Packing for holiday = Aspie nightmare

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How do people cope. I love being away, but the bit in between being home and being away is hell on earth. I can't work out what needs to go, what doesn't. I can't find my clothes. Half of them are still wet. What do the dogs need. Waterproofs? Boots? Nice going out dress? Arrrrrrgh!. I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack or something.

I just am a minimalistic packer and don't care about things like "nice going out dress"

1. Medical things like medications go
2. Check weather, pack just enough clothing for basic weather expected (for me this is little, for others this may be more)
3. If it expected to be cold pack one t-shirt, warm, one long-sleeve shirt
4. Pack a rain coat
5. Pack electronics I need to stay sane.

Done.

For a week I tend to have only one backpack plus my laptop on my back and my kindle's bag that I carry with me everywhere.

Asthma medicine. Comb. Underwear. Communication device and ereader.

That's all you need.

What I do is I make a list of what I need, and then check off the items after I've packed them. If you're going on a plane, pack light, in case you have to pay for your suitcase. Bring Dramamine, antihistimine, and gum, if you can't handle cabin pressure, or if you're taking a cruise and you get sea sick. Mix and match your outfits. Bring food, since they don't feed you on planes, except for snacks and beverages on some flights. If you're travelling on a plane, bring sample sizes of toothpaste, shampoo, etc. -- no large bottles. Bring a dress, not a fancy one, just a simple one that looks cute, in case you go to dinner. I don't have any pets, so I can't help you with the whole dog thing, but I'm assuming they need food and water and things like that. And breathe! Don't forget to breathe! Have a good time!

Last edited by Princess78 on 05 Oct 2011, 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Figure what seasons you are travelling for, if possible find out what weather might be likely be happening on the trip. Think of what you are doing on the trip. Will you be swimming? Walking?

Then make a good list, calculate how many days you are there and think of how many items. Add toiletries to the list and remember to add camera, or passport/tickets etc. Lists are a very good thing in this situation.

I'm a habitual over packer, so I'm not much help. My only pieces of advice would be to start making a list of things your need several days in advance to make sure you have everything. As for things you don't "need" but do "want" try to think of why you want it, what it is for, when you will use it, how often will you use it, and can something else you already packed be used instead?

Ok, I'm done. For everything else there's mastercard.

Packing for a holiday is so exciting, so I do it without stressing about it. I usually do things bit by bit, but looking ahead of how many days and nights worth of underwear I need to take, because working that out involves a splash of mental maths skills, which I cannot do - even over such a simple thing.

But going on holiday is sooooo exciting, who can wait to pack?!

Well, it depends on where you are going, what you are doing, and with whom you are going.

We do Christmas at a hoity-toity resort with my boyfriend's "adoptive mom" and her family. Everything has to be done by the rules of etiquette, as interpreted by a rather well-to-do group. This pretty much means never being seen wearing the same thing twice - about all I can re-wear is shoes, belts and outerwear. So, before we leave here, I will know exactly what I will be wearing at any given time on any of the four days we'll be gone.

Besides toiletries, laptop, a couple of books, a couple pair of swimsuits, and other personal stuff, I will need to pack:

a) trousers, shirt, tie and jacket for dinner Friday
b) jeans and a nice shirt for Saturday before lunch
c) dressy casual trousers and shirt or sweater for lunch on Saturday
d) jeans and a nice shirt for Saturday after lunch
e) trousers, shirt, tie and jacket for dinner Saturday night
f) jeans and a nice shirt for Sunday before lunch
g) dressy casual trousers and shirt or sweater for lunch on Sunday
h) jeans and a nice shirt for Sunday after lunch
i) trousers, shirt, tie and jacket for dinner Sunday night
j) jeans and a nice shirt for Saturday before lunch
l) dressy casual trousers and shirt or sweater for lunch on Saturday
l) jeans and a nice shirt for Saturday after lunch

For those who are counting, that's 6 pairs of jeans, 6 pairs of dressy trousers, 3 jackets, 3 ties, and a total of twelve different shirts/sweaters! Oh, and I have to take two different topcoats (blue and black), to match the different outfits.

So, yeah. I just pack what my boyfriend tells me to pack!

Look online and print out a standard packing list. I print them out, cross out a few things and try to pack according to those. Packing is one of those things I like a lot. It's all organized and stuff and you follow a list. I have a LOT of clothes so it's not a problem for me to be fully packed a week ahead. The trouble is I need to pack for both of my kids, too so that complicate things a bit.

I don't like travel though. Especially not staying in some relative's home.

I really like packing to go away on holiday etc. I like the way everything is picked especially for its purpose and everything has its own special place to go in the bag. And I feel satisfied after packing too. I like to plan it over again and again and I find it quite relaxing and comforting. Plus it helps me to look forward to the actual holiday.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. You ought to see me packing for vacation trips. I think I drive my wife nuts. In addition to having Asperger's, I also have OCD and executive dysfunction. So I am constantly counting things. The biggest challenge is packing to leave our hotel room or condo units. I have to keep going from area to area to make sure nothing has been left behind. Then I have to count things to assure myself they are in the baggage. And often times when we stop to eat, when we get back in the car, I have to recheck certain things to make sure they are still there.

I pack one outfit a day, plus a few extras in case I'm feeling picky.
I Google the local temperatures (I've dressed for 45 degrees and 85 in this week alone).
And of course any special clothing, like swimming stuff, etc.

Clothes and shoes go in one big bag.
Toiletries (deodorant, medications, etc) go in a smaller one that fits inside the first.
My laptop, cell phone charger, and school stuff (and day planner, and casual reading) go into a backpack.

I only obsess about whether I bring the super-important stuff- cell phone for emergency, medication, and an old ratty pullover for me (as my father prefers their thermostat set at or below what I would imagine is required for most meat lockers).

Everything else is "Eh, I forgot it. I'll do without, or buy a cheap-o version in the meantime."

It's really a big drama for me i hate doing it and i hope i can hire someone to do it for me asap. i am always too exited about the trip to go waste my time on preparing for it.