Does anyone else buy obsessively as their trip gets closer?

I am seriously tempted to buy some kind of new luggage with every trip I take. I usually resist. Not always, but usually.

And little bits. Little organization things. Fully compulsive.

You are not alone! I won’t list all the new things I’ve bought for our upcoming trip. My excuse - we haven’t been out of the US since Fall 2018 so I had some catching up to do. Covid, two new granddaughters and building a new house redirected some of my travel energies but we leave Saturday for nearly 2 months so why not get a few new things! A bit of stress about Covid here as well. Counting on that 2nd booster to be my protector.

Oh yes, join the club! I have bought in the last week: an inflatable lumbar pillow, travel blow dryer, ballet sleepers for the plane, miniature makeup mirror, travel cologne atomizers, phone neck and wrist lanyards, travel combo curling iron/flat iron dual voltage. That’s just this week.

A new clothesline, new bag for liquids, collapsing hangers, new stretchy jeans, 2 new tops, waterproof raincoat since water resistant doesn’t look like it will cut it this year, a new neck wallet… it’s a good thing we leave tomorrow! As I packed I realized there wasn’t room for the inflatable hangers or the new skort.

Yup. Today I just ordered a thingmabob that holds my iPad on the seat back in front of me.

NO! I will say did buy one pair of slacks, and one pair of shoes. The pants are to replace the 25 year old pair that fell apart on a RS tour in 2018, and the shoes to replace a favorite pair that wore out without actually falling apart.

Nothing else! Really! I mean it... except I do need a hat.... and my hairbrush is worn out... And my other "old faithful" travel pants are looking a little threadbare...

Yes. The bad part is the items that I buy months in advance then end up not taking after all. I'm currently mentally packing for a trip that doesn't happen til Oct. Worse was booking a 2023 Christmas market cruise and wondering if I should buy new boots. I'm also doing loads of reading about the places we're going.

Oh gosh, yes. You are not alone. I am leaving for Turkey in less than a month, and I have bought new jeans, 2 shirts, new shoes, and underwear. Actually, that's pretty good for me. So far I have avoided new travel accessories for this trip because I already have enough packing cubes, tote bags and foldable hangers to last a lifetime. Most importantly, I have avoided my usual nemesis of buying electronics and camera gear before a big trip --- at least so far. I still have a little time to go, and so I'm not in the clear yet.

My wife does. It's a reaction to travel anxiety. Buying things for the trip makes her feel like she has control. Same thing if our girl goes on a school trip - wife buys thing that solve "problems" to ease anxiety about our kid being outside our immediate reach.

The stuff isn't really necessary, but it seems to make her feel better. If I gently point out she's doing it, she usually tapers back.

Have a wonderful trip - it will be a delight and an adventure and everything will be just fine :)

I'm a sucker for travel-sized items. Strangely, I like stuff in their original containers if possible. I've also bought a new Ripskirt based upon posts on this site.

Sadly, I just DID come down with COVID. The 2nd booster was on my schedule for this week but that's out another three months. On the plus side, while it's not fun, I'll have increased immunity while I'm gone. On the negative side, there's a lot I'd prefer to be doing in the next couple of weeks instead of burning sick time!

I have an entire list on Amazon called 'travel' which I'm constantly adding to and looking at. It's out of control at this point and my trip is still 4.5 months away.
The thing that gets me is, why do I need to buy so much stuff in order to travel light/carry-on only? The lighter I try to travel, the more I seem to need to buy!

Yes. I will be hiking for 15 days in Crete in May. Although I am an experienced hiker doing several long ones a week my clothes are dark colors and I like to keep my arms covered to avoid sun exposure with long sleeve shirts. Also, I read that you should not wear olive green in Greece because it’s the military’s color. Seriously 😐. In Greece I’m afraid my hiking clothes will be too hot and the material too heavy. So I have bought 2 new lighter weight tops and capris as well as a skort. I almost bought a new bathing suit but sent it back because it was too heavy—it must have weighed a pound at least. Not good for airline luggage weight limits. Now I’m trying to decide if I need a lighter weight jacket other than my normal fleece. If anyone has hiked in Crete in May I’d really love to hear what you packed.

miniature makeup mirror

I need one of these. Thank you for the reminder lol

We've had 2 trips since the new year. The next isn't until the fall. I went mad and bought..... a bottle of sunscreen and a box of masks. My existing wardrobe and our travel cupboard had everything else I needed.

I have the 21" ultra light rolling bag and the packing cubes. And I still have my 110-220 volt converter from 1970 that still works. I have ditched my beloved laptop(s) for travel--now using a cheap Amazon tablet for internet access. My wife has a cellphone as she's an incessant game player every minute of every trip.

I continue to pack very lightly--basically taking one set of clothes for every 3 days. And I still get my jeans heavily starched to where one pair will look good for a full week. I weigh my bag and keep it under 10 kg. And when I get home, I always have clothes that were unused.

I'm not a fashionista, and I dress the same every day of every year. My wife rotates he clothes, and she looks great every day wearing black and tan matching clothes.

Other than a purse full of peanut butter/crackers and junk food, we don't buy anything for our trips. Often, our junk food saves us a bunch of money skipping restaurant meals.

Yep! I bought three shirts today. One is a possibility for my trip but probably won't go since I have three others in the "take me too" pile. The other two shirts are for home, hanging out in my alternate packing list in case I change my mind from black, gray and red to blue and brown, but then I need to buy a taupe leggings...

I can talk myself out of stuff right now since I spent the past two years shopping online for travel odds and ends (phone stand, lanyards, card holders, etc) and not going anywhere. I'm having a hard time justifying buying much more. But if I need it, want it, like it, I'm buying it. So much for trying to cut packing weight, not add to it. Guess that will happen when I test pack and can't lift my suitcase.

Looking at your list Mardee, I see a lot of reminders from other people's packing posts. Isn't it nice how we help each other spend money!

I don't know what kind of wallet you're looking for, but I use RS lambskin wallet, coin purses really. They are big enough to hold daily credit card and cash but small enough to tuck into the inside pocket of my extra-small purse. I took several on my last trip for different currencies and to divide my day money into smaller lots. I use them at home too when I'm carrying a small purse.

Enjoy your trip!

Not any more. eventually I was able to meld together @all previous experiences, toys, and clothing into an elegantly simple inventory. Things might need to be replaced but, no, I do not worry about new stuff these days. Wait, there’s a multiport universal voltage charger I simply MUST HAVE,

I will be at a nice mall in a few weeks, and I want to replace a couple of my shirts. I would like my 2018 photos in Italy and my 2022 new ones to not be wearing the same clothes - LOL!

Guilty in the desert SW of Tucson. But fully vaccinated with my 2nd booster on April 15th and ready to go.

Fortunately, we'll be leaving for the PNW too soon for me to order that last pair of Eddie Bauer pants I want to get for my 5 week mid-summer trip to Ireland and Wales. The reason I didn't order them sooner is that the full price is too high and I won't pay that much even if I like the pants.

I rarely shop in-person for clothes or accessories, preferring online with free shipping to driving the 1.5 hours each way I have to drive to get anyplace to do that. I only shop in town if I can combine that with other errands or appointments.

I did have to shop in person at H&M for the basics (nice top and pants) and for an appropriate purse at TJ Maxx for our youngest daughter's wedding while we're up there. The rest of the potential wedding outfit I was able to order from Land's End and Amazon.

Then when I got my potential European trip wardrobe together, I realized that I didn’t have the right size or color Baggallini for it. I was lucky to find something that would work at a different TJ Maxx.

Over the past couple of days, I've been doing multipurpose packing for our temporary few months on the wet side of the Cascades, for the wedding, for the European trip and for the week it takes us to drive up in the truck pulling the trailer with the race car in it. Those 5 carry-on wheeled bags and multiple backpacks I've collected over the years are earning their keep now.

This will be the first time since we've lived in AZ that I'll be spending most of the summer with my husband in the Puget Sound (WA) area. The planning is very different than in the past when I'd only be up there for a few days or a couple of weeks at a time. It's been exhausting, but in a fun way. And I've been getting in my steps without even leaving the house.
🚶‍♀️ 😁🚶‍♀️

Oh, gosh yes. I should have stopped reading travel blogs and THIS FORUM weeks before I traveled.

The biggest purchase was a white LS button up shirt which I was sure I needed but wound up leaving at home. I probably should have brought it because it’s been hot in France and it is also a sunshirt so would have been functional.

I recommend everyone re-channel their energies in to trial packing. Even if you aren’t traveling until Fall. Seriously, everything including toiletries into the suitcase and zipped shut!

“ballet sleepers for the plane,”

Now, Lulu, I’ll need the link to these. I can have them waiting when I get back home! 😁😁

Oh my, I became a regular at TJ Maxx in the 2 months before my trips. Because ... well, you see I usually travel in the fall with layers, but these trips are in the spring and summer. And I am always envious when I read about you gals traveling with your cute sundresses, so I couldn't pass it up when I found one that coordinates with everything. And who travels in the summer without capri pants? Had to have a pair of those. And the new sun hat, well, that just tied everything together perfectly!

I'll have to plan that Christmas Markets trip I've been dreaming of so that I can shop for a few new winter pieces!

Oh, yes! There's always "something" I buy before every trip! ...and through this Forum, I learned about 2 companies, with items for travelers. One is Tom Binh. I now own 2 backpacks...and am contemplating a third (lightweight). Each serves a different purpose, of course. Another company is ClothingArts. I convinced my husband he needed several pairs of their pants.
And, after my "lost" suitcase incident last year, we have bought Apple AirTags, which we will test out next month on a week-long trip to the San Juan Islands.
I am considering buying another pair of "Trail running" shoes for walking/hiking on our trip. I read someone’s report where slick soles led to a fall on wet pavement. I want to make sure I have good traction.
Jane: I am in awe that your 25 year old pants still fit!

I leave on Thursday…over the weekend I bought a travel pillow and a pair of small flashlights. And a new pair of jeans, so overall not too bad. My usual urge is for a new purse but last year I found the perfect one so that’s settled for a while.

I leave on Friday and it has been non-stop buying for the trip for the last 3 weeks. Last May I had a freak accident where I significantly injured my leg. The pain was worse than childbirth and I couldn't walk. Six months ago during the worse days of my recovery, I decided that I needed a Europe trip (including a one-week organized Paris Flea Market Tour) as motivation to work hard in my journey to reclaim good health. So a new wardrobe from Chico's, an assortment of packing cubes, Travelon bags, two Tom Binh standing bags, sandals, a ton of travel items from the Container Store, a Knack backpack, headphones, hairbrush, jewelry, scarves, laundry detergent sheets, a journal, DK books, Streetwise maps, a Samsung tablet and a Columbia raincoat are just a "few" things I have bought. My goal is to do only a carry-on roller bag and my new wonderful backpack for my transatlantic plane rides. Chico clothes surprisingly are very compact and I will only take what I can carry-on. With my leg injury, I can't handle heavy luggage so it will force me to continue to really focus on stream-lining my packing list.

Like others, I love reading the Rick Steves forums. You have all answer my questions, given me great suggestions for restaurants, tours and museums and been a much needed distraction from the painful physical therapy days. Save travels to all.

Forgot to add a packable hat, new walking sandals. I do plan on doing a trial packing run this week. The thing is…I need to see the weather first for the middle of May before I make that final clothing decision.

Heck no. I am saving my money for treats on my trip (hotels, meals, ice creams, apéros, entry fees etc). Amazon and Jeff Bezos be damned.

When we returned from the RS Greece tour in March I purchased some things that other tour members had and had recommended. Does that count? (We are traveling again this year).

I’m familiar with that urge. Fortunately my obsession with packing light supersedes it.

Absolutely! After realizing that the temperature in some places in Turkey will be upwards of high 30s (CELSIUS!), I've been shopping for linen and 100% cotton clothing. Plus my stuff I wore in Nice last year is a bit "snug", so a few things I'd definitely take are probably not going to work.

I'm due a new pair of hiking shoes. My fave Merrells are done, having been away with me in 2018, 2019, and 2021. I would buy the exact same ones, if I could find them. I think my sandals are ok, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I buy new again!

Need a sun hat too. Mine are shot.

Even without the excuses above, I always get a few (or more) new things for a trip. Darn DH always puts these costs in the final accounting for the trip, which I think unfairly balloons the cost!!

Yes – I’m obsessed! Thank you for posting this and for all the responses. It is great to know that I’m not alone. I’m a frequent traveler and have my light packing, carry-on down to a science for my weekly travels for work. BUT, for some reason this trip has me obsessively planning and buying. I think it is because this trip will have multi-stops/hotels, but mostly I agree that this is probably a way of dealing with anxiety and excitement. I read the packing forum, I watch packing influencers on YouTube, and like @roubrat – I have a travel shopping list on Amazon that I’m interacting with daily. Over the last several months, I’ve purchased everything from backpacks to clothing to organizational items. The UPS driver is here so often, I feel like I should invite him in for dinner. Ha Ha. I’m glad (for my wallet) that I only have another month until our trip.

I’d love to hear about the purchases that turned out to be winners – your impulse items that made a difference on your trips.
(warning - answering this question may instigate more purchases on my part LOL)

Oh, gosh. I thought it was just me. The “present truck” has been making frequent stops at our house and will be here tomorrow for one last visit before we leave on Sunday morning. Thank goodness we’re leaving or there would be more “present truck” deliveries. But then we are going again in another few months and the needs will be different for that trip.

I am not alone!!!! You have no idea how good it felt to read all your posts! Even though I'm now checking out all the things you are buying, or thinking of buying. Last night after posting, I bought another pair of stretch jeans - I just discovered Democracy jeans and they are just about the most comfortable pants I've ever worn.

Scudder: I have the same urge to buy luggage and this year, I succumbed and bought a new roller bag. My daughter yelled at me but shut up when I gave her my old bag (which is still in very good condition).
goanywhere: The last overseas trip I took was in spring of 2018 so I totally get that!

Lulu: Ballet sleepers? Those sound interesting and I think I might need some! Could you give more info?

Hank: I should borrow you to talk me out of some of my purchases. ☺️

CT: Ripskirt? I had to check that out and now I want one, even though I won't be near a beach on this trip. I'm sorry about your Covid but as you pointed out, you'll have some extra immunity so that's good.

roubrat: I love the Amazon travel list idea - I just started one!

Leslie: I spent some time in Crete and did a bit of hiking, but it was 25 years ago and I haven't the faintest recollection of what I wore.

David: I'm still trying to decide whether to bring my laptop or get a tablet. Mine isn't huge - it's a 13" MB Air but a tablet would be lighter. That's a good idea about starching your jeans - never thought about that. Although all my jeans are stretch so it probably wouldn't work.

horsewoofie: Ha, yes, it is nice how we help each other spend money!!! Thanks for the wallet tip - unfortunately, I don't have time to order from RS since I leave on Monday.

Lo: I'm the same - I live in an area that's 10 miles from ANYTHING, and 2 1/2 hours from good shopping, so most of my purchases are online.

Pam: Thanks for the reminder about trial packing! I leave on Monday so I'm going to start Saturday and try some scenarios.

Carol: I love Tom Bihn bags and could easily spend a fortune there. I use his convertible clear cube for my 3-1-1 bag and toiletries, and have tons of pouches, his travel tray (another travel purchase for this trip), day bag and much more. And I have an Airtag and love it! It really works great!

itsv: I used to wear nothing but Chico clothes from the travel collection on trips. They are not only easy to pack but are easy to wash in a hotel room. I've expanded my clothing a bit but will still have a pair of their pants with me.

Andrea: I love wearing linen (and I don't get if it gets wrinkled). :) I just made myself a new top out of some nice linen from an online fabric shop.

sueamill: I do love how we all enable each other! 🤣

We leave this evening and i am thinking about the duty free shops at JFK. I really could use a new Longchamps tote in Black. Do I need it, no, my navy blue one is fine but…….

I just discovered Democracy jeans and they are just about the most comfortable pants I've ever worn.

Well, I just sent back some jeans yesterday that didn't work out. Now I'm looking at these. It doesn't count as shopping if it's "Try-Before-You-Buy"...

Traveling governs my purchases year-round!
Whenever I go shopping, I secretly imagine wearing that item in Europe :)
Now everything I own is lightweight, moisture-wicking and quick-drying!

Oh no, I am just placed which I hope is my final Amazon order because I am now at the stage where I can't find what I bought 3 weeks ago. I had to go out of town and my husband decided to "help" me by putting things away. He can't recall where my Streetwise maps (the best for travel) and my phone leash are that I had ordered. I am hoping to locate the $300 of euros that my daughter brought back for me when she was in Spain in January. Again my hubby "helped me get organize".

I love this post and seeing what you all are ordering. I agree, when returning if you all can share what worked and what didn't. I too think that the delivery person must think I have a shopping addiction.

P.S. I like those Rip Skirts and will order upon my return. I am blessed to live at the beach on both coasts so those will come in handy.

Lo: I’m happy for you that you realized your old Baggallini clashed with your new wardrobe before your trip. Disaster averted. 😂
Pan: I’m always in search of button-up shirts to hide the strap of my neck wallet.
To make sure all our new treasures will fit in our suitcase, we will be attending Anne Mcalpin’s “Travel Smart Pack Right” talk at our local AAA. Who knows what other items we may need for our upcoming trip.

Carol, one of the forum members from Boise has gone to several of Anne’s presentations. I signed up for a zoom one last year and it was interesting.

I should not read the Travel Fashion Girl blog before I travel, lol. This is the white shirt I was convinced I needed before travel because it was on her list of necessities. 🙄

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/23124225/women%27s-departure-2.0-long-sleeve-shirt?sp=1&color=Snow

I went to the Eddie Bauer outlet to see if they had it so I could feel the fabric and check the fit. Turns out (according to the sales person) the clothing for the outlet is specifically made for the outlet and slightly different. They did not have this in white but my SIL got it in a really pretty med. blue. The sales person ordered the white one for me off the EB website, free home delivery. The fabric is the same, style slightly different, mine has 2 pockets, SIL has one. We both noted that the fold wrinkles did not come out after being washed/dried so we had to < gasp > iron them. I did wash mine again after ironing and it was fine. Had to wash because it had been so long since we’d ironed the iron leaked rusty water out onto the white…ugh.

So yes, I should have brought this and left one of my LS DriFit quarter zips at home. I did not do a trial sink wash on this shirt so do not know how it will do with that.

Ballet flats are (on Amazon) FunkyMonkey foldable ballet flats, they come in different colors. They run small. I’m a 10 and fit in an XXL. They come in a cute little bag. I like to take my shoes off on the plane and wear compression socks. These will be nice when I need to use the restroom.

How many people have bought something since reading this thread?

(me)

Turns out (according to the sales person) the clothing for the outlet is specifically made for the outlet and slightly different.

I think this is true for a lot of outlets, like Gap, Coach, Michael Kors, etc. Tricky of them.

For those ho need an excuse to look at new stuff to buy. For carryon-only obsessives: REI’s Deal o’Day on April 26 is a travel-specific men’s backpack from Gregory, $90. I’ve seen it at my local store, it’s a great 40 liter unit for men who like to buy travel packs whether they need a new one or not. CHEAP! CLEARANCE, ONE DAY ONLY, Tuesday, April 26, 50% off, REI mail order.

https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/207076/gregory-tetrad-40-travel-pack-mens

roubrat, I didn't go out and buy anything since yesterday's shirts. Yeah! But I adjusted my packing list to add back one pair of leggings and one, maybe two shirts. Rrrrr! I wanted to pack really light. Ha! I'm doing a couple short trail rides and I don't want to go to lunch/dinner smelling like a horse. I'm sure the packing list will change again when I do my test packs. Trip isn't until September so I have time to change my mind several times.

I have the women's equivalent of that Gregory backpack and love it, for anyone who is looking at that listing that Bogiesan linked.

roubrat: Me! (shooting hand up). Thank you, Lulu, for introducing me to ballet flats. And thank you for giving size info - I'm a 10 also, so that's good to know. Luckily, I can get them by Saturday since I don't leave till Monday.

Pretty soon I will run out of days to buy something. Of course, there's always shops in Germany!

You are all my people. :)

Oh, goodness! I feel like I've found "my people"! We leave on the 14th for Scotland for a trip that was rescheduled from September 2020, so I've been shopping for it for two years now (yikes!)

We do a lot of thrift store shopping, so my husband has been stocking up on quick-dry pants (Eddie Bauer, Columbia) when he finds them there, and on one particularly fruitful visit, I found a like-new pair of Keen hiking shoes (for $3.50!!) and a Travelon crossbody bag for $4. I've also been hitting Amazon (new raincoat, plug adaptors, travel hair diffuser, new backpack, phone lanyard, etc.) and Marshalls (new carry-on luggage). Our old carry-ons were a bit "well loved" and rather heavy, so I picked up a new one for myself (a lovely London Fog spinner). When my husband saw it, he decided he needed a new one too :) He also decided he needed a travel pillow...and a new backpack...

Oh, and then there's the new phone that's on its way. My old one (Samsung Galaxy S7) has really reached the end of its useful life (I generally buy refurbished models and use them until they die), so as an early Mother's Day present, my family "forced" me to order a newer model with a good camera so I wouldn't feel the need to bring my point & shoot.

I won't even mention the clothes that I've bought over the last few years, which are technically "work clothes", but were selected with the thought that they'd make a great addition to a travel wardrobe!

my answer is ....no!...well, maybe little bit. During COVID I bought an eBag Weekender Jr backpack for a mere $40. I've flown with it domestically and learned 15 total pounds is my 'no more than this, and less if possible' weight to carry. (short and medicare age. :-) ) So, I've been concentrating on taking just what I might need and no more. Also, what can take and leave behind...an older pair of casual pants, old lounging pants for hotel comfort and how much of my toiletries, drugs, etc. I will consume almost 3 pounds. Now the big question is: take a second pair of shoes...19 ounces...or just a pair of old sippers for the hotels and leave behind? I've never traveled with just one pair of shoes, but my hiking shoes are pretty comfortable for all-day walking, even on city streets.

Okay, I did buy a new Otter box and neck and wrist lanyards for my iPhone...the most expensive thing I am carrying! Oh and Bose noise cancelling earbuds. Oh and new waterproof hiking boots. And a new waterproof rain jacket.

And I am pondering...ballet flats instead of those heavy shoes. I better decide soon. I leave for London next Tuesday.

I guess I need to change my answer to Yes.

Reporting back that I love the Eagle Creek Packing Cubes including the compression ones as well as the fold-it packing containers (Sorry, I don't know the official name because I threw the labels in the trash). With recovering from my leg injury, my goal was to not check any luggage. I will have my rolling suitcase (not expanded) and Knack backpack. Using the cubes and folding containers I easily got everything in my suitcase with some room to spare. I am putting one cube with my jackets, sweater and raincoat and another cube with an extra set of clothes to change into during my flight (maybe) in the expandable part of my backpack.

In response to an earlier question, I did make one more purchase. I ran to the REI to get a set of Eagle Creek compression cubes and hearing that they are ceasing operations this year, I threw in an extra set. I am so glad I did because I was able to take all my new clothes which by the way I want to give a shout out again to Chico's clothes. They pack really well and don't weigh a lot.

I don't dare write how many clothes I am taking because it probably is too many for most of you. I was ready to trim down my things but since they all fit and the weight of my suitcase was within my acceptable range, I figured "why not."

The cubes are great for starting a trip very organized. I am glad I made the investment.

Before reading this thread, which I have now deemed dangerous, I never considered using a backpack. I went to the REI website and now have the Gregory backpack for women (it's on sale I rationalized) ordered. How have I traveled for decades without this item which now I must have?!

Do airplane snacks count? I bought mine too early and have now eaten half of my supply. But I have reduced the volume of the snacks I am taking so that’s a good step toward packing light, right? My husband (whose sole contribution to the trip planning is learning the lyrics to “Volare” and “That’s Amore”) has now appointed himself as the snack monitor.

Yikes, Mary! I forgot about the airplane food...does that count? I have individual beef jerky packs, some individual packs of dried fruit, and some shelled pistachios, all stashed where my husband can't find them.

Oh yeah, snacks!!! I made a run to Trader Joe's earlier this week and got some trail mix and chili-spiced dried mango. Those pistachios sound good, though - I may need to do more shopping. How well does chocolate hold up?

My husband (whose sole contribution to the trip planning is learning the lyrics to “Volare” and “That’s Amore”) has now appointed himself as the snack monitor.

I just snorted.

You are all hilarious.
I need a snack monitor...please send your husband over, Mary.

Hi All,

I literally just came home from TJ Maxx 20 minutes ago, opened up the internet on my iPad only to find this post. Of course, while I was there, I picked up some shoe bags, extra travel bags ( for toiletries) and was looking at some baggalini bags ( but managed to pass on them today.). My trip isn't until Late June, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to buy more things. :) As like may of you, I desire to travel light, but manapgae to add things each trip, rather than delete :) It's fun trip prep though.

"chili-spiced dried mango" I've decided I must have these for my June trip to England. I'll put them inside the backpack I never thought I'd need until I visited this thread! Let me add to the mania here and say that nuts.com is my go-to for stocking stuffers, all holidays and just for my snack drawer at home. You don't even have to get in the car. . .

Mardee, thanks for the Democracy jeans recommendation. I received mine today and I like them. They're keepers!

A new pair of Eddie Baeur pants, a carryon with a sleeve, and Grove stick hair conditioner. Other than that, I have bins of tested travel clothes to use.

Lindy, they are SO good! There is no TJ's in Duluth so I always stop at one in Minneapolis when I go down there and stock up on my favorites.

roubrat: Glad you like them! I have 2 pairs now and just love them!

I hope some of you are going to be on my RS trip because we are already like-minded people! So many good tips. I have never been a good packer - too many choices - and not traveling because of COVID has made it even more difficult to decide what goes in the suitcase without buying what I think should go in the suitcase. I don’t have much to add except to recommend Kuhl jeans and clothing (available at REI). Happy travels to all.

Well yes!!! Bought new suitcase, new pants from Duluth trading. Walking sticks. Ordered pants from Columbia and ripskirt from suggestion from forum members today.

Covid was not kind for my weight gain, I pulled out possibilities of clothing to take . My trip isn’t till June. Lol

Kim

So funny! Thought I was the only one who did that!
I finally figured out that a large part of the repeat shopping occurred because I try to pack light and wasn't totally satisfied with the items I had to make that workable. I used my saved travel money during Covid to invest in some clothes that would really work for that purpose, so now the clothes shopping urge has passed. Travel snacks are still on the agenda though!

Unfortunately, I don’t need the vacation to buy travel gear. Trying to perfect it all will never stop. During Covid I bought a backpack, an international wheeled carryon (that I definitely didn’t need), and now a pacsafe purse that is pretty small but will hold my camera, mini iPad, phone, wallet , glasses, etc…but at least I am using it daily now. I did just yesterday admit that the Eagle Creak bag was kind of redundant, but I will still not reform!

This post just jumped to the top of my list….right after I purchased a black scarf from Amazon and a couple of tops on-line from Macys. Guilty! LOL!

Well, I got my new phone, and realized it doesn't have a headphone jack. Even though I'm taking my bluetooth earbuds, I was planning on taking a pair of wired ones as a backup in case I can't recharge them. So I had to order an adapter.

And then I decided I didn't want to drop my new phone while I was using it as a camera, so I had to order a lanyard for it. And since my old phone case doubled as a wallet, I now need to buy a new wallet before we leave. Does the wallet count as a travel item???

I'm also considering a more lightweight, less bulky packable duffel bag than the one we currently plan on taking for overflow on the way home.

It's a good thing we leave in a little over two weeks, or I'd go broke!

Help! Talk me down. I'm becoming a packing cube hoar(der). I have three sets of packing cubes plus a few odd size ones. But I don't have a compression set, just one lonely oblong cube. I've spent the morning on Amazon looking, adding to my cart, deleting from my cart and adding another set of compression cubes to my cart. Yikes! I really don't need them. But...
Back to Amazon to see what else I can find that I don't need.

Pretty soon you'll need a packing cube to store your packing cubes in.

I went to The Container Store and picked up some small containers for meds, so I don’t have to bring the whole prescription title. The pharmacy gave me some small labels to put on them.

I also bought a phone stand from Amazon, that can be returned. This will be used for our Binax proctored test.

Lulu, that's a good idea - too late for me, now, but I will head to the Container store when I get back. IKEA has little wooden phone stands that are around $2. I have several so I bought one along.

Mardee, are those phone stands lightweight? The one I bought is 7 ounces, but feels so heavy. It’s metal, but it swivels so I can Angle it if the proctors need to see something better.

I am obsessing about what to pack for an 18 day trip to France in October. Maybe it’s just because I’m so freaking excited to finally travel again. My obsession is with weather appropriate clothes as temperatures in France in October are supposed to be in the 50’s and 60’s. I live in Florida so I don’t have clothes for those temperatures. Sad, but true. I don’t even own sweaters. And I certainly don’t own a warm coat. I am constantly looking at coats and trying to figure out the best tops to bring to all coordinate to get multiple variations with 3 bottoms all while packing light. I hate lugging around a heavy suitcase and do carry on size. I bought a RS carry on 2 years ago when it was on sale and now I’m sorry I did. Weighing in at 7 lbs I am not a happy camper with that much weight empty. But I digress. This is a great thread for me as it gave me even more ideas to research!

I think so, Lulu - I don't have a scale with me but I would guess maybe 3-4 oz?

Lori, with temps in the 50's and 60's, you really shouldn't need a coat - maybe just a lightweight jacket for cool mornings. The temps here in Berlin are in the 50's in the morning and 60's+ a few hours later, and I'm just wearing a lightweight jacket or sweater that I can remove when it gets warmer during the day.

This is the phone stand I use. It weighs 0.4 oz:

https://niteize.com/quikstand-portable-device-stand

Frank: That phone stand looks perfect, small, lightweight, and adjustable. Now I’ll have to buy one.

I was thinking the same thing. The IKEA one I have is cheap but a little blocky and thick (although lightweight).

I feel your pain. Packing now for Budapest. What agony…. Already bought new i phone and small i pad in January -wanted to learn how to use them before taking out of country. As for the Ballet Slippers- have those too- black with lobsters on top-just for fun-on the plane and on board the river boat. Has anybody tried the almond butter stuffed pretzels from TJ`s? They are great.

I’m starting to get worried about the weather, I do have a travel umbrella. But I just ordered a packable rain jacket from Amazon. When I look at the forecast before we leave , if it looks good I might leave it home. But if it looks like the possibility of rain, at least I’ll have it to take. I need to quit buying stuff!

Yes! Even though we pack light and do carryon only, I can make it work;) For our February Iceland trip, we wanted very warm coats, so I even managed to get my husband to go to REI in person to try them on. His was easy, the first coat he tried on her bought. Me, nope, it was a series of ordering about 6 before I found the one I liked at the REI flagship store. I doubt I will wear it here except anyone 1 or 2 days a year, but it was heaven in Iceland! I wore that every day except for our active glacier hike tour, where I wore my usual Arcteryx shell. I also bought snow boots, which I have never owned before, and those were really nice as they are taller than my regular hiking boots that I brought as well.

For our summer Iceland trip, I bought a selfi stick that was also a tripod. Yes, the family mocked me, but of course it came in very handy. I also bought one of those suction cups for the dash to hold the cell phone since we were driving the Ring Road. We don't need it here as our vehicles are already equipped, but that was money well spent and we will use it again in Iceland next summer.

Just before Covid hit, we were in Germany and Prague and I had just had gallbladder surgery about 6 weeks before. So for that trip, I bought new clothes to be more comfortable. That was a smart move!

sueamill--Same here, UPS and Amazon are here daily;)

We were supposed to go to a family wedding in Costa Rica in January, so I had been buying all sorts of tropical weight dresses etc. We ended up not going, but at least I have a few things I can wear for other events, including another family wedding in OR this summer. Although I will probably shop again for that;)

Laurie--I upgraded my phone before our Iceland trip. I was very happy that we did that!

Mikliz97, which selfie stick did you buy? I hadn’t thought about wanting one. But since I’ll be solo, it will come in handy.
Thanks!

horsewoofie, this is the one we bought. Sorry for the long link, not sure why it is doing that.

https://www.amazon.com/Fugetek-Integrated-Professional-Lightweight-Bluetooth/dp/B075WQYN3B/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1A9KUE06BWB9R&keywords=Fugetek+51%22+Professional+Selfie+Stick+%26+Tripod%2C+Phone+Holder%2C+Extendable%2C+Bluetooth+Remote%2C+Portable+All+in+One%2C+Heavy+Duty+Aluminum%2C+Compatible+with+iPhone+%26+Android+Devices%2C+Non+Skid+Feet%2C+Black&qid=1651330420&sprefix=fugetek+51+professional+selfie+stick+%26+tripod%2C+phone+holder%2C+extendable%2C+bluetooth+remote%2C+portable+all+in+one%2C+heavy+duty+aluminum%2C+compatible+with+iphone+%26+android+devices%2C+non+skid+feet%2C+black%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-3

I'm not sure which is worse for my bank account - the Amazon website or this thread!

I just ordered some noise cancelling headphones (after trying out my husband's) and a travel-size cordless massager that runs on USB. I need to stay far away from my phone and laptop for the next week, or we'll be eating bread and water on our trip!

Laurie, I bought a mini cordless messager, too! Haha. My husband runs marathons and I bought him one for Christmas. He loves it. I tried it on my feet last month as I had been walking alot and my feet ached. Wow! That did the trick. I remember when we were in Italy 7 years ago and my feet just throbbed and burned every evening. I bought one that weighs one lb. and am taking it. I’m looking forward to see how my feet feel this time.

Lulu, I hadn't even thought about using it on my feet! Genius! I deal with neck/shoulder/lower back pain, especially when I'm on my feet for long periods, so that was my main reason for wanting it, but now I have additional rationale for buying it :)

Yes, I’ve been using mine on my back, too, as I have muscle tightness issues and knots. It doesn’t necessarily feel as relaxing on your feet, I guess tissues not as soft, but it did the trick.

Oh, I wish I'd seen these two posts before I left - my feet hurt everyday when I get back to the hotel. Definitely for next time!

I just received the massager last night and tried it out. It works great! Here's the one I ordered: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0912XGPGL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

And...... here's the partner to this thread

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/report-on-packing-i-failed-miserably