A trip? Sure, my bag is already packed! But how?
July 28, 2018 8:15 PM Subscribe
After a long career where travel was mostly known well in advance, opportunities for short-notice fun travel are emerging. I have a fantasy of keeping a carry-on bag packed, ready to grab on the way out the door. But how do I pull that off?
Some of you here have a lot of short-notice travel experience. What do you keep packed and ready to go?
I'm thinking a pair of pants/slacks, socks, underwear, a wrinkle-free shirt or two, maybe a (microfiber) blazer and tie (in case of a fancy dinner), a basic shaving kit , a USB charger and some cables, a TSA-proof corkscrew, and ... what else?
On the flip side, is there stuff you keep in your travel bag that you never use?
Some of you here have a lot of short-notice travel experience. What do you keep packed and ready to go?
I'm thinking a pair of pants/slacks, socks, underwear, a wrinkle-free shirt or two, maybe a (microfiber) blazer and tie (in case of a fancy dinner), a basic shaving kit , a USB charger and some cables, a TSA-proof corkscrew, and ... what else?
On the flip side, is there stuff you keep in your travel bag that you never use?
A back-up battery for iPhone and such. If you have a favorite pair of shoes for travel, get another. I love packable jackets. If you have an extra scarf, pair of gloves, bathing suit and/or hat you can keep near your stash, that’d probably be helpful. Small umbrella? Small collection of your favorite OTC meds - yeah you can always find a pharmacy but if you’re not feeling well, you don’t want to have to rely on others to translate for you. Knit shorts? If you find time for the gym, great. If not, they can be pajamas. International travel? One of those universal converters.
posted by kat518 at 8:39 PM on July 28, 2018
posted by kat518 at 8:39 PM on July 28, 2018
I have a specific travel toiletries bag always stocked with a toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, spare contacts, etc. Clothes are easy enough for me to grab day off but just tossing the toiletries bag in my suitcase saves me so much time over tracking down all those individual items.
Bonus - I can brush my teeth and go to bed upon returning home without need to immediately unpack.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 9:13 PM on July 28, 2018 [8 favorites]
Bonus - I can brush my teeth and go to bed upon returning home without need to immediately unpack.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 9:13 PM on July 28, 2018 [8 favorites]
Seconding getting permanent travel versions of all your toiletries, chargers, medications, etc. For clothes, I'd think on it a bit and come up with some general packing lists for the most likely types of trips (urban weekend, tropical getaway, etc) so that when the opportunity arises, you know exactly what you need to grab. I would not keep clothes packed in advance, makes no sense to take clothes out of your usual rotation just to have them sit in a bag getting wrinkly.
If you'd like to overthink your bag and gear (and I say this as an enthusiastic overthinker), check out the onebag travel subreddit.
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:33 PM on July 28, 2018 [5 favorites]
If you'd like to overthink your bag and gear (and I say this as an enthusiastic overthinker), check out the onebag travel subreddit.
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:33 PM on July 28, 2018 [5 favorites]
WRT to favourite shoes: don't just grab another pair of the same shoes from the same store and assume they'll fit. I did and they damn near crippled me, but at least I wasn't 1,000 miles away.
posted by kate4914 at 9:36 PM on July 28, 2018
posted by kate4914 at 9:36 PM on July 28, 2018
Water bottle, TSA-safe sunscreen, hat, earplugs, cheapie headphones or earbuds in case you forget your good ones, cheapie prescription sunglasses (and often a pair of cheap regular glasses too), small flashlight, knifeless multitool, a watch (I don't normally wear one but sometimes like them while I'm traveling), a small amount of cash, a climbing grade carabiner or two (mostly just for durability but occasionally used for hammocks and such), USB stick with mp3s for rental cars that I don't want to sync to my phone, high power car USB adapter, spare SD card, bootable Linux on a flash drive, floss/toothbrush/TSA-safe toothpaste/shampoo/moisturizer plus a small bar of quality soap, good washcloth, flipflops if you plan on using communal showers at gyms or something like that, spray deodorant (stick can melt), caffeine pills, a small selection of decongestant/painkillers/allergy meds etc., pepto tablets, chapstick, nail clippers, tweezers, a few bandaids of different sizes, condoms (if applicable to your lifestyle), a small amount of jerky/nuts/trail mix/protein bars, a K cup or two, a light-reading novel, pen/sharpie/notebook, and extra business cards (I give them out in some of the randomest travels).
If you get quick drying underwear like Ex Officio, you can wash them in a sink easily if you need to extend your travel unexpectedly.
If you use Gmail as your primary e-mail and have two-factor enabled (which you should), having a printed one-time-use code or two with you in case you lose your phone and need to log in on a random computer can be a life saver.
If you have the ID card version of the passport, it can be handy to have it live in your travel bag as an alternate ID if you lose your wallet.
If you have friends that enjoy random postcards from trips like that, bring some stamps.
posted by Candleman at 9:39 PM on July 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you get quick drying underwear like Ex Officio, you can wash them in a sink easily if you need to extend your travel unexpectedly.
If you use Gmail as your primary e-mail and have two-factor enabled (which you should), having a printed one-time-use code or two with you in case you lose your phone and need to log in on a random computer can be a life saver.
If you have the ID card version of the passport, it can be handy to have it live in your travel bag as an alternate ID if you lose your wallet.
If you have friends that enjoy random postcards from trips like that, bring some stamps.
posted by Candleman at 9:39 PM on July 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
A couple of process notes:
I keep a notebook and throughout the trip I maintain an "unpacking" list: what I used that day. Also what I had to buy or do without, and how things worked out. The notebook also comes in handy for flight details, contact information, funny stories, phrases in the local language that you can show people...
I don't actually keep all of this permanently packed. I'd have to rotate the food and medication, and some of my travel clothes are also my everyday clothes. If you can come home for the bag, you can spend ten minutes packing it. I use a checklist so I remember everything even when I'm in a rush.
The only reason I could imagine to keep a bag literally packed would be if I were working an emergency response role and kept it in my car or at my duty station, or if I expected to be dispatched directly and have to instruct someone else to bring it to me.
Some things I find specifically useful:
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 11:53 PM on July 28, 2018
I keep a notebook and throughout the trip I maintain an "unpacking" list: what I used that day. Also what I had to buy or do without, and how things worked out. The notebook also comes in handy for flight details, contact information, funny stories, phrases in the local language that you can show people...
I don't actually keep all of this permanently packed. I'd have to rotate the food and medication, and some of my travel clothes are also my everyday clothes. If you can come home for the bag, you can spend ten minutes packing it. I use a checklist so I remember everything even when I'm in a rush.
The only reason I could imagine to keep a bag literally packed would be if I were working an emergency response role and kept it in my car or at my duty station, or if I expected to be dispatched directly and have to instruct someone else to bring it to me.
Some things I find specifically useful:
- Consider shaving with oil instead of cream.
- A buff or neck gaiter is so multi-purpose: hair cover in high-modesty areas; ear warmer, beanie hat, or balaclava in cold climates; sweat rag and sun protection in hot climates; hand towel; blindfold
- Ear plugs!
- Undiluted peppermint Dr. Bronner's can be used as hand soap, shampoo, laundry soap, and dish soap.
- Collapsible water bottle and a few ounces of peanuts or your preferred shelf-stable finger food.
- Scissors with blades shorter than 4" are allowed by the TSA and can do almost anything a pocket knife can do without alarming anyone when you pull them out.
- I pack it all in a hiking pack. It's more portable if you aren't assured of paved surfaces, and even when they run out of overhead bins and start forcing people to gate-check their carry-ons, they'll typically let me through because my bag's got too many loose straps to run through the machines.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 11:53 PM on July 28, 2018
I have a bag for this purpose for urban weekends away in warmer bits of Asia (I live in Hong Kong and have a lot of airline miles). I have had success doing this to Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei, Osaka and Seoul. All of these places are within a few hours’ flight for me. Packing a bit more let me do a week in Bali and ten days in Tamil Nadu, but with laundry.
For maximum mobility, I use a fun, green, 13-litre $10 STARTTID backpack from Ikea, and use a few packing cubes from Muji to organise the interior. The backpack easily fits under the seat in front of me which incentivises me to redeem seats in economy or fly on low-cost airlines’ cheapest fares and not bother paying to book a seat or for priority boarding since I know my bag will always fit!
My passport lives in this awesome Bellroy wallet in the same bag; I do the wallet changeover on the train to HKG. I also stop at the ATM on the way and ensure I’ve set my overseas ATM withdrawal ability up - you may be able to do this through your bank’s app or a quick phone call. In a Google Doc I have shared with family I have color scans of my documents and bank information, and I carry an annual travel insurance policy through my union.
One very small packing cube holds a USB to iPhone cable and a 2-port USB travel plug, a spare battery, eyemask/earplugs, noise cancelling earbuds and the USB cable to charge them. I rarely bring my Kindle but use the Kindle app on my phone instead. I also pack a tiny Ziploc-style bag with a paper clip so I can install a local SIM card! I also pack my International Driver Permit and Hong Kong driver’s licence - I never drive at home but have definitely done one-day car rentals in places like Japan to see a lot of rural sites near a city that can’t be linked on public transport that easily.
Because my travels are always to places with shops and because I always stay in at least business/mid-range hotels that provide toiletries, I only have a single deodorant stick and floss in my bag - I’ve found that these things are sometimes absent from local convenience stores. This means I don’t need a bag for liquids and gels, which is a timesaver.
As far as clothes go, I am almost never going somewhere cold, so my bag includes...
- two pairs of shorts and a light pair of trousers
- swim trunks and maybe a compact travel towel (again with a Ziploc bag to carry these home wet in should I take a quick dip right before leaving)
- three Uniqlo DRY polos - nice enough for day/night
- one pair flip-flops, one pair espadrilles - both in a shoe bag smooshed at the bottom; if rain is forecast, I wear more water resistant shoes on the flight
- tiny no-show socks and quick-dry underwear (again, Uniqlo)
If we are doing a winter moment I add:
- a smooshable down jacket
- one set of high-tech top/bottom underlayers
- some sort of light wool sweater
- I swap out the flip-flops for more durable shoes, which I wear on the flight
That’s sort of it! Sink laundry + really wringing out your clothes + towelling them dry + a night in front of a fan/heater saves you should anything need a quick wash.
Happy travels!
posted by mdonley at 2:41 AM on July 29, 2018 [4 favorites]
For maximum mobility, I use a fun, green, 13-litre $10 STARTTID backpack from Ikea, and use a few packing cubes from Muji to organise the interior. The backpack easily fits under the seat in front of me which incentivises me to redeem seats in economy or fly on low-cost airlines’ cheapest fares and not bother paying to book a seat or for priority boarding since I know my bag will always fit!
My passport lives in this awesome Bellroy wallet in the same bag; I do the wallet changeover on the train to HKG. I also stop at the ATM on the way and ensure I’ve set my overseas ATM withdrawal ability up - you may be able to do this through your bank’s app or a quick phone call. In a Google Doc I have shared with family I have color scans of my documents and bank information, and I carry an annual travel insurance policy through my union.
One very small packing cube holds a USB to iPhone cable and a 2-port USB travel plug, a spare battery, eyemask/earplugs, noise cancelling earbuds and the USB cable to charge them. I rarely bring my Kindle but use the Kindle app on my phone instead. I also pack a tiny Ziploc-style bag with a paper clip so I can install a local SIM card! I also pack my International Driver Permit and Hong Kong driver’s licence - I never drive at home but have definitely done one-day car rentals in places like Japan to see a lot of rural sites near a city that can’t be linked on public transport that easily.
Because my travels are always to places with shops and because I always stay in at least business/mid-range hotels that provide toiletries, I only have a single deodorant stick and floss in my bag - I’ve found that these things are sometimes absent from local convenience stores. This means I don’t need a bag for liquids and gels, which is a timesaver.
As far as clothes go, I am almost never going somewhere cold, so my bag includes...
- two pairs of shorts and a light pair of trousers
- swim trunks and maybe a compact travel towel (again with a Ziploc bag to carry these home wet in should I take a quick dip right before leaving)
- three Uniqlo DRY polos - nice enough for day/night
- one pair flip-flops, one pair espadrilles - both in a shoe bag smooshed at the bottom; if rain is forecast, I wear more water resistant shoes on the flight
- tiny no-show socks and quick-dry underwear (again, Uniqlo)
If we are doing a winter moment I add:
- a smooshable down jacket
- one set of high-tech top/bottom underlayers
- some sort of light wool sweater
- I swap out the flip-flops for more durable shoes, which I wear on the flight
That’s sort of it! Sink laundry + really wringing out your clothes + towelling them dry + a night in front of a fan/heater saves you should anything need a quick wash.
Happy travels!
posted by mdonley at 2:41 AM on July 29, 2018 [4 favorites]
If you have to take a travel pillow, buy an inflatable one - I bought one from a poundshop (dollar store) and it's way better than the foam one I have - because I can alter the air in it to adjust comfort levels, and because it takes up virtually no space once deflated.
posted by essexjan at 3:11 AM on July 29, 2018
posted by essexjan at 3:11 AM on July 29, 2018
I used to travel all the time (and I'm traveling now), but by all the time I mean 3 out of 4 weeks of the month. I'm a bit biased as I traveled on business and small expenses I didn't have to really care about. That said, my trick was basically keep everything down to a minimum. Even if it seems small it is another thing you have to carry.
1. Hotels usually have complimentary toothbrush/toothpaste. I don't ever bring one.
2. Small deodorant.
3. Two week bag that's NOT a roller, on short haul flights they make you check rollers. You can also usually shove a larger bag that's not a roller into the overhead bin.
4. Phone battery charger. Get the big one, like the biggest one you can get. Keep in mind bars usually let you charge if you ask nicely if you misplace your charger. JUST TIP WELL.
5. Extra charger for all your things, always in your bag. I used to forget to bring my iPhone charger and just bought an extra one.
6. Underwear that are different colors so you remember what you wore. Also I keep a couple of pairs of black underwear in case I get stuck and have to rewear the same pair. I don't buy special underwear.
7. I wear Top Siders on all my flights for easy on/off and keep two pairs in my bag (one nice, one sneaker).
8. Coordinated outfits. Keep in mind you can usually wear pants several times before washing.
9. Longest iPhone cable you can find. Like I'm talking long. I've been to hotels where the nearest outlet is halfway across the room.
10. Cash! I've been cutoff before due to "suspicious" activity when traveling. Have a debit card, credit card and at least a couple hundred in cash. If your card gets cut off on a Saturday night and you can't get a replacement for a couple days, you'll thank me for having cash.
Everything else mentioned above can be bought at the hotel or at a convenience store as needed (chapstick, corskcrew, etc.). I travel as light as possible. You'd be surprised how much are available for free at hotels.
If you're staying at a hostel or really roughing it, I'd probably pack more.
posted by geoff. at 4:22 AM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
1. Hotels usually have complimentary toothbrush/toothpaste. I don't ever bring one.
2. Small deodorant.
3. Two week bag that's NOT a roller, on short haul flights they make you check rollers. You can also usually shove a larger bag that's not a roller into the overhead bin.
4. Phone battery charger. Get the big one, like the biggest one you can get. Keep in mind bars usually let you charge if you ask nicely if you misplace your charger. JUST TIP WELL.
5. Extra charger for all your things, always in your bag. I used to forget to bring my iPhone charger and just bought an extra one.
6. Underwear that are different colors so you remember what you wore. Also I keep a couple of pairs of black underwear in case I get stuck and have to rewear the same pair. I don't buy special underwear.
7. I wear Top Siders on all my flights for easy on/off and keep two pairs in my bag (one nice, one sneaker).
8. Coordinated outfits. Keep in mind you can usually wear pants several times before washing.
9. Longest iPhone cable you can find. Like I'm talking long. I've been to hotels where the nearest outlet is halfway across the room.
10. Cash! I've been cutoff before due to "suspicious" activity when traveling. Have a debit card, credit card and at least a couple hundred in cash. If your card gets cut off on a Saturday night and you can't get a replacement for a couple days, you'll thank me for having cash.
Everything else mentioned above can be bought at the hotel or at a convenience store as needed (chapstick, corskcrew, etc.). I travel as light as possible. You'd be surprised how much are available for free at hotels.
If you're staying at a hostel or really roughing it, I'd probably pack more.
posted by geoff. at 4:22 AM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
Though it is work rather than fun (so slightly different needs), I have frequent last-minute trips. I keep my travel bag ready at all times with a complete toiletry set (so no need to dig around in the bathroom before leaving and still probably forget something), charging cords, etc. Clothes are too specific to the trip, so I don't have those pre-packed, but I do have clothes and field gear organized enough that it is easy to grab the necessary items for a given trip.
Having that bag prepacked with the minimum necessities makes last minute fun trips easy, too. (I should start keeping my passport card in the bag as a just-in-case, that is a good idea.) All you need then is to pack the appropriate clothes, get your wallet and keys, and head out the door.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:36 AM on July 29, 2018
Having that bag prepacked with the minimum necessities makes last minute fun trips easy, too. (I should start keeping my passport card in the bag as a just-in-case, that is a good idea.) All you need then is to pack the appropriate clothes, get your wallet and keys, and head out the door.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:36 AM on July 29, 2018
Since the what to take has been nicely covered I'll just talk about my storage system. I keep a bin in the closet with different types of travel stuff in separate bags/pouches/cubes. There's the basic overnight bag pre-packed with "all the chargers and cables pouch" and "the toiletries & meds cube" plus a pair of PJs. Then I have additional ones for specific types of spur of the moment fun trips I typically encounter. So a hiking one with moleskin, extra sunscreen, protein bar/prepackaged nuts and such stored in an unglamorous fanny pack, a swim one with my swimsuit, sunscreen, towel and flip flops stored in a nylon bag so I can keep wet stuff contained if needed, an entertainment one with some games, the Dragon*Con one with a lanyard, zip ties, sewing kit, bottle opener, etc. This has been helpful even when not going on an overnight trip as I always know where the supplies are, a day hike? no problem, grab pouch and go. Game night with friends, covered.
posted by Bornanerd at 6:40 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Bornanerd at 6:40 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you wear makeup, dry makeup wipes are great to pack. They're lighter than the moist ones and they won't accidentally dry out if you don't use them for a while. Because they're dry you don't even need to wrap them- just slip a few into a pocket.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:36 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:36 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
A lot of things have been covered already, but I'll reiterate:
-It's probably not necessary to pre-pack. Once you've done it a couple of times, it becomes second nature. I've packed a bag for a weekend trip in under ten minutes before.
-The exception is toiletries and chargers. I have extras for all my toiletries, pre-filled into TSA-sized bottles, and a bag of chargers (and headphones). They stay in my carry-on at all times. It's helpful because there are things like tweezers that you don't use very often that, if you had to pack from scratch, you'd probably forget. Make sure to refill upon returning home.
Some things I'll add:
-Pack each day's clothes in a separate 2-gallon Ziploc bag. It doesn't matter if you pre-pack or pack just before you leave. This way, you don't have to dig through your bag to find a matching outfit. Everything is done for you. It's especially helpful if you're not staying in the same hotel each night. And if you're taking a road trip, it allows you to leave your bag in the car - you can just take the next day's Ziploc in the hotel with you.
-I'm not a big ebook guy in general, but a Kindle Fire is small enough that it won't really be noticeable, but it's much easier than traveling with multiple books. There have been a couple of times where I've been 2/3 if the way through a book when I left, and I had to decide whether to pack a second book or just hope I wouldn't finish the one before the end of the trip. The Kindle is a good backup plan so you don't have to choose.
-If you're going to be on a plane, make sure you have a couple of apps that still work offline or in airplane mode. Pocket is great because you can still read saved articles, and Spotify lets you save tracks for offline use.
-I also keep a magnetic chess set and a hacky sack in my bag, but that's just me. These are in my bookbag, which is EDC.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:46 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
-It's probably not necessary to pre-pack. Once you've done it a couple of times, it becomes second nature. I've packed a bag for a weekend trip in under ten minutes before.
-The exception is toiletries and chargers. I have extras for all my toiletries, pre-filled into TSA-sized bottles, and a bag of chargers (and headphones). They stay in my carry-on at all times. It's helpful because there are things like tweezers that you don't use very often that, if you had to pack from scratch, you'd probably forget. Make sure to refill upon returning home.
Some things I'll add:
-Pack each day's clothes in a separate 2-gallon Ziploc bag. It doesn't matter if you pre-pack or pack just before you leave. This way, you don't have to dig through your bag to find a matching outfit. Everything is done for you. It's especially helpful if you're not staying in the same hotel each night. And if you're taking a road trip, it allows you to leave your bag in the car - you can just take the next day's Ziploc in the hotel with you.
-I'm not a big ebook guy in general, but a Kindle Fire is small enough that it won't really be noticeable, but it's much easier than traveling with multiple books. There have been a couple of times where I've been 2/3 if the way through a book when I left, and I had to decide whether to pack a second book or just hope I wouldn't finish the one before the end of the trip. The Kindle is a good backup plan so you don't have to choose.
-If you're going to be on a plane, make sure you have a couple of apps that still work offline or in airplane mode. Pocket is great because you can still read saved articles, and Spotify lets you save tracks for offline use.
-I also keep a magnetic chess set and a hacky sack in my bag, but that's just me. These are in my bookbag, which is EDC.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:46 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
Another one who doesn't pre-pack here. Instead there's a drawer in my bathroom vanity that contains all my small pouches and travel-size toiletries and chargers and backup everything (eyeglasses, tweezers, etc). I assemble my toiletry kit and basic needs from that. Then, I have a master list in my bullet journal that I consult to be sure I've covered everything else. That list is organized according to basic needs, but also what I think of as "modules" for particular types of trips - a "beach/swimming" module, a "camping/hiking" module, a "business trip" module, an "international" module (passport, chargers). So the basic list + the module for whatever type of trip this will be covers it all. It really doesn't take longer than 10 minutes to pack using this system, so I don't pre-pack anything. I also like to know exactly what I've packed, and if I prepack too far ahead, I will definitely either forget what's actually in that bag, take something I don't need, and/or forget something I really wish I'd brought. I don't think you'd get back the efficiency on the other end of the trip that you think you'd gain by pre-packing, because you'd probably have to go shopping as soon as you get there for whatever you didn't add to the bag. And if there's one thing I really really hate when arriving at a new destination, it's having to make a priority out of some stupid errand to buy something I could have packed.
posted by Miko at 8:06 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 8:06 AM on July 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've been in a job that requires this for more than a decade---we get a few hours to a day notice typically---and I take a fairly relaxed approach to it.
I can't really predict clothing. What I pack for summer is quite different for fall or winter. Marine vs inland is also a consideration. We're outdoors a lot so if we're on a boat or not is also a consideration. I typically leave clothes for the last minute. They don't take a huge amount of time to pack really, and they don't benefit from being in the bag a long time. I never pack for more than 5 days to a week. Beyond that, I'm planning to do laundry.
Yes to Turkish towels from me too. They're so nice we've switched to using them at home full time as well.
I do have a permanent bag of toiletries/minimal first aid/medications in my bag all the time. Liquids are airport-ready, in the 4-L ziplock bag , though I've worked to eliminate the need for liquids in my toiletry kit. I appreciate that not everyone can do this, but it's a moderate win if you can do so. I have one or two ziplocks as spares too. That's useful if one breaks or if a piece of clothing gets wet or overly soiled. I don't want to think about toiletries in detail when I'm packing. It's always ready to go.
I have a Skooba case halfway packed all the time. It has an extra charger for my laptop, cables for my phone and camera, an extra battery to charge my phone in meetings, a couple of small USB drives and some extra cards for the camera, and so on. Again, I don't want to have to think about this bag when I'm getting ready. It's a single unit ready to go. I do keep the computer, phone and camera separate, and have to remember to pack them when it's time to leave.
The last "kit" I keep in my bag is a ziplock with a selection of teas, instant coffee, dried drink powders (I like these ones), and some dehydrated miso soup packets. I sometimes travel at odd hours, and find having a cup of tea/coffee or a mug of soup a comfort in otherwise rushed situations. It's a great thing to offer to keep group morale up too, I find. This lives in my travel bag and I replenish it when I get back, rather than having to remember to do so when I'm rushing to get out the door.
My approach really is to minimize thinking about the small detailed things, to have ready-made kits I can just grab and go. The same applies to my work goods---we use a modular kit approach for common tasks. As an approach, that's served us well institutionally for decades.
posted by bonehead at 9:14 AM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
I can't really predict clothing. What I pack for summer is quite different for fall or winter. Marine vs inland is also a consideration. We're outdoors a lot so if we're on a boat or not is also a consideration. I typically leave clothes for the last minute. They don't take a huge amount of time to pack really, and they don't benefit from being in the bag a long time. I never pack for more than 5 days to a week. Beyond that, I'm planning to do laundry.
Yes to Turkish towels from me too. They're so nice we've switched to using them at home full time as well.
I do have a permanent bag of toiletries/minimal first aid/medications in my bag all the time. Liquids are airport-ready, in the 4-L ziplock bag , though I've worked to eliminate the need for liquids in my toiletry kit. I appreciate that not everyone can do this, but it's a moderate win if you can do so. I have one or two ziplocks as spares too. That's useful if one breaks or if a piece of clothing gets wet or overly soiled. I don't want to think about toiletries in detail when I'm packing. It's always ready to go.
I have a Skooba case halfway packed all the time. It has an extra charger for my laptop, cables for my phone and camera, an extra battery to charge my phone in meetings, a couple of small USB drives and some extra cards for the camera, and so on. Again, I don't want to have to think about this bag when I'm getting ready. It's a single unit ready to go. I do keep the computer, phone and camera separate, and have to remember to pack them when it's time to leave.
The last "kit" I keep in my bag is a ziplock with a selection of teas, instant coffee, dried drink powders (I like these ones), and some dehydrated miso soup packets. I sometimes travel at odd hours, and find having a cup of tea/coffee or a mug of soup a comfort in otherwise rushed situations. It's a great thing to offer to keep group morale up too, I find. This lives in my travel bag and I replenish it when I get back, rather than having to remember to do so when I'm rushing to get out the door.
My approach really is to minimize thinking about the small detailed things, to have ready-made kits I can just grab and go. The same applies to my work goods---we use a modular kit approach for common tasks. As an approach, that's served us well institutionally for decades.
posted by bonehead at 9:14 AM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Following up after taking some of this advice and traveling on it.
Keeping an entirely separate, pre-packed set of toiletries (with allergy pills, q-tips, a few $20s, etc.) has saved a bunch of time. Keeping one change of quick-drying travel clothes along with a tiny satchel of travel detergent and a small clothes line hasn't been useful yet, but it sure takes pressure off. On advice from elsewhere, I also keep a baggie full of desiccant packets, in case I need to pull a few out to deal with moist stuff that won't have had time to dry out.
The packing cubes from Muji are awesome. So lightweight! One holds an entire trip worth of socks and underwear. That reminded me of some older advice to travel outbound on nearly dead underwear, planning to throw bits away during the trip to make room for things acquired along the way.
Thanks to the pointer to the 'onebag' subreddit, I picked up an ultra-lightweight travel backpack (a Venture Pal 25L) that folds up into a tiny sack. Unfolded, it'll carry a rain jacket, hat, binoculars, and a bottle of water and a food bar. It's great for setting off on small sub excursions.
I've found that one USB battery isn't enough, so I'm picking up a second one to throw into the excursion pack while the other is charging wherever home base is.
posted by dws at 7:37 PM on September 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Keeping an entirely separate, pre-packed set of toiletries (with allergy pills, q-tips, a few $20s, etc.) has saved a bunch of time. Keeping one change of quick-drying travel clothes along with a tiny satchel of travel detergent and a small clothes line hasn't been useful yet, but it sure takes pressure off. On advice from elsewhere, I also keep a baggie full of desiccant packets, in case I need to pull a few out to deal with moist stuff that won't have had time to dry out.
The packing cubes from Muji are awesome. So lightweight! One holds an entire trip worth of socks and underwear. That reminded me of some older advice to travel outbound on nearly dead underwear, planning to throw bits away during the trip to make room for things acquired along the way.
Thanks to the pointer to the 'onebag' subreddit, I picked up an ultra-lightweight travel backpack (a Venture Pal 25L) that folds up into a tiny sack. Unfolded, it'll carry a rain jacket, hat, binoculars, and a bottle of water and a food bar. It's great for setting off on small sub excursions.
I've found that one USB battery isn't enough, so I'm picking up a second one to throw into the excursion pack while the other is charging wherever home base is.
posted by dws at 7:37 PM on September 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
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- a Turkish towel: yeah it's a towel. it's also a picnic blanket or a scarf or a bathing suit coverup and it's super lightweight
- a little pouch with stuff that makes travel-sleeping easier (eye mask, ear plugs, nose strips)
- a travel pillow
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:31 PM on July 28, 2018 [1 favorite]