Welcome to Stuff We Like, a regular column where we shop and share items we think you’ll love. By reader request, I’m going to do a Stuff We Like series on one-bag packing and tools to help you organize and travel light.
I post pictures of my luggage on Instagram because I’m admittedly pretty proud of my efforts to streamline my packing so that I have one bag and one purse. Unless I’m bringing swag, notebooks, and items to give away, for most conferences and longer trips, I have one carry-on bag and one purse, and that’s it.
My research into traveling light began when I was planning a trip to Australia in 2014: I was going from Fremantle to Melbourne to Sydney, then to Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef, then on to Brisbane. I was attending one conference (Romance Writers of Australia – thank you!) and two writing festivals that had invited me as an international guest (Melbourne Writers Festival and Brisbane Writers Festival – thank you!). I was going to be moving around a LOT, and midway through my family joined me. My goal was for each of us to have one backpack – larger ones for my husband and me, and smaller ones for the boys.
There is no shortage of sample packing lists, photo essays, and advice for one-bag packing, especially from people who are constantly on the road and move from one place to another. It’s kind of addictive to read them all, and I still have some saved in my digital scrapbook. All that research paid off, though, as I did travel for nearly a month through Australia with just one bag, and a small one at that.
That experience affected how I travel now, whether I’m going away for a weekend or for for than a week. Last year I traveled for several weeks from the US to Frankfurt and Baden-Baden, then Strasbourg, London, Peel (Isle of Man), Lancaster, then home for a night, and then to RWA in San Diego, plus an extra bit added on at the end for a funeral in Connecticut.
I switched out some clothing, but with the exception of the laundry I did at home and once on the road, I had the one bag with me.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHQOMNng2I5/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHwtT2dA12G/
My goal in just about every trip I take is to pack minimally, and travel with only the one bag, usually a soft sided backpack-style suitcase (in pictures above). I’ll go into greater detail in a future post about luggage options.
Why travel light?
- Less waiting
- Less worry about whether my luggage will fit in the overhead. As airlines charge more for checked baggage, carry-ons get larger and more abundant. I rarely worry that the bag I carry won’t fit. It nearly always fits, even on teeny wee planes. And I can often slide the bag under the seat in front of me in a pinch.
- Less stress about moving quickly if I have to run for a flight or train. I’ve run from one platform to another several times with my luggage on my back.
- Less indecision when I arrive about what to wear. I plan each day’s outfits, sometimes with an alternate – more on that later.
- Less likelihood of a problem – no lost luggage if it’s with me
Many people have asked about how I manage this one-bag travel thing, so I thought I’d start with how I organize and streamline the number of things I’m bringing with me.
In future posts talk about packing lists, clothing plans, and the suitcases and bags themselves. The bags can be expensive (I stalked eBay for months to get a deal on the used one I still carry) and I’m a big proponent of using what you already have. Chances are you have a suitcase or bag that’ll work.
Plus, I know many of you are planning business or leisure travel this summer, and it’s a lot easier when you don’t have to lift or carry a heavy bag or set of bags.
Bottom line: you don’t need as much as you think you do!
So let’s get started. (Note: some links herein are affiliate coded, so if you purchase using said links, I thank you very much!)
Airplane Travel Necessities
I have two sections for technology on my packing list, and one is for airplane travel. The rest of the items, which I’ll list below, I carry every day. But since air travel is its own special experience, here are a few things I keep with me that might make your trip more relaxing, too.
- Noise-canceling headphones
Before I saved up for the Bose set, I had an Audio-Technica set that were about $50.
And in a pinch, I always have basic earbuds in my bag.
Useful App!
For very noisy flights and for noisy places, like the time I spent seven hours in an auto dealership service area waiting for a recall repair, I turn on a White Noise app. I’m partial to (cue up your jokes) Brown Noise (ok, let ’em rip!) because it absorbs chatter and television voices and doesn’t distract me otherwise. The White Noise app below has a free and .99 version, and I use it frequently.
For airplane travel, it’s a lifesaver. I can’t listen to lyrics if I’m writing, and usually I’m writing on a plane. (Example: when I wrote the first draft of this post, I listening to a fake thunderstorm.)
Technology Items With Which I Always Travel – Always
Whether or not I’m headed to the airport, these are the items I always have with me – and I really mean “always.” I carry most of these items every time I leave the house. This streamlined shortlist of things I carry with me every day was refined after a lot of trial and error and travel. They’re helpful, and they don’t weigh much.
In my purse is a size small Tom Bihn clear organizer pouch with my tech necessities. I love Tom Bihn supplies, including the Aeronaut bag I carry (the one I haunted eBay for). They are not nearly the only options, but I like mine a lot. If I switch purses or need to move my things to a larger bag, the zip pouch of tech is always included.
It helps a lot to have your chargers and tech essentials in a bag that’s easy to grab and easy to see in your bag. These are also adorable:
Three soft fabric zip-top pouches for $3? Nice! And they’re light colors so they’ll show up in the deepest, darkest depths of your bag.
Amanda also loves this tech organizing bag:
The iSuperb A4 Multifunction Organizer Messenger iPad Handbag is $19, holds a tablet and a bunch of other things, and is available in four very cute colors.
You can find tech bag options everywhere, and they come in many styles, some large enough to hold tablets or computers.
That one is just ridiculously cute!
Generally I stay away from bags that have hard covers or specific structures, because they take up room when they aren’t a little flexible. But one that’s shaped like a miniature train case might be ideal for you. Do what works!
And now… the chargers and tech!
Every phone and device comes with a cable, but I have found that carrying a bunch of cables of the standard 18″ – 2′ length just creates a growing tangle that’s a pain in my backside. I fish for a cable and invariably it’s wrapped around every other thing in my bag.
Here’s what I’ve got in my bag to make charging easier.
Micro-cables!
I carry these three, the Griffin USB Mini Cable set ($8 with shipping), though I rarely if ever use the old-style Apple one.
If you’ve got the newer Apple port, there’s a mini cable for you, too – several in fact. This one, the Bewired, is $9 and 3″ long:
Micro-cables are great – this one, the JASTEK 8-pin multi-charger ($9) has a clip for attaching to a keyring or luggage strap:
All my micro-cables come with me, along with a backup charging battery. Currently I have this one, the ANKER Core 10k ($24), which weighs 180g/6.35oz:
Headphone Splitter
Several times I have asked myself, and my husband has asked me, “Why do you always have the headphone splitter in your purse?”
Answer: because having it can mean an extended period of peace and quiet when you’re waiting, traveling, or stuck, and only one device is working. Those needing amusement can plug their headphones into the jack and share a movie on one device in the backseat of the car or on an airplane. (Typically, for long travel times, we let each dude pick out one movie to download, and usually they conspire to get two they both want to watch.)
The Belkin Headphone Splitter ($5) comes in a flexible or stiffer y-shaped configuration, and is one of the handiest things I have in my bag.
And if you’ve a need for more than two pair of headphones, there are five-port audio splitters, too:
The Belkin Rockstar ($12-15) has five ports and comes in different colors, too.
Extras for Peace and Charging:
I don’t always carry this in my purse, but for travel where I know I’ll be staying somewhere overnight, I have one of these in my bag:
The Anker four-USB Charger Port ($25) turns one outlet into four USB charging hubs. When I travel with the family, I always have one with us. (There is a well-reviewed cheaper option for $13 as well.)
Along with the micro cables and headphone splitter, I have the regular things, like some Band-aids and sunscreen wipes and lip balm in the mini zip bag. I also have a very small pen and some miniature colored pencils for artistic emergencies. But for essentials in terms of technology, I try to minimize and streamline what I carry and where I carry it, so I can grab one little zipper pouch instead of fishing for a tangled cord in the bottom of my bag.
The same goes for my clothing, undergarments, shoes, and other stuff. I’ll expand in the next edition on the tools I use for packing, and on my packing list (which I will share – don’t worry!). I hope this will help make your journeys easier, whether they’re short trips to the coffee shop, or epic trips of a lifetime. Happy travels!
Wait – one thing! I’m going to be talking about travel, spring cleaning, and other organization tips using Google Calendar (and Google’s other free products) in the coming weeks in my Organization Academy newsletter. Sign up if you’d like more!
What tech tools do you find indispensable? Any gadgets or travel tech you can’t live without?
Sarah, I’m wondering… If I understand you correctly, you use those bags as carry-on luggage, right? If so, I’m confused. Those seem too heavy to be allowed as carry-on luggage, even if their size doesn’t exceed the limits for carry-on bags. Or is that simply something most airlines / airports don’t check?
Sorry, I know that’s not the main point of this post, but it’s bugging me!
Love this! So helpful
For winter flights I bring an Ikea tote with a zipper top. It folds small and is unstructured. Once we are on the plane I use it to stuff all of our coats in it (works for a family of 3 or four) and stuff it in the overhead bin. We usually check baggage and have small carry-ons, and to disembark we grab the tote and don’t have all that stuff to wrangle.
While I get the reasoning behind not checking luggage I am annoyed by travelers bringing giant carry-ons and taking up too much space (does not apply to the small bags shown here). Unloading these heavy items is a hassle, a hazard during turbulence and slows everyone down leaving the plane. (Admittedly: I am not a citizen and usually spend 2-4h waiting in line for immigration, so by the time I get to the luggage carousel there is no wait.)
@ Katty fwiw I find that cheap airlines frequently check weight and size, as they stand to make a lot of money that way. I’ll bring a little handle luggage scale if I’m going to be on the road for a long time or with multiple legs. It keeps me honest when purchasing yarn. Or it doesn’t, but then I know I have to wear like, all my clothes simultaneously until I get through security.
@kkw “It keeps me honest when purchasing yarn” is one of the best sentences I have ever read!
I’m also curious about the weight of your carry-ons, but I’m guessing since you’ve researched packing light that you’re packing smartly enough that the weight isn’t an issue?
Yes, KKW has it right – cheaper airlines check size and weight, but I think that’s more common outside the US. I could very easily be wrong, though. I live and have lived near major airline hubs so I don’t often fly discount or budget airlines more likely to check the weight of a carry-on. When I check luggage, then the bag does get weighed.
That said, my luggage is not that heavy, partly because the bag itself weighs very little, and partly because I don’t pack much in it. I wear mine as a backpack most of the time while I travel, and it’s not too heavy for me to lift and wear. I also have a small luggage scale as KKW mentioned, which I keep in a pocket of a rolling suitcase I sometimes use.
@Mona – the zipper tote full of winter coats is BRILLIANT.
I, too, love Tom Bihn materials. I frequently travel for work, and I’m not above making my employer pay for checked baggage, but most of my trips are quick overnights, where checking a bag is just too much of a hassle. I LOVE the Freudian Slip – https://www.tombihn.com/collections/accessories/products/freudian-slip?variant=16409089159
It fits easily in my laptop bag, my purse (I carry a BIG purse), and even into a backpack if I’m out with my kiddos. I have the one sized for the Swift, and it has enough pockets and storage to keep track of tech, papers, pens, snacks, and my wallet. I just shift it from bag to bag and never have to have the moment where I am out with my purse but my wallet is at home in my laptop bag.
@Erin: oh, my gosh, I have such lust for the Swift bag. I love that it was designed by knitters and has so many useful parts built in. Do you use your Swift as a purse?
I love my LL Bean underseat rolling bag – it really does fit under the seat so I’m not the person jamming a monstrous roll-aboard into an overhead compartment (or I can supplement with a backpack but still be likely to find an overhead spot). Unless I fill it with books (which, okay, has happened) it’s light enough to grab and run with, but you can also save your back/arms by rolling it around most of the time.
I have to offer a cautionary tale, which is that my parents got talked into buying backpack suitcases (not trim little numbers like Sarah’s) and then for whatever reason ended up having to walk miles in London with their heavy backpacks on. Two decades later, they’re still bitter about the experience! If you can’t pack light, have wheels… 🙂
I’ve done quite a bit international (and internal) travels in various budget and non-budget carriers (E.g., Aus, US, Southeast Asia, and India) and I’ve noted/observed the following about carry-on weighing (as far my experiences):
– Usually only in budget airlines (e.g., Spirit, AirAsia, Jetstar, Frontier) and sometimes they require you to buy a more expensive tix to bring in carry-on.. I’ve had weighing in both domestic and international budget flights before.
– Usually if you’re travelling internationally in major carriers (e.g., American, Qantas, Qatar, Malaysian, Virgin Atlantic)
The only exception I’ve seen in major carriers is when the flight is relatively empty. Budget carriers are pretty gung-ho about weighing everything all the time!
@Susan Thanks for the recommendation for the LL Bean underseat bag. I like to use LL Bean kids lunch boxes (https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70705?feat=lunch%20box-SR0&page=lunch-box&csp=a) for organizing tech and also as a makeup/toiletry bag. They are lightly padded, waterproof, and my Kindle Fire fits flat on the bottom. Padded headphones and all my wires/chargers/iPhone fit on top. I even slip my passport/tickets/ID in the front mesh pocket. They have a carrying handle. If you have a carry on you can put this inside. On the plane put your carry on in the overhead and keep the lunchbox on your lap or under the seat for easy access to your entertainment. I got a bunch of these when they were $10 with the coupon Bean gives you with your order. (Now they are $17-$20.) As a makeup bag they wipe clean and prevent leaks from contaminating your other things. They fit in your suitcase like packing cubes do but are more protective.
Also, long cords for charging or earbuds are no longer a problem for me since I learned how to hank them like a rope. No more tangles!
I eagerly await the next installment of this series!
@Regina – that is brilliant. I hadn’t thought of using lunch bags as carryon bags for various purposes. Thank you!
I always pack an empty tote, the lightweight fabric ones that fold flat or into a small pack, for those unexpected purchases at yarn shops and quilt stores and discount show outlets. Also a fan of then having the USPS get those things home instead of cramming them in my suitcase.
Definitely going to be checking out that charging hub. There’ll be three of us in a room for my Outlander trip in July. I have a feeling there will not be enough outlets for three phones, two iPads, cameras, a Kindle and assorted hairdryers.
SHOE outlet. SHOE!!! Stupid autofill!!!
This post, and all the comments, are amazingly informative! Can’t wait for more in the series!
Hi Sarah, thanks for the informative article. I am forever looking for the perfect carryon bag and am wondering what is the size of your Aeronaut bag, 30 or 45? My spouse and I usually travel light, but my bag is always heavier due to having to carry cosmetics, jewelry, hair products (even though they are travel size) and of course iPads or laptop.
If you’rein the market for Anker stuff, check Deadspin’s Kinja deals wrap-up or follow them on Twitter – the Anker stuff is almost always on sale for at least a couple of bucks off list price and sometimes more.
On plane trips I’ve learned to carry earplugs & earbuds and sunglasses. Earplugs/buds dull the engine roar enough that I’m less tired at the end of a flight. And it’s hard to rest in unfamiliar dynamic places like planes. Eye masks squish my nose and eyes so I wear big sunglasses (Smith & Wesson Magnum, safety glasses ~$12) instead. (I started sleeping in sunglasses after getting lasik and not wanting to tape plastic shields over my eyes.) I find that the sunglasses filter enough light/ changes in light than I can rest more comfortably.
But my best comfort tip: take a small inflatable pillow (I’ve used a Brookstone neck pillow that came with a fabric cover for 20 years – it finally sprung a leak). Inflate said pillow about 1/4″ or 5mm. Then sit on it! It transforms the dodgiest seats into a reasonably comfortable spot. The neck pillow can support or leave a gap for my tailbone, depending on my need. Or If I can’t recline, I puff it more (still not full) and put it behind my back.
Improved seat comfort, noise reduction, & light reduction as desired mean I get off a plane feeling less tired than if I forget these things.
As to weighing Carry Ons, Air New Zealand has a *12 pound* weight limit!!!!! I had 25# and had to shift most of it to my checked bag which made it overweight and still needed an exemption for my carry on, in which I to have various medicines and toiletries on hand.
I always travel with an eye mask because I need total darkness to sleep, and I love the 40 Blinks mask from Bucky. (I got mine at Amazon.) They’re about $15, but they’re cupped, so they don’t rest against your eyelids. Best money I’ve ever spent.
@Chicklet – That’s the same sleep mask I have, and I love it. Not having things against my eyelids makes a huge difference!
@Carolyn: I got mine years ago, and I think it’s the 45. I love it, though my husband has a different backpack suitcase and loves his equally as much.
I bought this about a year ago and it has saved my bacon more than once.
NiteIze: Powerkey Mini Power Cord
https://www.niteize.com/product/PowerKey-Mini-Power-Cord.asp
I just leave it on my keychain. It’s lightweight and slim. And it comes in both microUSB and Apple connections.
Paired with the stainless steel locking s-biner I use as my keychain, I know I won’t lose it once I attach it to my bag/zipper pull/belt loop/whatever.
I might have a small collection of locking and non-locking s-biners at this point. Endlessly useful.
https://www.niteize.com/product/S-Biner-SlideLock.asp
It comes in a super corrosion resistant stainless steel version, too!
https://www.niteize.com/product/S-Biner-Marine-SlideLock.asp
And mini!
https://www.niteize.com/product/S-Biner-MicroLock.asp
Their cord-minders are pretty darn cute too.
https://www.niteize.com/product/Curvyman.asp
I admit to being a HUGE fan of their visibility options for bikes, pets, and pedestrians. Every damn bag I own has a Spotlit attached to it somewhere.
@Cranky Otter oh my god! I have one of those inflatable pillows! I do love it for sleeping on planes or buses, but I never thought to sit on it. MIND. BLOWN.
I like to throw a mini maglite in my pack when traveling. I keep one of those crank flashlights in my car, but I like a AA powered flashlight for traveling. Then I don’t wake up roommates with cranking – or light in their face.
I’ve always had little padded bags to carry my tech and/or chargers. I, actually, have a LL Bean backpack that I use for day trips with the kids. I, always, carry a portable charger since our Philly trip last summer. I was able to use the backpack for my personal item on our flight to WDW this past February and I had all sorts of stuff in there to occupy myself and the kids. For RT17, I ended up checking a bag and using a tote bag for my personal item. Which was very good, since I needed to use another bag too carry half my books back as a carry-on for the return trip home. Of course, these last two flights were the first time I had flown in more than a decade. I still pack clothing like we’re going camping, when you want some clean, dry clothes available.
My absolute favorite travel things include:
– inflatable neck pillow (inflatable means it fits anywhere and MAN, it’s helpful on planes)
– eBags Packing Cubes 3 Set – I asked for these for Christmas one year and they are SO helpful. Your clothes stay put but also, you can keep dirty clothes in a cube and if you need to do laundry, you’re all set. I’ve since bought these as gifts for others
https://www.amazon.com/eBags-Packing-Cubes-3pc-Set/dp/B004C0XZM4
– Therm-A-Rest Trail Seat Lily Pad – I bought this for my mom before an extended roughing it trip to Costa Rica, because she has hip and pelvic pain and uses seating pads even on wooden chairs. I was worried 1) because she couldn’t bring her large cushioned pads with her in her carry-on, 2) she’d never been seated in a plane for more than 4 hours at a time, and as someone who has, I knew it would be painful and 3) I knew she’d need something on the ground and on boats. This is super tiny and even inflated, stays thin but she swears it’s comfortable and has even gotten rid of her other emergency pads she kept in the car, for this one. Very recommended!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HANX552/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have loved reading the comments and how creative people are. Back in my 20s (twenty years ago) I traveled literally with a toothbrush and a tote — I wore a bikini, a dress, and sandals and was good to go. Ha! Things are different in this day and age, in my 40s, with two children, one of whom is profoundly disabled. We check luggage and are grateful for it!
One checked large duffel is just for his diapers (and then it can be collapsed and tucked into a suitcase or used for things I’ve purchased along the way …), and then I have to disperse his g-tube formula amongst the bags because that stuff is h-e-a-v-y (though it is not supposed to be counted by airlines in the weight of the bags). Again, luckily that’s (mostly) gone by the time we come home. (We always take more than we think he’ll need in case we get stuck someplace.)
Because our sweet lamb (he’s eleven years-old) has so many moving parts (DME, Durable Medical Equipment) my husband and I keep *our* carry-on to a minimum because we are carrying so much for our child. Our twelve year-old carries his own backpack with his book, laptop, cables, headphones, etc.
Anyway, here’s *my* tip: TSA has a program called TSA Cares, and if you call them a few days before your (USA departing) flight, they will arrange to have a TSA escort for you. With the liquid meds, liquid food, wheelchair, DME, etc., we LOVE having an escort. Sometimes it’s a time saver (if the TSA workers [and I am looking at you, Dulles] are uninformed about exceptions for medical supplies), but all the time it is a major convenience having one person walk you all the way through.
Oh wait, something else which so remarkably changed how we travel is for each of us to have our own color of packing cubes. It makes it so easy to find everything! If it’s fuchsia it’s mine; grey it’s my twelve year-old’s, etc. We stayed in this wonderful and quaint auberge in Quebec and the room had no drawers, no storage. It didn’t matter a bit because of our cubes; my younger child goes through multiple articles of clothing a day (life is messy!), and if I needed to grab another drool bib for him it was a piece of cake. What works best for us is that we each have two sets of eBag’s packing cube 3-piece sets. Game changer. I will never travel by myself (I will never go anywhere without my youngest — I am his primary medical provider plus I am his barracuda mama), but even if I did I would still pack in cubes for convenience: all bras and panties in one, all tops in another, etc. Love them.
You have any ideas for flying with a Jack Russell who counts as your carry-on? 😉
Wow, this has been very helpful. Does anyone have a specific brand of inflatable neck pillow to recommend? Thanks.
@JTReader: This one is highly rated and is about $13, and other travel guides I’ve read recommend the Lewis N. Clark one, and it’s about $15 or so.
Thanks, Sarah. I will try one.
@sb Sarah I do use my Swift as a purse/knitting bag/diaper bag. My love for it is deep and abiding. In a fire, I would save my children, my husband, and that bag.
@Erin: You’re tempting me HORRIBLY. It looks like such a terrific bag!
I don’t travel a whole lot, but I want to put in a plug for the A4 Organizer. It easily fits my Moleskine, Kindle, and iPad, plus a pen/highlighter, and a charging cord. It has lot of slots and pockets and is padded just enough that things are well-protected but not bulky. I bought mine from Amazon for ubder $20 and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Alright one of my fave weekend bags was give to me by my brother at Xmas, it’s a carry on with shelves. I think this is the perfect bag for a weekend away,. Bottom shelf is for fleece or shoes any bulky item. We are hanging out on the St. Mary’s river this weekend at my friend’s house and I have everything I need. Of course I have my LLBean backpack with electronic media, hair stuff and cosmetics.
it’s available at https://www.risegear.com/products/riser-shelving-grey?variant=17427805188
IMG_3164.JPG
I’d you’re travelling abroad lawsuits, always check your weight! Checked bags have a maximum of 23 kg and carry ons a max of 10kg on all major airlines. Some budget airlines have a max of 20 kg. Some airlines, like Air France insist that carry on plus handbag have a combined total of 10 kg. I travel abroad from the UK a lot, both to the U.S. and on the Continent, and they are really cracking down on weight. I can’t travel light, but I always leave a bit of space for purchases! I have a basic kit to which I add clothes.
My tip if you’re travelling to another country where the plugs and power supply are different, carry a power strip. then you only need to mess with one converter.
lawsuits? Autocorrect is weird sometimes.
Wow wow wow you may have helped me find the perfect bag! I spent no less than three hours on the Tom Bihn website. I do want to join the Organization Academy newsletter but the box isn’t working. Thanks for this great post. SB forever!!
I love reading these tips. Are you going to do a feature on travel clothing also? On our recent long-haul flights with my husband and two kids from the US to Central Asia we checked two large suitcases. We needed to bring clothing for all kinds of weather plus gifts for relatives. We brought back lots of gifts, souvenirs, and books as well. I used to be a one-bag traveler when I was traveling by myself though.