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The following travel packing tips are based on personal experience. My wife and I go to other countries for a month or more with nothing but a carry-on bags that weigh ten pounds. In fact, my number one travel tip is to go light if you can. The ease and simplify of traveling light makes almost any trip more enjoyable.
Of course, going with only carry-on luggage is getting more difficult due to the newest rules about what you can actually carry on a plane. But if you do want to keep it to just one carry-on bag, check the latest regulations and just leave behind anything that isn't allowed. It won't add too much expense to a trip to just buy these things at your destination.
Buying things as you go is a great way to simplify packing. Why bring eighteen things just in case you need them, and then have to lug them all around for the sake of the six you actually use? If it is a vacation, why not plan just a little extra expense, and buy necessities as you travel? Many find this is more practical and relaxing than over-planning a trip and over-weighting the luggage.
- Conserve space, by buying low-bulk items for travel. A down coat, for example, will compress to a fourth of the size of other coats, and keep you just as warm.
- Jewelry and most other valuables are not covered by the luggage insurance the airline provides. Pack these items in your carry-on bag.
- Silk shirts (and some others) can be rolled carefully so they will wrinkle less when packed in soft-sided luggage.
- Travel pants, made of soft nylon derivatives are very light, tough, and pack small. They are often found where they sell outdoor gear, but some styles are dressy enough for use almost anywhere.
- Set aside your thinnest socks, lightest clothes and smallest items for travel. A small hairbrush may work just as well as a large one, for example. You might get to bring many more potentially useful items, and still have a smaller bag in this way.
- When you buy a bulky gift for a family member or friend back home, you may want to send it to them instead of carrying it around for weeks while traveling.
- Don't overstuff your bags. They may be opened and inspected, and the security officials may not know how to fit it all back in.
- Make and carry a list of what is in your luggage, in case you need to file a claim for lost bags.
- Don't put important documents, like passports, in your luggage. Carry documents on your person, preferably in a security pouch or interior pocket.
- Be careful packing shampoo, perfume, skin cream and other liquids. Plane cargo areas are often not pressurized fully, so the tops can pop off of bottles and other containers. For added safety, pack such items in a sealed ziplock bag.
Use the travel packing tips above, but also have a good packing routine. Start by considering every circumstance you may be in during your trip, and making a list of items you'll need. After packing, consider each item, and remove anything that really isn't likely to be used - especially if it can be easily obtained at your destination.