Overplanning, much? (Packing help)

[cyneswith]

I have 3 outfits a day for DD1 (this is probably not overkill. She's a little ball of chaos.) I'm planning 2 outfits a day for DS3 plus 2 back ups and an extra pair of undies. (Mostly potty-trained, but he's backsliding this month - he discovered lying, and thus says "no" if I ask if he needs to go instead of stopping what he's doing to go.) Is that too optimistic? Also, is it too optimistic to pack less than 2 changes a day for me?

I'm assuming he won't NEED a change every day, and we'll each end up with at least one souvenir shirt.

One catch is the kids have sensitive skin and we'll either need to bring detergent or doing laundry won't be an option. I won't breakout in a rash, they will.

 

[BLAZEY]

I do a load while we swim one evening. I also bring our own detergent as I am sensitive to different brands. I bring enough for 2 loads on lights and one darks.

 

[cmph]

I always overpack, too, even though mine are now 7 and 11. However, the 7yo used to vomit on planes... And two years ago we went with extended family and my 1yo niece caught a stomach bug and passed it along, so you can never be too prepared where little ones are concerned!

My rule now is - if we're flying Southwest or driving, overpack and who cares! Pulling a large rolling suitcase isn't that much more difficult than a small rolling suitcase, after all.

 

[tami82]

I have always overpacked but this next trip I can't as we will be flying so it's going to be a challenge. I would say to bring some detergent you can easily do a load during pool time as above poster mentioned, maybe mid trip would work. This is probably what we are going to wind up doing.

 

[cyneswith]

Thanks, all. I think I'll put 2 loads worth of detergent in a Ball jar. Easier than finding more clothes for me!

 

[scrapquitler]

I have 3 outfits a day for DD1 (this is probably not overkill. She's a little ball of chaos.) I'm planning 2 outfits a day for DS3 plus 2 back ups and an extra pair of undies. (Mostly potty-trained, but he's backsliding this month - he discovered lying, and thus says "no" if I ask if he needs to go instead of stopping what he's doing to go.) Is that too optimistic? Also, is it too optimistic to pack less than 2 changes a day for me?

I'm assuming he won't NEED a change every day, and we'll each end up with at least one souvenir shirt.

One catch is the kids have sensitive skin and we'll either need to bring detergent or doing laundry won't be an option. I won't breakout in a rash, they will.

Just a tip on the 3 yo saying he doesn't need/want to go to the bathroom. When we are at WDW, the rule was, we ALL go to the bathroom at the same time, and if we don't think we have to go, we go anyway (usually every 2 hours, unless someone needs to go sooner, then we all go). Nothing worse than being in line and having a child decide they need to go NOW. Don't ask them if they need to go, tell them that it's time to go.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I have 3 outfits a day for DD1 (this is probably not overkill. She's a little ball of chaos.) I'm planning 2 outfits a day for DS3 plus 2 back ups and an extra pair of undies. (Mostly potty-trained, but he's backsliding this month - he discovered lying, and thus says "no" if I ask if he needs to go instead of stopping what he's doing to go.) Is that too optimistic? Also, is it too optimistic to pack less than 2 changes a day for me?

I'm assuming he won't NEED a change every day, and we'll each end up with at least one souvenir shirt.

One catch is the kids have sensitive skin and we'll either need to bring detergent or doing laundry won't be an option. I won't breakout in a rash, they will.

There is always residual detergent in clothes. Just toss them in a washer with zero soap and they will come out fine one time. If you doubt this, try it at home. Toss in a load and watch the waste water that comes out of the machine it will be sudsy.

 

[jennygirlmt]

Yeah, no way I'd pack that much! Ditto the laundry load one night mid week. Also, I don't change kids bc they dripped on an outfit or are dirty, they'd have to literally be soaking wet before I'd consider the outfit wasted while in a park.

Also ditto telling DS it's potty time, not asking. Both at wdw and at home!

 

[cyneswith]

Yeah, no way I'd pack that much! Ditto the laundry load one night mid week. Also, I don't change kids bc they dripped on an outfit or are dirty, they'd have to literally be soaking wet before I'd consider the outfit wasted while in a park.

Also ditto telling DS it's potty time, not asking. Both at wdw and at home!

To be fair, this only lasted a few days before I realized what he was doing. He's back to going when I ask. I'm also not one to change kids/myself over a drip here or there - but DD is likely to soak her outfit 2x a day. We just do diapers indoors, sundress outdoors at home.

 

[monorailsilver]

We bring a maximum of 5 outfits per person. My oldest is 15 and when we went to FL this past April she just wanted to bring one outfit. But in April we go to my sisters and the beach so are in our bathing suits daily. I told her she needed to bring 4.

Disney is another story but I have learned, even when my kids were still in diapers, that I don't need that much. We wear 2 outfits/day.

We do a mid day break and head back to our room. I think when they were little, I may have put an extra change in my stroller but never needed it because I like you do fuss over a little food...ok I cringe at my 12 yo boy who still thinks ketchup is part of his wardrobe...sigh...

My kids get soaked from all the water areas in the park (they aren't allowed sneakers or socks in the parks for that reason) but like I said we go for a mid day break and nap and shower and put on fresh clothes.

We don't do a park every day so I will go and run laundry at 6am because I am up before I head out to the pool. So about every 2 days I will do a load. But when they were smaller I do recall doing a load of laundry daily during our mid day break. It didn't take much time and either myself or dh would go and check it/flip it/fold it. I bring powdered laundry detergent and I measure it out in sandwich bags, one bag per day.

I bring the least amount possible.

This Year when we flew, we all had a carry on and that is it. Of course I didn't need laundry detergent or any toiletries since it's all at my sisters plus cvs and Walgreens are at every corner! My kids each brought a pillow and blanket which fit with all our clothes.

 

[disneyjes]

We choose one night in the middle of the trip, do a pool evening and do laundry. We got small bottles of Tide from the Dollar Tree or Target has plastic packets for Tide. My son is older and I planned a few extra shirts knowing he sometimes wears his ice cream but with doing laundry in the middle of the trip, we were just fine.

 

[beckysko]

I am an overpacker too - but don't forget to plan for the idea that you might buy a couple shirts too. We do 2 outfits per day unless we are staying a long trip. I'm not a fan of trying to do laundry - I feel like the dryer takes FOREVER at the resorts. I once read nearly 6 chapters in a novel sitting on the floor in the Grand Floridian laundry room waiting for my laundry to dry! The value resorts have better options because there are more machines, but you are competing with more people trying to get their washes done as well
You could do some handwashing in your sink of lightly-soiled things and underwear to save time, just hang them up in your bathtub for the next day or so.

 

[cyneswith]

I hate laundry, so doing it at Disney is something I'd rather avoid (though I may end up jumping at an excuse for some alone time.) And yep - totally plan to get at least one shirt per person, maybe more. If I take all my summer clothes, I will have... 2 back-up garments.

...Yeah, I need to take detergent.

(DD completely soaked 2 outfits today - front and back, shoulder to knee. The second one while eating a cookie. It's a talent.)

 

[Canooknic]

How many outfits do they normally get through each day? I would take that many + 2 extra to be safe.

This has always been my rule for packing and only once in all the trips we've taken since my boys were born 8 years ago have I had to do a load of laundry

 

[KTSMOM]

I am an over packer as well, and do usually count on 2 outfits for myself (especially during the summer), but since you are worried and kids clothes are much smaller than adult clothes, just plan on packing 3 outfits for them each day. If you plan on being there a week, pack enough clothes for 3 or 4 days and then do laundry half way between. We usually throw the laundry in and go to the pool (or nap) and since there are so many washer/dryers it's done within an hour or two. It's a win, win situation..down time and clean laundry. (i've always wanted to use this emoji)

 

[cyneswith]

How many outfits do they normally get through each day? I would take that many + 2 extra to be safe.

This has always been my rule for packing and only once in all the trips we've taken since my boys were born 8 years ago have I had to do a load of laundry

That's about how many we have for the kids (and it's a lot - I normally let my wee tornado run around in a diaper unless we're out in the sun.) Good rule of thumb.

 

[Pesky]

I hate doing laundry on my trip. I'd probably prepare for 1-2 loads on an ER basis but provided you have the room (and little kids' clothes don't take up as much room as yours), I'd pack extra. Agree that it is always best to keep extras on hand for that age.

 

[tee11]

I totally overpack, and would only do laundry on vacation if it was an emergency, but that's just me!
I've never been able to time public laundry rooms just right, and someone ends up throwing my clothes out of the machine. No, thanks! What I would do, is wash a few pieces in the sink. (....can you recommend a liquid laundry detergent that would be good for that? It needs to be small, for air travel.)

Otherwise 2-3 outfits per day seems reasonable to me! Extra underwear and pants for the potty trained 3 year old, just in case.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

We're going for two weeks in Orlando, so we can't bring 14 outfits, but I know what you mean with the little ones. My issues is all the costumes. We're cosplayers, and the kids have more than a dozen Disney costumes between them for M&Gs and character meals. I feel like I will have to bring a garment bag around the parks to have the right outfit at the right time!

 

[DLgal]

There is always residual detergent in clothes. Just toss them in a washer with zero soap and they will come out fine one time. If you doubt this, try it at home. Toss in a load and watch the waste water that comes out of the machine it will be sudsy.

Um, maybe in your machine but not in mine. Ew.

I recently did that by accident and it took me awhile to realize why the clothes smelled so musty and UN clean when I took them out of the dryer. I quickly realized I forgot the soap and had to rewash the load. And, maybe TMI, but I literally smelled the underwear to confirm. So, yeah, I don't recommend just washing clothes without detergent and hoping for the best.

Likely, the residual soap is in the machine drain, not the clothes.