Luggage - Have you changed the way you pack?

[jodifla]

When we travel as a family, I either:

Pack DS and my clothes in one bag that's I believe 26 inches and very light, from Target. Got it cheap. This is pretty easy if it's summer and we're going someplace that doesn't require a lot of equipment, only clothes.

OR

Use a higher end, streamlined LL Bean rolling bag for myself, and then large duffle bag for my DS, his booster seat, and all our paraphenalia like fishing rods, beach toys, etc. The duffles weighs only a few pounds, so it never is too heavy. I balance it across the LLBean rolling bag for carrying.

 

[NotUrsula]

I won't wear denim on aircraft/during plane travel, but I have dark denim trousers which are fashion forward and lightweight, and which have been around the world many times. I suppose if we are talking about heavy work wear type denim it would apply, but there is a lot of fashionable denim around that isn't heavier than anything else. I know; I bought my favourite pair at an American shop. Denim trousers can be more light weight and more fashion forward than many heavier items.

Something like this is perfectly acceptable in most of western Europe and doesn't weigh much http://www1.talbots.com/online/brow...y=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=

Fair enough; that isn't the kind of denim I meant. However, men and boys typically don't wear lightweight stretch denim -- it's a girly kind of fabric.

I am talking about traditional 11-12 oz. pure cotton denim; the kind most favored by men and boys who are addicted to jeans. The kind that Levis 501's are made of. It is just horrible for travel, because it is heavy and takes FOREVER to dry in a hotel room. I wouldn't want to wear it on a plane, either, but when my kid insists that he will die without his jeans, I tell him that the only way it is travelling is on his butt, because I'm not paying extra to check the stuff.

Another issue in terms of weight for family travel are the typical "tighty-whitey" underclothes that men and boys usually wear. These are also normally very heavy and bulky, so it pays to invest in a few changes of synthetic "technical" underwear just for travel.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, do you ever do other sorts of travel? If so, having extra pieces of luggage for cars/trains etc can be nice.

That said, we don't buy sets. We love the stuff from Rick Steves travel store (also on amazon and various other luggage sites). It's all made to be carry-on size, in Europe, as he runs tours that require people to ONLY use carry-on. It's very lightweight, as he requires that each person be able to carry their own luggage (he does have some wheeled stuff now).

So even the biggest suitcase is carryon size for Europe and the Americas. Too big, however, for Australia/New Zealand flights, however, we discovered 2 weeks ago.

And the bags only weigh something like 3 lbs empty, which is nice.


When we travel by car, we also have an old, huge, hard-side/soft-top bag that holds a ton. But it only gets pulled out for car trips.

It's good to know your travel style so you can get the exact things that work for you, instead of going with the set that some random person picked out to be a bargain and look pretty.

 

[DC7800]

having extra pieces of luggage for cars/trains etc can be nice.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who still carried 28" carry-ons (and up to three 36" checked bags at no charge) by train. Sure, there are weight limits, but its not like most stations have a scale to actually weigh the luggage...

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We now pack differently. We normally drive so it wasn't an issue for me at all. But DH didn't like hauling all the luggage.

Now I pack for 4 days and have to do laundry one night (I hate it because everyone else gets to relax or play in the pool while I have to sit around waiting for laundry. I don't want someone stealing our stuff or moving it so I don't leave the laundry room).

We could easily get our stuff into carryons now and I did when I went on my solo trip. I was able to fit 6 outfits in my carryon so I didn't even have to do laundry that trip.

Just be careful if you go with one big suitcase to check in. It's really easy to go over the weight limit.

 

[NotUrsula]

Now I pack for 4 days and have to do laundry one night (I hate it because everyone else gets to relax or play in the pool while I have to sit around waiting for laundry. I don't want someone stealing our stuff or moving it so I don't leave the laundry room).

Bring a bit of duct tape and a waterproof cheap watch with an alarm.
Put a little piece of the tape across the washer/dryer door to deter people who might bother your stuff, and then set the watch timer so that it tells you to head back 5 minutes before the load finishes.

It's not foolproof, but it beats sitting in a laundry room for a couple of hours ... UNLESS you take a really trashy novel and a good boat drink in with you. Then it can be a peaceful getaway.

 

[poohbear8]

Just wondering, for those who fly more than once a year....are more people doing just the carry-ons? I wonder what happens if there is no more room for your bags if the bins are full?

I am trying to decide if DD and I can do just carry-ons for our 5 day trip. I don't want to do laundry, but also don't want to deal with a big suitcase. We both have backpacks and 2 backpacks on wheels, though I need to measure them. I have used them in the past and they fit under the seat.

 

[bavaria]

Just wondering, for those who fly more than once a year....are more people doing just the carry-ons? I wonder what happens if there is no more room for your bags if the bins are full?

Unfortunately on many American carriers the rules really are not yet enforced (some like United do an excellent job and those with too many/too large pieces are told to gate check them, usually for a fee)

Now I pack for 4 days and have to do laundry one night

Hand washing is an option too; I pretty much hand wash every night. A liquid hand wash works best; my favourite is Colgate Génie but any hand wash liquid will do as they tend to rinse out easily while still doing a good cleaning job. Roll the damp items in a towel and squeeze out any excess moisture before line drying or hanging on a hanger. Unless I am travelling somewhere extremely hot and humid with poor AC, most items dry overnight. I have rarely ever used a dryer in my life due to eco as well as economic reasons and lack of that option, and handwashing plus line drying works just fine. You could do handwash for smaller items, and then one laundry load for other items middle of the trip as an option.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who still carried 28" carry-ons (and up to three 36" checked bags at no charge) by train. Sure, there are weight limits, but its not like most stations have a scale to actually weigh the luggage...

I absolutely do not take those large pieces on a train, and I travel on trains somewhere in the world almost every month. Two week ago in France there was no room at all in the luggage racks or the entry ways and that was just on a busy Friday with 20 inch carry on pieces. A few months ago I was on Amtrak and the porter sat me in the accessible seating and put my small suitcase across from me. A family boarded with at least 6 of those giant suitcases, filled the luggage rack, and then proceeded to stack the rest in front of me taking all the legroom and defeating the purpose of the accessible seat, which I did need that day.

Fair enough; that isn't the kind of denim I meant. However, men and boys typically don't wear lightweight stretch denim -- it's a girly kind of fabric

It may be regional or cultural, but I am quite certain that many (masculine) men as well as women and top designers would disagree. My train was late last week and I was quite enjoying that particular scenery on the platform. Dark denim trousers are quite popular and suitable for men in many parts of the world and many higher end designers do use stretch fabric.