Secrets of travelling light

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I have a thin hiking jacket that serves me well. Being black it has a semi formal look to it. Blocks the wind and a bit of rain due to the tight weave. Not very thermal though, but if I'm worried about the cold I have a couple of very light merino wool long sleeve thermals which are also black. They work not too badly with a t shirt underneath and jeans / pants.

I pack for 5 days, including what I'm wearing on day 1. Half the time there's a coin op laundry in the place i'm staying or near by. Dun mind doing my laundry late at night and catch up on some reading on my kobo, or watch a tv show on my phone. Doing laundry doesn't have to be dead time. Sometimes you have an interesting conversation with a local there. Great thing in asia is leaving it to be done is so cheap, and quite often pick up that afternoon.

I find some smart casual polo tops help with the issue of needing something nice just in case.

Pack a comfy pair of shoes for walking, another pair with a bit more formal look, and sandals if its going to be warm.

I over provision for underwear. My attitude is if it's a cool climate then wearing a top again wont kill me, so I can maybe extend my washing cycle to a week if need be.

Just remember, you're on holiday. If you're not totally dolled up no one's going to remember.

I've got a medium expandable case. My rule is to leave comfortably non expanded and then I can add a bit of shopping but not stuck lumbering around some massive bag. I shake my head at the airport when I see couples with three large bags. I oft wonder what they have in them.

I like to be able to get up and down stairs if need be. Dun want much more than 20KG in your roller bag to do that safely.

 

[JohnK]

What's the point in lugging around 30 to 40 kg of stuff for no reason just because your allowance says you can?

You don't have to carry the full allowance.

Golf bag/golf clubs, 5 golf t-shirts, 5 normal t-shirts, 2-3 pairs golf pants, 2-3 pairs dress pants, 3-4 dress shirts, 2-3 singlets, 2pairs of shoes, socks and underwear plus some junk here and there. Around 35kgs. Still do some laundry at my leisure either fiancee or laundry.

Even if I wasn't playing golf I would still be taking the majority of those clothes with me. I don't want to wear the same things over and over and I definitely don't want to have laundry on the back of my mind.

 

[YSSY]

When I travel to the office in Europe for a Mon-Fri week I usually just take hand carry, saves a lot of hassle at the other end. The key is mini toiletries (of if you know the hotel provides, then minimal toiletries) and NOT taking jeans, jeans are heavy and take a lot of weight.
When going offshore by heli, we are limited to 15kg, so you get a routine of what to take for a 5 week swing, and wear work boots on the flight.

 

[Milboo]

I average about 12-16kg for a 2 week overseas trip and use it all - the trappings of being female add up! I take travel size of toiletries but it all adds up! I tend to take more when I am going to cold weather to account for things getting wet/ damp and not drying as quickly, heavier boots, long down coat, scarves, hats etc.

Most recent trip I pared the shoes right back to one for walking, ballet flats and jandals and regretted it when I had no alternate pair of shoes when I needed them.

However I will do 3-4 days in NZ as HLO.

 

[Hvr]

I don't know what jandals are but when I travel I have one pair of black runners that I can slip off without undoing the laces. Nothing else, they're comfortable and being back can be worn anywhere.

 

[Austman]

I've done a some international trips NLAA (no luggage at all).

I was travelling from one home to another and didn't really need to take anything.

I just carried my passport in my pocket. No checked luggage, no carry on, no backpack, no umbrella, nothing.

The sense of freedom in avoiding airport (and airline) procedures was great!

It did initially cause a few problems at international customs arrivals however. Until I learned how to avoid that too.

 

[Deleted member 6404]

I recently complete my KL to Penang to Bangkok back to gold coast over 27 days carry on luggage only weighed in at less than 5kg did all my washing in the hotel sink at night before bed had one of the kojo elastic cloths line found a handle and ledge some where cranked down the aircon to 19deg, cloths all dry by 8am, brilliant, will be doing the same on my central America tour coming up soon

 

[JessicaTam]

I am currently in Asia for three weeks and to get here I had to pare the HL down to 7kg - total - as I was flying JQ. My backpack is 1.4kg and I allow 1.5kg for my electronics - laptop, iPad, chargers and cables. That left me 4kg for clothes and toiletries. I managed 6.7kg in total not including my jacket, but including a second smaller bag (250g).

I have a full set of underclothes/t-shirts and the like for 7 days, and wash as I go. My bag has enough room for the jacket but I only need it for the trip to and from MEL as it has been a bit chill of late. So if I accumulate a bit of stuff then I can carry the jacket to make room.

TBH I pretty well packed the same as I took for Europe (just outside winter), with the exception of an extra pair of pants and shoes.

So how do I keep the weight down? And this may seem a bit too hard core for some: I weigh items individually. I don't care which socks or tops I take, so I take the lightest. That probably saved about 500g all up. The new laptop shaved another 200g or so from the total as well. I wear the heaviest items (jeans and walking shoes) on the first flight.

I travelled to Europe with a friend last year (or was it the year before) and we were dropping the last flight leg in EU. I steeled myself for an outburst when I told her that we had to travel HLO for the first flight. I was pleasantly surprised when she said "Fine by me. The less luggage to cart around the better". Let's just say, she can travel with me anytime!

 

[OzEire]

JT, i didn't think the laptop would count in the HLO allowance if you carry it in hand (at times when luggage could be weighed). I don't carry one any more but used this 'trick' many times before replacing it with a smartphone.

 

[JessicaTam]

JT, i didn't think the laptop would count in the HLO allowance if you carry it in hand (at times when luggage could be weighed). I don't carry one any more but used this 'trick' many times before replacing it with a smartphone.

JQ are pretty ruthless. Main carry on bag, and secondary handbag or the like and jacket all count. So I was not going to rely on being able to carry it separately.

 

[RooFlyer]

I am currently in Asia for three weeks and to get here I had to pare the HL down to 7kg - total - as I was flying JQ. My backpack is 1.4kg and I allow 1.5kg for my electronics - laptop, iPad, chargers and cables. That left me 4kg for clothes and toiletries. I managed 6.7kg in total not including my jacket, but including a second smaller bag (250g).

<snip for space>

And I guess you could probably carry maybe 0.5kg of stuff physically on you until you get on board, without too much difficulty? Laptop charger; some LAGS? Ordinarily it wouldn't make much difference, but with your equation it might add up to the ability to carry a few extra 'luxuries' .

Edit: I missed your last post. Hmmm ... maybe some stuff shoved into deep pockets?

 

[JessicaTam]

And I guess you could probably carry maybe 0.5kg of stuff physically on you until you get on board, without too much difficulty? Laptop charger; some LAGS? Ordinarily it wouldn't make much difference, but with your equation it might add up to the ability to carry a few extra 'luxuries' .

Edit: I missed your last post. Hmmm ... maybe some stuff shoved into deep pockets?

I was prepared to put my two wallets (travel and regular) into my pockets if it looked like jackets were being weighed. As it turned out, they were using the self checkin for JQi so my bags were never questioned.

 

[Timtammi]

Wow, you lot are very disciplined. I really think I need to be stern with myself when packing, I recognise I'm overpacking when I'm doing it but I get very anxious if I don't. I worry I'm not going to have the right thing to wear for the occasion or weather and that I wont be able to buy anything either at short notice. I think it partly comes from being a hard size to fit, lots of standard clothes just don't fit me right, and probably being a bit too fussy about what I wear and that it has to be just right.
But I pay for it. Mr Timtammi insists that I be able to handle my own luggage, he has a bad back and struggles enough with his own and I think he thinks if he tells me that I won't overpack so much. So I bust a gut and puff and pant lugging my heavy bag up and down train stairs etc. I guess it's good exercise!
I wish they made suitcases in an intermediate size. My 25 inch suitcase it just too heavy if I fully pack it and my 22 inch is really too small for 3 weeks away. If I could find a 23 or 24 inch suitace and pack it to about 15kg then I think that would be just about right.

 

[get me outta here]

I bought an Antler Aire a couple of weeks ago at a really really good reduced price at Peter's of Kensington (also saw it on ebay - via VA/QF online mall). It's the lightest case I have ever lifted. That may help a bit with the weight.

Wow, you lot are very disciplined. I really think I need to be stern with myself when packing, I recognise I'm overpacking when I'm doing it but I get very anxious if I don't. I worry I'm not going to have the right thing to wear for the occasion or weather and that I wont be able to buy anything either at short notice. I think it partly comes from being a hard size to fit, lots of standard clothes just don't fit me right, and probably being a bit too fussy about what I wear and that it has to be just right.
But I pay for it. Mr Timtammi insists that I be able to handle my own luggage, he has a bad back and struggles enough with his own and I think he thinks if he tells me that I won't overpack so much. So I bust a gut and puff and pant lugging my heavy bag up and down train stairs etc. I guess it's good exercise!
I wish they made suitcases in an intermediate size. My 25 inch suitcase it just too heavy if I fully pack it and my 22 inch is really too small for 3 weeks away. If I could find a 23 or 24 inch suitace and pack it to about 15kg then I think that would be just about right.

 

[dmitri]

I find I take less clothes when travelling to a winter climate than summer. The more you sweat, the more washing and extra clothes you have to take I find.

 

[straitman]

I know this is possible if, for instance, i am able to do my laundry.

On a longer trip to one city it pays to find a local laundry, not necessarily the hotel's.

I really wish I could be better at this. Even though I am a regular business and leisure traveller, almost all of which is international I just can't seem to let go of my security blanket of packing too much "stuff".
And yes, I often only wear half of it. But sometimes it can be hard to know what the weather will be like exactly, or how many changes per day I will need (will there be time to go back to the hotel after work/before dinner or will we go out straight from the office?). Every trip I take I vow to not overpack and I still do it pretty much every time. I've got 3 weeks of Europe travel coming up. Its mostly holiday although there is a few days business at the end. I fear I will overpack again and because we are moving around a lot on this trip I really don't want to make it hard for myself ie on/off planes, trains and automobiles - literally. I use packing cubes religiously, I try to minimise shoes, but.. not wanting to be sexist here, don't you think it's harder for us females? I would love to hear from other ladies on this forum as to how they deal with this, as I really want to learn to let go of this obsessive overpacking!

In mid January our daughter, husband, 10yo boy and 5yo girl are heading off to wherever. She has sold her business, they have sold their house and are currently going through all the options of packing and have decided that they can do it backpacking. A lot of time is being spent sourcing out appropriate backpacks and clothes to carry.

You can follow there adventure and look at their planning at No Set Address.

***Expect a post on No Set Address within the next 24 hrs explaining the research into types of backpacks.

 

[Rebekkap]

I really wish I could be better at this. Even though I am a regular business and leisure traveller, almost all of which is international I just can't seem to let go of my security blanket of packing too much "stuff".
And yes, I often only wear half of it. But sometimes it can be hard to know what the weather will be like exactly, or how many changes per day I will need (will there be time to go back to the hotel after work/before dinner or will we go out straight from the office?). Every trip I take I vow to not overpack and I still do it pretty much every time. I've got 3 weeks of Europe travel coming up. Its mostly holiday although there is a few days business at the end. I fear I will overpack again and because we are moving around a lot on this trip I really don't want to make it hard for myself ie on/off planes, trains and automobiles - literally. I use packing cubes religiously, I try to minimise shoes, but.. not wanting to be sexist here, don't you think it's harder for us females? I would love to hear from other ladies on this forum as to how they deal with this, as I really want to learn to let go of this obsessive overpacking!

I don't find it harder! I actually think it might be easier - we get more outfits out of a suit if we have one with a skirt and trousers, and we're generally smaller than blokes so we can fit more in a suitcase. I plan what I'm going to wear each day, and only pack that, plus an extra pair of stockings in case I put a finger through them. One pair of shoes on my feet, one in the bag (flats, which take up less room than heels, because I don't wear heels, ever) plus toiletries and phone/ipad charger.

I do think it gets harder as I get older, as I seem to need to pack approximately half a small pharmac_ - but that's not gender specific!

 

[Chicken]

I'm currently spending 4 weeks in eastern Europe, and just finished a 9 day bus tour from Prague to Split.

My shoulder bag is about 3 KG. My checked luggage is 12KG.

Everywhere you go in this part of the world involves stairs. Thank god my luggage is only 12KG. My friend on the other hand has a 20KG luggage plus a nearly 10KG backpack. Every trip up and down hostels and metro is a disaster for her.

I have plenty of socks and underpants, 5 tops some with collars for fancy dinners, 2 pairs of jeans, another pair of black jeans for fancy dinners, a jacket for cold a/c on planes, that's it.

Just think about the difference between dragging 10KG and 20KG up the stairs of metro ......

I think girls can be just as easy. Dresses are lighter, and you can do one piece instead of top plus bottom. Dresses can also be versatile if you pick the right color / style. The only things I can think of which are unfair for girls are: hairdryer, tampons, lipsticks, and mascara. And hairdryer is the only thing which is heavy out of all these. You can even avoid this issue by booking accommodations with hairdryers.

 

[Timtammi]

Ok you girls are inspiring me. I'm going to start packing soon so will report back on outcome. Agree toiletries, make up and medication make it hard. Luckily my medication is not too much and I haven't travelled with a hair dryer for years

 

[JessicaTam]

Ok you girls are inspiring me. I'm going to start packing soon so will report back on outcome. Agree toiletries, make up and medication make it hard. Luckily my medication is not too much and I haven't travelled with a hair dryer for years

When it comes to hair driers, I go with the "just towel dried" look.