Who Needs Baggage? Pack Lightly Instead

Luggage
Originally uploaded by Cake Walk. I’m a big believer in packing light. Since I jettisoned the large suitcases, I’ve been enjoying travel a lot more. My personal philosophy is that regardless of where I’m going, I really don’t need more than one carry-on sized suitcase and a handbag or small backpack. I’ve applied this belief to dozens of trips with success, from a week in Hawaii to my two-week honeymoon in Europe. Some of the biggest reasons it’s best to travel light:

• No waiting in line at the airport to check and retrieve luggage. That’s vacation time wasted! Also, no waiting in line to report lost luggage, which occurs so frequently these days.
• No dragging six bags up and down flights of stairs or on and off trains. One bag gives you freedom and mobility.
• No digging through your bags wondering if you brought a certain item and where it is. With just one bag, you know what you’ve got and where to find it.

Here’s my packing process. Before each trip I write up a “pack list” It specifies exactly what I’m going to need to put in my bag. I plan an outfit for each day and a short list of other miscellaneous items that I’ll need to pack. Following this procedure pretty much ensures that you’ll avoid that bleary-eyed moment the night before your flight when you start throwing everything and the kitchen sink into your suitcase because you are tired, overwhelmed, and don’t really know what you’ll need. If you make a list in advance and think it through, you’ll take less stuff with you. Some important things to keep in mind:

• Don’t pack a completely different outfit for each day. Jeans should be worn a couple of times. Same with sweaters and tops. If things get dirty, nearly all hotels have laundry services. However, take extra underwear and plenty of simple tank tops to wear under those clothes. Those are not things you want to be re-wearing or worrying about washing. Fortunately, they’re small and don’t take up much space.
• Don’t pack multiple formal outfits. Unless you’re planning a trip that will involve endless galas and five star restaurants, one pair of heels and one little black dress will go a long way. Vacations are always more casual than you think they’ll be. Half the time I never end up wearing the dressy outfit I bring.
• Outterwear is a space hog. Limit yourself to one coat that will work with all your clothing. Also, wear this on the plane so it doesn’t take up space in your luggage
• Guidebooks: Limit yourself to one or two. If there’s any other information you want to take along, photocopy it and tuck it into a file folder (along with your itinerary and airline confirmation). That will take up a lot less space.
• Clean out your purse. All that stuff you carry around with you on a daily basis does not need to come with you on the trip.
• Don’t bring your entire wallet. Pare it down to your ID, a little cash and a couple of credit cards and put them in a small card holder. You don’t need all that other stuff on your trip and shouldn’t risk having it lost or stolen.

Other things you don’t need:

• Hairdryer (They’ll have one at the hotel.)
• Alarm clock (Use your cell phone’s alarm or have the hotel give you a wake up call.)
• Beach towel (Your hotel will have plenty.)
• Laptop (There’s always an internet caf√© where you can check email. Plus, time away from your computer is half the joy of a vacation!)
• Multiple purses (Bring one bag that will work for any occasion, plus one small clutch for evenings.)

The two areas where women chronically overpack:

• Toiletries: Bring travel sized packets of Advil or Aspirin, Band-aids, Neosporin and anything relating to a specific medical condition you may have. Don’t bring jumbo bottles, bring small sizes only. Every country has pharmacies where you can get things you need, but it’s always good to have basics on hand. Where you should cut back is on the cosmetics. On vacation, you don’t need all the cosmetic products that you would at home. You don’t want to spend all your vacation time in the bathroom getting made up anyway. Think simple. When you’re traveling with carry-on luggage only, you’re limited to just one small Ziploc bag of liquids. This means your moisturizer, foundation, face wash and hair creme all need to be in travel sizes and you’re not going to have a lot of room for other liquid products. Prioritize what you need. Hotels always come stocked with lotion and shampoo, so you don’t need those. Do you really need eye makeup remover, or will a basic face wash do the trick? Why not pick up some conditioner after you arrive at your destination instead of packing it? Limit yourself to one small cosmetic bag- you can do it!

• Shoes: I love my shoes and it pains me to pack just two pairs. But this is absolutely what you should do. If I’m going to Europe, I take one pair of black walking shoes (and wear them on the plane since they’re bulky) and one pair of simple black heels for dinners and special occasions. That’s really all you need. If heading to the beach, I wear flip flops on the plane and pack a pair of simple heels and some water shoes. Again, that’s all you’ll really need. If you start packing lots of shoes, you just can’t travel light. Make sure you have one comfortable pair and one dressy pair and leave it at that.

Free yourself from the burden of too much luggage. Learn to travel light and you’ll enjoy travel even more!

Rosebud