USVI-On-Line

I start packing about a month before we leave on a trip, throwing things into the suitcase as I think of them (earplugs, sumscreen, bug spray, beer cozies, etc) and clothes go in a few days before leaving.
The one thing I can't do without is my LL Bean backpack.
I carry a daypack everywhere rather than a purse. Old, bad habit I developed in high school. I used to go through 2 bags a year before LL Bean. Theirs last forever and if someone ever did break (it never has), they'll replace it free. I love LL Bean.

California Girl,

My husband has agreed to pack both of our snorkel gear in one back pack so I can still take my carry on bag and my purse(small back pack purse, I can't travel with out it) He wanted to keep our gear in two seperate bags at first.

Have a safe trip. I hope to see you at the beach Bar Sunday. Not sure if we will make it or not. If everything is on time we should be there.

Nancy

VERY funny you should bring this topic up. We leave for our trip in 64 days...yes I know...its a ways off but still...I purchased a new carry on in February specifically for this trip. We all decided to do carry on only for a 10 day trip....so I needed a new bag. I was going through my closet last night seeing what I want to take on this trip. Space is limited so I need to be much smarter when it comes to the items I want to take. My bag and my daughters bag are always packed the weekend before...my husband is a different story...he usually drags us out the night before to make last minute purchases....CRAZY man...

LysaC wrote: we must hunt, gather and launder!

finally, i pack the night before. i usually get to sleep very late, our little dog stresses out and paces and the cat is very persistent about laying on-in-around the luggage.

good times.

Oh, I love this quote and it so describes our house before a trip, except we have 2 cars and no dog.

I pack the weekend before the trip, whether that is a day before we leave or 5 days. I have to pack upstairs where the dogs can't see me and then I have to sneak the suitcase into the garage and hide it.

If they see it, they get seriously depressed. No joke.

My first trip I think I started packing about a month ahead of time. I've only ever gone carry-on only, so I needed practice!

Now, I throw a bunch of things in a pile the weekend before and get what I can into the bag the night before. I've also been known to stop by a store or two on the way out of town since I'll often take overnight flights.

VickiH wrote:I pack the weekend before the trip, whether that is a day before we leave or 5 days. I have to pack upstairs where the dogs can't see me and then I have to sneak the suitcase into the garage and hide it.

If they see it, they get seriously depressed. No joke.

Yeah, our dogs get depressed too...its sad actually...thats the only part about vacation I don't like...

Honestly, our little dog stresses when I go from one end of the house to another without her.

She's a yorkie and yorkies are people dogs, not dog dogs. If she's not on my lap, she's either pissed at me for something (there's a loooong list) or my husband is eating in the living room and she's waiting for him to drop something on the floor.

I am always shopping for the next trip. I only pack the night before. That is why I am exhausted when I arrive! With two little kids, packing ahead is just impossible.

This thread is making me want to start NOW.

But typically I start the week before. I'll do an initial pack of everything I think I might need... And throughout the week I'll take away more and more. By the time we leave, I have enough for a carry-on and a purse. And I never feel like I'm missing something because I've usually spent a good deal of time debating each item.

Having just returned and gone through baggage h-e-double-toothpicks, I have had a revelation for future trips.... ship it! With our airline charging $15 a bag and other assorted inconveniences, I have made the determination that shipping it will be:

A. almost as cost effective
B. easier (no lugging it around the airports)
C. guaranteed tracking... just see if the airline will give you a tracking number... ha!

Of course being a major shipping company employee with a nice discount makes it a lot easier and cheaper for me than most, but it could be a viable option for some.

I did this last winter when I went to see my sister up north... all I had on the plane with me was my wallet and a small gym bag with one change of clothes just in case of airline boo boos. Nothing like breezing through security and everything without a bunch of crud to tote along.

I've done this when traveling to Europe. Loved it but it ain't cheap. But hey, if you can get the UPS or Fedex discount it may very well be worth it!

We start dragging stuff out a month ahead time. It seems to help calm the anticipation jitters. We just pile stuff up and then start paring it back and finally the night before stuff it all in and pray it fits. For the past 15 years we've promised to go carry-on only and finally this year we succeeded. Maybe because we mailed two, count 'em two large Priority Mail boxes down to our property manager a week ahead. Fish book, guide book, book books, snacks, jack knife and ipod speakers got sent.

I know the carry-on only/check bag thing gets discussed ad nauseum but count us in on the carry-on only group. I go with a back pack that when on island can carry both of our snorkel gear for hiking to Brown's, Blue Cobble etc. My wife has a small roller.

we are leaving in about 3 1/2 weeks and I just got the color-coded "St. John Packing" excel spreadsheet from my wife yesterday...Color coded by bag...

She is definitely the packing planner in our house...I would just throw stuff in a backpack and go...and buy whatever I forget when i get there...

TrvlJohn wrote:...I would just throw stuff in a backpack and go...and buy whatever I forget when i get there...

Sounds like a plan.