Carry-on-only FT women- what "luxury" item do you bring?
 

Just curious as to what "luxury" some of the women FT'ers that travel with one bag carry on that they could do without, but bring it anyhow. Luxury in terms of the weight or space they take up in your luggage, not necessarily in price.

Women specific - while I'm curious what the men bring but could leave out, some men seem to point towards females being "over packers" which got me wondering, what is it that I know I pack but could live without? Let's face it. Many of the FT women are superb one carry-on and optional personal item packers :) And what would the women point out as something men don't need to pack but do?

I bring 2+ paperback books prior to kindle, now 1+ paperback and kindle. Yes, I tote the books home, too... My 311 bag is also a bit fancy with small bottles of face cream and nice shampoo. A small bit of knitting to keep my hands busy. I could do without these items but don't want to and will toss something else out of my bag first.

Things I've "done without": extra pair of shoes, a round hairbrush and making do with a folding one, makeup, laptop :) , and living dangerously without chargers for a 2 day trip. Yes, I once sacrificed most beauty aides for knitting supplies and an extra book. Then I bought a slightly bigger bag.

I've seen other people bring hardback books which boggles my mind. One man at SJC had two laptops but he did look like IT.

I never leave without my vibrator...:D

This is an excellent question. I pack differently for work travel than vacation travel. I'll answer this for vacation travel, which is usually of longer duration than a business trip. Even if I'm gone two or three weeks I will only bring a carry-on and a personal item. I never check luggage.

I think my biggest/bulkiest luxury item is my Bose headphones. I only use them on the plane on the way there and back, and then have to tote them all around in between on trains and everything else, and usually in business class they give you nice headphones anyway, so it does seem silly. The amount of space these take up for how long I actually use them is probably a waste. I just like them so much, though.

Other than that, I've really got my stuff pared down to essentials.

Chocolate.....and my silk dreamsack.

Books. I must have books. I buy cheap at library sales, and discard as I finish each one. Either my luggage is lighter when I return home, or I have space for purchases.

I have a pashmina that's big enough to use as a blanket. It takes up very little room, but if I need the space for something else I use it as a shawl.

I do like my own small down blanket. I don't have room on every trip for it, but it's my 'luxury' space-taking item when I can make it fit.

I carry along my own tea and tea making gear. Have to! Having my own tea, een on a cruise ship, helps me to feel right.

The second (round) hairbrush.

I am a fanatically light packer. I'll wear the same three blouses and two skirts for an infinite number of days on business trips, have no problem using airline amenity kit toothpaste and moisturizer as well as hotel room shampoo and conditioner, and don't wear makeup. But I never travel without that round brush.

I also bring my running clothes and sneakers everywhere. The sneakers take up a lot of room in a 20-inch rollaboard, but I manage to fit everything anyway. It helps to be small and have small clothes!

I almost always pack my Elchim hairdryer.

The "what to do with your purse" question was debated on WSJ.com last week:
http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2010/04/...siness-travel/

Tea is a must for me as well. If I can't fit a little hot water kettle, then I bring a thermos and better quality tea bags. For hot water I go to a cafe and buy the largest tea they have with teabag on the side, fill my thermos from the cup, and pop the bag into the cup.

The hot water kettle is an electric one found at a Chinese market. It is about 3.5 " x 4" x 8" if I remember correctly.

I'm still on the lookout for a good ceramic travel mug but no luck so far. Small thermos or travel tea mug it is until I find a good ceramic travel mug.

l'etoile, have you seen the pillow stuff sacks? http://www.basegear.com/granite-gear-dream-sack.html How small can you get your blanket to squish down to? The smallest I've seen is a football (American).

I hadn't seen those before. Thanks.

I have a compression stuff sack that's the same idea for my sleeping bag when I take it kayaking. They're like these and turn my whole sleeping bag into basically a rock-hard American-sized football if I compress it enough using the straps. http://www.sunnysports.com/prod/KLTC...&ci_sku=KLTCSS I hadn't thought of something like that for the blanket. With a real good compression sack I could probably get it really small.

Okay, about the down blanket!

I have one of these, in black: The Eddie Bauer Down Travel Throw & Pillow Set.

I can't figure out how to link directly to that item b/c of their website code but look on this page and you'll see it there:
http://www.eddiebauer.com/EB/Bedding...rows/index.cat

It's lovely... the blanket folds up into the case and the case is a perfect pillow. Or, you can take the blanket out and use it as a blanket and stuff an airline pillow into the case. It packs up very, very flat. It also has a velcro loop you can tie around your suitcase handle.

I don't carry this every time, but if I think I want to sleep and have room for it, its wonderful.