Travel with Minimalism

Good morning wonderful readers,

Happy Monday!!

I hope you are having a great start to your Monday and week.

I am so excited for this week! Trevor and I leave for our long weekend trip to Washington DC! We have had this trip planned for awhile now and I cannot believe it’s already here. 

We are traveling for three days and three nights, and have many sites we are planning to see, monuments we want to visit, and museums we want to explore. Our three days will be jam packed with fun and lots of good food.

This is a short, sweet, and to the point trip, but I always like to embrace my minimalist habits when traveling. We are flying to and from Washington DC and I am always trying to find ways to save money during our travel adventures. This is not a long trip by any means, but minimalism during travel can help save money while reducing an immense amount of stress.

When Trevor and I fly, no matter the length of the trip, we always take a personal item and a carry on. We do not pay to check luggage as it is an extra expense and it can be a huge burden if luggage is lost or stolen.

There is a learning curve to packing everything in a carry on, but I am here to pass along my tips and tricks to help you save the next time you travel.

Here are some of my tips and tricks on how to fit everything you need in one carry on bag.

1. Plan your attire for each day you are traveling. 
2. Pack layers - this allows flexibility for unexpected weather while not sacrificing comfort.
3. Review the airlines carry on size requirements. Every airline has different size luggage bags that work as a carry on vs. checked bag. Measure your bag and see if it fits as a carry on.
4. Roll all of your clothes. This keeps them nicely packed in the bag and allows for more space for additional necessary items.
5. Wear bulky items on the flight. If you have to wear or bring bulky items on be trip, try and wear them on the flight. You will need to take them off to pass through security, but this frees up more space in your carry on.
6. Fill up your personal bag with books, electronics, snacks, or anything else you can. Women and men get a personal bag. So guys, bring a backpack, suitcase, or any other bag that allows for you to pack your items without paying for it flying with you.
7. Make sure your personal hygiene items and medications are in a sealed clear bag. In carry on bags, you are not allowed to bring your big shampoo, body wash, or conditioner bottles. Every convenience store carries small, reusable bottles you can fill with your hygiene items that are acceptable sizes to bring in a carry on. This information is found on the airlines website as well, so check it out.
8. Try not to bring multiples of the same item. Ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing wrong with being an outfit repeater. Let me type that again, it’s acceptable to wash and wear the same article of clothing more than once on a trip. I promise your photos will still turn out great, no one will heckle you about it, and the memories from your trip will not be any less with the same outfit. I always bring a little bottle of laundry detergent to wash clothing during the trip if needed.
9. If you happen to forget a necessary item, it’s acceptable to purchase it. You will pay less purchasing the item that it would cost to check a bag and over pack.
10. If you have someone traveling with you, work with them while packing. My husband has large shoes, multiple sizes larger than mine. I always wear my biggest pair of shoes on the flight, but my husband sometimes packs his shoes in my carry on and I roll smaller items in his. This way we both have what we need and we didn’t pay to check a bag just for his big shoe feddish. :)
11. Ladies, it’s okay to leave your hair blow dryers, straighteners, curlers, or excess make up behind. Depending where you are staying, some hotels and Air BNB’s offer these items if you really need them. If you have to have them, they sometimes sell smaller travel options you can pack in the carry on.
12. Ask yourself what is your intention behind this trip? What are the activities you are going to do? When you get home, what memories will you carry with you as you continue to travel through life?
13. Every trip I have ever traveled on, it’s not what I pack that seems to matter, it’s the sites I see, the people I meet, the foods eaten, and the way the city, county, or continent made me feel.

Packing is a necessary piece of travel, but remember, it’s probably not what is in your bag or the physical items you bring or even buy during the trip, it’s how the travel expands your mind, heart, and soul.

I hope you use these tips and tricks the next time you travel - no matter the destination, no matter the length of stay, and no matter the means of transpiration.

Happy adventuring my beautiful friends!

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