# Ho do you pack when travelling (light or heavy?) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634 "2010-04-10T13:37:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/1 "2010-04-10T13:37:56Z")
If you’re travelling for a week or more, how much stuff/clothing do you pack? I pack enough for a couple of days and bring some detergent and try to clean things during the trip. my husband, on the other hand, is currently packing for a 2-week trip, and he is bringing 14 days of clothing and thinks it’s odd that anyone would wash they clothes during the trip. What do you do? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/2 "2010-04-10T14:03:11Z")
I’m an evangelical light packer, obsessed with carrying as little as possible. I travel hard, and I hate to be weighed down. I want to be able to keep my luggage next to me rather than storing under a bus or something and worrying the whole time that it might get stolen. I want to be able to walk around a couple miles without my stuff weighing me down. I want to be able to take my stuff into a bathroom stall. I don’t want to always be asking people to watch, carry or store my luggage. The highlight of my life was a one-month trip to Mali with nothing more than a small Jansport bookbag, the kind of backpack we all had in high school. I expect one day I will learn how to ascend in the world of light packing and set off for years on end with nothing more than a toothbrush in my back pocket. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/3 "2010-04-10T14:25:05Z")
Yanno, I clicked back out after reading the poll question, not sure I was in the right thread, based on the thread title. To me, “light” and “heavy” are about way different things than doing laundry. To answer your question: I consider myself a light packer, but I take enough socks and undies for the number of days in the trip, plus, usually, “one for the pot.” I would find a laundromat if I were on a trip of more than two weeks, which I haven’t been in decades. For the rest of my clothes, I choose them with the intention of mixing and matching outfits – all tops should go with all bottoms, sweaters should go with anything, etc. – so can do a week on two pairs of pants, four turtlenecks, three sweaters, something like that. Anyway, “heavy” and “light” to me refers to the amount of extraneous crap you lug around – that’s what I minimize. I take no more than what I know I’ll need, and figure I can buy whatever I forget at my destination. FTR, I don’t think I’ve ever had to do so, other than band-aids or something, “Heavy” packers tend to bring along all kinds of extra stuff – multiple pairs of shoes, blow dryers, I don’t know what all. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/4 "2010-04-10T14:25:14Z")
I pack as little as possible. Maybe I’ll take a bit more when traveling by car, but not much. When flying, bare essentials only. A few changes of appropriate clothes, and that’s about it. Toothbrushes, deodorant, other toiletries are cheap and readily available anywhere. And most importantly, I FedEx my bag to the hotel a couple days before; I board the plane with my iPod and the clothes on my back. No checking, no luggage fees, no fumbling around with overhead compartments, no lost luggage. I show up at the hotel, check in, and many times my bag is already in my room. Otherwise, they have it waiting at the desk for me (I call ahead when the plane lands). ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/5 "2010-04-10T14:35:42Z")
Like **even sven** , I don’t like to be separated from my luggage, so I pack light. Even if I won’t get the chance to wash my clothes on a trip (eg, moving from one location to another, so no time to dry wet clothes), I try to wear shirts and especially pants more than once unless they are visibly dirty. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/6 "2010-04-10T15:23:47Z")
I try to pack as lightly as possible, particularly since the airlines started charging to check bags. I’m slightly hampered in this because I have to carry my CPAP, which is a bag of it’s own (although I’ve found that my netbook fits into the pocket on the back of it, which also makes going through security easier). However, I also cheat; most of my traveling at the moment consists of trips to Chicago where I stay at a friend’s house, and over the last few trips I’ve left clothes there, including socks and underwear, so I have less to pack now. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/7 "2010-04-10T15:37:34Z")
I don’t often go on long trips, but it’s not really hard to fit a week’s worth of clothes into a carry-on bag. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/8 "2010-04-10T16:15:11Z")
In the middle. I can (and have) worn the same clothes (not undies or socks) for 5 days, and then do laundry. My hang up is shoes. I absolutely need hikers (boots) since many of my trips center around spending time hiking and I need heavier ones with ankle support since I have a bad ankle, and I need flip flops for showers, since many times I save money by not getting rooms with private baths. Plus, I need one other pair of shoes for when I’m not hiking, and I try to save space by bringing Chacos or something. I could wear the Chacos in the shower, but they take a long time to dry. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/9 "2010-04-10T16:51:39Z")
I pack in the middle, but climate matters. I’m planning on going to a place where it’s going to be pretty warm, and I’m packing the same amount that I usually pack - but it’s taking a lot less space because summer clothing simply doesn’t weigh anything or take up any room. Winter clothing, OTOH, is bulky. As soon as I’m looking at clothes that are heavy enough to protect me from rain and snow (and the change when outfit #1 is drying out), I’m looking at a bigger suitcase. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/10 "2010-04-10T17:22:12Z")
If I can’t carry it myself on a 1 mile walk, I don’t need it. That’s my standard. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/11 "2010-04-10T17:42:59Z")
The purpose of the trip really matters, as well. If I am going to a cabin in the woods, I can take almost nothing. Books will far, far outweigh clothes. I don’t mind wearing the same thing repeatedly in a case like that. If I am going to a professional conference, my needs will be very different. My mother travels a great deal on business, and once went on a three week business trip that involved a week in Boston, a week in France, and a week in Japan. THAT was complicated to pack for! ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/12 "2010-04-10T19:13:59Z")
I voted for #1, but none of these options really applies, as a week’s clothing fits in a carry-on; in fact, unless it’s a business trip or some other event requiring a suit or other more-than-casual clothing, a week’s clothing fits in a backpack. In neither case is laundry necessary. However, extending the trip to the point where that choice must be made, I’d rather find a laundromat than check a bag or pay the hotel. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/13 "2010-04-10T19:26:07Z")
I’m not as hard core as **even sven** , but I’ve done enough long term overseas traveling to appreciate traveling light. I usually try to fit everything into a large backpack with a attached day back. I check the backpack in and carry essential toiletries (contacts, meds, toothbrush) in the detached carry on day pack. That way, when my luggage gets lost, I’m not shit out of luck. I notice that I carry more crap than some of my friends on weekend junkets to Vegas, but I have to bring my snazzy duds. Now, when I’m going to stay for an extended time to a place where I have a home base (NYC, Park City, San Francisco), I have a tendency to pack as much crap as the airlines will let me carry. I usually carry 6 changes of clothing (undies, T shirts and socks), and then do laundry myself as necessary. My snowboarding crap tends to push me near the 50 pound limit anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/14 "2010-04-10T19:51:31Z")
I went to Czech Republic and Austria last weekend. I had the clothes on my back, plus one extra pair of pants and shirt, underwear and socks, and a change of shoes\*. And my backpack also contained my laptop, a book and toiletries. So I guess that’s minimally. Difference from your poll is that I didn’t bother washing or ironing anything. The clothes in my backpack were for wearing out at night, the stuff on my bod for during the day. Extra shoes were only because my shoes that were nice enough for night were not comfortable for traveling (lots of walking) and vice versa. Had I started this journey from my home instead of my hotel room I wouldn’t have to bring to pairs of shoes. Because it was cold out it was a little crowded in the bag, otherwise clothes could have been lighter. On my current “work trip”, I packed six work shirts and three pairs of work pants, but a buttload of underwear and socks. And some non-work clothes like a couple of sweatshirts and some running clothes. I have been here now for about 15 days and expect that I will be here another 2-3 weeks. It would be ridiculous to try and pack more, as much of my travel involves trains. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/15 "2010-04-10T20:13:38Z")
I am the reason airlines have extra baggage charges. Vacations trips are often photograhy driven and that means either flying with my hardcase and watching my precious move down a belt away from me or carrying all camera gear on and packing everything else. I don’t go on vacation to do laundry, and even given extra baggage charges the cost of a couple of hours of my time in a laundry when I could be exploring or beach sitting is far higher for me. I take what I need, probably about 10% more and I enjoy my trip. I’m not so fond of the actual travel part but that has less to do with baggage than with the airlines themselves ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/16 "2010-04-10T20:19:56Z")
\*\*Ho do you pack when travelling (light or heavy?) \*\* Ho likes to travel light. Pack a little booty and a box of condoms. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/17 "2010-04-10T20:27:11Z")
I pack light, because my wife packs so much unnecessary junk for herself (she usually only uses about half of what she packs on vacation) and I’m the one who has to carry it all. ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/18 "2010-04-11T04:18:51Z")
Half the clothes and twice he money, and thank the travel gods every day for the gift of your trip. Hope you have a wonderful trip, please share with us all when you return! ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/19 "2010-04-11T06:46:20Z")
I generally pack enough clothes so I don’t need to do laundry while I’m away. Most of my trips are about a week, so it’s not that much to take. I don’t like doing laundry at home, where I’ve got machines to do all the work. Why would I want to do it on the road, by hand? In any case, I’m not so big on travelling light as many people on this thread are. Most often I’m staying in one place for the duration of the trip, so being able to move quickly with all my belongings isn’t so important. One of my most difficult packing situations was a couple of years ago: Christmas/New Years in Chicago with my wife’s family, with all the winter clothing that entailed, followed immediately by several days in New York attending my own family events that required formal dress – several different suits and ties. That was not travelling light. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634/20 "2010-04-11T07:22:36Z")
I can carry a weeks worth of stuff in the carry on bag I take on the plane. That includes a few books and a few pharmaceutical odds and ends that I take just in case but never need. Before 9/11 I thought it would be fun to travel overseas for a while and take nothing with me other than my meds, books for the flight and toothbrush/paste and start buying when I got there. First some local toiletries, a bag and a change of clothes, and go on from there. But since then it seems that lack of luggage is a red light for security and customs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ho-do-you-pack-when-travelling-light-or-heavy/535634.md?page=2)