Must pack items for a TS vacation.

Favorite Packing Tips

I got a suggestion that a topic of this nature might be a good candidate for a "sticky" post, so I'm opening up this one to see what sort of response we get.

Please use this thread to post your favorite ideas for vacation packing to save space, prevent breakage, travel faster, etc.

If the responses are good enough, I will turn it into a sticky.

Have fun and help your Tugger friends.

Tom

P.S.: Thanks for the suggestion, Cathy!

My Hawaii Packing List

Packing for Hawaii - Almost everyone takes twice as much to Hawaii as they really need the first time. We only take carry-ons, now. Keep in mind two things - it is usually HOT and HUMID in Hawaii, and it is VERY casual. Even for a "dress-up" dinner you can wear a cotton dress or skirt, and an Aloha shirt and cotton slacks for the guys. Most places, people even wear shorts to dinner. Don't bother with sports jackets, panty hose, evening wear, coats, dress shoes, jeans, or high heels. We usually stay some where with a washer and dryer near by, and plan to do a load of laundry every 3 or 4 days. This cuts down on clothing too.

This is what we take:

Also, note that due to the wind and humidity, make up and elaborate hair-dos don't last in Hawaii. A hair-do that doesn't require styling, or hair spray, will hold up best, and no one really bothers with make up very much. Ladies - here is the secret to keeping your hair beautiful in Hawaii. When you are going to be at the beach or out on a boat, all day, lightly saturate your hair with conditioner, slick it back or braid it, and plop on a big hat. When you shower after your excursion, your hair will be beautiful and manageable, instead of dried out from the sun.

If you are trying to pack light, don't pack any liquids. (Especially now with the airline restrictions.) Hawaii has major drug stores and grocery chains - just wait and buy your heavy and bulky liquids there, they will only be a few cents more. You will need a big bottle of sun screen and lotion, plus the usual shampoos, etc. For after-sun lotion, we think Aloe Vera gel is the very best. It isn't greasy and it really soothes your skin and preserves your tan.

New tips - we take our oldest pair of tennis shoes and throw them away before we leave. (They are covered with red dirt anyway!)

Mail home your souvenirs in flat rate box from the post office - no matter how heavy it is, the price is the same.

Great tips Denise. We're going to Hawaii in a few months & appreciate your advise.

For me I'll take a couple of coverups and leave out a few pairs of shorts. Most times when I got anywhere with a beach - I wear mostly bathing suits and coverups.

I always pack in a specific color scheme so that I have unlimited mix and match alternatives. Black, white and red work well for me. Or Black white and taupe.

If you can cut down on the shoes (always a challange), the battle of over weight luggage is half won. The color scheme tip helps accomplish this.

For women, I love Chico's "travelers" line of clothing. They can get you through anything!

I also roll instead of fold and when packing heavier items such as bulky sweaters, I've used "space bags". Target sells the type that you roll out the air, not vacume it out. They flatten up everthing like a pancake but don't really wrinkle them.

I always save space in my luggage for my travel size Rowenta steamer just in case.

I pack underwear in plastic bags and press out the air. Who wants security going through that stuff!

I had a packing system that served me well for years, but since TSA put in new regulations (50 pound weight limit, only tiny containers of liquids in the carry-on), I had to redo it. I'm still working it out, but here's what I have so far:
Weight: I bought a luggage scale and discovered that my checked-bag suitcase weighed a lot all by itself. So I bought one of the new light-weight ones such as ebags carries.
Toiletries: I pack a zip-lock in my carry-on with shampoo and such, but it won't hold enough to get me through a week's vacation. My toiletries kit was the wrong shape to fit nicely into my checked bag, so I bought one that will lie flat in my suitcase and hang in the bathroom at my destination. I've yet to try it out. I hope it doesn't leak

Keep a list

I have a generic packing list that I keep on the computer which I print off before each trip. One column for each family member and one for the household. I have a seperate column for timeshare necessities as well like napkins, condiments, etc. I tear each column off and give the each person their own for packing. Everything is on there from beach to hiking to winter sports. Just cross off what is not appropriate for the particular trip. I works great! Don't leave the little things off - we use it so dilligently that one time we flew to a wedding and my husband didn't pack a tie - it wasn't on the list! It's on the list now - even though it's rarely packed.

My rules is to pack and TAKE 1/2 out..you don't need it anyway. I also use plastic zip bags for underwear, sock, and any small items. The travel bags work for great for shirts and shorts. The rest of the items I ROLL and fit in. I am now putting my cosmetic bag in the suitcase and filling carryone with any bulk item you might have( shoes, jacket etc) I also like to pack some OLDER items and then just leave them.(ex. underwear, t shirts, sox) You now have room for those purchased items. It is much easier to stop and buy the toothpaste, lotions, deoderants,shampoo etc then to carry them. A color scheme is key to packing light! They have wash machines where ever you go!

Whan going on a cruise - I always take a power strip so I can plug in battery charger for phone, camera, etc... Not usually an issue in a timeshare!

If your going somewere warm pack your case then take half off what you packed out and you'll still prolly be taking to much.

ownsmany said:

Great tips Denise. We're going to Hawaii in a few months & appreciate your advise.

For me I'll take a couple of coverups and leave out a few pairs of shorts. Most times when I got anywhere with a beach - I wear mostly bathing suits and coverups.

Click to expand...

True - but once I leave the beach I HAVE to change into something that's not full of sand!

Hello from Long Island: Packing isn't a problem if you make sure and have all the laundry up-to-date just before you leave. I usually take 6 clean blouses, same for shirts for hubby, and hang all 6 on 1 hanger. When we get to where-ever we're going all I have to do is hang 2 hangers. Probably sounds crazy but I don't like putting clothes into the bureau drawers (bugs, smells etc.) so I sort the clothing in the opened suitcase. This works for us as long as there is a washing machine somewhere. Our dentist friend tells me that he sprays the drawers with Lysol and then lines the drawers with aluminum foil. Pain, pain, pain for me.

Another thing, don't pack all white/light colors. They show spills too easy. We're in bathing suits all day so packing is easy.

We often vacation for 4-6 weeks at a time. It usually involves moving from timeshare to timeshare each week. Upon arrival, I go to a dry cleaning store and ask for some of their unwanted wire hangers--the ones their customers return after taking the clean clothes home. I have never been asked to pay for them. I then hang all my clothes up. Not only do items stay more accessible and less wrinkled, but it is also a cinch to gather the hangers up and take them over my arm to the car when moving to the next unit. It saves a lot of packing and unpacking.

I used to leave them behind at the last destination but I saw that the cleaning crews would quickly toss them in the garbage. So I now take them with me to the office when checking out, and offer them to incoming guests. I never fail to find an appreciative recipient.

I always kid my husband that all I'm taking to Hawaii is a bikini and a toothbrush , somehow I never manage that!

Perfect!

This post comes right on time for me! We are going on our first TS vacation to Orlando in a few weeks. I am planning my packing strategy - 7 days, 3 kids, 2 adults. I always vow not to overpack and I always do...but this time, I am trying to keep it simple and after paying overweight fees in Orlando and NY once before, I have learned my lesson! Thanks, I think this is a great post!

I have a small rolling "timeshare bag" that comes with us on every trip

air freshener
candles & matches
clorox cleanups
laundry detergent
small dish detergent (i have been in some ts's where they give a foil pack!)
coffee fliters, sweet & low, sugar
ziplock bags in various sizes
advil & tylenol, bandaids, & antibiotic cream, antihistamine
cocktail shaker & shot glass
sudoku, crossword & deck of cards, pad of paper & pencils
large plastic cups for pool use

I keep it packed...just a quick glance in it to see what needs replacing.

Any additional ideas?

Regina

rkd said:

I have a small rolling "timeshare bag" that comes with us on every trip

air freshener
candles & matches
clorox cleanups
laundry detergent
small dish detergent (i have been in some ts's where they give a foil pack!)
coffee fliters, sweet & low, sugar
ziplock bags in various sizes
advil & tylenol, bandaids, & antibiotic cream, antihistamine
cocktail shaker & shot glass
sudoku, crossword & deck of cards, pad of paper & pencils
large plastic cups for pool use

I keep it packed...just a quick glance in it to see what needs replacing.

Any additional ideas?

Regina

Click to expand...

Great list. I especially like the candles & matches. I'm always buying candles to for the jacuzzi. I should just remember to take some.

How about a night lite, and those elastic corners for sheets, ( the clip on ones - for when the elastic in the fitted bed sheets is shot ), oh yea... and a mat for the tub.

Sue

Me Too!

I, too, do the list thing!! (And I thought that I was the only one!) During each trip, I will add something else that didn't make the previous list.

And, I too, have a timeshare travel bag. It is a small soft-side zipper cooler and I just leave the essential kitchen things that I will need in there. I've only taken it on trips where we are driving (I'm not sure all of this stuff would fly well, nor would you even want to use the space for it) Here's what's in mine:
non-refridgerated individual creamers
splenda (no sense buying another whole box on each trip and throwing most
of it away.)
coffee in a ziploc bag
flour in a ziploc bag
sugar in a ziploc bag (I know!! I should have stock in ziploc!)
Non-stick spray like Pam
Individual packets of dishwasher soap
Mini-container of Tide
Mini-box of dryer sheets
straws (for my toddies)
Seasonings: fajita, chili powder, cinnamon, etc
vegetable oil
toothpicks
deck of cards (just in case a poker game breaks out)

We like to eat-in a couple of days during the week, and we always have breakfast in the condo. Lunch just usually depends on what we are doing. So, having some of those kitchen essentials available is really nice!

Great thread! I like these ideas!! Keep 'em coming! Thanks!

Susan...I have added a few more items thanks to your list. I do hope more folks add to this thread. Maybe we can start a new one in a more obvious area? Regina

Newbie frightened by packing list!

Hi all,
My husband and I recently purchased a trial RCI package and have booked a week in Orlando at the end of March with our 2 kids (12 and 14). I realized that we would have to buy groceries when we get there, but looking at the packing list on the "Advice" page and reading some of the postings in this thread has me terrified we've made the wrong decision. Do I really have to pack salt, pepper and sugar? Of course, I don't want to be stuck buying huge boxes of condiments when I get there, but I guess I thought timeshares were like motels with kitchenettes, where some of the basics are supplied? We are flying and trying to pack light (an impossibility for me even in the best of circumstances!) Somebody please tell me I don't have to pack all of this little stuff!!!

It all depends on where you are staying. Some provide necessities such as salt, pepper, and sugar. We've even stayed at some that provided seasoning for tacos, spaghetti, steaks, chicken, etc. Sometimes the previous weeks occupants will leave items such as foil that are not perishable. We were at Vistana Villages a few years ago and they had all the necessities. Good luck and have tons of fun!

Thanks for the reassurance. I feel a little better now. Perhaps the best thing to do is phone the resort and ask. Although if anyone has any insight into offerings from Magic Tree Resort in Kissimmee, all info would be greatly appreciated.

We have friends that always leave the things they took but didn't use laying out in their way in their BR so that they remember not to take so much the next time. I guess if you do it every time something isn't working!!!

Car markers

Just got another great tip from a friend. When you're going someplace where you will be renting a car and parking in large parking lots (like Disney!!), bring something to mark your car (a flag or small stuffed toy?). Your car is going to look like every other rental car!

Hi all! How would you transport a Laptop Computer and Video Camera on a flight to Orlando? I already have one "carryon bag" and my purse, hubby could carry the computer if necessary. What do you all suggest?