Do you ever stop and stare at those people at the airport who lug around enormous suitcases they can barely manage? Do you, like me, wonder why anyone would need THAT MUCH STUFF to get away from it all? Oh wait, you are that person? Well, read on and I will teach you how to pack like a pro and be able to travel almost anywhere for up to 2 weeks unencumbered by an unwieldy suitcase -- and without having to do laundry!
I guess before I insult you any further, I should tell you something about myself. I'm a 53-year-old mom of 3 young adults who LOVES to travel. I mean, I come alive when I travel. My normal aches and pains fade away, as do my usual feelings of limitation. To explain, I was lucky enough to travel twice to Europe a few years ago in the months leading up to my full hip replacement and I somehow managed to walk approximately 10 miles every day. To be fair, I was in agonizing pain, but I walked from sunrise past sunset without complaint for the most part. My non-traveling self could normally be found lying on the couch complaining that my hip hurt. But I digress... that just provides an apt illustration of how I love to explore, wander and sight-see when away from home. And I do not like to be weighed down by excessive luggage. The experience of exploring new cities, learning the history of a place and its culture, and eating like a local far outweighs what I look like while doing it. That's integral to my travel philosophy.
A bunch of years ago, I traveled with my family of 5 to Italy for 2 weeks in the middle of winter... with 5 carry-ons (picture above). One of my proudest moments came when we were congratulated by the U.S. Customs Official on our way back home. But before I share all my secrets, you'll need to agree to make a few concessions.
First, you must leave your hairdryer, shampoo and conditioner at home. These days, all hotels and most rental properties provide these items, so you'll have to accept that your hair may not look perfect, but it'll be clean and dry. Speaking of not looking perfect, that brings me to your makeup. You'll have to leave most of that at home too. You may bring some small items like mascara, cover-up, and a lip gloss, which you can fit in your SMALL toiletry bag. You must also buy travel-sized versions of your toiletries. I'm sorry, I know that this seems like a waste of money and resources when you already have perfectly good full-size toiletries that you love, but these smaller items can last quite a while, so you still get some bang for your buck. And most importantly, they save huge amounts of space.
Now moving on to shoes. For those of you who travel like Carrie Bradshaw, or Emily (In Paris), I'm sure I've already lost you, but for those whose curiosity I've piqued, you must leave those to-die-for shoes at home!! There is absolutely no room for them in your carry-on. And besides, you and I would probably break an ankle walking those cobblestone streets in our fabulous shoes that are meant only to be worn from car to restaurant.
Next, I insist that you research the weather and plan your outfits ahead of time. I’ve learned from experience that the 10-day forecasts available on our phones are very accurate and knowing the weather in advance eliminates the need to bring different “options” for each day. I also recommend committing to only a few colors so that you can mix and match your tops and bottoms without having to wear the exact same outfit repeatedly. Which transitions me nicely to my final ask: that you will have to wear your clothes more than once (or twice). As I tell my kids when I hand them their bags to begin packing, "We don't change our clothes for dinner."
There, I've just emptied half your suitcase. Now that you're down to a carry-on, I'll tell you what you CAN pack in it. First, every good traveler needs 2 pairs of walking shoes so you can alternate them. It's also imperative if it rains that you have another dry pair to wear the next day. Speaking of rain, be sure to pack a collapsible umbrella, the smaller the better. Now, let's assume you're traveling for 2 weeks, which is how we did it in Italy and I believe is the maximum amount of time you can go without having to stop and wash your clothes. For fall/winter travel, you really only need 3 pairs of pants since you won't be sweating. You'll be wearing a fourth pair on the plane. Ideally, bring only one pair of jeans which you can wear a bunch of times. Then bring lighter and easier to pack pants, such as yoga pants, joggers or leggings. They take up practically no room and won't wrinkle if rolled up and stuck in corners of the bag. Remember, we're not walking any red carpets.
Now for tops. Bring half as many tops as days you're traveling so you can wear each one twice. Again, this is my recommendation for colder season travel when sweating isn't an issue. Be sure to bring tops that you can layer so depending on the weather you can add or take off. You will wear your jacket on the plane so no packing extra jackets. Another one of my crowning achievements in the packing for Italy was that I was able to stuff gloves and a hat for each family member in an outer pocket, which came in handy for those cold nights in a foggy winter Venice.
For summer travel, you will need a couple more bottoms and probably twice as many tops, but since this clothing is lighter space shouldn't be an issue. Only one set of pajamas. I know it sounds gross, but you can do it. Especially if you shower after your full day of sightseeing, you'll be clean every night for bed! Ok almost done - all that's left is undergarments. Bring only one bra, other than the one you wear on the plane, because you can sink wash and leave out to dry to switch off days. For socks and underwear, you must bring one for each day. That's how you avoid doing laundry. Remember to roll anything you can and use all space in the bag. You'll thank me when you're able to throw your small suitcase overhead on a crowded train or carry it easily up those steep stone steps in the Italian Riviera!!
Oh! I almost forgot, according to my rules, you are allowed another personal item - a backpack or cross-body purse conducive for travel. Keep all your important personal items where you can easily access them. And for the airplane, you can even cheat and add anything in there you couldn't fit in your carry-on.
As you probably surmised by now, I don't shop while traveling, yet I'm always able to find something small and meaningful that I can squeeze into my carry-on. Other useful tips: bring an E-reader instead of books; take medication out of their large bottles and either put them in a travel pill box or count them out and put them in a small pill bottle. And be sure to throw in a few plastic bags for your dirty clothes. You don’t want them commingling with your clean stuff since you’ll be needing to wear them again!
You will be amazed at how freeing it is traveling lighter! And trust me, you won't be disappointed with your pictures and posts in the same clothes, with little to no makeup and messy hair. Because instead of taking the time to flat iron your hair or getting dolled up for a dinner, you'll relish your memories of days spent strolling around new neighborhoods, trying local cuisine and easily carrying your little bag around from place to place. And like me, you will be baffled by the people who struggle with their enormous suitcases as you speed on by.
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