We did three weeks in Italy/France last fall with carry on. Was very nervous about this! But I did look at some Pinterest pages on traveling with one suitcase…which helped me organize and focus and strategize the wardrobe. This was something I never did when traveling before–I just threw many outifts in luggage.
I ended up with 4 pairs of shoes, 2 pants, 2 dresses (one was reversible!), 3 skirts/skorts, 7 ss or sleeveless tops, 2 long sleeves, 1 denim shirt, 1 sweater, 1 cardigan, swimsuit, 2 belts and 2 large scarves, which did duty as swimsuit coverup, neck attire and also tied into long and short vest (saw how on Pinterest).
Had a big tote which held my purse, kindle, camera, electronic cords/adapters, travel docs, makeup, toiletries and empty water bottle. On plane, wore pants, biggest shoes, bulkiest sweater, denim shirt and tshirt & scarf… So. Very. Glad I did not take anymore.
Many good suggestions above. I would add:
take a mini power booster (camera batteries wear out during the day).
-take an additional outlet adapter, as there are so many things to plug in (2 phones, camera, kindle, power booster)
take Tide pods or other small laundry soap packets
go to hotel’s fitness center to fill up your water bottle free! Just hated paying for water, as it was more expensive
than wine!
Pizza girl- coconut water should be available on the street, hope you are feeling better.
D swears by bringing clothes she gives away, which makes room for buying new.
I have a couple Patagonia skirts that can also be dresses/tops. Nylon clothing takes up little room and can dry overnight.
Scarves and jewelry can change an outfit.
A narrow scarf can be a head wrap, a sash or an infinity scarf around your neck.
I use Liggetts bar shampoo, which also can be used on your body. ( or to wash undies) Luckily, my hairstyle is wash & wear, and while I try and remember a brush, I also often use my fingers.
Face cream with silicone ( like hope in a jar), can also be lightly dabbed through your hair to curb flyways)
Don’t forget sunscreen.
These sandals are really comfortable and supportive. http://www.teva.com/women-sandals/verra/1006263.html?dwvar_1006263_color=PINK#icid=home_left_wbutton&start=3&cgid=women-view-all
Hanna–guess you’re talking the Airism uniqlo shirts? Do they fit tight or more like regular shirt? Sounds really comfortable.
My Travelon 3 compartment purse arrived and it’s perfect! It’s fairly large but not bulky in the least. I can put my camera in it and you can’t even tell it’s in there. Nice strap on it made to lock to a chair. Bit padded on inside (built for carrying iPad). 45 bucks from Amazon.
Yes, I think they are Airism. They had many pretty colors and prints at the store in NYC. I buy a size or two up on pretty much everything at Uniqlo. The medium is clingy on me; I buy large for a more body-skimming fit that is better for work wear. I find that many things there are sized more for the Japanese population.
I found my #1 travel dress a few years ago at northstyle.com. It is still going strong after many washes. Squishes into a tiny space without wrinkling, can dress it up for business or down for sightseeing, comfortable enough to sleep in, rinse and dry in the sink if you have to, virtually seasonless…it’s a winner.
I have some total polyester/microfiber dresses/tops/underwear that are my travel go-to. Folds to nothing, no wrinkle, drys fast. Wash, roll them up in a towel and put them back on (literally–you stay cool for an extra hour or two…)
. I’ve done 3 weeks in a carry-on with clothes left over. Still looking to dump stuff and just save room for souvenirs. The thing that always gets me are shoes. Still looking for the wonder pair! And the darn electronics.,
For summer trips, I prefer to pack wrinkle-free, lightweight jersey dresses. They take less space than shorts/skirt and top combo and can be dressed up or down.
Nordstrom tissue-weight cashmere wrap is the only pashmina I ever take anywhere. It really weighs nothing and is washable (even the red wine that a flight attendant spilled on me washed out beautifully under the plane lavatory faucet). If we travel together, I always pack a second one for Mr. because I know that he will end up stealing mine.
Love everyone’s great ideas. I take 5-6 daily meds and hate taking the pill bottles. I won’t cross state lines without the original pill bottles. Now I wonder if I’ve been too paranoid.
I have always felt the same about my meds. This time I found the best little things to pack meds in at storables and am only taking the one narcotic we take in case of a toothache (which I have now–lovely!) in it
s original bottle. I did use my label maker and marked the little jars. Also printed all of my prescriptions out in case I need them filled.
Glad to say that my down jacket is sooo comfortable as a pillow in an Eagle Crest case. I will throw a clean tee on it for a pillow case and will have a warm jacket also. We are hitting NYC and it is still chilly as well as traveling to some high hills in Italy and Venice and Lake Como so glad with will serve as double duty.
My wonderful compression bags are too big. My clothes are all wicking and nylon and thin. I wish I had the small ones.
Nontheless, their main purpose is to keep me organized and I am thrilled with what I see.
We are hitting RAIN in NYC and I was not taking shoes for this. Now am thinking of taking some “final” shoes and leaving them although they are my favorite for walking the dog. And won’t I look so city in them? :)>-
I am wonderering what all of you cannot or prefer not to travel without. I need a few changes of shoes for foot issues so I do not think that counts.
I LIKE to have a thin robe and light deerfoam slippers. I like to have some flip flops to spend time in the hotel ( the slippers are to keep my feet warm in bed and I cannot walk around it). I Like to have a very thin sweat like pant to wear around when we are relaxing. We do lots of walking but also spend time just being.
I second baggies, and roll clothes, and black. One dress shoes that can be easily walked in all day and one pair athletic shoes for casual times and when my feet are tired. One dressy black pants and one black jeans.
I always have enough underwear for each day then tie in a knot when used, shirts turn inside out when used. One extra pair of shoes and wear the bulky ones. One extra pair of pants. Wear your coat/jacket on the plane. Only take the size luggage and weight that you can lug yourself up and down stairs. European flights frequently allow and require checkon luggage but taking full advantage of the large size luggage you can bring can be devastating when moving around a lot and taking public transportation and don’t forget the stairs! Subways, curbs, airports, trains and hotels.
Jeans/denim are very heavy, bulky and won’t dry. Unless they are your daily attire (so you don’t even pack them) leave them at home. Go for leggings for lounge wear vs sweatpants. They even make fleece lined now if it’s cold.
Jeans/denim are very heavy, bulky and won’t dry. Unless they are your daily attire (so you don’t even pack them) leave them at home. Go for leggings for lounge wear vs sweatpants. They even make fleece lined now if it’s cold.
Jeans/denim are very heavy, bulky and won’t dry. Unless they are your daily attire (so you don’t even pack them) leave them at home. Go for leggings for lounge wear vs sweatpants. They even make fleece lined now if it’s cold.
Jeggings with pockets solve the heavy jeans issue. I have a pair that looks like real jeans without the bulk. I use them for travel. If course, it jeggings are not an option for folks who prefer bootcut or trouser jeans.
If jeans are necessary (I personally think black ones are a great compromise), look for brands that are extremely lightweight. I think Ann Taylor falls into that category and some Chicos and sometimes even some Old Navy.
Lots of good advice here that I won’t repeat. A few extra tips…
If your shoes get stinky- stick a dryer sheet in each when you pack them.
If you’re heading someplace warm and bringing luggage throw a light pareo/sarong into your hand luggage. It takes up very little space and can be a life saver if your bags don’t arrive. I was once on a trip where my luggage was missing for two days. The pareo was a blanket on the plane, a sundress the first night, a beach cover-up the next day and a skirt the second night. Later in the trip it functioned as a picnic blanket and sun shade.
If you bring a camera take a picture of a piece of paper with “If found please return to…” and your name, phone number and email address. If you lose your camera the person who finds it will know how to contact you when they scroll through your pictures.
Scan your important documents and cards and store them in the cloud. If they’re ever lost or stolen you can access them from anywhere in the world.
IMHO the key to packing for a trip is layering. Here’s my dirty secret tip-if you wear a light shirt under it you can wear the same sweater or nicer shirt over and over again. Just switch out the undershirt when it gets funky. No one in Florence is going to know that you wore the exact same outfit the day before in Rome. The same black sweater and pants can look totally different with new jewelry. Guys know this trick. Slap on a new tie, and Voila! the same suit and shirt are new all over again. The important part is not to feel smelly or dirty, thus the undershirt.
For the plane ride I wear pants or skirts that don’t need a belt and slip-on flat shoes. I’ve had to literally run in airports too many times to want to have to fumble with a belt in security. I’ve also found that if you wear flats many airports (mostly outside the US) won’t require you to take your shoes off, even if they require removal of shoes with a chunkier heel.