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In this age of airline fare wars, globalization, and the Euro, traveling across multiple borders is increasingly common. Combined with the horror stories of lost luggage that never made it to the baggage claim, the option of traveling with just one bag is becoming more and more attractive. Unless your trip is highly specialized or requires carrying certain items, it is possible to travel and even live indefinitely out of one bag. Here's how.

Steps

  1. Carefully consider each item and how important it is, or how frequently you will use it. Can it be rented, borrowed or bought at your destination?
  2. Get a bag with shoulder or back straps and plenty of pockets. The bag need not be huge, since you will not carry much. Consider whether it will fit onto the plane's overhead storage, under a seat or on a train or subway.
  3. Gather the following:

  4. The bundle method of packing.
    The bundle method of packing.
    Pack using the "bundle" method: wrap clothes around large objects (such as bags of toiletries or pairs of shoes), rather than folding or rolling clothes. Stuff underwear and socks into shoes to save space and to prevent crushing shoes. The bundle method saves the most space and also prevents wrinkling.
  5. Buy toiletries in miniature or transfer liquid contents like shampoo into smaller travel bottles. Save hotel/airplane toiletries so you can pack them the next time you travel.
  6. Put toiletries that could leak (shampoo, gel, etc.) in plastic bags to avoid the hassle of having your clothes covered in liquid soap. Bags are also useful if clothing doesn't completely dry overnight.
  7. Minimize the number of items that require electricity, as converters can be costly and space-consuming. Portable electronics often run on batteries, and shaving, of course, can be done by hand.
  8. Mail home or give away items not necessary for traveling, such as finished books or souvenirs. Trading books is a great free way to keep one's travel library fresh. Also check out www.bookcrossing.com - here you can leave books for others to pick up and find books wherever you might be in the world that others have left behind. Bookcrossers leave notes about the books, so you can read where the book has been.

Tips

Warnings

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations