To ask how on earth people pack light?!

[NeedSomeAnswersPlease]

Travelling to the Netherlands for the Dutch Grand Prix in ten days or so

We (stupidly) booked to travel hand luggage only and I just don't understand how it's possible! The amount of things you need, I'll be due on my period that weekend too so need to take extra bits for that as well. I know everyone's answer will be "just take less clothes" but it all seems to accumulate - shorts, t-shirts, a dress or two for if we want to go out in the evening, it's not possible!😩

Are you going to wear trousers on the flight? Do you need a waterproof coat? What about PJs?

I'm sure your Dad wouldn't mind taking some bits for you.

Everyone else seems to be learning how to pack less. Whilst what I am getting from this thread is that maybe I now need to pack a light cotton bath robe…

A sarong is multi functional and doubles as a bathrobe.

You can still check in online and just go to bag drop - it's usually pretty fast assuming the case isn't over sized or over weight.

You pack things that match each other. So a shirt that can be worn over trousers or a skirt or as a cover-up over a dress - add a belt. For a week-end you should be ok with one pair of jeans (which you could wear to travel since they are a bulky item), 2 dresses or a dress and skirt, which will both go with the shirt - try for stuff that doesn't crease. Nightdress if you wear one. Slip. Enough knickers so you aren't worried you will run out (about 8 pairs should be ok). Whatever you need for your period. Presumably hotels etc will provide towels, which leaves a toilet bag with toothpaste and toothbrush, hair brush, deodorant and perfume). Wear one pair of shoes and dressier pair in bag.

Spent a week away. 3 desses that dry fast if they get dirty and 3 bikini and a sarong for the beach. Buy toiletries at the destination just face mosturiser and lipgloss and lots of undewear. Trainers on my feet and packed leather flipflop sandals Fit in a backpack

We have two daughters, close in age.

One requires two large suitcases for a week in Italy.

The other requires one small one, which a generous check-in person might allow as carry-on.

They both dress appropriately throughout. It's not that one looks glam and the other looks unglam.

I don't know how that works. Except that, when we get back, the two-suitcase daughter admits she took a lot of stuff she didn't use. Actually, thinking about it, she was still throwing all her stuff into suitcases as we ordered the Uber to Heathrow.

The one-small-suitcase daughter was packed and ready to go 36 hours earlier.

I suspect that has something to do with it.

I did a 4 week trip (across multiple climates!) with just hand luggage. 4 days is extremely doable. Although I suspect some PPs would consider me "low maintenance"!

• Check your Airbnb listing (or the reviews for the listing) to see if towels and toiletries are provided, as they frequently are. If not, take a hand towel, toothbrush and some bar soap OR just buy the toiletries once you get there and then discard at the end of the trip. You can't get away with much liquid in hand luggage anyway.
• Roll your clothes tightly or use compression cubes. For a small suitcase I would strongly recommend you roll rather than compress. Compression cubes still take up a lot of room in small bags.
• Be ruthless on the shoes. My advice would be to wear a pair of shoes that are nice enough to wear in the evening and also comfortable to walk in, then you don't need any spares in your suitcase.
• Personally I would pack one nice top and a smart pair of trousers for going out. Don't bother with the dress if you're short on space, unless you're going somewhere extremely posh. Trousers can be worn for longer than tops so use the extra space for more t-shirts.
• Don't bother with shorts unless you have space. Between shorts and a skirt, a skirt is probably better because you can wear it in more settings.
• I would also suggest packing only complementary colours so you can mix and match without any risk of clashes.
• Take either a disposable poncho or one of those mac-in-a-sack type raincoats. Don't bother with anything bulky.
• If you want makeup, take only a few basics.

I have the opposite problem - I don’t know how to pack any more than your allowance!

What do you need for your period apart from a small pack of tampons/ pads?

Answer is you really need to consider your outfits. Do you need more than 2 pairs of shoes (1 of which you’ll wear)? Probably not!

If you have 4 days, let’s say 2 active and 2 more dressy, I’d pack as follows:

• 2 pairs of bottoms (1 of which you’ll wear)
• 3-4 tops (for choice)
• 2-3 dresses
• underwear and socks
• pair of heels
• cosmetics etc in travel sizes
• electronics etc

That’s it. If you can’t decide what to wear and want many options that’ll cause a problem.

Wear any bulky items.

If you really can’t do it get a check-in bag between you.

To everyone giving actual tips - you're all superhero's 🤣

🤣

I always need changes of shoes for comfort so that messes lightweight up for a start!

Yes!!! Do some of you not get sweaty feet???

I would definitely just pay and add a hold bag!

I just think people have different tolerance for "sweatiness". I live in my trainers and wear the same pair every day. Heck, I don't even have the second pair of trainers. Fresh socks and a quick spritz of shoe deodorant once a week seem sufficient.
It's probably the same principle as the difference between people who launder their towels after every use and the mere mortals among us who are happy to use the same one for a week.

But many people don't want to spend time on holiday doing laundry

I knew this argument would come up. Fair enough, pay for a checked bag then.

I don't want to take a huge bag or drag a big bag of dirty clothes home with me. So I pack light and wash stuff. You have a choice.

Wash at air b and b. Many have washing machines.

If they don’t I just hand wash anything for I don’t over pack. I take max 4 changes of anything for a 4 night stay. Including what you travel in that’s 5. You can easy rinse underwear and t shirt you travelled in the first evening and it will be dry to wear as travel clothes to go back with in 4 days time.

I generally hand wash underwear every morning when travelling light. Just take small hand wash liquid. Otherwise you’re travelling home with 4-5 days of dirty pants and socks in hand luggage and they might ask you to open bag at security!

I don’t even own two pairs of trainers at home, so would never take two travelling. Wear big pair, take ballet flats for evening if a smarter pair needed. But if you just outside at races in wet gets I would just take my black timberlands for everything, they are comfy, waterproof and look fine with casual or smarter jeans and blouse in evening at regular restaurant. Trainers will just give you wet feet if your expected rain

I can do a week with a 10k carry on, but always take advantage of a checked bag if it’s included in the fare. You just have to take the bare minimum toiletries-wise (liquids bag to think of?) and then buy travel sizes in the duty free.

I've done a week from an easyjet underseat like this which maximises space https://www.amazon.co.uk/Airlines-45x36x20-Underseat-Foldable-Overnight/dp/B0BKZKJ8ML/ref=asc_df_B0BKZKJ8ML/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697213303401&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2165439156337043846&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045577&hvtargid=pla-1943652534610&psc=1&mcid=dfc821d40b7235d286dfc7cd6dc4c6cf&gad_source=1
100 ml body lotion less of other toiletries, or buy them there. Wear jeans, coat, scarf trainers. In bag goes spare bra, knickers, socks. 2 dresses or skirts, 2 light trousers or shorts, 2 vests, several thin layerable tops...all went in rolled up. Small cross body bag in on top for 5min onto plane. Once I took 2 pairs sandals not one as well.... there's loads of room! I took this to Olympics for 3 nights last week didn't wear some of it!

I never take more than a carry-on case (7 kg) to travel around the world for a couple of weeks. Wear everything that's heavy...trousers, jacket, walking shoes...it gets cold on long-haul flights. Take one pair of reliable and comfortable shoes only. In the bag - light but warm merino, second, lighter pair trousers, 3 light tees (double as nightwear). If necessary, buy cheap replacements at destination. Roll up underwear and squeeze in odd spaces. Socks!! Decant all sunscreen, moisturiser, cleaner etc into old pill bottles. Yes, you get sick of wearing the same things all the time, but if you're travelling to see the world, not be seen - you're not there to be glamorous. Buy pretty scarves along the way...they make wonderful souvenirs.

There's a site called Travel Fashion Girl about this very topic. Their capsule packing lists are awesome. I've found that most of my space was taken up by toiletries. I pared that back so much by decanting everything into small containers. The feeling of packing carry-on only is so satisfying. I love not having to check my luggage, wait for it on arrival, or risk it getting lost. Packing cubes are also a really great space saver. It's totally doable with a little planning.

I can typically fit 2 adults and a kid in 2-3 regular sized backpacks or one ryanair happy suitcase (and 2 backpacks for entertainment). Typically also have one spare change of clothes for everyone and spare shoes for me and the kid.
my tips:
shoes on the bottom, don’t fold too small you want things nice and flat, use pants and socks to fill gaps, ebooks instead of books. Take 1 dress, not 2. I’d swap the denim shorts for something thinner (denim takes a lot of space is it’s stiff). Anything bulky or funny shape goes on you not in the suitcase. If all else fails iron the clothes after every fold it makes them significantly smaller somehow.:)

Take a fluffy pillow case and stuff it with clothes, maybe?

Going to try to pack as much as possible this weekend as I'm working all next week until we go, so if worst comes to the worst I'll empty one of the travel pillows and stuff it 🤣

Clothes wise I travel light. It's my lotions, potions and the like that add the weight on