We are headed out to London and later Hamburg: weather seems to be unsettled/ wet-- how best to pack lightly? I plan to wear comfortable water proof boots with leggings.
We are headed out to London and later Hamburg: weather seems to be unsettled/ wet-- how best to pack lightly? I plan to wear comfortable water proof boots with leggings.
Layering helps. I take long silk underwear (top & bottom), and a waterproof shell. But I admit that with weather like that, I sometimes wind up wearing everything I brought all at once.
Location: On the I-95 stuck behind a big truck/UA Seat 5C/Amtrak Cafe Car
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Posts: 607
14 kilos?! (31-lbs!)
I have no idea why my bag was so heavy for a recent trip. I usually pride myself in packing in a single non-wheeled bag (and maybe a small purse) and usually lightly enough to satisfy stringent intra-Europe & intra-Asia flights of 5-kilos (11-lbs). So how did my bag come out to weigh just under 14 kilos at the check-in counter?
For starters, I used a rolling bag as this was primarily a business trip. My 19" "business" Samsonite weighs in the range of 10lbs+. But still, 20 remaining lbs of stuff?
As the climate was a sweltering tropical 40C (100F) and humid enough to prevent laundered clothes from drying in the room, I had to pack 2 outfits per day for a trip of 10 days. I had 2 pairs of shoes, a massive medical pack, lots of wetwipes, alcohol wipes, purell and of course my 3-1-1 ziplock with toiletries filled to the brim (mainly bug spray and sunscreen).
It seems that the wetwipes (that were often used in conjunction with purell) weighs an awful lot, as does the extra bug spray, and shampoo I brought. It turned out that while I had time to take a quick shower and change into fresh non-sweaty clothing, I did not have enough time to wash and dry my hair, so the extra shampoo I had portioned out prior to the trip remained unused. The extra meds and packets of bathroom tissue I brought over to supply the group also remained unused as no one got sick and all the facilities had decent toilet paper.
I also did not even use any mascara on the trip due to the heat and humidity.
lip and cheek stain was essential however.
So overall, I could've cut an extra 5-lbs from my luggage, but I am still shocked at the remaining 15-lbs of stuff.
this was primarily a business trip. My 19" "business" Samsonite weighs in the range of 10lbs+.
Get a lighter bag. There are plenty that come in around 8 lbs. or so. Every little bit helps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tcl
As the climate was a sweltering tropical 40C (100F) and humid enough to prevent laundered clothes from drying in the room, I had to pack 2 outfits per day for a trip of 10 days.
You're on a business trip. You don't need to do laundry in your sink; use the hotel's laundry service. 20 outfits for 10 days??? Make it 6-7, mix-and-matchable, and repeat items relentlessly. No one will care if you wear the same clothes more than once on a trip. If you're moving around from place to place and will not be able to use the hotel laundry on some days, plan ahead for when you can do it, and pack accordingly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tcl
I had ... a massive medical pack, lots of wetwipes, alcohol wipes, purell and of course my 3-1-1 ziplock with toiletries filled to the brim (mainly bug spray and sunscreen).
Could you have purchased any of this stuff at your destination? Why drag all of these heavy things from home, particularly since you weren't guaranteed to use it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tcl
The extra meds and packets of bathroom tissue I brought over to supply the group also remained unused as no one got sick and all the facilities had decent toilet paper.
This was a business trip. Presumably your traveling companions were grown-ups. Why were you bringing all the supplies for them? And why are you bringing toilet paper in your suitcase anyway? Buy it at your destination if you need it, and clearly you didn't need it in any case.
Of course, if you are able to carry and lift your own bag, and if it fits in the overhead bin, you can go wild and bring whatever the heck you can squash into your suitcase. My carry-on bag is often quite heavy. But bringing such unnecessary things means that you forfeit the right to complain about it...
__________________ Roll tight, zip hard, iron well!
You're on a business trip. You don't need to do laundry in your sink; use the hotel's laundry service.
Just because it's a "business" trip doesn't mean we all work for companies who will pay for laundry services....Or that, even if we do, we would send everything out through a hotel whose services we might not be familiar with.
Am away for 9 nights and have managed to get my hold luggage down to 16kg (usually over the 23) and carryone 6.5 (plus laptop in a separate bag) and still managed to have a choice of clothes to wear. Don't think I'll ever get down to just carry on for 10 day intercontinental work trips but am getting better. Might get down to carry on for a 4 day trip in Europe.
Managed with the carryon only for the long weekend away in Marbella - and managed a nice dress and a pair of wedge heels in with that. Bit on the heavy side but I managed by putting all the chargers etc in my jacket pocket.
Am trying to work our if I can do cary on only for a business trip to Oman and then on to Mauritius - only a week but a lot of business meetings with (mostly) the same people. Don't think I'll manage esp as laptop is fairly heavy (plus the other people are likely to have checked bags as well).
Next challenge will be a month in Sri Lanka - first ten days business and then HelloKittysDad, HelloKitty and Hellokittybrotehr are flying out to join me for 3 weeks of touring and beach. No way I will manage that with carry on only but if I can manage to keep to the total luggage allowance it will be an achievement.
Location: On the I-95 stuck behind a big truck/UA Seat 5C/Amtrak Cafe Car
Programs: UA, CO, Asia Miles, True Blue, Fairmont
Posts: 607
As I mentioned in my above post, I am usually a very light packer (single bag, carry-on only, no wheels & within the 5kg 11lb limit including all my electronics). However this was a very unusual trip for me as I was helping out with a group traveling to an underdeveloped nation and was expected to have a "comfort kit" ready at all times. Hence carrying all that stuff that couldn't be bought there for the whole group.
The weather was insanely hot and humid in a place that had unscheduled blackouts in addition to rolling brown-outs, so laundry service availability and their timing was questionable at best. Think Houston during a heatwave pre-thunderstorm but for 10 days straight all the while attending official events requiring full suit on a very tightly scheduled itinerary. Pea-soup barely begins to describe it.
My post was meant to illustrate that sometimes there are certain situations where you can do your best and still end up being overweight. I am pleased to say however that I was the only one doing carry-on only; other members of the group had 24'+ suitcases.
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelmad478
Let me count the ways...
Get a lighter bag. There are plenty that come in around 8 lbs. or so. Every little bit helps.
You're on a business trip. You don't need to do laundry in your sink; use the hotel's laundry service. 20 outfits for 10 days??? Make it 6-7, mix-and-matchable, and repeat items relentlessly. No one will care if you wear the same clothes more than once on a trip. If you're moving around from place to place and will not be able to use the hotel laundry on some days, plan ahead for when you can do it, and pack accordingly.
Could you have purchased any of this stuff at your destination? Why drag all of these heavy things from home, particularly since you weren't guaranteed to use it?
This was a business trip. Presumably your traveling companions were grown-ups. Why were you bringing all the supplies for them? And why are you bringing toilet paper in your suitcase anyway? Buy it at your destination if you need it, and clearly you didn't need it in any case.
Of course, if you are able to carry and lift your own bag, and if it fits in the overhead bin, you can go wild and bring whatever the heck you can squash into your suitcase. My carry-on bag is often quite heavy. But bringing such unnecessary things means that you forfeit the right to complain about it...
I started using the Eagle Creek Pack It Folder - it keeps everything from getting wrinkled - was able to pack clothes for a viewing and funeral in my tiny backpack.
I went to Tokyo with one carry-on backpack with a huge duffel stuffed in it. Came back with both filled to the brim and checked in my backpack - wished I didn't have to do it. Even though I arrived back home in Singapore where the airport is pretty awesome, waiting for it at the carousel for about 15 minutes (express queue for Singapore passport holders is good but too quick for the luggage) made me want to stab my eyes out.
When I arrived in Tokyo Haneda, immigration and customs were after the luggage carousels. I was one of the last to disembark the plane, and took a long time freshening up in the ladies room, and still managed to get past immigration and customs before the rest of the flight.
One bad thing about doing one-bag is people working at immigrations and customs usually give me a harder time than with the rest. I do chat quite a fair bit with them while they do their work, and they are generally very warm so it is always a very good introduction to the country/city.
Anyway my rule of thumb when packing is: if the item is going to be available in the country I'm going to, I can buy it if I need it. One thing to note though: the weather in Tokyo was unusually cool when I was there and I had only one pair of leggings. I wanted to wear a skirt/dress consecutively for 2 days but the length of the leggings in Tokyo are generally shorter than what I need; but had pants: LOVE PANTS.
Just got back from a one-week trip to visit my family, in the Caribbean. I packed lightly and strategically. My rollaboard (21 by 14 by 9) was not full, nor was the matching tote.
I wore a knit suit, shoes, pearl studs, pearl necklace, tank watch, wedding and e-ring. Trench coat (early flight, flying into bad weather). I had a business appointment immediately off the plane.
I packed, in the rollaboard:
One pair of jeans
Two tops (one doubles as a cover-up for my bathing suit)
One pair of "city" shorts
Crochet dress
Colorful silk day dress
One evening dress
Extra pair of pumps
One pair of evening sandals
One day clutch
One evening clutch
Lingerie
Plastic bag with liquids -- travel sized facial cleanser, travel sized facial serum, travel sized eye lotion, travel sized facial cream, travel sized hand lotion, SP4 40 for face, 3 oz toothpaste, travel sized mascara, lip gloss, cream deodorant).
Medium-sized Trish McEvoy make-up folder with travel foundation (solid), lip chubbie (solid), a few eye colors, cheek colors, and face powder. All in one place. Genius. I love that item.
What I did not need: The dressier dress, the evening sandals. I did not end up going out at night at all, and people don't dress up much.
Surprisingly comfortable and versatile: day dresses. Used them to visit relatives, to go out to lunch, to hang out in the hotel, to shop. Always versatile: Jeans and tops. Only wore one afternoon: the city shorts.
Now, to figure out if I can pack for a month in Europe (October!) in this one suitcase and tote. The challenge is on, and advice is appreciated!
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 368
re: your trip to Europe
This April I packed for 2 1/2 weeks in Texas and Philly (very different climates but still doable) and I hope you will have access to laundry facilities. When I went to London a few years back it was difficult to find some as a tourist. It seems like the hotels just did not have them there and I am seeing the same problem with my upcoming trip to Rome.
Also, you may want to check whether your suitcase is an international carry-on for the purposes of the airline you are flying. If you took it to the Carribean you may be fine but I for nailed by that once flying internationally. They took my bag to check it and it was lost for 2 days. That is how I learned domestic carryons are not international carryons.
This April I packed for 2 1/2 weeks in Texas and Philly (very different climates but still doable) and I hope you will have access to laundry facilities. When I went to London a few years back it was difficult to find some as a tourist. It seems like the hotels just did not have them there and I am seeing the same problem with my upcoming trip to Rome.
Also, you may want to check whether your suitcase is an international carry-on for the purposes of the airline you are flying. If you took it to the Carribean you may be fine but I for nailed by that once flying internationally. They took my bag to check it and it was lost for 2 days. That is how I learned domestic carryons are not international carryons.
Excellent advice all around! I am bringing a small, small, small bottle of detergent for delicates so I can wash some things in hotel sinks. Between that and hotel shampoos, I can get a lot of essentials clean.
My suitcase is on the edge for European carriers, but is OK since we are flying J on SQ. We have one short flight on flynikki where it will be checked (I assume). The rest of our travel is on trains (another reason to keep it to a small suitcase and nested tote, imho). Hopefully, the husband will pack light, too.
I am thinking of planning my wardrobe around blacks and tans, with red as my accessory color (my fall coat is red). Thus, one pair black trousers, one pair black leggings, one pair brown leggings, one tan and black skirt, one leopard print top, one thin cashmere black turtle neck, one red cardigan sweater, one black silk turtle neck, one pair jeans, one tunic top, one knit suit, one pair boots (worn on plane), lingerie, two nightshirts (one cotton, one silk). Two-three silk scarves, one belt. Versatile pair of dressier shoes.
I am thinking of planning my wardrobe around blacks and tans, with red as my accessory color (my fall coat is red).
I travelled overseas for two weeks using a similar system last April: Black, grey, and used hot pink as my accessory color. Everything fit neatly into an international carry-on size suitcase and a small nested tote. Having pieces that all matched each other made it easier to layer and come up with variations on outfits. (Now if only I could be so organized in other areas of my life )
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I am bringing a small, small, small bottle of detergent for delicates so I can wash some things in hotel sinks. Between that and hotel shampoos, I can get a lot of essentials clean.
I had a travel sized container of Forever New and had good results. I used the powdered formula so I would have more room in my 3-1-1 bag.
I think I tipped over into the "taking too little" realm on last week's trip.
Four days (travel day, two work days, travel day) DEN-BWI.
On the plane, I wore:
black trousers
black blazer
3/4 sleeve grey t-shirt
black flats
necklace
In the bag, I had:
grey merino cardigan
black tank top
purple/blue cowlneck sleeveless top
green long sleeve t-shirt
rain jacket
pashmina
So basically 1 bottom piece, 4 tops, 2 jacket-y type things.
On the one hand, I didn't even wear the green t-shirt. On the other hand, I managed to spill both coke and food on my pants. So I think one more bottom piece (another pair of trousers or a skirt) would have been a good idea.
But having just one bag with enough room to stuff my purse-like item and a super lightweight (empty) backpack into, plus a big book and my Bose headphones was awesome.
)
