When do you pack?

[kalkan4eva]

So there are some members who are coming out for Easter - just a few short weeks away, some already there.
My question is when do you pack?
I generally get our cases out of the loft about 3 weeks before our trip and have them packed - but for last minute essentials, contraband consumables and the like - about one week before. But there is only the two of us, and we do tend to take the same clothes year in, year out
What's your packing regime..?

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=11917.0

[tortoise lady]

My regime is pretty much like yours, Kalkan4eva.   Suitcases out about two weeks in advance, clothes etc all lined up and then put in the cases preferably a good week in advance.   The same things tend to go in year after year.  I think my clothes must be known around Kalkan by now!   My favourite blue shorts have got more faded (not to mention smaller) as the years have gone by.

Packing well in advance gives me the opportunity to discover if I am low in things like mosquito repellant - still time to do the extra shopping.   

Then I like to have all the cases not only packed but locked, luggage labels on, weighed to check I am within the limits, and ready in the hall by the front door the night before.   I even have holiday hair brushes, tooth brushes etc kept in my case so I don't have to put things like that in at the last minute.

I know there are people who just throw things in the morning they travel and I envy their free spirits but just can't operate that way.  Anyway, getting everything ready in advance heightens the anticipation.   Not to mention making me feel organised and ready to go.

[Blue Lizard]

Three weeks before we fly the cases from the loft ceremony is performed..this involves me shouting from the loft "Have you got it?" and the cases tumbling out of the loft into a heap on top of mrs L...my favourite swim shorts are also getting smaller ..it can't possibly be that my a**e is getting bigger!!  

[kalkan4eva]

my clothes just tend to erm...shrink...when we are actually in Kalkan I think its the impact of heat and humidity on fabric
TL that made me laugh about your clothes being known around Kalkan - I'm pretty sure mine are too as they haven't changed much in the last 8 or so years. My girls even identify things as "kalkan dresses" 
BL I think we are existing in parallel universes - that's exactly what happens in our house with the loft/case removal ritual (although I also think we might have crosswords about the technique once the cases have landed on top of me...)

[Babs]

Now I the question had been "how do you pack?".........
With military precision!
I start getting things laid out in the spare bedroom a week or before....then no one is allowed to wear anything that is washed and ironed!
Then I get down the holiday storage basket which has non clothes items.......adapters, binoculars(?), holiday medication.......so I can check we are not short of anything!
Then out comes the blue list! This is a list on blue paper which lists everything every member of the family need....regardless of who is travelling 
It is so old it has things like puzzle books and toys.....and my girls are 22 and 25!
Everything is checked, double checked and triple checked!
Then packed by the control freak at late as possible.....without it becoming stressful!
Who is the control freak? I hear you ask! Now that would be telling!! 

[turkeyfan]

I've noticed it happens to all my clothes, so I've come to the conclusion it must be the water!  There is something in the water when we wash our clothes in Kalkan that causes them to shrink.  Having now realised, I think it is our duty to warn new visitors.  We must spread the word as it really isn't acceptable!

As far as packing goes, I wish I could be organised.  I would love to take the cases out of the loft 2 weeks before we travel, I would love to be packed with days to go, but unfortunately my real life takes over and in reality, I am still shopping for holiday 'stuff' the day before we go.

We've recently been away on holiday and had to leave for the airport at 5.45 am.  I had all intentions of being organised...this time it was going to be different.  So I finished work at 4.00pm the day before the flight, I went home and started ironing holiday clothes and then when hubby got home from work we got the cases out of the loft and started packing at 8.00pm.

But, I've got it sorted now, the next time we go to Kalkan I will be organised... I will get the cases out of the loft 2 weeks before we go... I will be packed with days to go...I will!

[Lizilu20]

Flipping heck, you lot are so well organised! We go next Friday and the cases are still in the loft. The only thing I'm organised about right now is my duty free shopping list! 
I'm very similar though, in the fact that the same old clothes are recycled year after year!
I've been on a health kick since January and I've managed to lose over 2 stones of excess baggage, mainly from my waist and hips, so I'm looking forward to recycling 2007's wardrobe! 
Apart from an odd top and stretchy shorts, I've actually thrown away 08's 09's 10's etc etc, never to be seen again hopefully and if I manage to carry on with the same willpower, I'm looking forward to lots of new summer togs for august 
It is about time!!!

[Wendy]

Oh dear, every time we come I swear I will be more organised but every time it's packing about two hours before we go. This time my problem is what shoes? hiking boots for the main street? Flip flops elsewhere? What day where? Shorts or jeans? Evening wear - big fleece or little fleece? Decisions, decisions - JD with Honey  - defo!!

[Babs]

Lizilu that's amazing....well done!

[kalkan4eva]

Wow, Babs you are my hero That's a packing master class.
I also have an old packing list which I add to when I unpack as things I'm missing will be fresh in my mind. I think my first aid bag has packets of resolve from 1994  so that may get an overhaul this year.....besides we buy so much from the pharmacy when we're there I need to make space.
Lizilu you are also my hero....2 stone in a couple of months!!!! Amazing!! Absolutely an excuse for a new set of holiday clothes, well I would say an entire new wardrobe to be fair. I go on a bit of gym fest/health kick usually about the same time as the cases come out of the loft....
turkeyfan, I'm only up the road, I'll come and pack for you next time....I was so stressed reading that!!
No-one has so far mentioned the thin clothes and the fat clothes....is that just me

[Lizilu20]

Thanks Babs and K4E  I just hope I don't put it all back on in a week of decadence in Kalkan!
Babs, you are definitely up there on a pedestal in my estimation. I would love to be so well organised. I always pack the night before or in the morning if it's an evening flight. I'm actually working next Friday morning, then we leave for the airport mid  afternoon 
I do mentally prepare about a week before though!
K4E, I had a chuckle about the resolve. Funnily enough, Yesterday I was going through the toiletry bag we take year after year, and found a packet of Imodium that went out of date in 2011 lurking in the bottom with a few furry cotton buds and a sewing kit with rusty needles!
What to take? Now that's always a problem at Easter. 
I pack for every season as when it's rainy, stormy and windy that time of year it's blooming freezing and yet when the suns out, it's just like a usual hot day in august. Some years, we've been sunning ourselves in bikinis on patara during the day and in jeans, coat and boots in the evening!
It's all good fun though and part of the pre holiday jitters and excitement.
Am I the only person who has to clean the house from top to bottom and change all the bedding before we go? I really put myself under pressure the week before we go with the holiday preparations so I guess that's why the packing only gets done just before we go 

[Cuddles]

Night before! On the day! OMG! Sounds like my wife when she goes off on one of her cruises.
I got holdall out yesterday with 5 weeks to go, to pack the stuff on our 'To Bring' list. Only the perishables get left until the last minute.
For our trip last September, I packed 6-7 weeks in advance. In truth I had to take it all out again as I couldn't remember what was in the bag and part of the list I made had disappeared.
I've cracked the clothes problem, I just buy white t-shirts in xl and don't bother with dieting or exercise. Problem yok! Anyway, since when was Kalkan a fashion parade?

[Babs]

Turkeyfan definitely needs taking in hand! 
Lizilu.......you would have to be going some to put it all back on in one holiday, but it would be fun trying? 
K4E, you should see my Christmas list......each year as we put decorations etc away I make a list of what we need, cards, wrapping paper etc for the following year!
However don't be fooled ........my house is a tip, there are post its with notes and lists all over the place and you should see the room in our house that I use as an office.....if I weren't so ashamed I'd take a photo and post it on here so that people don't think I am an insufferably organised person!
You might notice that it is only holidays and Christmas I'm organised about.....I have my priorities right?
Now need to get organised for my interview this afternoon.....need to hang on to this job or my future holidays will be seriously at risk! 

[Christina]

My holiday departure resembles the Peter Kay sketch, where I am hoovering myself out of the front door while the taxi is beeping outside. Now you are all going to hate me, but I hardly need to pack any of the usual stuff these days. Since I got my own place in Kalkan, I have built up a nice little stash of holiday gear which I store there: swimwear, shoes, bags, jackets, dresses, hair-straighteners/brushes, toiletries – even perfume and make-up, as well as medicines, towels, beach/pool toys etc. These days my luggage consists mainly of things for the apartment – yesterday I packed camping chairs, aircon sensors, garden trellis, plant food, fairy lights, placemats, baking tins and a hand-made driftwood sign for my terrace. Then there are the treats for friends – Cheddar cheese, Colemans mustard, garden seeds for Adam, and some Dreamies cat treats for my friend’s invalid cat. I think I must be the only one going home through Dalaman with near empty cases! With regard to the ‘fat and thin’ clothes dilemma, I can heartily recommend the benefits of the elasticated waist, the tunic/leggings combo and the A-line maxi dress – all very forgiving after several days of indulgence. And for the men, I hear the Demis Roussos type kaftan is making a comeback….

[Blue Lizard]

A Demis Roussos Kaftan?? ...a big gust of wind and it would be like a Chinese lantern with enhancements floating above Kalkan

[kalkan4eva]

been trying to post on this thread for some time - keep getting the "forbidden to access this document" messsage.
And who moved it from general discussion..?

[Pompeyalbie]

Blimey wish we were that organised. I'm not allowed to get the cases down until the day before. My clothes are laid out in the spare bedroom a couple of days in advance for inspection as I await a " that needs ironing", "that doesn't travel well", " you're not wearing that it's tatty" etc. I have a rough idea what I'll be taking, over the last few years I've tried to reduce the amount I bring out & recycle tee shirts & shirts however, I am easily seduced at the market to buy new ones. 1 pair of shoes, Dunlop canvas tennis shoes & flip flops to wear around the pool makes my load lighter. However, how Janet packs it all in her case I don't know with the hair drier, straighteners etc, etc.
I need to go & get Adam some garden seeds again, of all the packs I've taken of flowers & vegetables I think he's yet to have anything come up, must be the soil & no I'm not bringing a bag of compost.

[kalkan4eva]

Is BubblesG the only man who undertakes his own packing...? Albeit premature packing

Babs - the Christmas list is written onto my calendar for the following October when the decorations come down. New set of lights for the stairs, card hangers need replacing etc, but then I have the same shopping list for presents and food year in year out (with the odd addition for gifts - and also sadly we lose a few ) I hope the interview went well today - keep my fingers crossed for you.

Christina - I am very envious of your packing

[Babs]

You see K4E it's not just our scouceness (not really a word) that we have in common.....we are obviously both control freaks!
Pompeyalbie the scene sounds similar to our house......OH says I don't even know why you pretend to ask me what I want to tKe as you just tell me in the end!
Th s to the woman who planned a secret holiday for him, packed without him noticing and kept the destination secret till we got to the departure gate!! 

[Cuddles]

If I didn't do it K4E, it wouldn't get done until we were going out of the door and half of what we take would arrive broken. It's much less stressful if I do it.

On the subject of breakages, all I have had in the 13 years since we bought our apartment is the plastic top of a box of cotton buds. In the same time, I have had 4 suitcases and 2 holdalls destroyed by baggage handlers at Gatwick (or Dalaman). Is this a record?