Come geek out with me about packing
I’ll admit that I get obsessed with some strange things. And one of those is trying to become more and more efficient with my packing–seriously, if I could get by on a 5-day trip with just a toothbrush, a laptop, and some underwear, I would. And even though I can’t quite do that, I do try to pack as closely to that ideal as I can.
So I was all over this recent article in the New York Times about how flight attendants get by with just one small carry-on bag. That picture of the woman fitting over 40 items of clothing–and two pairs of shoes–into her small bag? Wow. I’ve now reread that article five times, and I’m not kidding.
After reading about the virtues of rolling clothes instead of folding them (which is really news to me, since I’ve been all about those packing cubes and packing envelopes for years now), I had to investigate further. Which meant searching for articles and videos of people rolling their clothes and smushing them into tiny bags, because that’s entertainment for me.
I also really liked this video by travel-master Rick Steves:
Why am I geeking out about all of this right now? Because next week I’m heading to New York for this fabulous event. Woot! Check out the lineup of other authors who will be there. So you can understand why I have to show up with more than just a toothbrush and underwear. But not much more–we’re a pretty casual bunch.
I know some of you out there are regular travelers (yes, Patrick, I’m looking at you), and I’d love to know if you’ve converted to rolling rather than folding, and if you have any more travel-light experiences and advice for me. Bring it! I am a work in progress, always looking for ways to improve. I’m all ears.
I backpacked for five weeks with Rick Steves’s backpack (purchased for me by my aunt, a constant traveler), and I love it. It’s carry-on sized, BUT it has an expandable zipper… for that flight on your way home when you’ve bought way more than you should have. I’ve had the bag for two years, and it goes everywhere with me. I generally hate rolling suitcases, and running to catch trains was much easier with a backpack rather than a duffel.
I’ve been rolling for years, and I still use those travel cubes, stuffing socks and underwear into gaps. I also stopped using my cumbersome toiletries bag–my German aunt sent me these cute flat-ish bags that are perfect for shoving in the top of the suitcase for all my non-liquid items.
And my last trick is mailing stuff home. My aunt’s family had a wedding in Sweden and then were going on a Grand Adventure, so they mailed their formal stuff home after the wedding and lived out of the Rick Steve’s bags. In Germany when we were going from the cold north to the warm and rainy south, we sent our sweatshirts and long-sleeves home in a box of souvenirs (mostly books for me, of course). Cheap padding, and it opened up a lot of room in our suitcases, particularly for the twelve pounds of Toblerone I bought in the airport.
Needless to say, Bethany, LOVE THIS. Thank you for sharing all of this! Very useful.
I learned to roll when I was in the Coast Guard, because you can only fit so much in a duffle. Rolling actually eliminates a lot of the wrinkles that come with folding.
I always carry a few gallon size ziploc bags. I roll my dirty clothes (particularly underwear) and stick them inside.
When I went to China for three weeks I packed surprisingly light. I did take washable underwear (there were folks who took 21 pairs of underwear, which is INSANE!) and socks and just two pair of shoes–the walking shoes I wore and a pair of sandals.
I took two scarves which fit into just about any space and added color and dressed up every piece of clothing.
Tricia, thank you! This is great information! You are definitely a pro packer. I need this.
Yes. I roll. I’ve been a roller for years. I’ve tried a lot of differnt things. I had vacuum bags at one point, but they weren’t more effective than rolling. Multi-use/multi-purpose goes a long way.
Because I travel with a laptop, I really only have one bag to pack, and the laptop bag goes under the seat. Sometimes I use the laptop bag for clubbing people in First Class who bring two full sized roll-aboards and hoard the overhead bins because they feel entitled.
Shoes are the hardest to pack. I stopped bringing running shoes because they took up too much space. Instead, I’ve changed to a yoga/body weight exercise routine in the hotel room, rather than going down to the gym.
I try to make it through the week with just one pair of shoes. Usually a dress shoe. Sometimes I bring a pair of sandals that take up very little space.
I usually plan on wearing pants twice, so for a 5 day trip, I wear one pair there and pack two. I make sure there’s variety in the shirts that I match with them though so it doesn’t look like the same outfit and I never wear the pants two days in a row.
That event looks awesome! I can’t believe you’re going to get to meet Barry Lyga!!!!
Yeah. Tricia has it right. I put dirty clothes in a bag for the trip home. Well, socks and undies. I use the hotel bag. Every hotel has a plastic bag hanging in the closet with a slip for laundry service. I just grab that bag for the trip home rather than pack my own.
I also keep my travel sized sundries in an outer pouch of my bag. I’ve stopped taking them out at the security line, but if they bitch, they are easy to grab without opening up my clothes.
Last airport told me I was technically supposed to take my Kindle out of my bag too. News to me. I only get my laptop out.
Patrick, this is great! Thank you. Really useful.
Thanks especially for the tip about slugging people in first class. Got it.
As for the teen festival–I know! Doesn’t that look great? I can’t wait to see Barry again–dude totally owes me money.
My husband didn’t believe in rolling until I got everything into our bags after Christmas. The bags were full (but not stuffed) to begin with and we managed to get everything — train set, puppets, and even the soccer ball that was our last priority. Rolling rocks!
All right, Alysa! Nice testimonial! You actually fit in a soccer ball? Wow. Sold!
I tend to travel light when I head to to NYC, and I do it by coordinating one main color – generally black – so I can mix and match as needed. Easy to pack accessories make the outfit.
I traveled with a choir in Europe for six weeks with one big bag, and boy did I learn the benefits of making sure that the everything went together.
Yeah, I totally agree about picking one main color and coordinating to that. Plus I’m a major spiller, so black shirts and dark jeans are a necessity.
Thanks, Pam!
WOW! I’m bookmarking this post to refer back to when I go to ALA in Washington next month…less space taken up by clothes=I can bring back more loot, right?
Now, the question is…how does this translate into packing up your entire HOUSE and moving to a different house? I’m moving to a new place next week, and every time I look at my stack of boxes that need to have stuff put in them, I cringe, because there’s no such thing as traveling light, even though I’m making huge donations to charity etc. to keep from taking stuff that I don’t need/use/want.
Oh, wow, Elizabeth–I do not envy you the house packing. SO not fun. I’m assuming the new place is nice, so that will be fun, but the things you need to do to get there–ugh.
Good luck!!!
Hi there! This is an OT comment, as I’m brand new here and simply sending a “thank you” message. Thank you for being a great author.
Loved “Fat Cat” and will read the “Evolution” one soon. Loved how you got your wonderful message across [in "Fat Cat"] without preaching. -grin-
Btw, I’m a “Nana” in her 70′s, who got hooked on Young Adult fiction, after “Twilight.” Still hooked. Still loving YA. But… Not all YA fiction is created equal, of course. ,-) Glad to have found you-as-writer.
Gentle hugs…
I’m a roller. I even roll the stuff in my dresser. It’s easier to look through that way and it gets less wrinkled.
Even with the rolling, though, I still always have a HUGE bag when I travel. I could really stand to work on this.
Also, YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY TBF! I’m really looking forward to it! Pack light and travel safely!
Aunt Amelia, I’ll take an OT comment like that any day!! Thank you so much for what you said–and not just the nice things about FAT CAT. I really love to hear from other adults who love reading YA as much as I do. We are our own special community–glad to meet someone else who’s part of it!
Adrienne, I’m feeling all yay about Teen Book Festival Live, too! Even though it looks like Rochester is going to be cold and rainy this weekend, I don’t care–the warmth is inside with everybody there! Woot! See you soon!
There was a MESSAGE in Fat Cat? I loved all the LaserSword Battles! KERZAP! Pew pew!! XEXXZap! *Leaps*
Dear P:
I’m pretty sure you’ll take this as a compliment: You are the shallowest person I know.
Welcome, Aunt Amelia! Come for the great books and Robin-awesomeness. Stay for the chocolate zucchini bread.
Note to self…figure out way to send newcomers chocolate zucchini bread fresh from oven as welcome present. This might increase Robin’s blog hits.
Quite the bonus that would be! But you know, it’s that old “feed a blog commenter some chocolate zucchini bread, she eats for 2 days (or in my case 1 day of feasting). Teach a blog commenter to bake it herself, she can eat it whenever she likes!” You know that saying, right?
Hello! I am new to your blog. You are great! I’m nothing like any Patricks you may know!
*waits for bread to appear*
And to think I almost sent that to spam . . .
pew pew *dives* ker-zzap pew pew
“We have to disable the Fat Reactor!” *cartwheels* pew
“I am your brother!”
“You aren’t Peter!” pew pew, Rrrrr-pow!
“Ouch. Now you die!” *ignites Fat Reactor*
Patrick, you kidnapped me, took me to a remote moon base, and tied me to an uncomfortable chair. I’m also given to understand that you employ (enslave?) a shoe-tying gnome. I know you are saying that was a year ago, but I have a long memory for injustices, both to myself and the gnome population.
To give you bread would totally mess with my conscience…but the recipe’s here somewhere so you can always bake it yourself.
what ever happened to my shoe-tying gnome? Did he run off?