evergrn

So far, I've ordered that duffle bag you showed me, plus Specter cubes. I'm on the lookout for a shaver

Was going to get a universal AC adaptor for our laptops. But upon research I've found out that computer experts are not recommending universal adaptors and that one really should get the OEM adaptor. It's >$50 for mine and my wife's combined. Plus I'm definitely getting a new laptop next year. So I think I should hold off.

CDTraveler

What kind of laptop is not dual voltage?

The adapter I carry simply takes my American style 2 prong plug and then plugs into different types of outlets. It is not a voltage converter as my laptop doesn't need one.

If you meant a variation on a power cord, you'd consider $50 a bargain if you'd forgotten your power cord, had 24 hours in a strange city to finish a 48 page document before presenting it to people who could make your career and Amazon overnight delivery wasn't available. (been there...)

Kiwi Flyer

I'm also in the camp of never fully unpacking. Travelling often means I have a routine to repack that doesn't take long - clothes, toiletries, papers, electronics all have their regular place if out of the luggage and a "reserved" spot where I put them in the luggage.

NotSoFrequentColorado

I can't think of anything I pack that would be super-dusty. And I must say I've never in my life felt compelled to wipe down a cable or adapter plug at any time! Besides, all my techie doodads are packed together in a zipper bag where I can find them.
I've never purchased packing cubes, but I save those clear plastic zipper bags that sheets and blankets come in. I use them to pack underwear and socks, so those things are easy to find and don't migrate around my suitcase.
I have a pretty detailed generic packing list mostly for toiletries and small items that might be forgotten. I don't keep an always-packed set of that stuff because every trip is different.
My best packing hack is the one mentioned earlier, about grabbing all hanging clothes at the last minute and folding them into the suitcase still on hangers. Been doing that for over 10 years and it saves so much time at every stop.
I'm retired and only do about 4 trips a year so I have the leisure to pack gradually over several days, but I think my process is efficient enough I could do it quickly if necessary!

jrl767

double up shirts, pants, and jackets (2 of each on a single hanger) to reduce the number (i.e., weight) of hangers ...

dulciusexasperis

I've used a Braun travel razor for decades now without a problem. I don't know how many shaves I get out of it on a pair of AA batteries but it is certainly more than a couple of weeks worth.
https://us.braun.com/en-us/male-groo...en/mobileshave

I personally still use the old original model which is a bit smaller. http://thebuyersclub.com/BuyersClub/pic/br370.jpg

evergrn

Thanks. I did look at that one, but I don't know if I want to bother with batteries. Braun's next cheapest model apparently does not work when plugged in, which is a problem since those internal batteries die fast. My only and only shaver (also a Braun) stopped charging after a couple years, so I've been using it plugged in all these years and I don't mind.

chrisl137

I think he's referring to a "universal" power supply that will support two different laptops, rather than one that will take multiple voltage and frequencies of mains input. It's been a while since I've seen a switching power supply that won't work anywhere in the world as long as you have the correct pins on the plug.

Travel & Leisure

Yes, I agree with those who say, keep your personals in the carryon between trips.. But suggest if you have to use pods, just use ziplocs; they weigh less and are more flexible. Hairbrush, toothbrush/paste, small lotion, luggage scale all in top easy-access exterior of carryon. Skip electric toothbrush; if you need, just get simple battery one, Keep an extra battery one in your closet to replace when battery goes dead (likely time to replace the toothbrush anyhow). Keep swimsuit in bag all the time, too. Don't carry CPAP in the bag they give you for that purpose, carry it in carryon as well as meds. Lock the carryon when traveling if you do this, in case you have to gate check it. Yes, I know 'they say' don't even gate check these items, but... Still, never CHECK through those things.. Also, you can stash valuables in locked bag when out of the room. Probably no less safe than the room safe. Also, leave in small gaffers or duct tape, extra eyeglasses in hardsided case, sunglasses, hat, extension cord, multiples of adaptors, and small umbrella for the sun or rain (esp if going to hot country)

If you're saying you can't fit CPAP into carryon, check out websites for CPAPs to see how small they can get, and get one with lithium batteries, shorter tube, and learn to use the machine without humidity, forever. If you travel a lot, you will learn that convenience is worth not haggling the insurance company over.

Invest in high quality luggage. Someone mentioned Eagle Creek pods as being good. I have tested their luggage time an time again over the last 12 years (same luggage). I've had zippers start tearing away from the fabric, nothing catastrophic while traveling, but sent them back for a no-cost new zipper. I don't know how they do it, but they tout, "Our Name is our Guarantee." And over the years, I believe it. Have had to buy bigger luggage while traveling and always do EC, though it may be more expensive option.

Packing is easier and faster the more you do it. I don't even unpack most of the time, just take out rolled up dirty clothes if I know I'm going again soon. Unpack before the next trip, rearrange clothes. Trips to extreme climates make it tougher. When I have two nights at the same hotel, I pack less and send out to laundry as soon as I arrive, do quick dries in sink or shower right then as well.

Any questions? Safe travels to all. T&L

sbm12

That would never cross my mind. But I also don't live somewhere that a week means collecting significant dust. If that's really a problem I'd start to worry about keeping the house cleaner.

Nope.

darthbimmer

I can pack for a 1-2 week trip in under 30 minutes, a shorter trip in maybe 10 minutes. Here are a few techniques that have helped me reduce the time required:

1) I keep a set of toiletries plus toothbrush and hair brush dedicated to travel. This saves me the time of rounding up my regular items from the bathroom. It also greatly reduces the chance that I forget some toiletry.

2) I keep these toiletries and other items I customarily use only for travel (e.g., a light canvas satchel and my secondary pair of swim trunks) on a shelf near my laundry, where I pack my bag. Having many of the items I need near to hand helps cut the time. It reduces unpacking time, too, as I only have to put these items back on their dedicated shelf.

3) Finally, practice makes perfect. Traveling numerous times per year helps me get the time down.

quick_dry

I'm a bit late to the party, but this one speaks to my travel habits as I'm the same with my socks and other gear.

Do you wring them out with a towel?

After washing them and wringing them out by hand, lay them all out on a bath towel, then roll the towel up tightly - I find "peak sock drying" is if they're set out at an angle. Stand on one end and twist it all as much as you can, REALLY crank it down, then pull up on it, then crank some more. They should come out of it nearly dry.

If you need to bump up the drying rate, if things can hang above the back of the TV - they're an awesome source of hot air, much better than hanging on the inner 'rails' on those free-standing lamps they love to put in hotels instead of giving us good overhead lighting.

(I tend to stockpile towels and see a laundry cart with fresh unguarded towels as if it were an unprotected treasure chest )

(In regard to OP's question: I have travel luggage that pretty much stays packed from one trip to the next, and my backpack has duplicates of everything I'll use "carry on" wise e.g. cords, jacket, etc. The only differences each trip tend to be specific equipment or uniform depending on who or where I'm playing)

CDTraveler

Well, yes, I have tried to dry natural fiber socks with a towel and it's a pointless waste of time. I went to college in New England, with long, wet, cold winters and lacking convenient access to laundry facilities, tried just about every trick you can imagine to get socks dry quickly. Short of a clothes dryer, the only thing that worked was 24 to 36 hours on a radiator, which isn't exactly quick.

p.s. TV's only generate hot air if you turn them on. I don't.

lwildernorva

If my hotel room has a hair dryer in the bathroom, I use it to speed drying of everything, including socks. This is a watched kettle situation--I never use the dryer on the inside of a sock for more than 60 seconds and will turn off the dryer sooner than that if I get a scorched smell, but one or two shots of that treatment, such as immediately after wringing them out and maybe once more before bed, and I generally find socks of normal thickness, as opposed to thick hiking-types socks, will be dry in the morning. Since I usually take a shower just before heading out to dinner and do any laundry in the shower as opposed to the sink, I am leaving about 12 hours for my clothes to dry.

I also tend to have one synthetic top (golf style polo usually) and one synthetic underwear pair packed per trip. If the trip is longer than a week, I drop the remainder of my clothes off at a cleaner every six to eight days or if my accommodations have really convenient laundry facilities, I'll take 90 minutes to do my own laundry. If picking up my laundry is delayed, then I reuse the synthetic stuff for one more day. Part of my trip planning now for longer trips includes locating cleaners near the accommodations on my route.

Small and travel dedicated toiletry bag that's always with my luggage. When I say small, I mean it--it's one of those pencil pouches that Office Depot sells for school kids. I found that going minimalist on the toiletries made me reevaluate everything I carry. I also have dedicated electronics accessories, such as a five-port USB charger and USB cables, as well as a small folding umbrella and sunglasses that also stay with my luggage.

A consistent packing list that I keep in Dropbox and occasionally revise has sped up my packing. I agree with others who have noted that practice makes perfect. I've used this travel list for about four years now, and given my various dedicated packing items, sometimes I can pack solely from memory. In fact, I even know that my most efficient packing strategy puts a pair of shoes, stuffed with socks and underwear, at the bottom of my bag with my clothing (packed bundle style) at the top. A brown to black reversible braided belt means I usually don't have to pack a belt other than the one I wear on the plane.

I did a six-week trip to Scotland in 2014 and packed everything in one Briggs and Riley carryon with a separate laptop bag for electronics. Since that trip, I've downsized my electronics, now pack my small hybrid laptop in my main bag, and have done 10 days trips to Ireland using a smaller bag than the B&R. If I'm going on a golf trip, it takes about an hour to pack everything; if it's a non-golf trip, I'm done in about 20-30 minutes.

Duke787

Bit late to the party as well but I typically pack in about 15 minutes and unpack in 5. Echo many of the sentiments that are already in here

My tips:

1) Always visualize and think through what I need before I start packing. Then it's just a matter of execution and finding or ironing things as needed. Unless I'm going to the middle of nowhere, I also assume I can either do laundry or dry cleaning if needed (for work it's reimbursed if over 4 nights of travel so absolutely no need to pack more 2-3 work shirts and work pants).

2) Separate set of toiletries that's always packed and ready to throw into my backpack (use one of my DL Tumi soft case amenity kits which is the perfect size and shape)

3) Separate set of all cords that's always in my travel backpack along with my Bose headphones, 1 travel adapter, and the country specific Macbook charger adapter

4) Separate pair of travel sneakers (cross-trainers that I can run and walk in) and only 1 additional pair of shoes (if it's the black pair, I make my work clothes match black shoes, if a brown pair ditto, makes it simple and streamlined).

5) Two, 7 day pill containers that are in my backpack empty and just need to be filled before departing

Another big change I've made recently is that I've stopped feeling pressured to never check a bag. When I was consulting, I never ever checked a bag, I only took my carry-on because checking a bag cost too much time and given the amount of travel that added up over the course of the year.

Now my trips are not as frequent and so I've found myself more willing to actually check my bag which gives me more space and actually cuts down on my packing time because I throw a couple extra things in just in case instead of having to go back and rationalize everything in my bag. I can still do the carry-on (did for a 6 day work trip to Europe a couple of weeks ago) but being open to a checked bag again opens up more possibilities.