The OnSimplicity Guide to Packing Light

As new airline baggage fees are added every few weeks, packing light isn’t just a lifestyle choice, it’s a survival skill. Lightening up has extra benefits, though. The very first time you pack light, prepare for a special kind of high. As you fly through the airport, unburdened by massive bags, you’ll wonder how you ever traveled any other way. As Antoine de Saint Exupéry put it, “He who would travel happily must travel light.” Whether you’re a veteran one-bag champ or an overpacker ready for conversion, it’s time to learn how to pack light no matter where you’re traveling.

The Five Commandments of Packing Light

1. You need less than you think.
   
2. Anything that doesn’t fit can be purchased later or lived without.
3. The amount of luggage you’re carrying is inversely proportional to your level of travel enjoyment.
4. Your bulkiest items should be worn on your travel date.
5. Your carry-on should be small enough to fit under the seat.
   
   

The Ugly Truths of Packing Light

Okay, so you’re convinced. Now how do you actually go about cramming everything you need into just one bag? First, you’ve got embrace a few key traveling truths. First, most overpackers don’t use everything they pack. All those “just in case” items? Well, the “case” rarely ever comes up. Second, you may not get to wear everything you normally would, and that’s totally okay. By sticking with “travel weight” items, you maximize space while keeping your options open. Third, you need the right suitcase or travel bag for your needs. You’re not traveling light if you have just one bag, but the entire contents of your closet fit into it. Finally, unlike a lot of things in life, packing a suitcase really is a zero-sum game. Every time you add something in, you take away room for another item. That means each item you load in needs to have a specific purpose.

One Bag Magic: Fourteen Tips to Live By

1. Limit yourself to three pairs of shoes, at least one being flats. I recommend wearing sneakers and packing a pair of dress shoes (if needed) and sandals or flip-flops. Place shoes in a plastic bag to keep them separate from your clothes.
2. Pack separates instead of “outfits.” This way, you can pack fewer items (plan on wearing some pieces twice) and have more versatility.
3. Pick one jacket or coat and stick with it. I usually pack a black jacket that looks trendy with jeans and but nice with dress outfits as well.
4. Photocopy any information you need instead of packing entire books.
5. Keep toiletries in your suitcase (if checking) so you can zip through security with your carry-on. (I know this isn’t the standard recommendation, and I certainly wouldn’t do it on American because of the standard fee, but I love checking my suitcase for domestic, non-stop flights. It makes everything between the check-in counter and the carousel a breeze.)
6. Don’t skimp on underwear, no matter what any guide tells you. It takes up very little room, so there’s no reason not to have all you need, plus some extra.
7. Stock up on sample size toiletries; they fit the TSA guidelines and take up less space. The most frugal option is to snag hotel room shampoos and soaps and simply refill the containers as needed, but you can also find cool travel size items at stores like Target. (I love the cotton swabs that are filled with eye makeup remover!)
8. Choose travel clothes that can comfortably be worn more than once. Most notably, dark colors wear better than light colors and wrinkle-free fabrics are ideal.
9. It’s okay to buy some items at your destination. Items like sunscreen, “just in case” weather gear, and extra books are great to leave at home. You could even take Tim Ferriss’s 10-pound packing approach and allocate a specific portion of your travel budget to “buy needed items once they’re 100% needed” and not a second before.
10. Use small items like underwear and socks to fill nooks and crannies (like between shoes).
11. For women, packing a few pieces of costume jewelry is a good use of space. These pieces perk up your separates, giving you more style for far less space than additional clothes. Plus, if they get lost, you don’t have to worry about it.
12. Unless you know you’ll be attending a formal event, skip the evening clothes. They’re often a “what if” waste of space. Besides, being casually dressed is pretty widely accepted anymore.
13. You don’t have to fill every space in your suitcase. You might even consider buying a smaller suitcase to head travel clutter off at the pass.
14. Finally, live by the Chanel rule: When you’re ready to head out, remove one thing.

If you’re interested in an expert traveler’s advice on what specifics to pack, head over to OneBag.com and be sure to check the Annotated Packing List. It’s an incredible resource, even if you don’t follow the guidelines 100 percent.

Know Your Enemy: Troubleshoot These Bulky Items

Even if you’re a suitcase superhero, be on the lookout for carry-on kryptonite. Some of these can be worked with, others should simply be avoided if possible.

• Sweaters: They’re bulky and take up tons of space. Avoid thick wool and cotton sweaters in favor of lighter weight merino wool and cashmere.
• Jeans: Again, they’re bulky and take up tons of valuable real estate. Plan on wearing each pair at least twice or pack lighter pants.
• Sneakers: Want to see 25 percent of your available space disappear? Pack a pair of sneakers. If you’ve gotta have ‘em, just wear them. Or, go for sneakers with a thinner profile, like Converse All Stars and Vans.
• Hoodies and Sweatshirts: If you can wear a bulky sweatshirt on travel days, that helps to keep your suitcase light. If not, stick with zippered hoodies that can be worn with different shirts underneath; this gives you more options with fewer pieces.

Travel at the Speed of Light

So, as you cruise through the airport for your next trip, take a minute and enjoy the freedom. Unlike all the folks with two suitcases and a massively overloaded carry-on, you’re actually having fun! I’ll end with a perfect quote from John Flinn’s SF Chronicle article, “Carrying off the art of one carry-on“:

“It’s a chance to pare down and simplify our lives, to discover what is truly essential and what is not. It’s a reminder that we’re more than the sum of our possessions… It’s always a revelation to discover how much of our impedimenta we don’t really need.”

photo credit: richard winchell