Mo’ luggage, mo’ problems — from feeling cranky about lugging the stuff to paying through the nose to hire a taxi instead of just hopping on public transportation. Pack light, and you’ll waste no more time arguing with airport people about maximums, waiting for the baggage carousel, or trying to fit overstuffed carryons into spaces that are just too small.
You’ll save money too — on extra gas to move the extra weight, on flight luggage fees, on hotel porter fees, and on travel funds in general, since lighter bags mean you’ll be better able to opt for public transportation instead of being forced to hire a taxi. Shedding the weight will obviously be better for the environment — less fuel spent moving stuff around — but that’s just icing on the cake.
So pack light and travel easy — with these tips:
1. Keep a collection of small bottles and containers. Whether or not you’re dealing with anti-liquid laws on planes, having these small bottles around will let you squeeze into them just the amount of shampoo and lotion you need for the trip. Why lug big heavy bottles of liquid around — especially when any of that stuff can squish or spill and create problems?
Little bottles and travel-sized toiletries are easy to find in stores, but you can just as easily save sample containers you get for free. That’ll save money — and eliminate unnecessary packaging waste too.
2. Don’t carry packaging. Got a new outfit for your vacation? A new camera you’re saving to use at the first Blogher event? Take the stuff out of its packaging before putting it in your luggage. If your stuff needs padding, let your clothes double as strategic cushioning. If you’re afraid your nice shoes will get squished, use socks — that you plan to wear during the trip — to retain their shape.
3. Pick a color scheme. If you pick a neutral base color — say, black — for your travel wardrobe, you’ll be able to wear a new cute outfit everyday without carrying a separate outfit for everyday. This tactic will especially help you take fewer shoes — which have to be most women’s biggest luggage space hogs. Follow Mimi at La Mimi‘s advice: “Only take neutral colored shoes, because they will go with any outfit, regardless of the colors.”
Take basics in neutral colors too. Black pants will go with a variety of tops and scarves — and people will notice the tops and scarves a lot more than the pants, if you’re afraid someone will make fun of you for wearing the same thing twice. As Earth Wind & Power blog points out, “As long as you aren’t out rolling around in the mud or stinking up your clothes, most things can be worn more than once.”
4. Don’t pack stuff you’re not gonna use. This seems pretty obvious, except there’s some stuff I always take on trips then don’t use. That would be workout clothes! I’m not alone in this — Apparently, Sara at Cash on the Barrelhead has the same issue.
To be fair, I usually work out once — the first day — but just don’t use the other 3 outfits I’ve brought for the subsequent days! There are two ways to solve this dilemma: Don’t pack workout clothes — or work out more. I’m gonna go for the second option on the trips I’m taking this year. Ever the optimist –
Other common things that get packed then not used are work-related stuff, long books you couldn’t get around to reading at home but thought you’d somehow find the time to read during a really busy conference, and again, shoes.
5. Pack the usable reusables. A collapsible reusable bag, a cute reusable water bottle or coffee mug — These are things that’ll come in handy — as well as reduce luggage and save you money. No more buying plastic bottles at the airport when you can fill up free at the water fountain!
__
Last but not least — Keep in mind that fitting everything into one bag is not quite the same thing as packing light. First of all, the bag you choose needs to not be gargantuan. Second, you don’t want to pack the thing so tight so its weight’s more than you can handle comfortably. For up to a week-long trip, f you’ve fit everything into a bag that’ll fit into a plane’s overhead compartment, AND it’s light enough that you can lift it over your head to put it in said overhead compartment with relative ease, you’re good to go.
Got more light and eco packing tips? Share them in the comments!
Photo by Perfecto Insecto
Update, 6/9/09: Green and easy airport travel in Los Angeles
I try to pack shoes based on function rather than fashion. So for a week in Kauai, I may have three or four pairs of shoes–but that’s a pair of old running shoes (hiking), Tevas or equivalent (beach, water sports, hiking in mud), flip-flops (pool and going to dinner), and…hmm. Not sure what the fourth might be.
Comment by How Green Is My Valley — June 6, 2009 @ 6:59 pm
I’ve been using a shampoo bar for a while and it actually travels pretty well. You just need some sort of container for it or allow it to dry off before packing it. It won’t leak and is fairly compact when compared to a bottle of shampoo. Ecodent toothpowder can also be carried onto a plane and again, it is fairly compact when compared to a tube of toothpaste. Plus you can easily dump a little in a tiny container to carry a few day supply (sometimes I’ll make tiny origami paper cups and fold the flap over the top and secure it with a little clip or something).
As a hostess, I try to let people coming to stay at my place what I have on hand so that they can use it so they don’t have to bring unnecessary things along. I hold onto little samples I get for guests as well.
Of course you know yourself best, but it can also be a good idea to take along a tiny bit of laundry detergent in a small container as well. You can wash a couple of small items in the sink and let them air dry (make sure to consider how long some items take to dry though and if they will look super wrinkly afterward!) This only really seems reasonable if you are going to be gone for a week or something or your clothes will get super dirty.
Also, check the weather or talk to someone at the destination about weather!
M’s last blog post..on and on
Comment by M — June 7, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
nice post! I love packing tips and tricks :D
my best tip I have done and repeated often is packing little samples of lotions, face wash etc/ they do come in handy when traveling for only a few days. Im known for being a small backpack traveler even for 2+ weeks. yay
meligrosa’s last blog post..Los weekend events: Newsflash! Flashdandce!! & More
Comment by meligrosa — June 7, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
How Green — Your trips certainly sound much more active than mine! :)
M — Good point about the shampoo bars. I recently tried a soap that was multifunctional — could be used for body, hair, etc. It worked ok….
meli — I save a lot of little samples to use when I’m traveling too! :)
Comment by Siel — June 8, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
The secret to light packing is a dress which can go everywhere day and night. That dress for me is a DKNY Pure white organic cotton tank dress which is cool comfortable, already slightly wrinkled and can be washed by hand and hung up , dries quickly and doesn’t need ironing. It can be worn with any shoe from flip flops to flats, and different jewelry or none can dress it up or down. I just wish I could find more things like this…the best ever!
Comment by charla — July 25, 2010 @ 10:15 am
I recently took a trip across country back to my parents’ house. I usually take a lot of electronics/accessories with me as they are my “can’t leave home without it” items. Typically I take them all in a separate laptop bag which counts as my “personal item” on a plane. This trip however, I took nothing more than a back pack and a garment bag…so no separate bag for my electronics. I decided to not bring my laptop for once. The Internet is at any computer and I recently got an external USB harddrive for my saved files. It’s the size of a large wallet! For the accessories I emptied out a two-pocket zippered pencil case. I was able to fit two iPods (my classic and a touch), iPod charger, two flash drives, cell phone charger, and an extra SD card for digital camera. It was so convenient because they were all in one very thin container, instead of the separate cases that I purchased for each device when carrying them in a purse. I was also able to access all electronics quickly on the bus to the airport when I wanted to listen to my iPod and to place separately in the bin at security screening (some screenings are getting picky about all metal/electronics being separate). Using a pencil case was so convenient I’ve started carrying my iPod, cell and chargers to work this way, in my purse.
Comment by Sarah J — July 27, 2010 @ 6:22 am
charla — great tip about the dress :)
Sarah J — Wish I could take more laptop-free trips, but my next trip’s BlogHer ’10 and I just don’t think it’ll be possible! Nice idea about the pencil case though :)
Comment by Siel — July 29, 2010 @ 9:01 am
What you said is absolutely right !By carrying less luggage with us we can definitely reduce the extra amount charged by the cloak room members , Taxi Drivers , porters, and no need to for a longer period at airport baggage carousel. The steps you mentioned to make our luggage reliable is really constructive.
Comment by Hannah Hamilton@Garment Bag Luggages — November 10, 2010 @ 5:13 am
I certainly agree with the information you furnished above. It makes it quite simple on the needy and useless things. A little care should be taken while packing basing on the destined event. It is well explained taking time factor into account, I appreciate you for that. Keep up the good work.
Tom Holmes@Modern Home Bar´s last blog ..How to Stock Your Home Bar
Comment by Tom Holmes@Modern Home Bar — November 11, 2010 @ 4:21 am