Originally Posted by
GadgetFreak
Thanks, that is interestingly different than the way I do it in several ways. I use the folders mainly for space and convenience. I like having one thing I can pull out of my suitcase with all of my clothes in it. So I typically only use one folder and put all of my clothes for the trip in it. But Im open to suggestions of ways to improve as I am pushing the one bag effort as much as I can. What is the way you mention to pack trousers, Im actually unfamiliar with that?
I have an upcoming trip that I am planning on using for an experiment. I leave for DCA Wednesday, and have meetings in DC on Thursday and Friday. Then an afternoon train back to NY on Friday and meet Mrs. GF in the city for dinner. Then I head to JFK for a night flight to LHR. Get there Saturday and go to Cambridge until Monday night, then a night flight back to JFK. Current plan is to pack everything in a Red Oxx Skytrain and Metro which will fit inside the Skytrain. Im probably going to pack for the DC trip and bring the clothes for the Cambridge trip to my office on Tuesday. On Wednesday my assistant will FedEx the second set of clothes to my hotel in DC. On Friday on the way out I mail the DC clothes back to my office. That means I only have three days clothes packed at any time. That should be easy in the Skytrain in fact, it will be two days in the Skytrain and a spare day in the Metro (in a small folder). I might not even need to do the mailing thing. I will probably do a practice pack to get the size down. Thoughts?
Can you let us know your packing list? You might be able to get away quite easily with just a second set of clothes that your wife can bring you for the second trip when you stop over in NYC. The mailing thing sounds complicated to me; and costly. Time is money, too. You would probably be able to fit everything in the Skytrain anyway. I mean altogether you are gone for a total of six days. That's an easy fit even if you don't do laundry.
In the interest of light packing I'd still use the wife as a "laundry exchange agent" when you meet her on Friday. You pack beforehand and give the clothes in a plastic bag to your wife (or place it in the car she will use to meet you, so she cannot forget to take the bag). You then just repack the Skytrain in the trunk of your car. Actually bundle wrapping for that instance would help because you could easily take the old bundle out and replace it with the new one.
I'd take one shirt per day, one set of underwear per day. And only one extra pair of pants in addition to those you are wearing. If your feet are odor-free and you don't walk much you can dare to go two days on the same pair of socks. I know I can; maybe I am blessed. And one extra pair of shoes. That should be really all you need. You wear a reversible belt (if you are taking black and brown shoes, otherwise choose belt in color of shoes) and a sport coat on the plane. Possibly top that with an overcoat or trench or anorak. Cambridge will be a good bit cooler than DC, I suppose. A nice sweater for layering and changing the look a bit might also be a good idea. Or a fleece jacket.
I don't know your shirt size but mine come in at around 250g per shirt. So let's say you pack 3 shirts plus 3 days of boxers, t's and socks. That should be about 1200g max. Count 400g for the EC 18 folder. A leather sole size 9 lace-up shoe weighs easily 500g each, so 1kg for a pair of shoes.
My size M Polartec 100 (not sure but I think so) fleece jacket weighs 445g. An equal warmth thick cashmere pullover weighs 345 grams. Notice something...?
Well, the sweater doesn't have any pockets or zip and the fleece jacket does, so that might account for the weight difference.
Pants, let's see. A nice pair of pleated Super 100 wool pants in 34/32 weighs 426g. My Perry Ellis Portfolio Travel pants weigh 467 at the same size. So count another 500g per pair of pants.
Add around 500g for 311 baggie and razor, brush, comb etc.
Let's add up:
Shirts + underwear: 1200
Folder: 400
Sweater or Fleece: 500
Pants: 500
Shoes: 1000
Grooming: 500
That's 4100g, quite exactly 9lb.
Pack socks in shoes, shoes in plastic grocery bags. T's, shirts, and undies in folder. Wrap pants around folder starting with waist closest to folder. Put shoes in bottom of compartment or up the sides with heels pointing down. Put pant/folder bundle in bag. Put fleece or sweater on top to have it at hand. Toiletry bags go on top of that towards the narrow upper edge of the Skytrain or between shoes and clothes. If you do wear a trench or anorak, the 311 baggie can easily go into an outside pocket.
The pant packing method I mentioned can be used in your case but it comes basically down to the same thing. When you have a suitcase that you fill with folded clothes, you first put in the pants. You put them in with the waistband first and let the legs hang outside the edge of the suitcase. Then you fill the suitcase and finally fold the legs over. Not a single crease in your pant legs.
Since you probably have two EC18 folders anyway, this method would be super elegant. You could pre-pack the entire bundle at home as described above and put it in a plastic bag. Then you just swap out that the old bundle against the prepacked plastic bag. In principle you wouldn't even need to take stuff out of the plastic bag if it's neatly packed.
Very sweet arrangement, no? The second compartment is completely free for the Metro bag. The Fedex circus shouldn't be needed.
If ever, on your way back, you have more luggage, you can take the Metro out of the Skytrain and it will be your personal item.
So you are at 9lb packed items, 4lb four the Skytrain and 3lb for the Metro. That's 16lb. Probably your gadgets and papers in the Metro will be at least another 5lb. Be ready for a 21+ lb bag. I am 36, 6ft, 160lb and that's where I feel stuff is getting heavy but still doable. You'll have to see for yourself and you always have the backpack option. That weight is heavy on a shoulder but very easy if carried on the back.
Take care,
Till