had was when i went with nothing more than a bit of clean underwear and socks. Bought everything during my holidays and brought what i wanted to keep back with me. Everything else i just threw away.

Berty · 02-01-2009 11:09AM

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

It's a holiday for Christ's sake - it's supposed to be chilled out. It's supposed to be relaxed.

I simply don't understand hyper-organised people. Life's too short.

We both find it enjoyable. Ok maybe not very enjoyable, hardly sexually arousing but its not a displeasure for us. Horses for courses.

stovelid wrote: »

Bit of a git for being well-prepared and packing. And then hardly using or wearing anything that I pack.

I am very concious of not having too much **** on holidays and the baggage limit anyway. Thank god shorts and t-shirts are light and they have washing machines in other countries.

My GF always likes to think she is bringing her wardrobe with her. Many the argument. !!

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 02-01-2009 11:11AM

Berty wrote: »

I got it from years ago when my parents used to drag us off on Holidays for one month every summer. We used to have to wear our shi*e clothes for 2 weeks because everything else was for the holidays and was already packed.

Our bags will be packed around 2-3 weeks in advance. The only things to be packed in then will be toileteries, laptop, Sat Nav - everyday things.

Funny you should mention that - I'm picturing Melvin Udal from As Good As It Gets.

Berty · 02-01-2009 11:12AM

inforfun wrote: »

Everything else i just threw away.

We left a lot of clothes in Florida for the good will truck BUT left our beach towels on the cabana. We were back on the balcony and we were watching the guys for hours looking at our towels wondering if we might ever come back. All those cheapo outlet clothes had to go someplace. Gave away all the penneys towels and t-shirts.

Berty · 02-01-2009 11:14AM

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Funny you should mention that - I'm picturing Melvin Udal from As Good As It Gets.

I only have one bar of soap and do not like scalding hot water. My friend has massive OCD and sometimes when we are out I ask him "are you sure you locked the front door?". He goes crackers!!!

BaconZombie · 02-01-2009 11:18AM

No, I'm the one who normally organises everything flights, hotel/hostle, transport,clubs {including why night in each are best}.

I order most if not all of it online so I have a copy in my email also save confirmation number and main details e.g. flight number time/date into my phone and N800.

If its a quiet time at work before hand I'll look up google maps to find the airport and hostle/hotel, normally print this out as well but in so much of a rush getting everything finish lend up leaving when sitting on the printer.

Berty wrote: »

AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH I dont know how you do it. My brain cannot compute that and I hate leaving something to chance "hoping" I can buy anything I dont need when I get there.

Ok Im not buying sun tan lotion till we get there because its cheaper over there for better products but thats it.

Would you consider yourself more prone to the problems of possibly forgetting your flight details or passport?

matrim · 02-01-2009 11:21AM

I pack the night before. I'll normally check that I have my passport \ flight details a couple of days before that so I can get them if necessary. But for anything else it's throw it in the bag the night before \ morning of the flight.

The only real preparation is that I normally have to wash some stuff a couple of days before to make sure they will be dry. If I forget anything I can normally just get it wherever I'm going.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 02-01-2009 11:24AM

Berty wrote: »

I only have one bar of soap and do not like scalding hot water. My friend has massive OCD and sometimes when we are out I ask him "are you sure you locked the front door?". He goes crackers!!!

Now that's just evil! There's hope for you yet, young skywalker...

Rb · 02-01-2009 11:45AM

Berty wrote: »

I have no need for anything that is in the bag. Everything is usually new anyway so I wont want to wear it before I go. Anyway it will be last Summer/Early Autumn in Australia so anything I wear over there I wont be wearing here anyway so why not pack it all in.

I noticed something recently with my friends also. There are organisers and followers. I am an organiser. On our short trips away I normally find the hotels, book the hotels and haggle prices of hotels and select the best flights, find out who is driving to the airport and who is going in who's car. There is always one who helps me and the rest just ask "How much?"

The same thing happened recently with that wedding in Italy. We were given a "good rate" with Top Flight for flight, hotel and transfer to Sorrento. I could have gotten this myself by booking privately and had my own hire car for €600 less but I was told to be quiet because its her wedding and do what they are all doing. :mad:

Oh I understand re: Australia anyway, what with the differing seasons et al.!

Regarding the wedding, if you've to pay for it you should have been allowed make your own arrangements really.

sceptre · 02-01-2009 12:06PM

BOFH_139 wrote: »

Missing option:
"Packing with less then 15 Minutes before you have to leave to make your flight".

The last few times I had most of my stuff in the washer/dryer a few hours before I have to leave to get the Taxi/Bus to the airport.

The other option missing is "frantically packing at the time you need to leave to make your flight". In the past I've left Limerick at 11:30 for a flight leaving Cork at 1:30. Great fun when you're trying to make a connecting flight from LHR to Japan for example.

abi2007 · 02-01-2009 12:08PM

i pack about 2 weeks in advance and i make lists

Berty · 02-01-2009 12:12PM

Rb wrote: »

Oh I understand re: Australia anyway, what with the differing seasons et al.!

Regarding the wedding, if you've to pay for it you should have been allowed make your own arrangements really.

Normally but Top Flight did a group price which was brilliant, well we were told it was brilliant but Im not a fan of travel agents.

Most recently for the Australia trip my mother said "go to the girl in executive travel, she is very good". Yeah she was at finding the flights but after asking me for €25 per adult per return and €25 per adult per return for an internatal flight along with €20 processing fee for a €14 visa and a €6 processing fee for insurance and a€40 processing fee for car hire I said "I'll call you Monday" and four hours later I had booked the flights myself and home and came onto to boards to ask about getting a visa.

I dont believe in travel agents anymore. The Internet really ruined it for them. Their systems like magellan and fidelio are a little obselete now considering the amount of websites us "normal folk" can peruse.

I watch airline and airport and watch people go crackers after forgetting stuff or arrive with a 45kg suitcase and wonder why they are being asked for €300 more. I thank god then that im organised.

Berty · 02-01-2009 12:14PM

sceptre wrote: »

The other option missing is "frantically packing at the time you need to leave to make your flight". In the past I've left Limerick at 11:30 for a flight leaving Cork at 1:30. Great fun when you're trying to make a connecting flight from LHR to Japan for example.

Let see. Limerick city(assuming) is 102km from Cork and the airport is another 11km and with traffic either going through the city or the jack lynch you would probably arrive at 1:15-1:30pm if you left at 11:30.

You couldnt have made that........................ did you?

georgem25 · 02-01-2009 12:20PM

I am the person that books the flights, hotels, transfers etc. But thats where the organising ceases. I have great plans to make lists (usually only have about 2 items on it and cant find it when I need it anyway) but always end up packing the night before and the last few bits on the morning of the flight - it all adds to the drama and excitement!!

Berty · 02-01-2009 12:28PM

georgem25 wrote: »

I am the person that books the flights, hotels, transfers etc. But thats where the organising ceases. I have great plans to make lists (usually only have about 2 items on it and cant find it when I need it anyway) but always end up packing the night before and the last few bits on the morning of the flight - it all adds to the drama and excitement!!

Oh I dont make the lists. She(cats mother) thrills in making up lists which are meaningless because she always buys stuff not on the list on top of the stuff on the list.

She is a procrastinator so I have to decide where we are going, staying, for how long, what airport blah blah blah. She will look through 20 brochures and say

"Yep"
"Yep What"
"Yep, they all sound good"
"I know they do, they are holiday brochures, but where would you like to go?"
"Anywhere, I dont mind"
"Ok, how about this one?"
"No, not that one!"
"But you said they are all nice"
"Just not that one"
"Yes and possibly a few more, I cant remember"
"Sigh, I will just pick AGAIN, is it!"
"Best idea"

*Sigh at wimminz

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 02-01-2009 12:38PM

Berty wrote: »

Oh I dont make the lists. She(cats mother) thrills in making up lists which are meaningless because she always buys stuff not on the list on top of the stuff on the list.

She is a procrastinator so I have to decide where we are going, staying, for how long, what airport blah blah blah. She will look through 20 brochures and say

"Yep"
"Yep What"
"Yep, they all sound good"
"I know they do, they are holiday brochures, but where would you like to go?"
"Anywhere, I dont mind"
"Ok, how about this one?"
"No, not that one!"
"But you said they are all nice"
"Just not that one"
"Yes and possibly a few more, I cant remember"
"Sigh, I will just pick AGAIN, is it!"
"Best idea"

*Sigh at wimminz

.... in which case you book the nudist skiing holdiay. Damn sure she'll have an opinion next time you book a holiday.

az2wp0sye65487 · 02-01-2009 12:38PM

The only things anyone REALLY needs when going away are:

1. Passport
2. Ticket
3. Wallet (Money / Credit Cards)

Anything else can be bought if needed. No point in worrying about packing or forgetting an item that you may need during your holiday. Someone already said that your holiday is supposed to be a relaxing time, so why worry about remembering to bring everything with you!

sceptre · 02-01-2009 12:44PM

Berty wrote: »

Let see. Limerick city(assuming) is 102km from Cork and the airport is another 11km and with traffic either going through the city or the jack lynch you would probably arrive at 1:15-1:30pm if you left at 11:30.

You couldnt have made that........................ did you?

Oh, I did.

Even though when I arrived into Blackpool, foolishly I took the sign for the north runaround wotsit road and found myself a few miles out of Cork on the Waterford road (couldn't find the tunnel that way, found it when I turned around). Should have taken the route I knew, through the city, just thought I'd be Mr Smart Traveller about it and follow the signs. Arrived into the airport two minutes before the flight was due to leave. They were totally calm at the checkin desk about it, even though I must have come across in the same way Homer Simpson does when he can't find his socks. Carried bag to plane, gave it to someone else who made the bag go where the bag was supposed to go. Left my passport on the checkin desk though, someone noticed before the plane took off, which was good. That trip was probably the least organised I'd ever been, even though I made all flights out and back on time.

The key of course was that it was Cork airport, where anything goes and it was August 2001, when anything and everything still went.

I used to have charm you see, people let me away with stuff. Even when I got to Narita later that day, they were wondering about what was in the bottom of my big bag. Flashed a grin and did a theatrical "Chocolate!". It was packed with rashers and sausages I was asked to bring over. Height of the foot and mouth crisis, if they'd seen the contents they'd probably have brought in the disease control marines.

I learned nothing, though more recently I went from a 0% rate of making the outgoing flights on time in 2007 to 100% in 2008. Even when one of the 2008 trips involved me buying a bag to pack my stuff into at the time when I was supposed to be on the train to Dublin to make a flight from there. Last time I was spending time in London rather than just passing through I was late for the flight from Stansted as I was busy in Piccadilly buying tea (technically I arrived 28 minutes early for the flight, Ryanair have become more hardnosed over the years). I don't travel that much, for some reason no-one's ever confident I'll be on the plane with them.

Saibh · 02-01-2009 12:44PM

Usually pack the day before - I would be inclined to bring too much stuff with me.

Berty · 02-01-2009 12:53PM

Serenity Huge Fowl wrote: »

Anything else can be bought if needed. No point in worrying about packing or forgetting an item that you may need during your holiday. Someone already said that your holiday is supposed to be a relaxing time, so why worry about remembering to bring everything with you!

We dont worry about it and never will. We relish packing the bags.

It brings us one step closer to leaving. I would pack tonight but I dont have a working bag. My brother in law borrowed it and it came back very very broken. I also do not have any summery clothes for Australia either so I will have to wait a few more pay cheques.

Cuddlesworth · 02-01-2009 01:17PM

I have a pretty simple rule. Wake up a few hours before the trip, get some food, watch some tv and play some games. Then about 2 hours before the flight, throw some stuff in a bag and get a taxi. I might even get dressed at some point.

Whats the problem with that?

Going on holiday. Pack in advance or just grab and go

Do you pack early, pack the night before or panic? 34 votes

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