What tips can you give about packing?

Old Apr 26th, 2017, 09:19 AM
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What tips can you give about packing?

We always over pack and are tired of hearing others going away for a month or more with just
one bag ! We are going to Paris for only 10 days. We have learned that if you roll your clothes you will get more in the suitcase.

What other tips can you give?
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 09:30 AM
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I found the equation that works for me.
My wife takes per element if the family one kgm of luggage per day.
Min is 10 and nax is 25. So if we go 4 of us for 3 weeks we have 84 kgms of luggage.
Of course this doesn't include what we have in our carry ons.
And I am the one who schleps most luggage and all from the car once we have one.
And yes when we come home we have between some and a lot of items they have not worn.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 09:32 AM
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I make sure all my clothes go together so I can mix and match.
I bring shoes that are comfortable enough to walk around all day, but nice enough to wear to dinner.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 09:40 AM
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Don't try to unpack WoinParis's nonsense.

If you want a serious answer, here are a few concepts:

(1) Analyze what you're packing and why: If you're packing a ton of stuff when going to casual resort areas, that's on you. If you're packing a lot because you'll have different dressing requirements (i.e., cruise ships with levels of suggested dress), then take interchangeable layers that you can wear more than once. If you're packing a lot to ensure you'll always have clean clothes - that's your own issue that can be surmounted with doing laundry and wearing your non-underwear more than once per shot. If you're packing a lot to go to places where the weather changes a lot, invest in light-but-warm clothing similar to what campers and mountaineers will use (because they don't want or need heavy coats).

(2) Analyze what you've packed in the past and its use rate - if you keep coming home with items you haven't worn, you know you can cut certain levels of packing (7x socks instead of 10x, or 3x pants instead of 5x, etc).

(3) Get some packing cubes or similar compression aids to pack your stuff more tightly.

(4) Fewer toiletries - either by volume or number. Get travel sizes, don't bring certain stuff b/c you can buy on arrival, etc.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 09:53 AM
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It's not complicated - just pack less. It's not about how you pack (rolled-up, cubes, etc), it's about how much stuff you pack.

1 - You don't need to pack a ton of clothes. Take 3 or 4 day's worth of clean clothes (plus what you wear on the airplane) and plan on doing a load of laundry once or twice. Paris has many laundromats.

2 - You can't wear more than one pair of shoes at a time. If you have to bring a second pair, make it light.

3 - Only take something you *know* you will use, not something that *might* come in handy. More than anything else, the might-be-handy mindset is what causes overpacking. I never pack an umbrella; if I need one I can just buy one while I'm there. When in doubt, leave it out!

4 - No books. Bulky and heavy, books are bad if you want to pack light. Get an e-book version and read without adding weight or bulk.

My backpack + stuff weighs 16-18 pounds and that's all I take with me, regardless of whether I'm traveling for one week or six weeks. Packing light is liberating.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 09:59 AM
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To me, it's not how you pack but what you pack.

You don't need a completely different set of clothing, underwear and shoes for each day. Everything should mix and match within a narrow color palette, and you should have items that can be layered or removed to adjust to weather (and sometimes interior) conditions. Obviously, if you're going to experience weather extremes (very cold, very hot, very wet), you'll need things like shoes and jackets/sweaters that are appropriate.

If you're staying in Paris the entire time, you can easily do some laundry like underwear, socks and a shirt/top in the bathroom sink or send an item or two out for overnight cleaning if something gets soiled.

Generally, for a 2-week trip (usually in October), I take two pair of trousers, two pair of shoes (one waterproof), several tops of different weights, a few scarves for variety, a sweater, a jacket with a removeable hood, a few pieces of costume jewelry, and, depending on where we're going, perhaps gloves, a packable hat and thermal underwear. Beyond clothing, I take a tablet for internet access and books, city and/or driving maps, small binoculars (for looking at ceilings and scenery), spare reading glasses, a packable daypack, laundry soap and a clothesline, a few energy bars, and a small bag of things like blister bandaids, aspirin/Tylenol, ear plugs, etc. I download our travel details onto the tablet but also carry a guidebook or two, and I prefer to use a camera than my phone for photos.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:09 AM
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Pack once, then go into your suitcase and remove 1/3 of what you packed! If you need more clothes you can always buy them as they make a nice souvenir!
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:18 AM
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Similar to masterphil. Put everything you'd like to take out on a spare bed. Then be completely ruthless about putting half of it back in the wardrobe. It sounds as though you probably have large pieces of luggage. Get rid of them and buy smaller pieces, that will force you to rethink, whether you like it or not.

I don't do just carry-on as some traveller's do and can pack clothes, toiletries, my own hairdryer and a couple of books (which I ditch when I've read them) and the weight, for a month or more, including my bag is around 35 pounds.

And I agree re rolling.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:31 AM
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Br.
Talk about nonsense as you like but don't psychoanalyse me.
We pack what we like and I don't care one bit how you feel about it or me.
Those who can read have understood that I overpack so that I can choose what I wear.
I don't analyse and make my luggage asking myself 'do I like this' instead of ... whatever.
Part if the fun of my holidays is to wear what I like.
So keep your opinions or judgment for yourself and answer OP instead of commenting my posts.
We already know that we don't like each other you do not need to provoke me mate.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:45 AM
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I go on cycling holidays with small panniers, they have to cope with rain, mud, oil, airport security etc etc

I plan the following

1) one pair of sandals for everyday and one pair of shoes for the evening. If Mrs B has a say in it I also put is shower sandals as well which can double as sauna sandals etc
2) 5 pairs of socks, but three of those pairs will never come back to home
3) 5 pairs of underpants (see 2)
4) 5 shirts, because I get sweaty in the day I shower on arrival at the hotel and change into a new shirt, wear until the following evening
5) One waterproof
6) One swimming cossie, One linen trousers tidy, one linen trousers untidy, jeans on aircraft along with fleece.
7) wash things

That's it, good enough for 20 days, on day three I start washing clothes, either use laundry or one set per night, keeping two days safety. You are allowed to buy souveniers/new stuff when you throw out the old.

Unless you really are into clothes I can't see why you need more.

Techie, stuff, one small smart phone and charger. Bike repair kit
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:49 AM
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I pack like poster Jean. And I take that amount whether for ten days or six weeks. It has always worked well for me. And either rent an apartment with a washing maxhine, send it out for wash, dry, fold or go to laundromat.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:49 AM
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To me it is BOTH "what" you (don't) pack and "how" you pack it. (A non-fussy guy's perspective.)

The WHAT:

~ whenever possible, quick-dry hand-washable garments/materials (definitely socks and undies, also shirts and anything else that can be purchased in quick-dry hand-washable versions.)

~ one pair of shoes, the ones you wear on the plane, must be all-situations suitable, good on the feet, looking good enough with dark trousers for neat-casual evenings (I have a pair of black N as in New Balance that have gone around the world with me). A slim pair of flip-flops or slip-ons for around the room/apartment and for rocky beaches.

~ minimal toiletries (a tiny USB-charging electric shaver has become a favorite) - there's always soap and - in Europe - combination shower-gel/shampoo wherever you go, if not, go out and buy some on arrival.

~ No more than three socks and undies, two pairs of trousers, two long-sleeve shirts, a T-shirt, a light pullover, and the Scott eVest multi-pocket jacket (scottevest.com) that can double as almost a carry-on if you stuff the pockets...

~ For wintery climates and seasons, the above won't do, so you carefully increase space when you have to take thicker shirts, maybe long undies, a thicker sweater, but try to still minimalize and realize that there are thrift stores everywhere if you need something desperately but cheaply at the other end

~ Scan the relevant pages of guidebooks and take a tablet with the scans, ditto with other info and reading materials and music that can be carried digitally in your tablet. My iPad Mini is way more readable than my iPhone, but still fits into cargo pockets or inside pockets of my Scott eVest jacket. The only book I usually take in book-form is the DK guide if there is one available for my destination.

The HOW:

~ Mesh-sided zippered packing cubes can work wonders, the "compression" (a fancy technical term for really tight packing) helps, but only if you fold things just right before you pile them into the cube. My wife has always believed in rolling, and often ends up using more space than when she then gives in and tries my cubes instead. Old habits die hard, but she's almost coming around to the cube method, maybe two more trips?

The age-old trick of washing things in the sink and letting them dry overnight still works, and it becomes a habit like brushing teeth, there's nothing to talk about, just do it.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 10:52 AM
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the point is, if you have to schlep the stuff for 50km every day you end up realising that you don't need it.

So stick all your stuff on the bed before you pack, and halve it. Now, ask yourself why there is still so much on the bed?
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 11:00 AM
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I take one pair of slacks for each four (three) days, and one top for each three (two) days. The numbers in parentheses are for warm weather. The summer clothing takes up less room, so I don't have to use a bigger suitcase. In cool weather, one or two cardigans; in warm weather, at least one lightweight cardigan. Always, two pairs of shoes or sandals. I take enough underwear and socks for every day, because I hate having to wash anything. These numbers don't count what we're wearing, so we usually have a little extra for emergencies.

As Jean says above, all tops should match all slacks, and everything should be of a color that doesn't show light soil. The shoes and sandals serve for walking all day, and also for going to a restaurant at night. I never take dressier shoes or outfits to wear to dinner, but my daytime outfits are not overly informal. All of my shoes are very comfortable and have good support. That's my one main criterion, and if they look good as well, that's a bonus.

My husband and I usually take only one small suitcase, plus a small duffle bag that can perch on top of it, secured by a band that goes around the suitcase handle.

I pack like this:

First trousers, laid across the bottom of the suitcase, with the waistband curled up one side and the legs hanging out the other side, alternating the direction. Then I roll all knits, cardigans, and pajamas, and lay them on top of the slacks. If there are any woven (rather than knit) tops, I fold them and lay them on top of the rolled items; woven shirts don't roll well. Some of the socks can be stuffed into the shoes, which also helps keep their shape. The rest of socks and underwear can be stuffed around the edges and crevices.

Finally, fold the legs of the trousers up and over the other items.

We take the bare minimum of toiletry items, relying on those provided by the hotels, and no grooming appliances. I always make sure to have a good wash-and-wear haircut, because some hotel hair dryers are very inefficient.

We put the toiletries bag and the shoes in the small duffle bag, along with small travel umbrellas and rain jackets, if necessary. My husband carries a very small backpack, even smaller than a day pack, and our tablets, small camera, and chargers go into that, along with a little reading material or guide book. I usually also have a guide book or two downloaded on the tablet, but I like one paper one to carry around each day. If we're going on a car trip, we might take the DSLR instead of the small camera. I carry a handbag, which contains an even smaller handbag for everyday use, all our medicines, and other small items we might need on the plane (saline nasal spray, hand lotion, etc.)
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 12:05 PM
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I have been packing for hundreds of European trips for 40 years.

I don't roll anything.

I pick ONE "nice outfit" to wear to a fancy dinner or a nice outing with friends. For me, that's normally a mid-length cotton or wool-blend shift with tights and my usual travel shoes, which are a sort of combo of sneakers and fancy duds. I pack a single necklace and a pair of earrings.

For the rest of the trip, when I don't have to be fancy, I have two pairs of pants (one of them leggings that look like jeans), four tops (two with short sleeves, two with long sleeves), one sweater with deep pockets and a hood, underwear and socks for 5 days, a super-light windbreaker/rain jacket and a really pretty lined knee-length raincoat.

That's for summer/spring/fall travel. Winter, I'd have more.

My travel bag has a lot more stuff in it than my suitcase does- toothpaste and toothbrush, hairbrush (tiny), guidebooks, maps, camera, medicines, my notebook, cell phone.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 12:26 PM
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Guys, you're all organized.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 12:33 PM
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I don't roll. And that doesn't really matter.

Lay out everything you were planning to take when you "over packed". Then look for anything that can do double-duty (you don't need a navy blue and a black sweater, for example). Cut the amount in half and pack that.

It's easy.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 12:34 PM
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You can wear your outer clothing over and over again without washing. That will be the single biggest help.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 02:10 PM
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Woin - I did answer the OP. You did not. Perhaps you should reread what you hadn't read.

PS - I'm not quaking in my boots over upsetting you after you give a nonsense answer to the OP's serious question.
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Old Apr 26th, 2017, 02:13 PM
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I pack my favorite "outfits" like I'd wear on the weekend for the season/weather in question. I only take clothes I love because I wear them often. That's how to pack light and not feel bad about it.
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