Flying is a hassle as it is without having to deal with lost, damaged or stolen luggage. That's why I only travel with a carry-on. Even when I'm on an almost two-month trip, I have no need for a voluminous piece of luggage. How do I manage this?
1- I choose clothing that in neutral or earth tones, often black, tan or grey -- so there's a lot of mix and matching -- with tees, tanks and a scarf providing bright accent colors. I'm particularly fond of Ex Offcio clothing.
2- Almost all the clothes I pack do not wrinkle and are made of wickable fabrics, which means they don't absorb moisture easily so you stay dry as you race about town, but they also dry relatively quickly when you wash them. (I hand wash my underwear, pants, shorts, dresses and shirts and they dry in no time.)
3- I wear my bulkiest, heaviest clothing on the plane, including a Merino wool sweater, insulated vest -- it doubles as a pillow or lumbar support, long-sleeve shirt, a jacket (if it's necessary at my destination) and leggings. (I never ever travel with jeans. They're heavy, bulky and when wet, take forever to dry.)
4- No matter how many weeks I'm traveling, I never pack more than a total of three dresses, one or two skirts, one pair of leggings, one pair of pants that convert to shorts, two tee shirts, two long sleeve shirts, one rain jacket, a hoody, three pairs of Merino wool socks, and three pairs of Merino wool underwear. (I love the clothing items Smartwool sells.) I choose items that are made of thin fabrics (such as Merino wool) and roll small.
5- I pack a sarong that serves multi functions, as a beach blanket, cover-up, or shawl when I need to visit a church or other religious sight.
6- I only travel with two pairs of shoes: I wear the heaviest on the plane and then I pack a pair of Mary Janes, such as these by Astral Designs.
7- Instead of a typical hat or cap, I pack a multi-purpose buff, such as those made by Buff USA. Again, it's all about multi-purpose uses. A buff can be used as a bandana, hat, balaclava, neck gator, headband, or hair band.
8- All my toiletries are travel-size, and that includes shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and toothpaste.
1- I choose clothing that in neutral or earth tones, often black, tan or grey -- so there's a lot of mix and matching -- with tees, tanks and a scarf providing bright accent colors. I'm particularly fond of Ex Offcio clothing.
2- Almost all the clothes I pack do not wrinkle and are made of wickable fabrics, which means they don't absorb moisture easily so you stay dry as you race about town, but they also dry relatively quickly when you wash them. (I hand wash my underwear, pants, shorts, dresses and shirts and they dry in no time.)
3- I wear my bulkiest, heaviest clothing on the plane, including a Merino wool sweater, insulated vest -- it doubles as a pillow or lumbar support, long-sleeve shirt, a jacket (if it's necessary at my destination) and leggings. (I never ever travel with jeans. They're heavy, bulky and when wet, take forever to dry.)
4- No matter how many weeks I'm traveling, I never pack more than a total of three dresses, one or two skirts, one pair of leggings, one pair of pants that convert to shorts, two tee shirts, two long sleeve shirts, one rain jacket, a hoody, three pairs of Merino wool socks, and three pairs of Merino wool underwear. (I love the clothing items Smartwool sells.) I choose items that are made of thin fabrics (such as Merino wool) and roll small.
5- I pack a sarong that serves multi functions, as a beach blanket, cover-up, or shawl when I need to visit a church or other religious sight.
6- I only travel with two pairs of shoes: I wear the heaviest on the plane and then I pack a pair of Mary Janes, such as these by Astral Designs.
7- Instead of a typical hat or cap, I pack a multi-purpose buff, such as those made by Buff USA. Again, it's all about multi-purpose uses. A buff can be used as a bandana, hat, balaclava, neck gator, headband, or hair band.
8- All my toiletries are travel-size, and that includes shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and toothpaste.
