Minimalist Monday: Traveling

Posted by:Lindsay S. Nixon Category: Minimalist

Ahhhh, it feels so good to be traveling again. I'm about halfway through my current trip, going between Austin, Dallas and San Diego. The best part about it is that I only brought a carry-on. Yep, 12 days of travel, book signings, meet-ups, a pot luck and more with only a carry-on! For a full list of events I will be at, click here.

This is minimalism at it's best. I don't have to worry about lugging a big suitcase around (or paying baggage fees). My friends mom will have a suitcase of nothing but shoes for a week long trip. I used to be that way too, but now I'm good with 2, maybe 3 pairs at most. I don't need to change my shoes every time I change clothes.

In fact, I don't bring enough clothes to wear something different every single day. Whether I am staying with friends or at a hotel, I can usually do laundry on my trip - even if I have to go to a laundry mat. They aren't that expensive, and this way I avoid having to bring an additional suitcase & I come home with less laundry that needs to be done. It's a win-win all around!

For most trips, I can get by with a few pairs of pants, a skirt or two, several tops and maybe a dress. I don't need 20 different outfits to choose from everyday, I can always mix and match to make new outfits. This was something I learned a few years ago, when getting ready to backpack across Europe - sticking to a color palette when packing. It makes mixing and match clothes easier so it never looks like you're wearing the same thing.

Another area I keep toned down is my toiletries. My friends mom (the one with the bag of shoes) also has a carry-on size luggage of just toiletries. I don't think everything in my bathroom would fit in her bag, much less what I need for a short trip! All of my stuff fits into a little bag inside my carry-on. A small box of baking soda is my biggest item, and is the most versatile. For ways I use baking soda, see my earlier post and video. While I still use shampoo to wash my hair, I know a lot of people love using baking soda to wash theirs.

Another upside to traveling with only a carry-on is not having to worry about lost baggage or waiting at the baggage terminal. I know it's not always practical to travel this way, like if traveling with children or pets, or going to a cold climate that means bulkier clothing. A friend of mine once used vacuum seal bags to visit NYC in the winter, just so she could fit everything into her carry-on and not go through the subway with a suitcase.

What are some tips or tricks that you've used to cut down on the number of luggage on a trip?

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