To ask how on earth people pack light?!

Eh?
Loads of people have asked.

Is it 23kg carry on?
The dimensions?

Why don't you check your ticket and then check the dimensions now?

23kg carry on is huge!

Sorry, which bags does op currently have? She keeps refusing to say.

I suggested booking another carry on big bag and she made some wierd comment about not wanting to fo a bag drop, and the train issue.

Is it now 2 x small hand luggage and 2 x 10kg carry on bags.

I'm getting confused as to what the actual issue is, but op wont commit to factual answers.

when i first decided to travel light I did a practice run. I packed a bag for a week and only used things out of the bag to see what i was missing, at the end of the week I had things i never needed and took them off the list, then things I did need and forgot were added back in. Doing it here with changeable weather meant I was able to try different things. I wear a denim jacket and the inside of the pockets doubles as a bigger pocket so I stuff my liquids etc in there after security. I take a kindle, but if I want a real book i carry it onto the plane so it doesnt take much space. I also have a drawstring bag (like kids have for swimming) it fits in my jeans pocket and then I can lump all my extra stuff in it once I am on a plane for easy carying when I get off. if you buy sanitary towels and things at the airport you can carry them on in a carrier bag. The biggest realiseation for me is that I wasnt going to the middle of nowhere and everywhere has shops! if I needed an extra top I could pick one up in the town / buy a new team shirt at the Prix.

I did 2 months in Thailand and Vietnam with 3 vests, a pair of shorts, sweatshirt, a pair of jeans, a packet of laundry sheets. 1 wool/cotton jacket and a long sleeved shirt. A bikini, no towel as all hotels have beach/pool towels. 2 months of disposable lenses, 2 100ml cleansers, 2 100ml shampoo, 2 100ml conditioners, 1 100ml moisturiser, 1 small nail varnish, a pack of nv remover pads, a100ml shower gel, 1 charging cable and a kindle.

It fit into a small carry on.

I am not lugging a load of tat on/off planes/buses/trains/taxis.

Just cancel your train ticket and rebook for an earlier one. Then get a bag you can put in the hold.

You're probably just not used to thinking about what you have to pack versus what would nice to have. When you go for longer, you can take more in hold luggage and paring back isn't as strict. For carry on only, you have to change your mindset to "What do I NEED" rather than "What would be nice to take?" If you can do without it for a few days, it's not necessary.

I did a five day trip to Italy in May, and had the same weather concerns. In your position, clothes-wise I would take:

4 pairs of knickers plus spares
Couple of bras and a bralet
4 pairs trainer socks
Trainers*
1 pair comfy sandals
2 pairs shorts
2 team tops
1 spare t-shirt/top (plus a t-shirt for the flight*)
Pair of jeans or trousers*
1 jersey dress
A cardigan*
A light jacket*
A vest/t-shirt and shorts sleepset

The asterisk items you wear on the plane. They won't get sweaty so can be worn again. You could take a layer off if you're too warm on the flight. Wear either the shorts or jeans and team top for the race days, changing into the dress and sandals for evening. Add cardigan or light jacket if it's cooler. On non-race days, the t-shirt plus jeans/trousers you wore on the flight. If it's sunny and warm, the dress and sandals combo. Pick items that generally go with each other colour-wise, plain rather than patterned is easier.

That should leave plenty room in your cabin case and your backpack/additional bag for toiletries and chargers etc. I don't have period stuff to contend with but I have contact lenses and need space for saline/case/glasses, I can't do without those. I can do without make-up and perfume (I usually smell of Autan or Jungle Formula, perfumes attract mosquitos) so don't pack those, can't do without Sensodyne toothpaste so can't make do with any old Colgate travel tube. Like a PP says, you have to compromise where you can to allow for where you can't.

We tend to go on holidays of 18-21 days so I'm always planning on doing a couple of washes through the holiday, and for that length of time I do take tweezers and cotton buds and shizz like that. I definitely wouldn't for four days though!

Hope the hospital appointment goes well...

Unless you are one of those people than need to take more than needed to think what to wear everyday as opposed as to plan the outfits in advance of the trip. It is very doable. Even easier in summer and more so if you are allowed a bag for underneath the seat. The trick is how you pack and fold the clothes Where people may also go wrong is taking too many shoes. Take the biggest and sturdy ones on and maximum two pairs in the suitcase. I usually take a big handbag and put a smaller one inside that bag for going out. Use every space and pockets and usually reduced the number of make up and toiletries which must be travel size anyway.

As people have said, BA allowance is HUGE
23kg hand luggage
23kg personal/extra item ie, laptop bag or rucksack
Yes- that's 46kg allowance in the cabin per person

So just lump in as much stuff you can within the size restrictions. (The 2nd item is smaller) The most I've managed was about 14kg in on and 13 in the smaller.
I also take a small handbag in addition to the two bags.

Not sure what you mean by not wanting to over pack?

You're wanting to take more stuff than you think you can get in your case, so surely you put whatever you can in the Longchamp to help with that?

You could get loads in a large one. It doesn't mean you have to carry it around everywhere once you arrive, it's just a means of getting it to your accommodation.

Unless I've misunderstood!

The fashion on the Continent this summer is definitely trainers under dresses so if your second pair are cool looking, I would ditch the sandals.

And yes, use your carryon on the flight to bring things.

DH and I did 2 days in Paris this week with a (not full) 28l backpack as our bag, and a 15l backpack for the bits. We left a lot of the "bits" in the hotel room while we went to the Olympics event with the smaller bag - taking water, raincoats, tissues, sunglasses and suncream in that.

Take off shoes when in hotel to let them dry out from sweaty feet and bring spare socks to change later.

You might want to buy a T-shirt at the GP as a souvenir and could wear that another day too.

Packing cubes have really helped me. I tend to do them one of 2 ways:
Categories - knickers in 1, socks and bras in another, tops (rolled) in another and trousers laid out on top;
Outfits: a full days outfit each in 2, and then the other 2 being the extra tops/knickers/socks for 1 combo of trousers in 1 and the extras for my other trousers combo in the second.

Wear my walking shoes, jewellery in a pouch (and chains in individual packs inside that to avoid tangles) sitting inside my other pair of shoes. Possibly also my toothbrush (in plastic holder) and hairbrush stuck into other shoe.

Clear zipped pouch for my liquids - from Boots (middle size of set of 3) years ago - and small sizes of the things I need. I keep toothpaste samples from dentist, gift sized toiletries from larger purchases, and use a mix of 30/50/100ml bottles from Muji for shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, etc. But all is ready To easily pull out for airport security.

Smallest pouch of that set holds my travel makeup brushes (short handle set), powders (for after foundation, blush, eyeshadow); powder exfoliator, small facial sponge, plastic shower cap, couple of hair clips, cotton buds, toothfloss sticks, nail file etc. Shouldn't be asked for it, but if they do, everything is visible. (I have a couple of very small ziploc in there, both from Muji, to hold my makeup brushes and the other small bits like cotton buds, couple of cotton pads, toothflosser, nail file, tweezers etc).

I tend to wear 1 trousers that has at least 2 tops to go with it. And pack a second trousers (or 2 pairs of shorts perhaps) which also has 2 sets of tops. Usually bring 1 dress. Throw a lightweight hoodie into my handbag or over my shoulders. There's a scarf that can go with a couple of the outfits (for cooler evenings/days but also inc as I need to cover head or shoulders for some reason). 1 pair pj tops but usually 2 bottoms (I sweat at night).

If I am going a long time (more than 4-5 days), I add a bottle of handwash or use the hotel shower gel to give some clothes a quick wash in sink and hang to dry in bathroom to reuse - or sometimes there will be a washing machine in the hotel/accommodation that can be used. And if it will be a long one, I will use the hotel shower gel or go buy one locally on arrival.

I have just come on a 9 day trip and all my things fitted into my carryon.

Cos I'm just aware if we go out putting the same sweaty trainers from the day at the race will be gross

Then wear the sandals.

See, aiming for perfection is how people end up with heavy crammed luggage.

Expecting to have the same options and optimal selections as at home is unrealistic. You have to compromise and make do.

At home I would not rewear jeans; while traveling I do. That sort of thing.

If you're wearing socks with your trainers the shoes won't get gross.

Hmmm, ok. I think you're maybe missing a trick with that, unless it's a small Longchamp?

If it's a large one you could get a lot more that those few bits in it? If it's a small one I'd pack the Longchamp bag inside your carry on, if you want it for day use at the circuit, and still take a backpack that just fits the personal item size so you have more space.

DH has a backpack in similar size to the one linked above and a few weeks ago he went to a sport event for a weekend taking extra jeans, underwear, 3 tops for evening, 4 x t-shirts, fleeces, waterproofs, spare trainers, iPad, chargers, toiletries, etc, etc, just in that. It was on easyJet so I know it was 'small item' size as he didn't pay for a larger bag.

Wear your jumper, don’t pack it! I once wore a waterproof home (no it wasn’t raining at all) in order to fit a mug I’d bought into my bag.

Extra trainers not needed, I wore the same pair for six days in Paris this week and it was v hot, they were fine.

Someone already mentioned the 'additional item' bag you can take, and the possibility of taking a good size backpack for that. You can fit tons in those without exceeding the size!

What are you taking as an 'additional item'?

Get that right and you'll have loads and loads of extra room, plus a useful backpack to use at the event.

So the way I would manage this in my case would be:

1. Books, liquids, anything with a battery goes in my "personal item" bag. If I want a small bag for when I am there, that goes in too. Generally so does a jumper and I usually suck up wearing my coat through the airport.
2. Then I aim to fit clothes in half my case. I have 3 packing cubes which take up one half of the case. The big one is about 2/3 the case in size (i.e 1/3 of the total), and that would easily fit 4-5 dresses plus a nightie or two and a couple of pairs of shorts. So from your list that would be 2x shorts (assuming you'll wear trousers on the plane in case of bad weather), 4x tops and a dress. I don't roll this cube, I fold as wide and flat as possible, exactly matching the size of the cube.
3. Then my smallest cube takes pants and socks, all as crammed in as humanly possible, rolled up, that takes up about 1/9 of the case (1/18th total).
4. Then the last cube (medium size, takes the last 1/6 ish of the case) takes excess pants and socks, leggings if I want them, PJs, swimming cozzie etc - so for you this could take the least crumpleable things from the biggest. This is rolled or folded depending on the stuff.
5. Then the other half of the case will have spare glasses, goggles, spare shoes 2x, an entire washbag full of meds, anything like that.

My case is often totally crammed by the time I have finished packing but that's a sign I have packed efficiently, not a failure!

We went on a family holiday to Florida for a fortnight with hand luggage only. A 10kg cabin case each held a change of T-shirt, underwear and socks per person for a week, plus a change of footwear and one or two spare trousers and jumpers/sweatshirts. The accommodation had a washing machine so we shoved all the T-shirts, underwear and socks in halfway through the trip.

In addition, we each took a small rucksack as the "personal item". This held books, electronics, cuddly toys, games, raincoat, liquids bag (for ease of access as it had to come out at security). A 25 litre rucksack generally fits fine under the seat. It might eat into your legroom a bit, if you have long legs and usually park your feet under the seat in front, but this shouldn't be too much of a problem on the short flight to the Netherlands and it there's room in the overhead lockers then nobody will mind if you put the rucksack up there too. If you want to take a small handbag, put it in the backpack so it won't count as your personal item.

Also remember to choose your bulkiest outfit to wear on the plane: wear trainers and put sandals in your case; wear your thickest jumper and a jacket if you're taking one; wear your jeans and pack your shorts, and so on. Roll clothes up rather than folding them. Choose garments that don't crease too badly.

If your case is rammed full, that isn't a failure. In fact, I'd usually add an extra T-shirt or something if there was room for it, Just In Case!

Why do you need spare trainers for a three-night trip?