I used to take an exorbitant amount of clothing when I traveled. Used to car trips where we had plenty of room and no weight restrictions, I crammed everything in just in case I might change my mind about what to wear. So when I began to travel more often by air, I had some serious adjustments to make in packing attitude. Some people manage to walk on a plane with one small carry-on or backup but that person is not me; I still need some choices and want to look fashionable at all times. However, I have learned to narrow down what I choose to pack and to also to pack more conscientiously and logically. I don’t need quite so many choices!

 I still take a bag that is fairly full, but I also take one that is very light when empty and I leave a little room for shopping at my destination, which is inevitable. There’s all kind of tips on the Internet about packing light, what to pack, and how much to take, but it’s really an individual choice. I have no intention of wearing the same few items several times, for instance, or taking a monochromatic wardrobe.

So here’s what I have learned about packing and what allows me to take what I want, be happy and still not have an overweight, overpacked suitcase.

1. STOP. What kind of suitcase are you using? When my husband and I first started traveling seriously, we both had complete sets of that bulking canvas luggage. You know the kind I mean – it’s a set with all the matching pieces, each of which is extremely heavy before you even start packing them. We struggled along for a long while, progressively getting more and more annoyed with the limitations of our suitcases.

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