Overpackers Anonymous
 

Rather than hijack the thread about Wheeled Luggage, I'm wondering if any of you, ahem, us, in the OA group have any tips about how you have overcome overpacking. Every time we go away (two of us), doesn't matter where, even for one week, we have four pieces of checked baggage, plus I have a carry-on and husband has a small tote. Are there others out there who need intervention as well??

"Hello...My name is Mrs Kal and I'm an OA."

"Hello Mrs Kal"....

Just how many shoes DO you need on Kauai? Still hanging in there for that fancy, black tie dinner party on Kauai I guess? :-"

Here's a fool-proof method..

Travel solo one trip to Europe. Pack way too much. Transfer flights several times. Take train trips often, walk to the train station on cobblestone streets with your luggage, be a little bit late so you have to run down the platform to catch the train. Stay on the 4th floor at hotels with no elevators. You will quickly see the light (so to speak).

KAL -

There's nothing wrong with lot of luggage. If that's how you enjoy travleing - and can afford the appropriate types of hotels, transportation and help/bearers - go for it.

(I always do on longer business trips - not that I have any choice really.)

Mrs. Budman is a proud member of OA. Budman is the valet for the kitchen sink. Why would she want to "overcome"? ((a)) ((b))

Well LOL my late husband explained it to me and the children. Whatever you take you carry!!

That sure got our attention.

So two month trips to Italy consisted of one suitcase and one small carryon each.

And since he was great about helping out I have found since I travel on my own I even want to have less. Need to replace my 26" suitcase with I guess a 22" suitcase.

Think that suze explained it well.

Just Say No. Dump half of it out the window and head for the airport. The worst that could happen is you could be fined for littering.

I know this affliction is rare, but I have the opposite problem. I pack only the bare necessities, but that means doing laundry every 3 to 4 days. On a few trips I have bought extra T-shirts I didn't really need just for the sake of having clean clothes. But I hit a new low on my trip to Ireland when I resorted to borrowing shirts from my husband.

Underpacking is an illness, just like overpacking. I need help. There must be a happy medium between us under- and over-packers. If only I could travel with an overpacker that's my same size, then I could wear their clothes and between us we would have exactly the right amount of stuff.

PM, that is funny! Well I am almost getting to the point of being an underpacker. But what about this, if we run short of clean clothes we can buy what we need? Just a thought!:)

My recovery from OA started on a trip much like the one Suze so well described. Imagine twentysomething girl travellers, this one with a 26" wheeled suitcase plus large carryon that can only be described as akin to a 36" duffle bag...travelling by train from Rome to Sorrento and on to Florence and back to Rome. And those bags of mine were packed to the gills...I was way overprepared for any eventuality on that trip...but learned quickly that a 22" (purchased upon my return) and a small backpack or tote type carryon is more than enough.

We're all planners here...my suggestion. Make a pack list, lay out all the stuff you think you're taking. Then pack it into your suitcase. Zip it up (no forcing should be involved) wheel it around your house, carry it up a full flight of steps. Then unpack it all, re-evaluate and pare down your selections. You'll be happier on the trip.

Unless of course you're only staying at one hotel for the whole time. Then all bets are off OA lives!

Mrs. Kal knows that in Kauai you can never have too many pairs of sandals!

My overpacking is so bad I literally weigh the suitcases before loading into the car so I know that I am within weight limits. The Thanksgiving trip had me rearranging two suitcases before I could leave the house because one was overweight. And the packing starts about one week prior to departure, and then the justification routine starts during the week--well this shirt is really light, how much space can "this" take? I do end up mid-week pulling things out, but not enough things to make a difference. Add in the food, god knows we might starve! Now I am even packing my Hot Shot for hot tea water--this one I won't not give up because I can't stand tea that tastes like coffee, and I like the convenience of having it in the room. Sounds like maybe Mrs. Budman might be my long lost sister :o

I cram it in. Sit on it. Squeeze it. Zip it and go. Only one problem with that. The zipper on my Samsonite could not stand the strain and popped like a fat person's girdle after a Hardee's Thickburger -- you know one of those 1700 calorie dudes with two slabs of fatty meat and 3 slices of even fattier cheese. And I watched some guy eat 2 of them without getting up. After seeing him in an upright position I understood why he minimized rising out of his chair.

So I bought a bigger model with an expandable zipper. I pack tight, then rather than squeeze, I call in the reserves.

Just get a bigger case. One friend of mine goes to France for the summer every year and he totes two 70 pounders.
He does weight training to keep up his strength for the summer grunt and groan sessions.

I am a proud member of OA. I can't help it, I'm a "mood" packer. I never know exactly what mood I'll be in, so I need a variety of outfits and shoes to match. Since I have *many* moods, this can create a problem.

I must say, however, that I am a very good packer. I also weigh my suitcase and only got burned once when my scale was *off* by 5 pounds. I have had to make some quick adjustments at the airport - this is when my family begins to move away from me and pretend not to know me. That's okay. It comes with the OA territory. I'm sure some of you can relate.

The other members of my family, are not members of OA and can live for two weeks with only a couple of pairs of pants and a few shirts. If they travel with me, that is just not acceptable. They throw up their hands and give me some control of their packing as well.

I guess when it comes to packing I am a *little* compulsive/obsessive. I always say I'm going *to change*, but as of this date, I haven't. I believe it is a little too late for help. Thank goodness someone invented luggage with wheels. Oh well.

Poor Mrs. Kal!

We don't mean to, but we need,pristine spa sneakers, walking sneakers, hiking shoes, walking sandals, flip flop beachsandals, sexy sandals,casual sandals in black, beige, reef shoes, and stilletos for Kal and mules. No not the donkey you j'ass!!!

Hi everyone, my name is gyppielou and I'm a Overpackingshoeaholic...........

You all make me think that overpacking is the way to go back to until I remember that I am the one that will have to deal with it, LOL. Too funny!

Never will forget my friend. Her husband had a convention in Reno. She and my DH & I drove up to spend 3 days with him after his convention was over. My friend had (I kid you not) 4 suitcases and 2 carryon bags. Though my DH was going to have a heart attack.

So we have the overpackers and the underpackers. Is there truly any middle ground? I wonder. Anyone?

No middle ground - I went to Ireland for almost 2 weeks several years ago with a small wheeled suitcase that would have counted as a carry-on. When we went to Egypt I packed as if we were heading off to the wilderness for a year. We had half a suitcase filled with snack food "in case the kids don't find anything there they can eat" - peanut butter, instant coffee, etc. What was I thinking? Ended up bartering most of the junk for stupid trinkets we didn't want either. Enough "covered up" clothing that I would have saved space if I just bought a burka.

I find the only way not to overpack is to take boring clothes - the Ireland trick was to bring a pair of black pants, black walking shorts, black skirts, etc. and assorted tops. Saved on shoes.

Hello, my name is Lisa, and I'm a recovering overpacker... ;;)

I'm the "packer" and DH is the "schlepper"... he's so good to me... no complaining.

I have come back from 2 week trips to Hawaii and written down everything I wore as I unpack and do laundry... it's amazing how many things are clean and were never worn... my little, and I mean LITTLE, list helps me be pack more "sparingly" for the next trip.

I also am a "mood" dresser, and have a hard time w/o a few choices. Forget all that black... I like color!

Also, I can't be w/o my little computer speakers and discman, just love my music... oh, and candles, too!

That's all. :D

I am a reformed overpacker ever since my trip to Costa Rica. Before the trip, my girlfriend (a proud JAP--Jewish American Princess--to those unaware)and I were informed there was a strict weight limit on the intercity flight we were taking. Omigosh, you would've thought the world was going to end in the way we both reacted. (You see I am also a card carrying JAP even if my friend is the president of the club). What were we going to to do? I forget what the weight limit was but let me assure you, it was next to nothing. You should've seen us trying to figure out how to look fashionable and obey the airline rules--eventually, we headed off to find the lightest suitcase or duffle bag on the planet just so we could take all the things we wanted. We each bought some canvas duffle and then proceeded to pack it w/all our cute rain forest-worthy outfits and then plopped it on the bathroom scale. Our bags were still waay over! Karen, my cohort, then came up with a good idea. That flight wasn't til the end of the trip so she suggested we bring some older clothes that we were willing to part with and discard them along the way. And that's exactly what we did! (That and cutting back a little bit.)

(I jsut hope the maid wasn't offended and we hope that someone took our clothes and put them to good use.)

I realized on that trip that it's ok to pack less and have been doing it ever since. I am now a great packer and my back and arms are thankful ;-)

Well, it's the shoes! If you go someplace where you only need flip-flops - no problem! But usually, there's this whole layer of shoes along the bottom of the suitcase.

Then there's all the jars. I don't spend all this time and money on my face so I can go away and use the tiny little body moisurizer they leave in the bathroom!

And the tray of hot rollers. Curling iron, presents, bottle of champagne, couple thick magazines and books. Thank goodness at least now we stay in hotels with bathrobes and hair dryers! And God-forbid it's a ski trip...

I actually bring very little clothing on trips - but my bagS are filled to the brim. Yes, I admit it, I'm OA.

Pack what you think you need. Then, remove 1/3 of the stuff. Don't bring things you "think you might" want. Unless going to Tibet, you can buy "emergency" stuff when you get there.

LOL at all the stories--but now I have no reason to convert when I see so much of myself in all of the stories. This must be "normal"?

Our latest horror was this summer flying out of Missoula after the GNP trip and with no scale to weigh the bags at the hotel, the "friendly" United gate agent was unhappy with us that one of our bags topped at 52#. Even worse than the heavy bag was that we were just a little late, and there we were, unzipping our huge bags tossing shoes and items to and fro on the floor in front of the desk trying to rearrange so the weight would be within "limits". First try, nope. Meanwhile, the gate agent is proclaiming to her co-workers, in this snide tone, "gee, I am so afraid they are going to miss their plane." There we go again, more tossing back and forth, hubby is sweating like a pig, zippers are getting jammed--then, we realized that when he dropped me off at the door to check in the luggage while he dropped off the rental car, he left my carry on (bag #5) in the back seat of the rental car. He had to run all the way back to the rental car to retrieve it(thankfully, we ARE runners--which only means more packing--running shoes, cold & warm weather running clothes, jackets, gloves, head bands, caps, and of course, running shoes).

The worst thing is packing all the heavy magazines that I never totally read, a scented candle in case the room doesn't smell quite right--and of course, don't forget the matches for the candle, and yes, who is packing the blowdryer, yes, I still pack my own--not enough power in the one in the room--BUT....yay, the iron can now stay home!!!

Oh meant to add, for you shoe packers, this shoe tote is great, a friend bought one for me years ago, and I just bought a second:

http://www.lillianvernon.com/webapp/...e=&sid=eas

You can actually pack more shoes in it then the six pairs on the sides :-D

I am a very careful packer. I live in richmond where you change planes to go anywhere except if you happen to be going to a hub. It is inevitable that you are taking a great trip (on the company) and someone loses your luggage. Now, you are three days in the tropics with no clothes and your suitcase arrives on the last day. SO, I am the person that plans my wardrobe. I take what I need with a few extras and carry on. My husband is the OA. He takes 6 pairs of pants for 5 days. He takes 7 bathing suits, 6 khaki shorts, etc... You would think he was the woman of the house! The one thing I OA is medicines and toiletries. I am always thinking I am traveling to some outpost that won't have tylenol or cold medicine for the entire family. So I pack it just in
case. I feel that if I bring that crap that no one will get sick. I look forward to the trip that we will take to Europe(hopefully in the next couple of years). Ican't imagine how to pack for two weeks in a carry on, but I am sure I will master it somehow...lots of underpants!

Huggylynn:

I LOVE the looks of that shoe carrier you recommend! I will have to get one for self, and one for daughter, once Christmas is done. Actually, I may just get 10 for all the ladies in the family for NEXT Christmas! :)

We have a similar suitcase story. Daughter mentioned above was WAY over the bag limit for our trip to California last April. So we paid the $50 surcharge. Then my husband had the great idea to redistribute the weight for the flight home. You guessed it... We paid $50 times two, for 2 overweight bags!

This is definitely one of the funniest threads that I have read on Fodor's in a long time...

My "imaginary name" is IMELDA--yep,you all know why....

I have learned how to pack so that all my outfits can be swapped with each other's pieces to make the clothing amount a little smaller...

For Europe, I take walking shoes, sandals,dress shoes--I try to limit it to those 3--but for a cruise, all bets are off!

I always become an OA for a cruise even if I can mix and match the clothes...God Forbid I am seen in the same outfit twice with all the same people that I am NEVER going to see again!! LOL!!

But I have done Europe with ONE LARGE suitcase with wheels and one carry-on...

BUT a Med Cruise(14 days) was 3 pieces of luggage plus 2 carryons ( all this was for me and hubs)...Made the mistake of putting all my things in MY suitcase and all HIS in his suitcase and OUR formal wear in the 3rd suitcase...YEP! You guessed it..The airlines lost HUBS suitcase and mine arrived a day later..Had to buy Hubs an entire wardrobe in Portugal (thank gosh he is built like portugese men)...If this happpened in Italy (tiny bottomed men),he would have been UP the Creek and naked! The only suitcase to arrive on the first day of the trip was OUR formal wear...
NOW we packed with a little of EACH of our clothes in the 2 suitcase, with the correlating shoes IN CASE anything gets lost!!

But I have done 2 weeks in Europe with 1 carry on and 1 duffle bag--hard on the shoulders.

I also am a member of the "toss the old undies nightly" club..it works great and gives you extra room for little gifts along the way!


Keep this post alive-I need it to send to my sis who packs a HUGE suitcase for weekend travel!!LOL!!

Wow, I'm getting a backache just reading all this ! and some chuckles, too. Thanks for your honesty. Is it a 'step' to your recovery ?

Ladies, wait until DH throws out his back on vacation and you have to haul all the luggage to & fro. It will cure you in a hurry.

We went on a 2 month trip-1/2 drive and 1/2 cruise, hot weather - then Cold weather - then back to hot and the cruise had 8 formal nights !

All that with 2 - 29" duffle bags (rolling) and 2 carryons -1 rolling. Mix & match is the only way to go. Also, layering and remembering that you won't see those people again - they really don't care if you wear the same thing 2x.

Another point, even if you only bring 2 pants and they are both jeans -they will be heavier than 2 dressier pants. and some chiffon-type tops and scarves weigh alot less than the sparkle-type heavy tops. Both of these examples take up alot more room than the alternate, too.

I was always a big believer in 'just in case' and brought alot more stuff. Now, my 'JIC' consists of more money -and-1 t-shirt, 1 nylon shorts, 1 pr. of the thinnest sandals and 1 pr of undies - stashed in the bottom of the carryon. Have fun.

My best friend was a notorious overpacker. I, on the other hand, never bring more than one shirt for each day of a trip, and toss old shoes/shirts/underwear along the way (I have a bag under my bed full of clothing to throw out while on vacation!)

Anyway, on a trip to Greece my friend's bag was lost for 3 days so she had to make do with what was in her backpack while borrowing some of my clothes and toiletries. She wasn't that stressed, in fact she felt pretty good not to have to carry stuff up and down all those steps in Santorini. After receiving her luggage - a 50 pound duffel w/o wheels - we had to find a hotel in Iraklion. We wound up walking a mile uphill before we found one. She thought she was going to die - the bag weighed almost as much as she did. I didn't even break a sweat with my little wheelie bag. Upon returning to the US, she needed to switch airlines at JFK and was supposed to bring her luggage with her, but it was so damn heavy she decided to claim it as lost so they would send it to her home. She swore to never carry that much again, and she hasn't. On the next trip, she only brought a 22-inch wheelie- yay!

One tough experience can make you see the light.

I actually feel guilty if I bring anything on vacation and then not wear it!

My problem is always too many shoes - gotta have my running shoes, a nice pair for dinners, 2 casual pairs for walking, hiking boots, flip flops for the beach..on and on.
I do well with clothes, packing only what I need - but don't see a way out with shoes :)

We just returned from 5 weeks on Maui and Kauai. We left Vancouver with my golf bag ( with all the clothes that I would need in it) my wife's golf bag ( stuffed with some of her clothes) and her 50 pound suitcase, plus her two carry ons.By the time we were leaving Maui for Kauai ,both golf bags, and the suitcase were overweight, so we did the big shuffle, and managed to carry on lots and beat the scale. And of course I threw my back out lifting the 65 pounder out of the car, so no more golf for me on this trip. The night before we left Kauai, I went down to the gym and brought the beam scale up to the room to weigh the four bags. Yes, we had to buy another large suitcase to add to our collection. Of course, I don't know why, as my wife said she didn't buy anything. So, somehow during the trip, our 110 pounds of luggage expanded to 200 pounds. After 20 plus years, I have learned to live with her OA, and the doc says it's only a small ulcer, so I'll live with it, but it's good to hear that I'm not alone. Gippielou,hugglynn, dreamer, you must all be related to my wife. We shall endure. Cheers, Al

Whistler Al, totally LOL at that one, esp. carrying the scale up from the gym!

I just realized, too, along with someone else here mentioning about packing the meds--I never leave home without immodium and cold medicine, you know, "just in case"! This is from experience of hubby catching food poisoning (suspect: airline food--a dated trip, of course) en route to a cruise. Two days of agony without it, so now the drugs come with.

Some of my most cringing moments are the ones when I make the final bag "zip" the morning of departure and prepare for the handoff for him to carry the bag down the steps and into the car--it's the same ritual every time, with the questions and comments--what the hell is in this, are you sure it's not overweight, etc....

So is this intervention helping anyone??

I take a virtual drugstore with me... especially if going overseas or travelling with kids. Even if not needed, Vagisil and Prep H are always in my bag. Imagine going into a foreign drugstore and trying to explain those needs in broken foreign language!

A few tidbits I can't help but add to this funny thread~

A car trip is completely different than air travel. I simply throw tons of stuff into large bags and baskets & into the trunk of my car, no guilt.

You CAN under pack. In my quest for the lightest possible luggage I did one 3 week trip to Europe with 1 very small duffle bag plus 1 tote only. I was ready to torch my clothing about 1/2 way thru the trip.

You can pack light and still take many pairs of shoes. Just expect that the bottom layer (and about half the contents of a 22" suitcase) will be shoes. Nothing wrong with that IMO.

Regarding cosmetics and toiletries. I take EVERYthing I usually use and this is aLOT of lotions and potions. But I downsize into tiny containers I have saved up or the free sample sizes from department stores during the year so I have just enough of each item for the length of the trip. No full size containers of anything, please.

Dreamer: LOL I too bring the prep H and the vagisil. A few years ago, we were in Bermuda and brother's son who was about 2 woke up sick in the middle of the night. At two in the morning there is a knocking at my door. "By any chance do you have any kiddie Tylenol?" I handed him the bag with ear thermometer, tylenol, advil, etc...If only I had the antibiotics for the tyke. But I was close. I had a friend borrow the vagisil on a trip once. I feel the same way about being prepared. My friends laugh, but I am ready!!!

This is a fun thread. Many, many years ago...about 20 or so, I guess, Mr. I2 and I had been travelling different places on business and decided to meet in Vegas for the weekend. When we got ready to repack our bags to go home....he went nuts over the numbers of pairs of shoes I had with me. I still hear today...one pair of shoes...you only need one pair of shoes...hahaha...jokes on him...ain't never gonna happen...even for overnight. He's given up on trying to help me pack!

If you open 2 suitcases, put in 1 all you really need, put what you think you may use on the trip in the other, and forget it at home, will this work?

Can somebody tell me why I look the same on all pictures on any given trip :) This is the only down-side of "bare necessities packing". Yes, some laundry is involved, so what?

Faina, packing necessities in one suitcase and "extras" in another suitcase and leaving that one at home is a great idea!

Sometimes the simple ideas are the best, LOL. Have a relaxing Sunday.

"some laundry is involved, so what?"

Faina, I agree...If I am staying in a condo, that's no problem. However in a hotel, I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices they charge :). For my DH, when he travels on business, it is no big deal as he has a T&E account to pick up the tab.

Last trip I couldn't help but laugh while watching my son wash out his running clothes because he didn't pack enough. Needless to say, *things* didn't dry the way he expected. He was smart to remain silent but as a member of OA, I did give a mini lecture on the value of bringing additional items, just in case :D

I never thought that anything I read on this board would prompt me to seek professional help, but this thread just might do it. Based on what I've learned from everyone here, my problems run much deeper than just my underpacking tendencies. It is now painfully clear that I am the only female on earth with such severe underpacking issues. LoveItaly correctly points out that underpacking allows us to shop more, but I never cared much for shopping, as I prefer to spend my vacation time and money on sightseeing. Therefore, based entirely on comments from this thread, I have concluded that I am in the midst of a gender identity crisis. I submit the following for your consideration:

1. I am a serious underpacker.
2. I dislike shopping.
3. I have been known to wear men's clothing. (refer to my earlier post about having to borrow shirts from DH, stemming from underpacking)

Before reading this thread I never had any doubts about my gender identity. But given the above factors, is it possible that I am truly a man, lost in a woman's body?!?! Help!! Where is our poster called Shrink??

PM Don't fret. I am the underpacker and DH is the overpacker and I have no identity crisis. You are the smarter spouse remember that.LOL

Thanks, girlonthego. I feel so much better. I was wondering how I would tell my husband of my gender identity crisis. But if it's just a matter of me being the smarter one, I have no problems telling him that!! :-))