Off the Cuff

[#1]

I learned my lesson the hard way. My family and I were going on a 10-day Mediterranean cruise. Breaking every rule in the book, we packed like carnivores at an all meat buffet. Our oversized bags included stuff for every possible scenario—except the one where the airline loses all of our checked luggage. Yep, 10 days, no luggage.

It was one of the best trips we’ve ever had. Rather than a cabin strewn with half-emptied luggage, mounds of toiletries and cascading piles of shoes, ours was neat and uncluttered.

 

How’d we do it? We had a couple of days in Rome which, as luck would have it, is probably one of the most expensive cities in the world to purchase normal stuff...(think $12 bucks for a pair of white tube socks).  Even taking the train out to a distant shopping mall didn’t help much. 

 

The first thing I did was contact our cruise line, Holland America. They said they had cocktail dresses and a tux we could use for our “fancy” nights. (I also learned something interesting—they rent these on the ship.) They graciously offered to comp these if our luggage didn’t show. They had a fascinating room of “lost & found” clothes. It was filled with stuff people left behind and never requested back. They said we could borrow anything from this room we needed. (This took care of PJs and sweaters/sweatshirts.) They also offered to do our laundry daily. (I got the feeling they were used to the lost luggage scenario.)

Being on a budget, I gave strict orders. Everyone could buy two bottoms and three shirts. Fortunately, I had the policy that everyone wear their “walking shoes” when they're flying. So, only one additional pair of shoes needed to be purchased . Some underwear, socks and minimal toiletries rounded out our "ensembles". 

Not only was the clean room a benefit—the “what to wear” decision-making process in the morning was so simple. We basically rotated outfits…one on our bodies and one in for cleaning (we gave them to our cabin steward the evening before or first thing in the morning.) Our clean clothes were waiting on our bed each evening after a day of sightseeing. (This is another great tip I learned to make packing easier and lighter.)

Here are my 9 tips to Packing Light… (Learned from hard-earned experience).

 1)      Carry-on important stuff. Meds, money, IDs, favorite cosmetics, phone, iPods and cameras should always be in your carry on. 

TIP:  I learned this years ago from The Today Show.

Scan or Xerox all of your important documents including your passports, driver’s licenses, credit/debit cards (both sides), medical insurance info, itinerary and booking confirmation numbers, etc. Provide a hard copy or thumb drive to someone you implicitly trust (such as your mom). If your wallet or purse is stolen (along with some of these valuable items) you’ll be able to quickly replace or cancel them. This will save you a great deal of time and frustration when trying to track all this information down.

TIP: Lost or stolen Passport? If it’s stolen, contact the local police so that you have a record of the crime. And then contact the local embassy or consulate to alert authorities that your passport or VISA are no longer in your possession. They will also help you obtain a replacement. Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens.

2)      Your suitcase. No matter how big the bag is, somehow most of us can fill it up. Your bag should never be larger than what you can manage easily by yourself (lugging through streets, trains, etc.) If you can manage to just take a carry-on, all the better. No worries about lost luggage.

3)      Just your favorite stuff. We all want to pack that dress that looks great, but is a bit uncomfortable, so you rarely wear it. You’ll find that on vacation, you’ll lean toward your comfy clothes. Don’t pack something that you wouldn’t wear at home.

 4)      Check the weather. If it’s been 80 for the past month, don’t bring along cool weather clothes “just in case”.  Pack for the appropriate weather If it tends to be rainy a lot, a trench coat is a good idea. Hot and sunny? Pack your favorite hat and cool, cotton clothes. Beaching it? Don’t forget a cover up and bathing suit.

5)       Color Coordinate. Choose a color scheme and carry it through. Black is great because it doesn’t show dirt and is more forgiving on wrinkles. Mixing and matching will go a long way. White as a secondary color is always perfect. For example black shorts, black Capri’s, black skirt, black sweater or jacket, and a white skirt or Capri’s, white shirt…and then throw in a couple of various colored shirts and you’ve got several looks…there’s no need to pack shorts, Capri’s and skirts in multi-colors…it’s likely you’ll end up just wearing the black anyway.

If you're packing for kids...keep it to what they know and like...jeans, khaki's, etc. And don't forget the backpacks...or you'll end up hauling all their stuff around!

6)      Easy Maintenance. Don’t pack stuff that looks like you’ve slept in it when it comes out of your suitcase. Wrinkle-free clothes are the way to go. New breathable fabrics make low-maintenance clothes comfortable as well.

7)      Take advantage of Laundry Services. If you’re like most of us, you’ve got your favorite item. Mine are a pair of these comfy black Capri’s that are perfect for either sightseeing or pairing with a nice shirt for dinner. These are a mainstay and always plan to wear them often when traveling. I just get them cleaned and pressed every couple of days.

 

8)      Shoes, shoes and more shoes. You only need three types of shoes…walking (if you’re sightseeing), flats and heels (I often forgo the heels and opt for black flats that work at day or night). You can throw in flip flops if you’re beaching it.  

9)      Make a list. Somehow, putting it on paper will give you a better idea of how much you’re actually bringing. If you’re bringing more outfits than are physically possible to wear in the time frame you’re traveling…it’s way too much.

Packing lighter has many benefits. Now that the airlines charge for extra bags and weight, it’s fiscally sound to keep it light. You’ll also have space to bring back some of the keepsakes you’re likely to buy.

But perhaps the biggest benefit, in my experience, is that it keeps it simple. When I have tons of clothing, it simply takes much longer for everyone to get ready in the morning or evening. Just a couple of choices (for everyone traveling) will actually save you time in the long run....and give you more time for the fun stuff! 

[#2]

I used to travel about 80% of my time for business. I got so good at packing that I could do 2 weeks in Europe in a carryon.  All your tips are great, particularly the color coordination.  A couple of other things:  don't bother to bring a hairdryer.  All cruise lines and almost all hotels have them.  Bring some great costume jewelry (leave the good stuff at home).  Switching your jewelry around can completely change the look of those basic pieces.  Carry a pashima on the plane -- it will keep you warm, and you can use it to change the look of your outfit -- I usually bring two, one black and one in a bright color.  Make sure every piece you bring can be paired with at least two different pieces so you can mix and match (as in, I can wear this top with my black capris and my beige shorts!)  On the way home, roll all your clothes into the very tighest bundle you can -- this will leave room for your purchases!  I often carry a bag that zips up flat but can be unzipped to act as a beach bag or carryon for the trip home.  And making that list is the best plan of all.  Happy traveling!

[#3]

Thanks SandyK and booklover for all the great tips. I'd prefer to use a carryon only, but what do you do about things like contact solution or body lotions (which are too big to meet the airline restrictions for carry on items)? I have definitely used the list approach for anticipating outfits for each day and quickly realizing when I'm in danger of over-packing! Color coordinating definitely works, too. Another things that works is to put brightly colored duct tape on the outside of your suitcase to distinguish it from the hundreds of other cases of the same shape and color.

[#4]

I've been doing it all wrong! These tips are amazing. Where were you when I last left the country and lugged WAY too much luggage up and down cobblestone streets and up narrow staircases. I completely disregarded the color scheme suggestion and thus packed twice as much as I needed to. I regularly come back with clothes I've never needed. No more! Thanks for these tips.

[#5]

To scout 11:  There are travel on sizes for contact solution and body lotions. Or hit the $1.00 store, 100 yen shop,  pound or euro store when you get wherever you are going to restock and then throw/give away before you leave!

[#6]

Great tips!  thanks for sharing! Most everything that is liquid can be found in travel sizes. I love the idea of getting these after your arrival - one less thing to carry with you. Happy Travels!

[#7]

Awesome article and tips! I've also traveled a great deal and made my share of ridiculous packing mistakes. The biggest mistake was planning outfits in different colors (requiring completely different acessories and sometimes shoes). Yikes! I've also since learned the core color trick to mix and match. I would have been happy as a clam in the days of taking entire wardrobes in steamer trunks onto transatlantic ships. lol As for the toiletries, I keep a small toiletry kit always ready to go, with small sizes of everything I need. On a longer trip, I would buy shampoo and whatnot locally. I do have to admit that I have not been a big carry-on person. I like the freedom to wander an airport, especially the larger hub ones with cool shops, without having to roll something behind me. My experience with lost luggage is that it generally shows up within 24 hours. The exception to this, of course, would be a cruise, where there is simply no way to get it to you once the cruise ship sails.

[#8]

I love petgirl's point about having a small toiletry kit always at the ready. I'm always trying to pull together toiletries at the last minute. This makes so much more sense!

[#9]

i heard a travel expert say that he never takes a laptop with him...he just uses an old-fashioned diary and notebook...he puts little bits and pieces from every day in the notebook and then transfers these to his diary later that day...this way he doesn't have to worry about his computer getting lost or broken and he fits into his surroundings better too...he  also talked about packing light, not overusing your cell, and trying to learn and use local phrases...all good advice...

[#10]

The trick I now use a lot when traveling (especially if I'm going to write a story about the destination) is a small digital tape recorder. I'll make verbal notes about photo's I take and I'll  record tour guides or interesting conversations with locals. It's so much easier than hand-writing notes, particularly when you're trying to capture some good facts or detail. I've also used this trick when just traveling for fun with my family. It makes identifying photo's at the end of the trip so much easier.

[#11]

A digital recorder sounds cool when one has writing ideas or is taking notes, but then there's the whole transcribing thing to look forward to when you get back. *groan* Has anyone used the Dragon Naurally Speaking software that types up what you speak into the microphone? I just got it to help with writing but haven't used it yet.

[#12]

I just saw this old post by petgirl on the Dragon Naturally Speaking software. I know that when it first came out my husband bought it for his law office. He thought this would be incredibly efficient, but when he tried it, it made so many mistakes that he spent more time trying to figure out what he had initially said than making headway in his dictation! However, I recently heard that the software is much more sophisticated now, so maybe he should give it a try again. As for petgirl, I'd be interested to hear how it works for you when you try it....