I participated in a really awesome Twitter chat last week, hosted by Deb and Dave of The Planet D, and Travel Smith, a travel clothing & luggage company. It was all about packing tips, and it was full of valuable information from various travelers.
Some of the tips, like “leave the hairdryer (and excessive hair supplies, ahem, straightener + gel + diffuser) at home,” resonated with all of us. Others, like “don’t pack jeans,” had some of us scratching our heads. (Personally, I think that one definitely depends on where you go — if you’re heading to a dude ranch in Patagonia, or to Europe in the middle of the winter, you are probably going to want jeans. Tahiti or Bora Bora, not so much.)
Some of the other tips included, “don’t bring an excess of toiletries,” “bring two to three pairs of shoes.”
And then there were the tips on how to stay organised while traveling.
For that, I’m going back to my own personal experience. I like to be organised, so much that I tend to use bags of all shapes and sizes inside my large backpack so that I’m not pawing through the bag looking for a pair of socks or undies. Packing cubes, like these from Eagle Creek, are a lifesaver. Socks in one, bras and undies in the other, shirts in one, you get the idea. I also use zipper pouches for everything in my carry on: chargers and cables? Yep. Toiletries/makeup? Obviously. Liquids? Yes, that lovely little plastic one. Even my iPad has a bag.
When it came to clothes, consensus seemed to be on rolling them. I, for one, prefer that method because I can tuck smaller rolled pieces, like tank tops (which I use for layering!), into the sides and against some of the larger things that don’t roll (like shoes.)
We also talked about the best ways to prepare for bad weather while traveling. I leaned toward no umbrella (which you can always buy, especially in Europe,) but several others maintained an attitude toward having a small one at all times. It’s obviously a personal choice, and for me, after living in Scotland and spending my summers in Alaska (both typically rainy places,) I stick with a rainjacket, like this one from the North Face. It’s light enough for summer wear, but also fits over a heavy fleece/sweater. I wore in in the arctic and was warm enough.
Below are some pictures of my last trek and I’m writing about *why* I’m sharing them below. You might think you want everything you’ve got laid out, but in reality, you should halve it (and double the money, as the saying goes.) I’m a huge proponent of layering and wearing things twice, and if you’re going for longer than a week, you should expect and plan to do laundry in the sink or at a local laundromat. Seriously. And you know what, that’s not the end of the world (and you might get a really good story out of sitting at a foreign laundromat.)
This is my mother. She’s carrying not just her own suitcase and backpack, but also my grandma’s suitcase and backpack. If you think this looks crazy, it’s not. She’s done an incredible job of packing light and being efficient.
This are my feet and my carry on, plus a bag that has a box of wine in it. (If you’re going to have a car and stay in B&Bs, finding a local place to buy wine before you head out is crucial.) But that’s not why I share this picture. It’s because the red bag can be folded up and tucked into another bag (once the wine is gone,) leaving me with *one* carry on. Super simple. A bag that can be folded up inside another is crucial for travellers heading to foreign destinations – we all have things we want to bring home with us.
This was how I traveled after four months on the road. One checked backpack, one computer bag/purse, and one carry on with cameras, and miscellaneous stuff.
This is leaving Oslo, midway through my four month trip. Still packed light! I had my computer bag tucked into one of my larger carry on bags, along with my camera and toiletries. The other bag had a book, my iPad and my makeup and jewelry.
If you find that you are amassing things, like travel guides or souvenirs, you can always mail things home. I actually do that quite frequently and I’ve never had a problem. Most foreign shops will usually ship for you straight from the store (especially things like Turkish rugs, Italian art/books, etc) so always ask. My rule of thumb is, if I am not going to look at it while I am on my trip, then it needs to go home some other way. I don’t want to tote around a big bulky bag of non-essential items like books and maps. Jewelry I will keep with me (and pack in my carry on bag) and I will sort clothes by what I will wear for the remainder of the trip.
Do you have any good tips for packing light? Comment below!
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