I love lists like these, but I'd never bring half of the stuff on here.
So y’all know I’m traveling, and Becky is off globe-trotting, too. We had a conversation the other night about all the weird-o things she was bringing, or thinking of bringing, to Germany. (Items discussed: an enormous jar of cranberry relish, a cake pan, a baggie of baking soda, sex toys.) But she’s going for quite some time, whereas my jaunt is a mere weekend. I am not bringing any baking supplies, but there will be a sex toy in my bag. I may use it, or not, but a little Pocket Rocket lives in my toiletries bag, just in case.
TMI? Sorry. But it’s one of those things that’s always in my luggage, even though I am an insanely light packer. Light, like 4-6 days of clothes, computer and tech gear, sundries, papers/work/reading material, and snacks all fit in a backpack (like this one). Unless it’s Xmas, and I’m lugging gifts, I don’t check bags.
So I cull. Other than adequate knickers, and a fresh tank or tee to wear next to my skin each day, every item of clothing has be able to be worn at least twice. Lightweight pieces, rather than bulky items. No more than two pairs of shoes (wear one, pack one). No razor, nail clippers, hair dryer. Shampoo bar, which is soap and shampoo and emergency laundry soap, and about the size of a match box. Vinegar (w/ a little essential oil in it), which is detangler and toner and deodorant. Et cetera. It’s like a game. I always loved Tetris.
But other people don’t mind waiting at the luggage carousel, or have to have certain products, or have special shoes for every outfit. Or (Becky, I’m looking at you) bring stacks of books to read. And they wouldn’t have it any other way.
So, today’s FFT: what are your travel habits? Do you have a matched trunk, garment bag, and train case? Do you rinse out your socks in the ho(s)tel sink so you don’t have to bring more than 2 pair? Do you have to bring your favorite stuffed animal or blankie? What do you always bring with you, no matter how long or short your trip?
I pack super light, to the point where people are surprised. Black cotton/spandex dress, black cotton/spandex jacket, black opaque hose, black flats or low heels. Wash the stuff out in the sink, check. A variety of costume jewelry. Nothing shocking there, I spoz.
I also always pack my expired passport, as a backup.
I have to travel all the time and like to think I have it down to a science. My biggest tip is to pick a wardrobe color scheme for the week. Usually it’s black (on occasion navy or brown), with red accents. Scarfs and cardigans whenever possible to avoid heavy winter coat while traveling. Then I can reuse the same few pieces of clothes in different combination, and most crucially, I rarely have to pack a second pair of shoes. Mascara, concealer, and deodorant only for toiletries — I can usually find soap wherever I go. I try to stick with one book at most and just load up my ipod with good podcasts instead. This way I can keep from having to check baggage most of the time. It’s such a relief not to be a disorganized crazy person at the airport like I used to be!
Happy travels harpies!!!
Books that’s pretty much it. I spend hours actually weeks choosing the books I bring. Otherwise I bring knickers, a couple of pairs of black opaque tights, one pair of heels, a dress and a jumper. I wear my jeans and trainers and coat and another top plus jersey if needed. Washbag – toothpaste, toothbrush and travel shampoo/conditioner. That’s it. But the books ah well that would be one book for every day I’m there and two extra in case of airport delays/travel problems.
Obviously when I travel with my family we are less light although I’m quite efficient at culling pointless child stuff you think you need but don’t really from my suitcases.
Also i will admit that when I fly longhaul from the UK (but not from the US because their airport bookshops are rubbish) I end up with an additional plastic bag of airport editions of new novels. (This happens less since stupid BAA did away with the Boarders bookshops in airports, replacing them with WH Smith who are nearly as bad as a US airport bookshop, although not quite).
My manpanion and I typically bring along a few items that we like to have at our disposal on a trip. But because we typically pack light and don’t check bags on at least one occasion we’ve had to suffer through the TSA agent opening our bag, with thankfully gloved hands, to pick through all of the toys we’ve brought along with us and give us the judgmental glare.
Ahh, the joys of living in the South.
Just so y’all know, I elected not to bring the baking powder (for a cake I’m making for an expat Thanksgiving dinner) because it could qualify as suspicious, and German airports are is on ultra-high alert right now. But cranberry relish, books, lube and sex toys did make it through three international airports unscathed.
I am normally a packing ninja—I once went to London for 5 days with nothing but a standard-sized rollerboard bag so that I didn’t have to check luggage. The e-reader means no more stacks of books. Microfiber panties and socks can be washed easily in a hotel sink and so can cashmere and lightweight wool; I often bring maybe two cardigans and a few matching tanks to wear underneath and I’m good to go. Jeans and cords can be worn repeatedly. I have mini-bottles of all toiletries. And I never bring more than 2 pairs of shoes and can often get by with one. I travel very, very light. My only problem is that I often wind up buying stuff when I’m overseas, and then I have to ship it back by mail.
This is because I simply hate having to deal with baggage claim and have had my checked luggage disappear more than once (most recently on the way back from India via Heathrow. Took three days for that shit to show up).
@rodriguez: I never heard of packing an expired passport. Is that better than taking a photocopy of your current one? Curious, because I live in perpetual paranoia of losing mine and having to get it renewed at a consulate somewhere.
@Becky Luckily I have never had to test the theory. My husband’s passport was stolen in Venezuela once. We were so so lucky that it was just a pickpocket who took the cash and dropped the passport, which we just picked up off the ground, can you believe it?
I do the photocopies thing too, stashed with a postcard with a disposable email address written in big black sharpie marker on it, just in case.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Vyckie D. Garrison, Pursuit of Harpyness. Pursuit of Harpyness said: Friday Fun Thread: Don’t Leave Home Without It http://bit.ly/br89wZ [...]
My biggest worry when packing is books. I need to bring enough, yet inevitably run out and need to borrow some from whomever I’m staying with. If I have room (traveling with the family and therefore the big suitcase) I bring my memory foam pillow.
I rarely travel due to health issues, but when I do, I pack pretty small minus the books / pillow.
@Becky and Rodriguez – I always carry a copy of both the photo page of my passport and my latest entry stamp. When I lived abroad, whenever traveling within the country I’d leave my passport behind and just carry the copies. So long as you had a copy of a stamp showing you were still within your tourist visa timeframe, the copies were sufficient – and enough of my friends have had to go through the hassle of replacing stolen passports that I didn’t want to risk it.
Most of my traveling is to field sites, so I’ve learned to pack lightly on clothes and essentials so as to fit in all my research gear. When traveling to conferences, though, I tend to overpack – I want to have nice clothes to wear each day, and most of my dressier clothes don’t compact well. I will go light on socks, tights, and underwear (sink washing all the way!), but then throw in an extra sweater or jacket.
I’m proud to say that I’m a pro at the packing Tetris, and I’ve traveled carry-on only throughout Europe and Asia for weeks at a time, no problem. I even still pull off carry-on only now that I have a baby, which everyone said would be impossible. I haven’t checked luggage in over ten years, and now that they make you pay for it (which is *obscene* IMO), I’ve got even more incentive to travel with only a carry-on. Unfortunately, so do lots of other folks nowadays, so I’ve found that even though the amount I’m packing is identical, there is less and less room for my bag in the overheads (which I also hear have been downsized in order to encourage people to check luggage for a fee–thanks, airlines!).
I’m with J.D.Regent: a color scheme makes everything easier, and I only pack clothes that can be worn at least twice. Where I differ from most other responses here, though, is that I’m not one for rinsing my sundries in the sink–as far as I’m concerned, the amount of space it takes to just pack an extra pair or two of underwear is negligible. And I’m in favor of two pairs of shoes (one to wear, one to pack)–first of all, if something happens to one pair (sodden with rain, snap a strap or a heel), the last thing you want to do while traveling is be left totally shoeless; and secondly, even the most comfortable shoes can start to rub you wrong after a while, so it’s good to have an alternative.
Lady Nocturne and emilyanne, you must share your light parenting packing secrets. I took the whole minimalist thing to an extreme when I was younger, traveling for a week with just a backpack, moving cross country with just the contents of my Nissan Stanza. Once I married a woodworker, I lost the ability to move lightly, and now that I have kids, there’s always the carseat or the pack n play as a crib or enough snacks to feed the plane for a week or . . . I’ve just lost the ability. It’s one thing to have two changes of clothes when it’s just me. Having two changes of clothes when I’m traveling with someone who has explosive diapers and projectile spit-up occasionally is just beyond me.
Oh, and books are my weakness too. Plus, and I blush to admit it, I still sometimes sleep with a teddy bear, who travels with me.
@JD: Oh I love that tip! I am mentally saving it to file.
I personally never travel without xanax.
@becky-I see your 5 days in London with one wheelie bag and raise you 10 days in London with one carry-on size wheelie bag and an oversized purse containing a laptop, a kindle, and all my usual purse stuff. I always travel with my regular drugs plus xanax and provigil. You never know when you are going to need sedation or caffiene free wakefullness. Everything else can be had at local stores, at least the places I go.
I once did 5 days in Colorado, including 2 professional presentations, with only a messenger-style back. I packed everything in plastic zip-top bags so I could squeeze them down small. Of course, some wrinkling was inevitable. I wore my suit to travel in to avoid that.
Oh, and I think a corkscrew is a critical travel item, tho in the US security may take it away from you.
Unless I’ll be away for more than three days, I can usually live out of my overnight bag, which is about the size of a large toaster. Of course, that’s without packing anything dressier than jeans. When I do interviews this winter, we’ll see if I resort to a garment bag.
My favorite trick is dressing in layers. Before my flight into Nassau, they had to de-ice the plane. Instead of a parka, I layered, and then when I got to sunny San Salvador, I had a couple long sleeved-shirts, a hoodie, and a rain jacket, none of which took up space in my weight-limited checked luggage.
I don’t travel often, but I like to read this website and dream. It’s a little dated and corny, but he’s put an impressive amount of analysis into packing light.
One thing I try not to leave without is a digital camera. Besides tourist snaps, it comes in handy when you’re trying to remember where you left your car/hotel etc; I used it to take pictures of maps you find in malls and on trails so you can refer back to it (as long as your battery doesn’t run out.)
So many tips! I’m travelling to my first international conference in a few days so this discussion is incredibly useful. I’m planning on travelling light too – it’s not a long trip – but it’s a bit formal so I’ve gone with a couple of different outfits plus comfy clothes to travel in. I never used to fuss with my hair when it was long but now that it’s short-and-growing-out I find some hair goop indispensable. Shampoo and soap though I tend to skip since you can always get those at your destination. The only thing I’m really finicky about is moisturizer – I use unscented stuff and I don’t like the way other creams make my skin smell. I’m debating the razor – take it along and the bag has to be checked in. Don’t, and I can skip the wait at the luggage carousel. I’ve never had my luggage go missing (and I’ve traveled a lot) and I don’t mind the wait at the carousel really, but why not skip it if you can?
Books are my heavy items too. Factoring in travel time I’m going to be away six days, three of which will be full of conference stuff and sightseeing, and i sleep like the dead on airplanes so I *shouldn’t* need more than…um…ten?
Books, way more underwear than I’ll use, my computer, lots of black, a couple of pairs of jeans. I’m not very good at packing light actually.
Emilyanne, unfortunately I think that didn’t have anything to do with the BAA, Borders in the UK closed. I still have a gift certificate for 10 pounds I can’t get rid of
Whenever I’m back home in Texas or visiting family in GA, AL, and AR, I always make sure to bring grits back to Los Angeles. I’ve not been able to find my favorite brand out here NOWHERE.
Grits!
I wish I could bring back Blue Bell Ice Cream.
@Endora, no BAA had made the decision before hand, they closed all Borders and Books Etc in airports and gave the contact exclusively to WHSmith – it meant that the Hughes and Hughes in Terminal 5 got shut as well. Not that I’m in any way bitter about this subject.
Generally, so long as I have at least one pair of jeans, a singlet, cardy, underwear ([number of nights away] then double), toothbrush/toothpaste, and happy happy joy joy reading I’m good to go.
Camping can be a lil different, a cozzie, shorts, long sleeve t-shirt, short sleeve t-shirt, trackie dacks, thongs (as in a type of footwear), and happy happy joy joy reading, I’m good to go.
[...] of “Uh…TSA WTF?” before we headed to the airport, which we chatted about as I packed my suitcase. I fly a lot—nine round trips in the last sixteen weeks, both domestic and [...]