We make lists, mental and physical, put things aside, discuss what we will be taking, and then in the middle of the night before the trip, we are still packing. As we are leaving for the airport, we are still looking around for things to shove in! We are frequent travelers, yet this pattern never seems to change.

We have friends who actually do the majority of their packing weeks in advance. Of course they are not over-packers like us and a just a bit more organized!

We leave our house like Dagwood Bumstead used to leave for his morning bus. Not looking for solutions, I know what they are, just looking to see if there are others like us. As we leave, I always say, 'if we didn't pack it, we don't need it'. This is almost always the case, as we forget very little --- how can you when you take everything.

Yes, that pretty well describes our, ok, my way of packing. My husband says we can take less, if we forget something we can buy it there. I always worry that it will be something I will need in the middle of the night, that the weather will change and I won't have the perfect outfit, ack! so I just end up taking something for every day then a couple of just in case things I always bring waaay too many pairs of shoes.
I start packing about a week ahead, putting the things out, deciding for or against them, changing my mind every hour or so. It is a real job-packing

If I pack the night before, that is serious planning on my part. If it's an afternoon flight, I don't pack until the day of the trip. (I travel light.)

Don't you learn anything useful from one trip to apply to the next? I keep basic toiletries always packed in ziplock bags. I have lists on my computer for different types of trips -- camping, urban hotels, etc. I pick one, adjust it for the number of days we'll be traveling, and pack on the morning of the trip in about 15 minutes. Anything more than 2 or 3 pairs is waaaay to may pairs of shoes. I just can't imagine al that energy going into decisions about clothes when it could be put into decisions about one's itinerary!

Anonymous,
there is plenty of time to plan an itinerary and to agonize over what to pack. I do keep toiletries packed and ready because we do take spur of the moment trips. But when I have time to look forward to a trip, I also have time to decide what to pack as far as clothes and shoes. And while some might find this energy consuming, there are some of us who actually enjoy it and consider it all a part of the trip

A most embarrassing story: I travel a lot, as some of you know -- up to five months at a time usually in Europe. I plan ahead and actually make lists of what I am taking each time. It's called "being too organized". But several years ago, my partner and I arrived in London for the first week of a three month trip through Europe. Despite my anal rententive packing lists, I realized on the first morning that I had forgotten underwear? Was it still laid out on my bed? The funniest thing, my partner did the same thing. We both had to buy a "wardrobe" of British "y-fronts" to get us through the entire trip.

Patrick ... LOL.

Between the planning and the piles of things to take, who has time to actually put them in a suitcase! These things take longer than the trips themselves, as I start what seems like months in advance. The majority of our out of country trips usually last 6 - 7 weeks. Scarlett, I too take too many shoes, and also too many black tops. I make a concerted effort to wear everything that I take, but never quite attain that goal.

Years ago, we did a weekend road trip with our car club, to the Historic Races in Montery, CA. Activities included a cocktail party, and a banquet, both casual dressy events.

We set a record for 'traveling light' on that trip. When we checked into the hotel, we realized that we had both forgotten to put any luggage at all into the car, and that it was still sitting in the front hallway. No makeup, toothbrush, underwear, nothing but the jeans and t shirts that we were wearing. That's the weekend that we discovered Fruit of the Loom underwear at Walmart, the first one we ever went into. Absolutely no time to shop, too many things planned with the club. Some cheap makeup and new tee shirts and we had a great time, albeit a wee bit underdressed.

Did we learn anything ... heck no - - - well one thing, that Fruit of the Loom lasts forever.

Oh nina, you are a brave woman! To forget my luggage would be right up there in my nightmare catagory
Actually, when we are about to take a trip, that IS one of my nightmares, that I will be about to leave and not ready! Mmmmm Dr Freud?
I like the idea of pre-packing, but we go to so many different kinds of destinations, the clothes change so drastically, I would have to have many outfits and suitcases to manage that.
Besides, what is the fun of a trip without the agonizing over what to buy, pack, wear~
I will be going to Mexico this summer, that should be easy, no?

Flying has become a problem for me
With all the weight restrictions and such.... I cant seem to get everything I think I'll need together!

I pack everything! I will never be described as a light traveller. Years ago, in our camping days, I used to pack up the car, my husband couldnt do it because it wouldnt all fit if he did, friends would join us, amazed at what I had brought, kitchen wise, and marvel that it would all go back into the car. But nobody complained when I made them eggs benedict for breakfast everyday!! So now, my best holidays are the driving ones, so I can take everything I want! Good thing we like to drive! I am that last minute packer, still shoving things into zippered sides as I go out the door! For someone usually so organized, you wouldnt know that from my packing escapades. But to me its all part of the excitement of leaving on a trip. Happy travels!

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I pack the morning I'm leaving even if it is a 6AM flight. I always forget things but fortunately, my underwear has not been one of those things.

I'm with Flyboy. Plan my itinerary way ahead but pack the night before or the morning of the flight.

Not only are we both over-packers, but I love to shop when I travel. I buy glassware, dishes etc.. bulky things that take on a life of their own.

A few years back at DeGaulle Airport, two very snide looking people were looking at our multiple pieces of luggage and the woman made some comment to the man, as we exited the cab for our flight home. They had two medium wheelies and a tote bag. I felt so guilty that I felt tht it was necessary to say that we had been traveling for seven weeks (true) and the #@$%*^# woman responded, 'we have been traveling for three months!!' Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Rick Steves??

If that happens again, maybe I say that there are four other people in our group and we are waiting for them.
As you can see, it doesn't take much to make me feel guilty ;-)

Scarlett, Sorry to be the barer of sad tidings, packing for Mexico any easier .... no way, been there, seen it done! Last minute packing, over packing is an equal opportunity problem.

I tend to run on the over-organized side. I don't care what time during the day we're leaving, everything's packed by the night before.

On the other hand, we missed the 10 am flight to Northern Minnesota for my grandmother's funeral because hubby had to go out "the morning of" and buy a shirt! Didn't he know he needed a shirt the day before? Grrrr . . .

nina,
we booked the flight today for Mexico. It will be easier because it is summer, lighter clothes, sandals, but then there will most likely be a larger amount of medicines and tonics
I would never be embarrassed or feel guilty about the amount of luggage that I bring! That woman might have been traveling for 3 months, but she was seen every day in the same wrinkled icky clothes Lol, actually, I do try to lighten things up, but it is just impossible, I am lacking that gene.
I will also be bringing things home! Oh my~

By the way Scarlett, I am not all that brave. When we forgot our luggage, we had no other choice. Panic first, blame each other, then decide if we wanted to drive three hours to get home and then three hours back to Monterey. It was already midnight, so we really had no other choice. The hardest part was the eye make-up, the rest was easy, since it was only a weekend trip.

Looking back, the funny part was when we opened the trunk and it was empty. The car is a two seater sports car, so the looks on our faces must have been priceless, when we both said, 'where did YOU put the luggage?'

Lol, the eye make-up!! I can just imagine

I never pack, it is probably my one saving grace. My partner packs everything (even for my solo business trips). She makes lists, then reads me the lists, then changes the lists, then reads the lists again, and then gets up early the morning we are leaving and packs the suitcases. My sole input is to "demand" she pack 3 extra pairs of socks and underwear. Which is usually met with grumbling and "why do you need so many pairs of underwear"?. But I, like Patrick, was scarred by a no underwear on arrival nightmare. In college, my roommate decided in the middle of the night to change the suitcase we were packed in and neglected to move my underwear to the new suitcase. So we arrived for a week stay at her parents house in the backwoods of Alabama and I had no underwear. I had to go to Kmart on Thanksgiving morning with her father and buy all new (thank god for bluelight specials). To this day, whenever he sees me he asks if I have any underwear. It has scarred me for life!

LOL, Patrick. It think it must be human nature to forget the day-to-day items. I've never forgotten the hiking boots, swimsuit, camera gear, etc., but I'm embarrassed by how many times I've forgotten my toothbrush.

Susan, my husband has remembered the suit and forgetten the shirt and/or socks to go with it on several trips. He wears an extra-tall, so it's not always easy to buy a shirt when we get there.