One of our all time favorite movie scenes has to be George Clooney packing his suitcase before heading off to the airport. Not only does he pack light (love) he does it methodically and with ease. And while most of us don't travel as much as his character in a lifetime, we've got some tips that will get your vacation off to a great start.
Do a little pre-planning. That means don't wait until the day of your flight to pack. Try and pack a day or two in advance. That way, if you need something dry-cleaned or hand washed, you'll have time to take care of it before you leave. Also, make a list of what you'd like to bring so you're guaranteed not to forget a thing.
Also, don't rely on what you think the weather will be like when you arrive--check the weather channel before you pack. For example, July in Los Angeles is usually quite steamy but the weather outside is actually cool.
Think Uniform Stick to simple color palettes (try white, black and gray). Not only does it look chic and classic, you won't have to fret every day over what outfit to wear. If Sheena from The Uniform Project can make one outfit last for an entire year, surely you can make do on a few outfits and change it up by accessorizing.
We like to wear our bulkiest items on the plane just in case there's going to be some cooler weather at our destination. Boots, hoodies and scarves can be worn at the gate which saves room in your suitcase for other necessities.
It's usually a safe bet that the hotel will have shampoo, conditioner and soap in stock. But it's best to check and see if your room comes with a hair dryer (which will save you from having to tote one in your bag).
When we're packing up to return home, take advantage of the hotel room's plastic laundry bag for separating your dirty clothes from the clean ones.
And we always like to make sure we separate our bag from the rest by tying a gold ribbon around the handle. Making your bag stand out from a sea of black suitcases will save time (and sanity) while waiting at baggage claim.
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Wearing you bulkiest items is a great idea... just make sure those boots and jackets are easy to remove. Since U.S. airport security requires you to take them off, it makes you and all of those in line behind you much happier if your boots don't have laces all the way up the front and the Jacket isn't buttoned!
Also helpful is wearing pants that don't need a belt or donning a belt with no metal, and have your computer very readily accessible. I chose my carry-on bag specifically becuase the front had 2 pockets, one that fit my computer, the other was the perfect size for a zip-lock full of liquids!
Can you tell, I am all about the travelling efficiency!
That photo looks like me on disembarcation day:
I always need things (toiletries, etc) on the last night & morning of the cruise that I can't carry aboard the plane - so there's always a point in time in the ship terminal or at the airport prior to checking in the luggage when I lay things out and rearrange...
The best site I've come across for packing light is onebag.com. Not only are there tips for packing (bundle, don't roll or fold your clothes) but there are arguments for why you'd only want to carry one bag on your short or extended trips. I haven't checked a bag in about 4 years but this site has encouraged me to carry just one carry-on onto a plane- and not one of those "carry-ons" that are actually too huge for the overhead compartment!
Would love to know what type of bag other light travelers use.
I've got a great Hey's suitcase with a hard, thin shell. Can't remember if it's an 18" or a 20", but it meets all airline carryon requirements (yes, they do differ between airlines) and has 4 wheels which rotate in all directions. The 4 wheel thing is key - means I can turn the suitcase sideways and go right down the airplane aisle. Also means I can leave it upright as I push it along in the airport, which is much less strain than pulling a heavy bag behind you. I did a 10 day business trip to Scandinavia in the winter (i.e. lots of bulky, warm clothes) with just that little bag, plus a laptop bag.
Don't be afraid to smoosh things. They will unsmoosh when you get there. Try to keep it to 2 pairs of shoes in the bag the one you are wearing on the plane. Shoes are the enemies of traveling light. Suits can be left in the dry cleaning bags and just rolled up right around the hangers and placed flat in the bag.
OMG Tell us what movie this is!!! I have NO idea what you're talking about!
I pack a lightweight duffle bag into my carry-on when I travel for pleasure (usually only on my international trips). It is great should I buy anything during the trip. If I need it, then on my homeward bound flight, I check in my normal carry-on and keep the duffle with me.
My last to trip Norway and Sweden was an 19 day trip that included hiking, golfing as well as city siteseeing. While I rented clubs, I had to bring a change of wardrobe and shoes for all of the different activities during a particularly mercurial time of the year in Norway. That being said, I still only brought a carry-on.
Like sissy, I do laundry after 5 or 6 days.
@atfan: yes, "Up In The Air"
Wearing the bulkiest items on the plane is nice in theory but I almost always spend part of a trip too hot and if I am wearing my bulky items I have to carry them through an airport or get sweaty wearing them.
Sometimes the lure of more packing space suckers me in to doing it anyway though.
The best trick I know is using tissue paper (the white ones, since color can rub off of the colored ones) in between delicate or wrinkle-prone items. I'm not exactly sure HOW this works, but if you have a dress or suit that you don't want to be crunched, just fold several pieces of tissue paper inside it and around it while you're folding it and you'll likely arrive with a perfectly wrinkle free garment, even on a long haul flight.
The weird thing is that if you over do it and use too much tissue, the opposite effect occurs, so keep it fresh tissue paper and keep it to a minimum. This really does work.
I haven't checked a bag since the "Trauma of 2005" (the airline lost my luggage on my flight from Boston to California, where I was starting graduate school the next day). I only use a carry-on suitcase (20-22") and my "personal item" (see below). A few things I've learned have really helped me to avoid checking luggage.
Keep the shoes to a minimum; they take up an ungodly amount of space. Put the shoes at the bottom of your suitcase (near the wheels) and stuff small items around your shoes. I also like rolling my shirts and pants into tight balls; they can be ironed later.
Pack as many solid toiletry items as possible to minimize what goes in the quart-sized bag. If you have money, the website www.flight001.com has a lot of pricey solid-form toiletries, or if you're (still) a grad student, you can just be aware of solid forms of stuff whenever you have to replace something.
As far as maximizing your wardrobe, a gray or black shirt, a neutral cardigan/jacket, and dark jeans or black pants/skirt can drastically extend your outfit possibilities, even without accessories, which don't take up much space. No matter how long my trip is, I don't bring more than 3 pairs of pants and 5 shirts (including what I wear on the plane) because I can hand wash at the hotel. I wear a jacket on the plane, but I don't bother with "bulky" items. Don't forget, you can also have a "personal item" that can be quite large (my Baggallini "Only Bag" is excellent for this purpose).
This took me a long time to learn because I was an "overpacker" for years (thanks, Mom). I found that taking note of the things that I packed but never used was very helpful.
The best packing tip I ever got:
After packing your your bag, take out half the amount of clothes in it. Add twice the amount of money to your budget.
Dr. Bronner's bar soap can be used for soap, shampoo, and laundry, without cutting into your liquid/gel/cream/aerosol allotment. A sarong can be used as a scarf, a wrap on board the plane where it often gets cold, a tablecloth for a picnic, an emergency towel, a beach coverup, a long skirt, and no doubt other things as well. I travel with one carry-on which is usually a backpack. It's easier to carry on long hikes through the airport, and makes a *real* difference in Europe where there are fewer escalators and more stairs.
If you roll up items into bundles (4-5 items together) you can also really help minimize wrinkling. Put the item most likely to wrinkle on the outside. And stuff shoes with socks and underwear.
I have to say I disagree with the comment about relying on the hotel's shampoo. I've learned the hard way that sometimes the hotel's offerings can really stink. Small 3-oz containers really don't take up much room, and it's so worth it to not have a perfume headache for a week.
I like the onebag.com site- it encouraged me to rethink how I packed. I now use a duffle bag with backpack straps. I got mine from REI, and it's quite similar to a Rick Steves convertible bag. The duffle has exceeded my expectations, and I can't imagine needing anything more.
(We do have one large suitcase between the two of us- for longer trips, we share that one, but we have gotten so used to light packing now.)
My one must have: flip flops! I trust no shower but my own.
I just spent 6 weeks in France with one carry-on. I got sick of my clothes, but I never felt badly dressed. A few neutral bottoms, multiple neutral tops and using accessories for color is the only way to go.
I travel to Europe frequently (7 times this year) for trips of 2 weeks and longer. I buy shampoo etc. when I arrive, and just leave it behind when I return home. It's actually kind of fun to try something new. I always take one 'old' cashmere cardigan or pullover - much less bulky than fleece and, even in the summer, there's always a few cool evenings when I am grateful to have it. I limit make-up to the absolute basics. I never take jewelry I couldn't bear to lose. And I never take delicate, precious or new clothes - travel is really hard on clothes. Something will be lost, damaged or stained. Count on it.
I have an Eddie Bauer rolling duffle which I love. It's only 6.5 lbs unpacked - lighter than any other bag I've found and it holds a lot. I pack the shoes (4 pairs, maybe 5 if I take flip flops) in the bottom with all the little stuff (underwear, t-shirts etc.) stuffed in the spaces. I roll the rest - which I find works better for me than the onebag bundle method.
I take my computer, ebook reader, phone and all the plugs etc. in an oversized purse as my 'personal item'. However, some of the short haul airlines in Europe only allow you to carry on only 1 item total, and they are strict about the size and weight, so that can be a problem.
I used to overpack but I find the freedom of limiting myself far outweighs the boredom I feel after wearing the same things over and over.
onebag is a very cool site. thanks for the referral....
My husband and I did 28 days in Turkey for our honeymoon with one carry-on bag each. What saved our bacon was quickdry hiking clothes: seriously, they look as nice and fashionable as regular clothes, but they take a beating and dry overnight never wrinkle. Outdoor stores like REI or MEC carry a wide variety.
Thanks for the tip about onebag.com. As a veteran one-bag traveler, I follow many of the precepts listed here. I'll add only one, and that's a bit of comfort for anxious souls. Travel is stressful, so remember: identification, medication, and money (or access to money) are the absolute must haves. Anything else you can either do without or pick up when you get there. Bon voyage!
"Boots, hoodies and scarves can be worn at the gate which saves room in your suitcase for other necessities. "
....but are a royal pain in the butt at the security screening.
I used to travel somewhat regularly for work (at least one trip a week) and I just had a pre-packed suitcase for all the trips. A dopp kit with a duplicate of all of my toiletries. Outfits that were chosen specifically for wrinkle-free properties. Earrings and accessories that went with everything. Dressy but comfortable walking shoes.
I was regularly traveling with the same business associates and we had to take pictures of our site visits and quickly noticed we all had the same outfits on in every trip--we were all doing the same thing! It only took the third or fourth business trip before we all realized what a waste of our precious home time it was to repack, so we all just created a 'go bag'. When we came home we quickly laundered and put everything right back in the bag.
I don't travel as much for work anymore, but I still have the ingredients and I love how little time I have to spend getting ready for a trip now!
I love the freedom of only having one bag. It ends the question of "what to wear?" because the choices are so limited! No matter how small my bag is, I always end up bringing something that should have been left at home.
And if you look at the Uniform project blog, you will see an amazing amount of clothing (not accessaries) added to the Little Black Dress to make it different everyday. Not exactly an example of how to pack lightly. Just sayin'
When vacationing, I pack all my old underwear/t-shirts/socks and throw them away after wearing them on the trip.
I discovered wearing boots, or even bringing them at all was a huge mistake. By the end of the long flight, I had trouble putting them back on, my feet were swollen, I thought my boots shrank.
Then I never wore the boots during the trip again, and they were a bulky packing item on the way back.
But the squishy neck pillow, so worth it. Oh, and on the flight back, Velcro sandles with warm fluffy socks, were the perfect long flight choice.
Don't get me wrong - I completely understand the appeal of not worrying about lost baggage, or avoiding extra baggage fees, or not waiting at baggage claim. But the trend towards every.single.passenger bringing on the largest allowable suitcase plus a stuffed duffle/backpack as a "personal item" (often in addition to a purse or laptop bag, which is like their second "personal item" - how does that work?) is increasingly annoying to me as I've traveled extensively in the last year.
It adds a ton of time in the security lines and in boarding and deboarding. And I find myself less and less polite about my fellow passengers who are just distraught that there's no room in overhead bins or feel the need to access their squished underseat baggage 73 times during a two hour flight. It just seems really inconsiderate and everyone's doing it.
Increased baggage fees are probably the main culprit, but even a few years ago things were noticeably better. I know this isn't a popular stance to take, but sometimes you should just bite the bullet and check a freaking bag! No worrying about 3 oz toiletries or items that can't go in the cabin. No lugging at ton of crap through security, through the terminal, and on and off a plane. Just sayin'...
I often travel with equipment that must be checked, so I don't have a choice. But in my experience I *very* rarely have trouble with lost luggage, and baggage claim is just not that unbearable an experience. It also feels like the very definition of streamlined to breeze through the whole process with a single, true "personal item" while everyone else is hauling around the kitchen sink.
I am a onebag.com convert as well! I also carry a bag that folds up, in case I end up flying back with more than I left with.
My best tip is to bring clothes that all coordinate with each other - more outfits with fewer pieces.
OMG Tell us what movie this is!!! I have NO idea what you're talking about!
--black cardigan