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?