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Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

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Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#71

Post by watwut »

AlotOfReading wrote: post #13

I really don't understand what people are putting in the 2-3 large suitcases I see them struggling to shove in overhead. For one, rolling luggage is usually a mistake for anyone who's not flight crew. I bring a week's worth of thin clothes that layer. If I need more, I'm either washing by hand or using a service. Basic toiletries, an e-reader, phone, keys, charger bricks, a notebook/pens, daypack. It fits into an und…

Rolling luggage has exactly zero disadvantages? You dont have to roll it if you dont want to, but rolling if frequently easier. I have seen people walk 2-3km from hotel to the station with rolling luggage, no issue or effort needed. It would be harder if they had to actually carry it.

Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#72

Post by account42 »

SoftTalker wrote: post #31
getfacl wrote: post #23

Used to travel for work 3 weeks a month and worked with a group of folks who took pride in traveling light. I learned to never pack for more than 6 days. After 5 days either do the laundry or use the hotel laundry service.

Hotel laundry service tends to be quite expensive, but many hotels have a coin-op (or maybe an app these days) laundry room where you can do your own. That's very handy for underwear, socks, and casual items. And some people for whatever reason think that everything you wear once needs to be washed before you can wear it again. Break out of that mindset. You can usually wear pants and shirts several times if they are…

Coin op washing machines are a pain if you travel internationally because no one can give you enough change. And you never no if the damned thing is actually working until you show up.

Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#73

Post by account42 »

kbutler wrote: post #58

We recently traveled to Italy, and after purposefully packing light ("just a carryon"), of our 8 gate-checked carry-on bags, we received 2 on day 7 and the rest on day 8. It was revealing to see how much our agonizing "should I take this or not" decisions just did not matter, because we didn't have them anyway. Receiving our bags after the week was somewhat overwhelming - look at all this stuff! In the future, we wil…

How many people were you traveling with that you though eight carry-on bags would fly???

Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#74

Post by resoluteteeth »

presentation wrote: post #67

I’ve done lightweight backpacking in the past and usually check in luggage now. I’ve come to the conclusion that for how I usually travel these days - long amounts of time in single places, not trying to cram in many destinations in a single trip - there isn’t a major benefit to keeping it light. Usually I’ll just keep one change of clothes in a small backpack and check everything else. So I don’t need to carry anyth…

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Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#75

Post by shaftway »

gensym wrote: post #9

The advantages of packing light aren't always obvious[1] until you experience them, so you can pretty much tell someone's level of travel experience by how small their luggage is. I've yet to meet someone who packs more and more stuff based on past experience. As the article mentions, good fabrics (like merino wool) can go a long way. (1) Reliability and flexibility being foremost. Not having to worry about lost lugg…

I've been going lighter and lighter and am down to a backpack that I carry (mostly just meds and electronics) and a small suitcase that I could carry-on, but I usually check. But my spouse packs heavier and heavier every year. It's a way to cope with anxiety; you think of everything that can possibly go wrong, and you make sure you have that mitigated with something in your carry-on.

And that's why on our last trip we had 9 pounds of dog food for our service dog, in cold packs, in our carry-on. "But what if there's a problem with the flight, and we lose our luggage, and we can't get to a pet food store for the whole two weeks?"

Spoiler: The cold packs didn't last, the food spoiled, and we had to go to a pet store.

Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#76

Post by mikestew »

nradov wrote: post #52
AlotOfReading wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The description is a bit exaggerated, but I regularly see families with a large overhead suitcase + personal bag + secondary bag per person waiting at the carousel. I don't think many of them are diving in the places I go to, but who knows.

You misinterpreted what you saw. I fly a lot and most airline gate agents are quite strict about enforcing carry-on bag limits. They frequently pull passengers out of the boarding line and force them to gate check extra carry-on bags. The only common exception is for medical equipment needed during the flight.

You're replying to the same person that thinks they can dress for -40C with some layers that will easily fit in a carry-on.

Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#78

Post by pavel_lishin »

shaftway wrote: post #75
gensym wrote: post #9

The advantages of packing light aren't always obvious[1] until you experience them, so you can pretty much tell someone's level of travel experience by how small their luggage is. I've yet to meet someone who packs more and more stuff based on past experience. As the article mentions, good fabrics (like merino wool) can go a long way. (1) Reliability and flexibility being foremost. Not having to worry about lost lugg…

I've been going lighter and lighter and am down to a backpack that I carry (mostly just meds and electronics) and a small suitcase that I could carry-on, but I usually check. But my spouse packs heavier and heavier every year. It's a way to cope with anxiety; you think of everything that can possibly go wrong, and you make sure you have that mitigated with something in your carry-on. And that's why on our last trip w…

> It's a way to cope with anxiety

Yep. That's why I tend to overpack, though I've been mostly traveling with a single backpack these days if I'm traveling solo.

I'm trying to convince myself that I can afford to buy many things when I arrive somewhere, including paying for laundry. The biggest annoyance is time - if I have to do laundry on a trip, that means either sitting next to a washer and dryer for a few hours, or findind a wash-and-fold laundromat - which comes with its own set of anxieties.

Re: Why Can't You Pack a Bag? (2024)

#79

Post by pavel_lishin »

normal_person wrote: post #68
srean wrote: post #10

Unless I have to travel to a destination with a drastically different weather or I have to stay longer than ten days, it usually takes me no more than 15 to 20 minutes to get packed. With my undiagnosed ADHD I usually start an hour or two before my airport cab. My problem is not what to pack or that I pack too many things but to actually begin the process of packing.

I used to struggle to even start packing and solved it for me by creating a default packing list in google keep. So I now just need to mindlessly retrieve passport, ticket, cards, 3x socks, 3x shirt, etc. and check them off the list. Only takes 15 minutes now and not a single braincell or any willpower need to be involved. And who doesn't love checking items off a list.

I do the same thing, except I have some anxiety around traveling, so I have - no exaggeration - started packing a week before a trip.
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