Have you ever hauled around 3 or 4 suitcases and wondered for a moment how all those business travelers and minimalist do it? How can anyone travel for 2 or more weeks with just one bag? It all seems so effortless to them, doesn’t it?
I was brought up by a mom who didn’t believe in limits. Baggage limits, suitcase weight limits, none of that. She didn’t care. She would happily pack away her life away and pay for whatever.
She still does.
She is fabulous like that. And yet… I was never fully convinced with her methods and ways.
But I get it. It is difficult… sometimes it is even controversial to be a minimal packer.
I mean, isn’t affluence demonstrated by having endless options?
From a consumerist culture with airlines that inflate their prices with even the “first checked bag fee”, to endless commercials every day showing you products that you “absolutely need.” We are constantly sold on the idea that we need 100+ essential items at all times.
And yet… we don’t.
I’ve been successfully traveling the world with just one carry-on bag for the past 10 years.
Please Note: This article is based on my experiences traveling with simply a carry on and a personal item. Never checking a bag. I know there’s a lot of die-hard one baggers that don’t consider this “One Bag Travel”. Heck, there’s even a whole subreddit about the topic! But I really like to be able to access my snacks, phone, passport and toiletries without frantically unzipping my carry on.
How do you people do it? How big are your pockets? Do you wear a trench coat Inspector Gadget style? My personal item tote can easily fold and fit into my one bag.
This post is all about 7 lessons and tips to successfully travel the world with just one bag.
1. Packing One Bag is a Psychological Game.
Oh wouldn’t it be so easy if it was just about logically packing? Same thing with money, it is never that simple.
The biggest enemies of minimalist packing are the little thoughts that get in you head:
“What if I need this? What if I want to wear this? Maybe this trip I will finally wear this dress that still has tags? What if the weather changes?”
I have been trying to pack only things that I will definitely use on my trip for years. And yet, no matter how light I pack, there is always one…or maybe even two items which are just dead weight.
And there’s nothing good about dead weight. I smile imagining the day when I return from a trip and realize I used every single item I packed.
In my mind, I’m this girl who will go to the store near her hotel and buy a bottle of bubbly. She will arrive at her hotel and take a leisurely nap. Then, she will wake up refreshed, open the champagne, and take a bath while giving herself a facial, curling her hair, painting her nails, and taking 3 to 4 hours to have a fantastic spa afternoon in her hotel room while sipping luxurious wine.
Here’s the reality: I’ll get to my room (usually with my husband, we often travel together), take a shower, glam up in zoom mode, and GO. We go find some food, find a cool bar, find some music, find a comedy show or a speakeasy.
We just go.
No nap, no nothing.
And yet… I always pack all these travel-sized spa items that I swear I will use and need!
I will fill my TSA-approved bag with 2 nail polishes and 3 body scrubs for a 4-day trip. Really??? Why? Once, I filled my bag with face masks, body lotions, a flat iron, and a curler. Consequently, I didn’t use any of it during that one trip.
Obviously, I either got some issues to work out about myself, or not enough vacations. Probably both.
A couple of years ago, for a birthday trip, I packed a bottle of champagne for the hotel room. We went out all night and when we got back, during my tipsy excitement, I declared “we MUST have champagne! It is my birthday!” like a drunk diva.
He popped the champagne, I had a sip, and fell instantly asleep 2 minutes later.
It was such a nice bottle, he told me he had to drink some of it at least. Seemed like such a waste! Champagne while watching The Simpsons with me completely asleep next to him.
Yep, I packed a bottle of bubbly and had exactly one sip.
This was for a roadtrip, but it was a significant space in my bag! It took the space of my PJs. What can I say, I was in a birthday suit kind of mood.
Yes champagne, no PJs.
Here’s my advice: If your time is limited, and more importantly, if you are traveling with company (family or your partner), limit your glam items.
Try to imagine a realistic itinerary with the time available to you.
Pack layers for any unexpected cold temperatures. There’s nothing wrong with wearing a short-sleeved shirt plus a long sleeve shirt plus a jacket if it gets unexpectedly cold.
If you want perfect nails and a hair updo, go to the salon. If you want a spa day, go to the spa. You are on vacation after all, and some countries have amazing services and amenities at a fraction of what the cost would be in the U.S.
If it is still a splurge, many times it is worth it! It can elevate your travel experience without weighing you down with baggage.
If you are traveling alone, then yes, pack all the self-care stuff you want and relax.
One of the reasons I love solo travel is that you can stick to your own schedule and itinerary without anyone else waiting for you.
2. You ALWAYS Need Less Than You Think.
Here’s a famous travel quote:
“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.”
Susan Heller
I always thought this was ridiculous and unrealistic, as someone who travels frugally and looks for amazing value in experiences, like taking public transport in European cities or eating in locally loved restaurants instead of touristy overpriced ones.
Twice the money is not always a possibility.
However, the part about packing half of what you need is often true.
Even with one bag, many times I have packed something that I don’t wear -like a too risqué dress or a strappy top-.
This happened often because I didn’t try on the garment, and think about when I was going to wear it. I just packed it as an impulse.
Which brings me to the next lesson…
3. Wear Everything a Week Before You Travel, and Be Honest with Yourself.
Sometimes this is difficult, but I’m asking you to get real with yourself. 100% real.
One week before you go, try all your outfits on.
Everything you are packing.
Try. It. On.
And walk around the house too!
How do you feel? Imagine walking cobblestone streets, sitting on buses, walking miles in it.
All depending on your planned activities, of course.
Imagine attending shows or going to dinner reservations.
Ask yourself this: Is anything ill-fitting? Is anything uncomfortable? Is anything too tight?
LEAVE IT.
Really, please, do me that favor. Don’t take it.
You think you can lose 5 pounds and fit that dress better in a week? You think garments will expand and fit your figure better when wearing them?
These are valid and real possibilities. But even more real is the chance that you will remember how you felt, and not wear this item during your trip. The big chance of it becoming dead weight.
Never underestimate the power of your memory and your feelings: People act a certain way every day on the memory of how they felt. Many times this is more powerful than facts and logic.
Do yourself a favor and only take things that look and feel great on you. Travel becomes a lot easier when all your outfit options are great options.
4. Playing the One Bag Travel Money Game.
When you travel with one bag, You save yourself money on airfare by being a light packer. You save on baggage fees. And because storage space is limited, chances of shopping for a bunch of clothes or souvenirs are limited.
I have the habit of writing and sending postcards from around the world to friends and family, instead of bringing random trinkets.
Another habit is to get a coaster or a fridge magnet for my house. Packing light is great for your wallet!! The extra savings have often allowed me to afford amazing experiences everywhere I go.
For the budgeting side of travel, I like to play the travel money game.
Let me explain: The game is to give myself a daily allowance and try to stay within it or spend less. For example, $100 a day.
Then make it a game to spend less than that.
This is not so difficult if you don’t overindulge. Because, and this is easy to forget, you always need less than you think: One less glass of wine, a proper lunch and then a snack for dinner, drinking more water and fewer coffees, walking everywhere.
This is a double win: Often, the less I spend, the healthier I feel with more exercise and hydration, and less overindulgence. More rest and relaxation, and less rushing everywhere and trying everything and spending all the money. My health and my wallet are happy.
A trip is a thousand times more relaxing when you are not racing from experience to experience, trying to cram everything in your “To do/see wishlist” in a week.
You would think the “I saw everything and went everywhere” when you visit a new city would be the most satisfying feeling. But time and again, I find out it is not.
It is much more satisfying and memorable to think “I bought a dress and had a beautiful dinner with candlelight one night in Barcelona” than “I visited all the attractions and best restaurants.”
How do you win the travel money game?
If you have properly stayed within budget and spent a bit less every day, then on the last 2 or 3 days you can explore pricier experiences with your leftover money: Museums, shows, or fine dining experiences.
This is a great way to stay within budget during your trip and save the best for last.
5. Hand Washing Garments is a Game-Changer
Many people I know look at me strangely when I tell them I hand wash garments. They often think wild thought like “Is your washing machine broken? Are you going thru a difficult time?”
Many think this seems so tedious and pedestrian, but it is the easiest and most cost-effective way to care for your garments.
A life with less chemicals.
Even if I decided to spend all the money I ever had at the dry cleaners every week, they are not really “cleaning” anything. Just throwing chemicals at it.
This is simple: I enjoy luxury fabrics, and I like clean clothes.
Even if you can’t fathom the idea of buying a cheap small bucket, a small pack of laundry detergent, and handwashing items as you go. Finding a cheap laundromat works as well!
There’s no point packing for 3 weeks of different daily garments when you are traveling for 3 weeks… Unless you decide to suddenly move there.
Hand washing is a great way to always have fresh clothes and preserve the quality and beauty of your garments.
I still remember in my early 20s saving 2 months for a very expensive and delicate lace set of lingerie and camisole, shipped from France. Then, it accidentally got washed in the washing machine with jeans and socks. My lingerie set was instantly destroyed. The friction and harshness of washing machines ALWAYS lowers the lifespan of your garments dramatically.
Also, it takes forever to wait for machines, and it takes just a few minutes to hand wash a couple of pieces and letting them air dry.
I have delicate sweaters and pants from 15 years ago that still look and feel amazing because of handwashing and air drying.
The benefits are endless: Not only are you saving water and money on electricity from not using the washing machine for 2 hours, but also caring for your investment pieces.
In my 30s, I started shopping at Quince and Vincent for timeless quality pieces and reducing the waste of cheap fast fashion garments that have a very limited shelf life.
Not only do these clothes feel and look better, but they are also built to last for years with the proper care.
6. Always Choose Elegant but Comfortable Shoes
Let’s be real for a minute here: I love wearing heels with a dress. I love elegant, sexy, dangerous, and inconvenient shoes that make my legs look longer and my dress look sexier.
Dangerous in terms of ankle twisting in uneven streets. Or even urban city streets full of potholes and construction every other street.
Oh stilettos… Rarely comfortable, never convenient. Always sexy.
There’s also this little fact: I walk ridiculous amounts when I travel. It used to be because I was a broke college student with too much wanderlust and too little money for endless Ubers and metro tickets. Now, it is just out of pleasure: The best way to explore cities is by walking.
And if blisters happen, or worse, a bad ankle sprain, that’s catastrophic. Nothing worse than spending your trip with a walking boot, or a couple of crutches because you thought running in heels through cobblestones was a good idea.
During my honeymoon, I convinced my husband to walk 5 miles a day in Paris to find secret little gems. He wasn’t happy; he tried to drag me to the metros at any chance he got.
What’s the solution? For the girls, get sexy shoes with thick heels. Forget the stilettos. Also, no running shoes; get some loafers or some cute booties. Like these: Derby Super Soft Light Stone. Or these Clarks Women’s AmbyrLyn Bay Heeled Sandal
If you are a man, get some dressy but comfy sneakers. These are excellent with slacks or jeans and a polo or a button up shirt. My husband loves these: Men’s GrandPrø Tennis Sneakers in Black | Cole Haan
Honestly, guys can get away with so much and look sexy and elegant.
Forget the impractical and painful options.
7. A Uniform is How the Geniuses Do It.
Decision fatigue is very real. And it is even more so when you are traveling the world and wondering what sights to see, where to eat, best routes for public transport, how to occupy the few days at your destination to experience everything you want to experience.
It is a lot.
So having a “signature uniform” and adding accessories is a great way to free some brainpower. For example: An all-black attire with a purse and shoes in a different color (very New York).
Or a capsule with neutral linen and tan colors, adding pops of green and coral for a tropical look. You can never go wrong with a neutral palette or a black and white palette.
Einstein often wore the same thing to save himself from making that decision every day. He gave great importance to the decisions he would make each day, and choosing outfits was never in his priority list.
But even without going back to the time of Einstein, current examples of this habit include Barack Obama (only grey and blue suits), Mark Zuckerberg (dark gray t-shirt and jeans), Steve Jobs (black turtleneck and jeans, with New Balance shoes), and other prominent figures.
This article explores this concept further: Why Successful People Wear the Same Thing Every Day
How does this practice affect your traveling style? Sticking to a flattering neutral palette will not only give you ample confidence for the thousands of decisions to make that day, but it will also allow you to blend in with the locals.
Blending in is great: You will not look like an obvious target for scams, pickpockets, and tourist advertising agencies who push overpriced options to flustered visitors.
Let’s sum it up.
Pack a classic capsule wardrobe of neutrals and add pops of colors with accessories. Make sure you use and love everything you pack -This can be tricky. Take comfort in the fact that if you forgot anything, you could often get it at your destination.
Overall, choose simplicity for a more pleasurable trip.
Less Is More
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
How does light travel benefit you? Are you successful at it, or an eternal “work in progress” like me?
What are your tips? Sharing is for lovers.
This article was all about 7 lessons and tips on traveling the world with only one bag.
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