M_Kingdom's packing service?
 

M_Kingdom, I hope you don't mind being singled out in a post like this.

The other day you mentioned that you hire a personal packing service when you go abroad: I take this to mean that someone comes to your house and packs your luggage for you. Although I have no intention of using such a service and don't even know whether it exists where I live, I do wonder how it works. Do you lay all the clothing that you wish to take with you on a bed and provide the suitcase, so that the service person simply arrives and puts the clothing into the suitcase? Or does the service person look through your wardrobe and make suggestions about what you should take with you? How far ahead is the packing done? Do they unpack as well when you return home?

Just wondering. Thanks.

What do you answer at the check-in desk when the airline staff ask you if you packed the luggage yourself?

Who packs for you when you leave the hotel? Can one get this sort of service through the hotel concierge, and do they use acid-free tissue?

I am willing to provide travel packing service to anyone for just the price of an airline ticket and hotel room. That way you don't need to worry about constantly repacking as you move about Europe.

I 'm very flattered for being "singled out".

I go through my wardrobe and simply pile all my clothes into a suitcase (loosely) call the person, they collect the suitcase with my clothes, press them for me and return my suitcase already packed. I get this done a few days before I travel.

As for unpacking at the hotel - if they offer butler service I will always take advantage of it, however, if they don't I am more than able to hang clothes in a wardrobe or place folded garments into drawers. Leaving the hotel is easy as I can simply fold the clothes roughly so as they fit into the case.

Unpacking at home is simple, I pull everything out of the case and have it washed/drycleaned.

It really is wonderful as it saves one having to have garments pressed at the hotel.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Although, as I mentioned, I can't imagine myself using this service, it sounds great.

I'm curious as to where MK is going on his/her upcoming holiday. Can we expect a trip report afterward?

From the 17th July I'm in Barcelona for five nights staying at Hotel Arts (finally chosen after cancelling reservations at The Claris and The Ritz), then I'm flying to Bilbao for four nights (a chance to do nothing for a couple of days, or have a tour of the surrounding countryside at a less frantic pace than Barcelona) staying at the Sheraton - the only new hotel with a pool.

If anyone could advise of the whereabouts of little fashionable boutiques in Bilbao, I'd be most grateful.

Every time I have travelled to Europe, I was asked if I packed my bags myself?

My dear thank you for your concern, but this individual was recommended to me by a friend many years ago (I've used them ever since) and they would never place anything untoward in my luggage.

Closest I ever came was when my sweet Mother-in-law ironed all our things for us to take on a cruise because we were
working. My friend helped me pack. It was a year after I met my DH and she wasn't even my mo-in-law then. It was a very romantic first trip together 16 yrs. ago. Ah, the memories.

m_k, it's not that WE don't trust your assistant, but we're wondering what answer you give to the security people who asked if you packed it yourself.

And who will pack your stuff when you leave Barcelona? Will you pack yourself and have everything cleaned/pressed when you reach Bilbao, or do you bring additional home-packed luggage for your second destination?

Having found that taking clothes out of closets, drawers, etc to have them cleaned and packed for me to be too bothersome, I just buy new clothes on arrival at each destination.

My only luggage is the few souvenirs I carry on.

The U. S. Airlines recently abandoned the question about whether you packed your bags yourself and whether they had been under your control at all times--part of the effort to speed up the security checks. But the question about whether anyone gave you something to pack is still there for the most part.

I tell them I packed the case myself, it's the same thing as far as they are concerned.

My 28" case will be packed and untouched until I reach Bilbao - the evening's there won't be so dressy so less clothes are required. If I don't wear anything in Barcelona I hope the hotel will repack it for me on top of the used clothes in the 33" case.

I recall (well pre-9/11) being in a pesky mood once, and telling a gate agent (this was when the question was asked there, at a connection where I didn't have to go through security between flights), when I was asked "has your luggage been out of your control at any time?" - - and I responded "yes, I went off and left it for over an hour in the coffee shop here at the airport, totally unattended".

Her reaction was hilarious - - she got very whiny, and said "oooohh, don't tell me that - - do you realize what I have to do now?"

And then she gingerly opened the zipper to my rollaboard and barely peeked inside, as if the contents were radioactive, afraid she might touch underwear or something! It was the most laughable excuse to NOT ascertaining if something had been placed in my bag you could imagine.

Nothing like today, when I get the feeling that the TSA agents would manhandle every item in your bag, every which way!

Best wishes,

Rex

I will be posting a full trip report on my return!

Suspaul, you don't have a butler unpack your clothes while you are vacationing in Europe? If I ask nicely, my wife might. ((a)) ((b))

I have a packing service of sorts... I pack what I think I'll need and my husband frowns...

sorry to bring a bit of reality into the thread but..... There is a dry cleaner in London that provides a packing and unpacking services.
IT'S BEEN IN THE LONDON PAPERS ON AND OFF THE PAST FEW MONTHS. Basically you can bring in your suitcase post trip and all items will be cleaned or laundered and re-packed (with tissue). Great idea- you can get just about anything if you want to pay for it.