Packing Tips

Nice list! What kind of bags are you using? Is the back pack packed or do you take carry on stuff at the beginning? Also do you leave the copies with someone in the states if something gets lost or stolen?

but do they sell the value size like walmart?

30% larger baw

I pack things in the backpack, mostly snacks, medication, bag of liquids, toothbrush, deodorant, electronics. I keep things in there that I may need on the flight. That way I never need to go in the overhead bin to dig through my carry-on.

I think they are American Tourister 2 wheel bags. Nothing fancy, as they get beat to hell. The back pack is a pac-safe backpack that would make stealing, cutting, or sneaking something out of it very difficult.

Yes on the copies, All of them are on a flash drive that I leave with the S.O. I also exchange copies with whichever family member is with me in Europe. It's a good idea to copy the back of the card that has the 800 number to report your card lost or stolen.


@zappa - I know I pack alot of clothes, but I like to look fresh the whole time lol. I don't like wearing the same 4 things for 3 weeks.I wish I could, but I can't. I have finally gotten down to only 3 pairs of shoes, that was an accomplishment for me. My baggage weight stays at a minimum though, as most things are dri-fit. I may try to cut back and eliminate the carry-on, but it's nice to have room to take stuff home!

I think it's laughable as well, but I embrace it! Everyone I travel with messes with me about it!

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We bring a collapsible duffle bag for the return trip to check.

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Excellent tip. I do this as well. We usually bring back extra shite.

Rolling all of your clothes helps to save space.

I do bring small travel-sized hygiene items. But, it's really just to hold me over until I get to the store.
I don't mind buying stuff when we get there and leaving whatever isn't used (toothpaste, mouthwash, etc).
Plus, it's fun to see what kind of crap they use.

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Bratislava

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Good thing you come in Summer. In Winter can be quite depressing.



Seriously though, I was listening to a podcast with an interview with a Slovakian tour guide and she credited Eurotrip and Hostel with cutting tourism there by 70%

As far as your list, packing cubes. Also, lay all your stuff out and cut it in half. You don't need to pack detergent.

My wife's not a whole lot different, on our honeymoon she took 9 pairs of shoes to italy for 13 days. I didn't know until her bag weighed 65 lbs on the scale at the check in desk.

I've gotten her down to a carry on though, and she's a lot happier.

But my point of this post, is you should honestly pack just your absolute essentials and then head to the store to buy all that other crap on there. Instead of spending the time worrying and checking your list twice at home, make it fun and see what they use in whatever country you are in.

ETA: Another tip, is just bring one pair of "nice" shoes and make sure all of your slacks/ pants and belt match them.

In other words, there's no reason to pack both black shoes/ belt and brown shoes/belt. Just bring one or the other, and only pack clothes that look good with those.

My back hurts just reading your list.....female here, and I don’t pack as much clothing or as many shoes as you do. I roll a 19” international carry on, plus a rectangular boarding bag, c’est tout. My soft sided handbag/purse tucks inside the boarding bag. Maybe I swap the boarding bad for a backpack if I plan to hike.

Why in the hell are you packing four facecloths? Get one microfiber small towel—it will dry in an hour or two if you wring it well, and even if you have to pack up before it’s dry, a quart zip top back stows it in your luggage just fine. Even my OCD husband can get by with one.

I’ll give you two pairs of shoes, but anything more is overkill. Depending on season, terrain, and activities, you need a serviceable leather lace up nice enough to wear with slacks that’s suitable for heavy duty walking (Ecco or whatever best fits your feet)....buy waterproof, and you’ll not worry over wet feet. You might need hiking boots or sandals, or a lightweight athletic shoe....but just two will get you through 95% of life.

Clothes—every single thing needs to cross match with every other thing—pick a color theme: black, brown, or navy. Then build a wardrobe out of five bottoms, six tops, and a sweater (if necessary). Two or three silk scarves, a cashmere wrap, and you can go anywhere.....the male equivalent is a blazer whose color & weight are seasonally appropriate (corduroy packs really well, so does tweed; if it’s linen season, wear it on the plane to keep it from being crushed too badly).

I don’t bother with wet wipes, fabric softener sheets, or detergent—I’ll buy those at a supermarket if I visit a self-service laundry or stay at an AirBnB without supplies. Ditto for shaving cream, razors, and generic toiletries—I pack the facial stuff, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrush, with a hotel sized bar of soap, and basic travel meds. Local drugstores can supply the rest.

Books—I quit packing those long ago. An iPad is the one thing I can’t travel without.....as many books as you want, downloaded Netflix content, downloaded Google maps, transit guides, copies of docs, photo editing software, etc etc. It is downright amazing to be able to bring every.single.book.I.own.aboiut.a.particular.place and have them at my fingertips while traveling.

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I roll a 19” international carry on, plus a rectangular boarding bag,

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Some nice tips.

Question: You take on everything? No check in? Any issues in finding overhead space like this?

Not a newb when it comes to travel. Have about 2m miles between Delta and AA. Unless you have status, or priority boarding, I've always found it just too much of a hassle to try to get on and wrestle for overhead space. We've usually taken 1 back pack on and each had a "rolly duffle bag" that we checked in. Get one free internationally and we've never lost a bag, but I get the issue.

But, on an upcoming trip to Italy in the fall, have been wondering again.

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Question: You take on everything? No check in? Any issues in finding overhead space like this?

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International flights rarely have issues. Our trip home from London we were one of the last people to board due to delays and we had 3 large carry ons and still found space fairly easily.

But, I also volunteer to have them take my bag at the gate if necessary.

It's not just about the flight. It's about committing to bringing only the amount you can carry easily on a train, up stairs, etc. Not to mention all the time saved packing and unpacking while on your trip. I'd bet one bag saves you 5-6 hours total between time at the airport, portability, and packing on a 10 day trip. That's a lot of valuable time.

The beauty of packing cubes is not just with space saving, I prefer them as a method of organization also. Takes me 10 seconds max to unpack anywhere I go. I have one cube for shirts, one cube for pants, one for socks/ underwear, and then one usually for workout/ undershirts. Then I have my toiletry bag and my wife and I have an electronics bag where we keep all of our chargers and what not. Outside of those 5-6 smaller bags, my suitcase is 95% unpacked/ packed. If I need something on the go like a new shirt, takes no time at all to find it.