lollylo25

Small travel bags/suitcases are the best (and only) way to travel. I do the following:
1. Pack alot of old clothes I wear once or twice & throw out or give away.
2. Bring a portable "washing machine" for smaller items.

What's this? A very large ziplock bag, filled with water, some liquid detergent and a few items of clothing. Shake around, and voila! Clean clothes!

bratsandbeer

Works for me. The way I travel too. The less you take with you the less you have to carry around and worry about.

abram

Not my style, but I'm glad it works for you.

I don't enjoy wearing almost ready for the garbage clothes on vacation, although I do this with underwear, which no one else sees.

I don't want to spend time on vacation washing clothes and worrying about whether they'll be dry the next day.

thursdaysd

I certainly agree with packing light. But not with taking old clothes and throwing them out instead of washing them - that would only work for quite short trips, or you'd be packing heavy again!

suze

I am a very light packer too, but I take my best traveling clothes, ones that I love, that pack well, colors coordinate, look nice, appropriaet for the climate I'm going to.

No way would I wear clothes old enough to be tossed out when I'm on a trip!!

For doing the wash, I simply use the tiny bottle of Woolite I pack with my toiletries or hotel provided shampoo and do things in the room sink. I always pack a couple plastic hangers in the bottom of my suitcase.

lollylo25

I guess my idea of old clothes is different than most folks.....not worn with holes & stains, they are simply a few items I have not worn in a while, colors I don't like & probably would end up donating them to charity. Beleive it or not, many folks in 3rd world countries treasure the items I have given them, so I don't feel that this is frivolous. It also leaves room in my suitcase for items I buy.

november_moon

I like to pack light too, but I am not enough of a shopper or have a large enough wardrobe to leave clothing behind. I am the type to buy clothing that will last and is a more or less classic style so that I don't get tired of them and need to buy new before they have outlived their usefulness.

I think if I were more of a shopper, then that scheme might work.

I pack light by bringing items that can be mixed and matched and then I send close out to be washed as we go along. Sending laundry out is a travel splurge. We like coming back to the hotel to find a closet full of clean clothes

FainaAgain

Everybody has some clothing items in the closet - they look good, but for some reason you don't wear them - maybe just tired of that old thing, but can't just toss it?

Vacations is the best time to do that Take with you, wash if/when needed, then toss at the end of the trip to make room for souvenirs!

And I do a quick sink wash on the road, then at home everything goes either in the laundry or dry-cleaning.

toedtoes

My problem with this is that if I don't like a piece of clothing, I don't wear it. Either it doesn't look good on me or it is uncomfortable - neither of which gives me any desire to wear it out in public while traveling (especially several times during that trip). If it's simply old to the point of getting rid of it, then it's passed the point of being worn in public (and has moved into the "painting clothes" category).

Personally, I'd rather take a 24" suitcase and check it. That gives me space to add a 3rd pair of pants and a 5th/6th top for a 2 week trip. I have room to bring home souvenirs, it allows me to take enough undies for the trip, and MOST IMPORTANTLY it frees up my carry-on allowance for my camera gear.

The only time I have to do laundry on my trip is if I spill something (or sit in something or fall in the mud, etc.) at the beginning of the trip.

lollylo25

My wardrobe is completely diverse, and I get tired of some things one year, but like them the next. So I always have a few items I enjoy wearing, but won't miss if I end up giving them to some Jamaican teenager.

To each his own, & that is what makes this such a wonderful world!

jdc26

I’m one of those persons that don’t care how much I try and plan; I just can’t seem to pack light. I take everything, but the “kitchen sink”. However, my upcoming trip to France/Italy, I keep telling myself that I will make it a “pack light” trip. I’m going to have one color scheme and I’m hoping that this will work since I’ll be moving around quite a bit by train and don’t want to be “lugging” too much. Wish me luck.

jdc

GoTravel

""1. Pack alot of old clothes I wear once or twice & throw out or give away.""

Not happening.

Instead, I buy multi functional clothing in neutral colors that can be mixed and matched.

I've done both Italy and BVIs for a week with carryon only and didn't sacrifice my attire.

bdjtbenson

I try to have a selection of travel friendly clothes at hand. When I pack I lay out a few shirts and a couple of pants, make sure they all mix and match and I'm done.

Travel friendly for me are non-cotton button up shirts, t-shirts, pants, underwear and socks.

Here's an example:

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=1440268

Cruiseryyc

As long as I can manage my luggage by myself, I'll take as much as I want. Also, if there is something in my cupboard that I'm not wearing - well I'm not about to wear it on vacation either!

toedtoes

I tend to neutral bottoms (blue, brown, olive) with more colorful tops. With all the shades available, I can bring 3 pairs of olive pants that all look different but yet coordinate with the same coloful tops. I bring tops of different styles (tank, dressier blouse style, pullover, etc.). While everything is mix and match, I don't find myself looking the same everytime I walk out of the hotel and I take no more than I would if I were bringing the standard "travel uniform" of black slacks, black jacket, red or cream t-shirt.

suze

I just don't have those kind of clothes in my closet... things I don't like, or colors that don't look good on me.

I have worked very hard to buy good quality, classic styled clothes, nothing a Jamaican teenager would want, even if I was ready to give something away
;-)

esm

I don't get this discarding business. I don't have enough old clothes; besides I prefer to wear things that I like and enjoy. I'm the same on vacation or at home.

Celia

The ultimate "packing light" story is from the "readers' tips" section of a wonderful, useful, must-have Europe travel guide of many many years ago called "Europe on 5 dollars a day". That book took every college student of the 1960's and 70's all over Europe. It was based on the principle of spending $5 a day ($10 for two of you) for bed and food. I suppose the equivalent hotels and restaurants today would run about $100 a day. In addition to info on cheap hotels and eats, the book had tips from readers. One woman I will never forget. She went to Europe for three months every year, in the summer, and took only a large purse.

She said (in capital letters) that she NEVER SET THE PURSE DOWN ANYWHERE. In it she had a comb and a toothbrush, her passport and travelers checks, and money. She wore a dark colored dress which didn't show dirt and which she said made her fit right in with the Europeans. Every night she washed all her undies in her hotel room sink. I guess she slept au naturel, because she didn't mention carrying jammies in that big purse.

Personally, I'll stick with my suitcase.

esm

good grief! What about the dress?!

november_moon

I think the issue of packing light depends a lot on the make up of the trip.

This summer we went to Singapore and Bali - packing light wasn't much of a necesity since we had to check bags anyway due to Singapore's strict hand luggage allowances and we weren't tavelling anywhere by train with the luggage. In Singapore, once our luggage got to the hotel (in a taxi), there it stayed. In Bali, we moved a couple times, but we always had a driver, so our luggage just went into the car.

Next year, we are thinking of going to Europe and will be taking trains between several cities - packing light will be key because otherwise it will be a pain to haul a bunch of luggage around on trains and public transport.