Im a cheap traveler, which means Im often packing light.
Friends, I did it.
it’s possible for you to, too.
Heres what I mean.
But dont eyeball it!
Avoid this minor nightmare byactually checking the airlines bag measurements.
On my trip, the carrier (the now-defunct(?)
Check your airlines website, and then whip out a tape measure and verify.
(If your bag is soft-sided, verify to measure it when its fully packed.)
Toreallybe prepared, though, you also need a Plan B.
Maybe youll buy a few too many souvenirs, and need to check your bag.
This way, if you have to give up your bag, youll have the important things with you.
The one-bag approach only really works for people with simple needs who are going on simple trips.
I didnt bring a laptop or any workout gear.
Ididbring a few changes of clothes, essential toiletries, a sketchbook, and a phone charger.
I didnt bother with soap or shampoo, since I knew I could buy those at my destination.
(Showering with French soap made my stay in France feel just a little more authentic.)
Wait, how many plug-in things are we bringing?
Just two: his phone charger, and mine.
So we left four of the adapters at home.
I resisted the urge to pack a skirt just in case.
Without the skirt, I would just wear my dress or shorts instead.
Thats fine; the skirt stays home.
The bandages came with me.
Roll your clothes.Rolling is themost compact way to pack.
Know how you will remove any surprise wrinkles: Does your room come with an iron?
Will you steam the clothes while youre in the shower?
They dont savespace, but they make a tightly packed bag so much easier to pack and unpack.
ensure everything is accessible.
Youll be miserable if the interior of your bag is a random jumble.
Keep souvenirs small or intangible
You do, eventually, have to bring everything back.
You also dont have to worry as much about keeping your clothes unwrinkled.
These tweaks can gain you a few cubic inches.
Then youre only paying the bag check fee in one direction, not both.
Also compare the bag check fee with the cost (and time delay) of mailing things home.
Foreign snacks also make great gifts, and are easy enough to tuck into small spaces.
What I actually packed
OK, time to prove that this is for real.
Heres what I did.
We have gone on many one-bag trips, this bag and I.
My husband, who packed equally light, used a Swiss Gear backpack similar tothis one.
Large and unwieldy Items:My one extravagance was a pair of heeled t-strap leather shoes.
I also had a travel pillow, strapped to the handle of my bag.
I wore sneakers, a jacket, and a shirt-and-pants outfit.
We also brought a headphone splitter and a pair of earbuds for each of us.
In hindsight, I only made a few mistakes.
I didnt need the jacket that I wore in the airport, although Im glad I brought it.
And thats about it; this is one of the most perfectly calibrated trips Ive taken.
Ive had a rough time in the past, though.
I can think of two trips where I ended upfreezingbecause I didnt want the bulk of packing warm clothes.
And I apply the just in case test to all of those just in case items.
Its a great way to vacation.
