The lighter the bag, the greater the freedom!
This was taken towards the end of 10 days in Spain (fall 2013). Other than bringing 5 pairs of shoes, I was pretty happy with how minimalist I was able to get. I highly recommend reading other travel blogs and watching YouTube videos on packing/traveling. There’s a lot of great tips out there. (Here are two good ones to start with: How to Pack for a Year Long Trip: Minimalism for Women, PhotoEx trip to London & Paris)
As an add-on to 8 Travel Essentials, here’s are three new travel tips — Tried and true! (mostly about bags and shoes).
- Neutral palette with the the clothes. Colorful with the accessories. Keep in mind, neutral can mean a few things. It can mean beige, white, black (as I’ve done) or it can mean brighter combos like corals, navy and yellow! The idea is any top, jacket, pant and skirt can go with anything else. It makes getting dressed so easy. It also really helps with the overwhelming first question to packing “what should I bring?”
- Bring 4 Bags. The cluster is shown in above pic, top left. The breakdown is:
- Carry on wheely bag—for gettin’ there.
- Back pack Everlane.com —for hiking around. Such as an all day hike from old-city to Sangrita Familia, up to Parq Guell and back.
- Satchel—for an afternoon out. Just the right size to carry: travel book, wallet, camera, sunglasses and thin sweater. It is hot and humid, but I’m happy! I feel the freedom. (I’m not knocking down priceless artifacts with a clunky backpack either).
- Mini bag/wallet. Worn cross body and under jacket. Barcelona crowds can get thick! And, just before the trip I came across the documentary of Bob Arno and a group of professional pickpockets in Naples, Itatly. Watch it. Good general awareness tips.
Also of note: My mini bag/wallet has a removable strap for converting into true wallet for use with another bag. See how it can play with satchel so well! This is what was going on in that museum shot a couple pics up. Thus, the happy dazed look ;)
3. The multi-purpose wardrobe. That black tank dress (first photo) can be simple on the beach, breathable for a hike, classic enough for an evening meal. The long-hoodie sweatshirt can be used as a robe, a jacket, and a sleeping cocoon on the plane.
Here’s some shoes that are great for walking, from beaches to cobblestone streets.
I hope you find this helpful. I relied on the power of the internet to get this far with my travel-supply strategy, so wanted to pay my lessons forward. Hardest part to get over, the what-iffing! Don’t do that when you pack. Just don’t. You’ll thank yourself. Also of note. Most expert packers pack very few clothes. All can be sink washed (with Dr. Bronner’s for example) and dried within a few hours.
ShizIBoughtToday 