and this is not about light beer.
Seems many of us are planning overseas trips soon. I am wondering what tips we might share for as little luggage as
possible.
I normally take a roll on and a bag that I put my purse, pillow, blanket (has traveled with me for 20 yrs no matter where I go. First migrated off of a French Airway flight). and mini and meds and such.
This upcoming trip I will take the same but wish to feel more organized. I take mainly black and when in Spain I found myself hunting through black shirts, pants, sweaters and underwear daily.
I have now spent $$ and have Eagle Creek compression bags and so on in my effort to be more organized.
I never take TOO much-- actually often need more (once wore H’s underwear) and my stuff is light and washes out easily. But I am open to ideas as to how to even be lighter and make the search easier.
Uh, if you want to travel light, leave the blanket and pillow at home. That’s insane to carry those things. It’s not compatible with traveling light.
I’m sitting here in an airport waiting for my final flight - have been in India since a week ago Friday. Just a carry-on and a soft Vera Bradley bag that counts as my purse but holds computer and other overflow. Didn’t wear any outfit twice. Still had room for some purchases in duty free.
Two pairs of shoes total. 6 tops, 3 pr pants. 2 cardigans. Wear scrubs to sleep in or lounge in hotel room. Toiletries are in 1 tiny bag. Don’t bring shampoo - that’s what a hotel is for. Makeup is the Nars Orgasm stick that is eyes, lips, cheeks.
ROLL your clothing. Far more efficient than folding.
I am going on a Rick Steve’s Tour of Italy in July and we can only bring a 21" carry on and back pack or tote. I am following this with interest.
A couple of things I have already been advised to do:
Bring something to use as a clothesline in the hotel room so you can wash clothing and leave it to dry during the day.
Bring a Brita water bottle w/filter to avoid spending a lot on bottled water.
All clothes color coordinate to mix and match.
make sure all the clothes you pack will coordinate with at least 2 other pieces (black matches everything)
along the back of your roll-aboard, use the space between the ribs of the bag to pack small items like are are not wrinkle-sensitive, like socks, swimsuit, etc.
a smart, colorful pashima wrap instantly dresses up a bland black outfit, and it doubles as a blanket if you get stranded in an airport. This is my favorite souvenir item to buy.
a piece of "conversation" costume jewelry to dress up that bland black outfit
ziploc bag for assorted grooming items and the all important "Vacu Vin" wine-saver pump & stopper(s)
http://www.vacuvin.com/Wine-Saver
one empty 2-gal Ziploc freezer bag for sealing a souvenir bottle of wine
nylon purse that you pack empty in the roll-aboard, to use when you get to your destination. Depending on the destination, I might also bring an small silk evening bag.
BACK-PACK ESSENTIALS
Since airlines limit the pieces on carry-ons, I pack inside the roll-aboard a nylon purse, then travel with a backpack because it holds more stuff and has multiple compartments.
a quart-size Ziploc bag for my passport, int'l drivers license, boarding passes, & one pen for filling out immigration entry cards
a small Maglite flashlight and a Sharpie marker
a half-gal Ziploc bag for storing electronic charging cables, electrical adapters, powerbank
a 4-compartment zippered pouch for separating different currencies
a small pack of kleenex for use in bathrooms in countries that don't provide TP
a quart-size Ziploc bag with 1st-aid items and medication (blister packs or loose pills put into 2-inch mini ziploc-type bags; immodium; a wide-spectrum antibiotic; small roll of Tums; bandaids for blisters)
Bose noise-cancelling earphones
(I like over-the-ear. Spouse prefers in-ear.)
I just bought the Rick Steves 20" carryon roller for 20 percent off. All his bags are 20 percent off thru today. DH will check a bag, probably a 24". I plan on using packing cubes and rolling my clothes. We will be in 4 cities, so I will wear my outfits multiple times, and color coordinate. For evening…one black skirt, fancier sandals and 2 tops plus 1 maxi dress. 2 necklaces, 2 rings, one bracelet. I will pare down my makeup considerably. I might buy just 3 pairs of the ex officio underwear and just wash those. 2 quick drying wash cloths . I will take 2 walking shoes/sandals to switch out. This will be such a different way to travel for me.
GMTplus…that is what I’m doing…packing my travel purse and I will take a smaller backpack instead to use for extra storage on the plane. Oh…I’m taking the blow up cabeau neck pillow…very light.
To me, it’s not worth the space saved to economize on underwear and spend time washing/drying it. I’d rather just bring the whole trip worth. But to each her own.
Another option to keep dirty things separate til get home is a pillowcase.
GMT - I was in rural India, got very sick, and did not have imodium, tums, an abx, etc. Trust me that will go in my next trip!! Ugh! I’m a healthy person so it’s never occurred to me to carry anything other than band-aids.
This is my own weirdness, but I use trips to “final wear” and throw away clothes I don’t want any more. On this last trip, I threw away a bathing suit that was ripped, a pair of shoes that were very worn, an old sweater and the scrubs I slept in. And yes, I donate plenty of clothes so I don’t feel guilty over this.
I’ve started using the Eagle Creek compression bags and I love them. I pack all my tops in one, underwear in another, etc. – makes it so much easier when moving from hotel to hotel to find what I need.
For underwear, I bought ExOfficio - expensive, but they really do wash and dry overnight. So for a 10-day trip – even a three-week trip – I’ll bring 3 pairs of underpants. (And I only use these when I travel, so they’ll last longer.) Amazon carries them. In fact, I just discovered that someone makes dry-overnight socks – I might buy a couple pairs.
Agree on the pashmina shawl – I bring one with me even in summer, airplanes can get cold.
Shoes are the worst. I always wear the heaviest/largest ones onto the airplane.
Thanks @oregon101 for this thread! I too will bookmark and watch with interest for my summer trip abroad!
Love the idea of the small brita water bottle w/filter.
Black is easy to match , but I’m thinking it is going to be quite warm - and that I won’t want too much black.
I’m thinking that shoes will be limited to lightweight athletic shoes that I can wear on the plane - those will be my running shoes (heck yes, I’m planning some runs in France!) - also good for walking. A pair of comfortable neutral color Keen sandals that can be used for walking in a city, at the beach, with a sundress (not the typical Keen beach type sandals) and a pair of TOMS that can be used with shorts, beach, etc.
Good ideas everyone. I already do not have more than a small rollerbag and carry on (with purse on it). I will never travel without my tiny pillow–but I have a lightweight down jacket that stuffs as small as my pillow and am thinking I will take the jacket and use it as my pillow. And as to my little blanket, everytime I have gone without it I have regreted it, so just make room. Anytime I have been cold in a hotel room I can wrap myself up and am warm. I like the idea of a Pashima. My blanket might be smaller even.
I travel with black and a couple of colored shirts so layer. The problem I had on my last trip was that all the black shirts and pants and underwear were a jumble as I sorted for items. So hoping the cubes/compression packs helps. All of my clothes are super thin and dry overnight. Figured out to buy kneesocks to wear under and they really make me warmer.
We will have coldish to hot wear on this trip.
I need to take a number of meds --stuff like thyroid, etc. I did buy little containers and moved all into these and labled them. I only left one prescription in it’s original bottle. Wish they were make traved size med bottles. Also printed out my prescription list. Always take imodeium and Advil with me but in small amounts.
I cannot use anything with fragrance and so must take some shampoo, bar soap and such. Again, in small containers.
And can try to find something if I run out.
I also need my Baby Bliss hair straighter (Amazon) that fits in the palm of my hand. No, cannot just wash and air dry–would look quite a sight.
I am going to read through your posts a second time. Thanks
I also found some decent eye makeup/ mascara remover and face cleaner at M.A.C. They are travel size and cost $10 each. I normally use ponds cold cream to take off mascara, but can’t find any travel sizes. The MAC does a decent enough job. I used about half for a 7 night trip.
pizzagirl - I used the trick to bring along “final wear” and throw away clothes I don’t want any more on a trip to Europe a few years ago I did that for one (maybe two) tops and some ratty underwear. I may do it again when we go with the kids this year.
Shoes is my challenge. I am not into fashionable accessories, but I do like comfort and backup choices. In May I will take black ties shoes, sneakers (in case we bike or hike) and a pair of low SAS sandals. Last time I had lovely low Taos sandals, but the soles were a little to thin for comfort on cobblestone.
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The May trip is right after the Boston graduation. Thankfully we have a place to do laundry and leave stuff with the nearby relatives. That will allow me to wear heels for graduation photos.
I am a big fan of rolling clothes and re-using dry cleaning bags to prevent wrinkles. I lay my clothes (a few similarly shaped items at time) on top of the flat bag and roll.
Screw top contact lens cases are great for creams or ointments you need in small quantities (hair smoother, Vaseline, serums, neosporin, cortisone, etc.). They can be labeled with a Sharpie.
Pharmacies will often print labels for your tiny plastic bags of prescription medications if you are concerned about that. I have yet to find anyone interested in what my medications are when traveling.
If I am going on a beat the cobblestones trip, I like to have 2 pairs of shoes that are vetted and comfortable for most of the day. Sometimes my feet need a change. I also bring blister band aids.
I’m a super light packer, but the greatest thing I’ve discovered recently is Uniqlo tees and camisoles. They smush into tiny spaces, they wick so they stay clean longer than other shirts, and if you do need to rinse them out in the sink, they dry almost instantly. They work great for business casual.
I used to take extra shoes, and then I realized I never wore them. My plantar fasciitis acts up if I were anything other than running shoes, so I found decent looking running shoes for dress (Skora minimalist shoes, in leather), and that’s what I wear.
I take a ziplock bag of essential toiletries (which includes advil, imodium, tums, and sudafed, but in small quantities) and figure I can buy more or purloin the hotel’s samples of shampoo etc. (I find if you tip a few bucks (or Euros), you get extras.) I bring my fancy face cream in a small tube. I take the undies that are due to be replaced and throw out as I go along rather than wash. I bring extra socks, but they are ankle socks and thin, so they don’t take up much space.
As far as clothes go, I wear one pair of black pants and pack another identical pair. They are thin, dry overnight, and have a hidden zip pocket that holds credit cards. Undershirts (my choice instead of a bra) are thin and mostly spandex (pretty much dry instantly if you roll them in a towel). Two nice sweaters, one on, one in the bag. Nightshirt that comes to my knees. I have a collection of attractive t-shirts and I pack two or three of those. Bathing suit if I expect to need it. Sometimes I bring a cotton sarong that folds thin (also makes a light blanket). I have a black skirt that I bring sometimes. My iPad mini and my Kindle both go with me. Several pairs of cheap reading glasses because I lose them and leave them places.
If I get cold at night, I put a (dry) towel over the blankets and put on a sweater over my nightshirt. If I need an extra pillow (and the hotel won’t supply one), I fold a towel.
I should note that no one thinks I am fashionable or chic. Mostly I no longer care. If I was going someplace where I needed to be either of those things, I would spend some time shopping before I went, or on arrival.
