Cannot stress strongly enough the rule mentioned several times above, "You pack, you carry." Make sure your heavy packing friends are aware of this ahead of hand! (I once traveled with a friend who brought a huge suitcase, huge purse and large carry-on and ended sitting on the platform crying that she needed help. Rather than miss the train, I caved and took some of her crap. Never again.)

If you are renting a car, it is important that everyone in the group pack lightly to fit all of the luggage in the trunk. They should not cause problems for the others with their excess(ive) baggage.

I always assume that I will go shopping while on a trip (and pick up more clothes), so I only pack for 75% of the days. That way I go home with wearable souvenirs. Maybe the over-packers in your group will be willing to under-pack with the promise of acquiring new clothing?

If renting a car, pack soft sided luggage. It squishes more easily into odd spaces in the trunk better.

irishface, That cryin' travel companion routine would have made me crazy too. I say not only should people be able to carry their own bag(s), they should be able to run with them, like possibly required in the case of trains or airports!!

loveyblue:

Are you all getting together for a pre trip "rules" kind of chat?

You could make it clear that no matter what, each person has to be able to carry their own things, be ready for steps and stairs and long hauls, and this one is important to me: to take up only their allotted share of storage space in each room or apartment.

You can pack everything you need into one carry-on size (20") case plus a lightweight tote. I do this for a month trip to Europe and never feel that I don't have enough stuff. Everything I take is handwashable, quick drying, coordinating colors. I take only 3 sets of undies, one of which I wear on the plane. I don't mind rinsing them out each night in the shower. I take three pair of shoes, wearing one, packing two. I am able to pack all my liquids and cosmetics in small, leakproof containers, along with scads of vitamins, meds and a few snacks, placed into plastic zip bags.

It took me years to learn how to do this, and most of what I learned was from this forum (Thanks to you all!) On my first trip I took 6 -- yes 6! -- bags. Now I check my 20" Heys containing all my clothes (3 pr. slacks, one cardigan, 8 or 9 tops (mostly synthetic knit), one dressier jacket, 1 gown & robe), 1 pr. shoes stuffed with socks, all liquids, hair products, a flat-packing shoulder bag, 2 or 3 thin plastic coathangers and clothespins for doing laundry.

In the tote I have my meds, 1 pr. shoes, snacks, guide book, sleep sack, flat-packing umbrella, a fold-up light weight extra tote bag, and other misc. stuff including my can't-do-without item, a travel coffee maker. I can get the weight down to the 13 pound carryon limit required by some European airlines by omitting the shoes and misc. stuff -- but my coffee maker goes in first!

On the plane I wear a pair of cotton-lycra slacks which I found can be drip dried with no ironing required (although it will take longer than overnight) a top of choice, and my ScotteVest which is actually like another carryon with all its pockets. In the vest I carry my wallet, passport, travel documents, lipstick, compact, eyeglasses, headphones, paperback book and/or puzzle book, pen and pencil, tin of meds that I might need en route, Kleenex, etc. No purse required, and no fumbling through the carryon for things you might need during the flight. I carry a waterproof rain jacket, a must for Europe travel.

(And Therese on her packing light thread does even better!)

You can do it! Have fun!

The cryin' travel companion routine is like the current too-big-to-fail bank bail out.

Before the trip, it is, "Don't tell me what I cannot do. I can handle it myself." But once the trip begins, it is, "You can't leave me here. You have to help me or we will miss the train, etc."

Here the essential Fodors reading for this type of trip:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...d-sorrento.cfm

Greg, thanks for sending me back to Barb's thread on the trip from hell. I remember it now, but it was fun to reread!

I have a very high tolerance for "whining"

I took a group of teen girls to London, Paris and Switzerland.

Told them 22" only! Told them "you pack it, you haul it, the adults will NOT touch your luggage"

We touched luggage ONCE. Girl was sick on a travel day and I dealt with her luggage. Luckily she had packed in a 22" The other girls sweated and suffered up and down 6 stories in the Paris hotel (I also threatened them if I heard "bouncing" the suitcases down at 6 AM when everyone was asleep, it took two of them to get each suitcase down. LOL!)

All of the overpackers said "you were right, I am never bringing this much again"

Yes, there was whining during the trip, but... I have been a Girl Scout leader for 20 years. I have a lot of tolerance for letting them learn by error!