Take Advantage Of Light Weight, Easy-Dry Fabrics
Traveling light can become a lifestyle once you give packing some thought. It actually makes the trip much easier on you when you no longer are hauling around oversized and heavy luggage.
Pick your wardrobe carefully. Check the weather where you are going to help determine what clothes to pack. Also try to determine any special events that may require dressing up or dressing down. With this information you will be able to determine what you will need but also what isn’t necessary.
Eliminate items that need special care. Don’t take clothes that wrinkle easily or need ironing. (You can pack a small spray bottle and use water to spritz out most wrinkles.) Avoid items, like silk, that are easily damaged in a laundry.
Stage clothes you’ve selected in one place so you can make an evaluation. Ask yourself questions like what combinations do I have and how many items work with each other. It’s important to be able to mix and match. Many environments also lend themselves to layering your outfits.
Select clothes designed to travel. Give priority to clothes that can be rinsed out and dried quickly. There are growing choices in miracle fabrics that are designed to keep you cool and dry fast. These items are generally lighter in weight so they take up less space when packing.
Pick shoes with a purpose. We travel with very lightweight tennis shoes (actually running shoes), a pair of sandals and we usually wear our everyday shoes. Pick a comfortable pair that will fit into your wardrobe choices. When packing, fill fold-top sandwich bags with socks and small items and put them in your shoes. This keeps things organized and also keeps the shoes from creasing.
Select the right suitcases. It is awkward to find yourself on a crowded train with an oversized suitcase that you can’t lift or will not fit in the overhead. On commuter trains, you cannot place suitcases on the seats without being lectured or, at best, glared at the entire trip.
We have gotten into the habit of traveling mostly with two carry-on size suitcases and a couple of backpacks. We also use packing cubes to organize the suitcase contents and reduce items shifting around. We also carry a light- weight foldable backpack for day outings or for holding things acquired along the way.
The following is a collection of links for light weight, easy dry clothing we’ve found that can save you time and space while traveling:
32 Degrees – We’ve become very fond of this line of clothing. Available in thermal and sweat wicking shirts and other apparel. We both wear their T’s and thermals.
Exofficio – They offer a wide assortment of fast dry under garments for men and women along with interesting travel ideas.
Balanced Tech @ Amazon – another good collection of fast dry clothing.
Under Armour – This company was the first in the market with sweat wicking clothing and was originally marketed to the military and police.
UNIQLO – this is a Japanese clothing company that is expanding quickly worldwide. We believe they offer a premium line at reasonable price. We have bought and traveled with their moisture wicking polo shirts and while heavier then Columbia they seem to rinse and dry just as quickly.
Columbia built its brand around cool travel clothing. I have had issues with their polo shirts developing pulls in the fabric and am beginning to rethink this shirt.
Rinse And Dry As You Go
Having enough clean clothes while traveling can be a problem. If you’re traveling on your own, you may be able to get laundry services at your hotel but that also comes at a premium price and can take a day or two. The other alternative is to find a laundromat (more common in the US then overseas) and spend a few hours washing, drying and folding.
A better solution is to travel with clothes that wash and dry quickly. There are any number of brands on the market that are lightweight and can be washed in a sink and then hung to dry in the bathtub/shower. The advantage here is that these clothes take up less room in your suitcase, generally wrinkle little or not at all and, because they can be quickly washed, you can pack fewer items. Todays new wonder fabrics and blends make the job of packing for a trip easier than ever too. Warmer, cooler, moister wicking, fast drying clothes for traveling are available from a number of sources. Perfect for layering, they are easy to rinse out in a sink and dry and are ready to wear again in an hour or so. Two of our favorite brands are 32° and Uniqlo’s AIRism.
Travelon Inflatable Hanger Woolite Travel Packets
Some great products to help you handle your own laundry are a universal sink stopper, travel size packs of detergent and an inflatable hanger. The sink stopper is necessary when you end up with a sink that doesn’t have a good stopper. The travel size detergent packs take up little space and, because they are single use, they can be disposed of as you use them. An inflatable travel hanger takes almost no space and can be blown up when needed and then deflated when it’s time to move on. Carrying a couple of plastic clothes pins can also be useful when hanging clothes to dry.
The Intentional Travelers 