Same here. It also helps to be not too picky about the personal care products you use. I'm quite happy to use hotel shampoo, airline toothpaste, etc. I'm always amazed by people that feel that their appearance will be irreparably damaged by the use of a different brand of moisturizer for a couple of days.

I'm somewhere between "light" and "it depends" because it depends on the reason for the trip. I do some work with a cruise line and if my trip includes a ship visit that can be a couple of weeks long, then I am usually doing public appearances. That means I need to bring along some "show" clothes. BUT, there are marvelous lightweight knits that look great with glittery bling, and once I'm offstage, I depend on stuff I can pack light and wash as needed. (TravelSmith or Orvis are great finds.)

Also end up needing makeup, but there are some marvelous small kits that don't take up much room at all and I can do my TV makeup when onboard the ship.

Other business trips are shorter and I can usually do those with a backpack and a small rollaboard. The longer trips usually require a checked bag slightly bigger than a legal rollaboard. Just gotta depend on washables and knits.

I agree about the whole "why bring the lotions, etc." discussion. Then again, I"m a big "travel size" fan for anything, and that keeps me from having to dash out early in the trip to get stuff. But, later on, yeah -- that's why there are drug stores and chemists in each port.

I used to pack everything that I though I might possibly need.
After a few trips checking and then dragging around an almost 50lb bag, I realized that I could do without more than half of the stuff I had packed.

I pack pretty light now. If it's domestic and for 5 days or less, and I am not bringing any tools, I don't check a bag. I know that since most of my trips are to medium or larger towns or cities, I can get anything that I really need once there.

Mych

Yep, just happened to notice this. It's true for me too.
I used to pack heavy, but when I started traveling for a living, I realized that the old ball and chain suitcase packed full of stuff I never used needed to go.
Since then, it's just a carry-on for the week - sometimes as long as 2 weeks. They have these neat things called "Washing Machines" in hotels and laundromats that I have learned to use while traveling with one or two changes of clothes.

Are you kidding? Light as a feather ALWAYS. I don't care how far away or for how long, I will NEVER check a bag (gate checks excluded)

This is the modern age. Most hotels have laundry. So do people you visit. So do cities..they are called "Laundromats". They also have blow dryers, sewing kits and everything you may need. You can also buy stuff while there if you find yourself lacking something critical..

Nothing beats avoding the check in line and the baggage claim. And having everything with you also helps.

Since I signed-up for Global Entry, my packing philosophy has changed. Since almost all my travel is international and often for quite a few days, I used to almost always check bags (and I would pack more than I really need). Now that I don't have to wait in line at passport control in the U.S., I do my best to go with carryon only, so I can literally be in a taxi 5 minutes after the plane reaches the gate.

Trouble is that in many countries I visit you can't get European sized clothes, it's hard to find an English speaking chemist and you might find laundromats in backpacker areas of cities but I don't want to have to treak across town and spend an hour watching my washing go round - surely that wastes the saving made by not waiting for baggage?

I think there is a big difference between travelling within North America / Europe and in the developing world; similalry major cities versus smaller towns.

Yes, in the developing world you can get your laundry done for really cheap. As an example, on my last big vacation, in Laos, I got about 10 kg of laundry done at a laundry service half a block from my hotel in Luang Prabang. It cost less than $15. One day turnaround, and they did a very fine job.

I pack lightly and try to go only with carry-ons as much as possible, but let's be realistic: bringing a larger bag and checking it isn't a crime, isn't terribly expensive, and in many cases isn't much of a hassle to deal with.

For example, on two-week trips overseas I sometimes give in and take a large suitcase, checked. Using that bag allows me to have a comfortable change of shoes and more clean shirts. I save time and money by not needing to do laundry. And you know what that larger bag costs me? Nothing. It is a bit bigger and heavier than my roll-aboard but it's no problem to wheel it from the airport to the taxi line and then from the hotel lobby to my room. "Checked bag" does not have to be synonymous with "steamer trunk".

Because half my carry-on's medical equipment and meds/pills and half is camera gear, I essentially pack all my clothing into a checked bag. I generally pack a roll of bubble wrap just in case I buy something fragile, but I'm usually only slightly overpacked. So I'd say medium with the carry-on caveat.

I have had laundry done in a tiny town in the arctic...a local woman would do it all for 10 CDN. Never had to buy clothes there though!

I always travel light, never checking. I remember going on family vacations for 2 weeks to the Mediterraneran, or 3 weeks to Australia, or just a week in the states, and never checking...One time Lufthansa made us gate check in Frankfurt, but that was expected....


Those are the "extreme" examples! Normally for short trips, carry on only is easy. Never worrying if they'll lose a bag, if it'll be damaged, but for me, it's the time that really kills! Dropping off a bag can be annoying, even in Air Canada's exec. check in, and then picking it up takes a while!

Now, the only times I have checked are

1) Shopping trip to NYC with the family. Enough said.
2) Month in Europe- even with that, my checked bag is standard North American Carry on sized (Have carried it on AC many times).

Carryons relatively light..

Checked bags.. maxed out except for the big one, so we can meet the weight requirements..

Well, I've never quite mastered the art of packing... I just put everything I can think of in my suitcase and try very hard to zip it :P It's quite embarassing, when I show up for a weekend trip with 40 lbs of luggage.

This has been a fun thread to read through.


I must be a smelly guy because I usually have a full 27" and a 22" on my week long trips. Funny thing is I use everything I take and have a lot of laundry to do on the weekend. My Dell projector occupies half of the 27".