No checked baggage

I recently returned from a 10 day trip to Asia. I spent nights in 3 countries.

And I checked no baggage.

I lived out of a rollerboard carry-on bag and my computer backpack.

How did I do this?

It has taken me some time to learn and it takes my wife’s excellent packing abilities. And it’s not just a guy thing. Kay has developed the ability to live for a week out of a carry-on bag. Here’s how we do it.

• Wear the shoes you will use throughout the trip. Extra shoes take up space.
• Pack efficiently. Roll your clothes. This prevents wrinkles, but also takes less space.
• Use the laundry service in your hotel. There is a cost, but it’s less than having no changes in clothing because your checked bag is missing.
• Choose clothes that can be mixed and matched. Every shirt should go with every pair of trousers.
• This is a personal choice, but I prefer wool-blend trousers, even in the tropics. I’m in meeting rooms with air conditioning most of the time. Wool trousers travel well with minimal wrinkles. They wear well and can be worn more times than cotton trousers. (Pinky Tailor in Thailand makes great trousers!)
• Be brutal about leaving things at home. You need much less than you think you do. Set out everything you think you need. Then remove everything you can.

Why is this important?

• Because I was moving every few days to another country, a missing bag would probably never have caught up with me. It was important to have everything with me as I moved from place to place.
• Because flights are sometimes delayed or rerouted. It’s important to have everything with me.
• Because I can more easily rebook flights if necessary. On the return trip, we arrived at the U.S. entry airport more than an hour earlier than expected. I was able to change to flights that allowed me to arrive home an hour earlier. After 33 hours of travel, arriving at 10:30 pm rather than 11:30 pm becomes really important! It was important to have everything with me when rebooking or changing flights.

Here are some links that I’ve found helpful

• Never have to check your luggage again
• Pack as efficiently as a flight attendant
• 10 days in a carry-on
• Fit more clothes with fewer wrinkles

So, what packing tips do you have? Use the comments to share with others.