how is it possible to pack so little

Go to "Graffiti Wall", check out "Planning & Packing" for lots of answers to your question.

It's easy. You are going to wear one shirt, one pair of pants/jeans, a pair of underwear and a pair of socks on the plane. So you don't have to pack those. :) Then just pack two more shirts, a pair of pants, a couple pairs of socks, one pair of underwear and an extra bra. Wear everything at least two days in a row and wash a little as you go. Dental floss can make a very good clothesline that doesn't take up much space.

Also think in layers. Take a medium weight sweater and maybe a heavier one and a gortex jacket in case it rains. Wear the two sweaters and jacket onto the plane and you won't have to pack them. There's no rule that I've heard of that you can't wear several layers onto the plane and then take them off. You'll probably want at least the jacket anyway to keep you warm because the cool air blows from all directions on that plane.

The rule you might want to consider ~ "If you aren't going to use it more than three times, don't bring it."

It does involve trade offs. Bringing less clothing does mean doing laundry more often. Personally I consider this an acceptable trade off. Also personally speaking the only electronic gear I bring is a camera. It is up to you how much you bring, but remember that being partly metallic they are heavy. Adapters are particularly heavy because they contain transformers (if converting from 240 V to 110V), and so have an iron core.

Check this website out for lots of suggestions on how to pack light:

Onebag.com

Packing light takes a lot of discipline. Take only what you have to have, not what you think you might need to have, or want to have. The rewards of not having a lot of weight to carry are worth it.

I only wear a shirt and underwear one day, and wash every night. Cotton/polyester blend allow the clothes to dry overnight. Last trip, there was not a morning where what I washed the night before wasn't dry. I realize I could go with just the clothes on my back, just to prove a point.

I learned to shave with a disposable razor, just to save taking along my 1# electric razor.

You can see how I pack here.

As mentioned on another posting near here, make a packing list ASAP. Keep looking at it, add to it sparingly, take off things you decide you can do without. If been working on my packing list for 10 years; I can pack in an hour.

The most restrictive overseas flights still allow 6Kg (13lb) for a carry-on, plus a handbag/messenger bag/whatever-you-want-to-call-it. They don't weight that other bag.

13lb is 7 days worth of summer clothes (maybe 5 days of spring clothes?)

In your other bag, goes all electronics & paperwork, the quart-size baggie of liquids, and anything else heavy. After you check in, and go through the weigh-in and pass security, transfer the heavy stuff into your carry-on (because they won't weigh it again) and you are set to go.

It isn't really necessary to only pack 2-3 outfits. It can be done, but it's sort of extreme, especially for anyone who cares what they look like in photos. 5-7 days worth, including things that mix & match is more practical. Then you simply need to do a little laundry in the sink every day or two, or in a machine if one is handy every 3-4 days.

It should go without saying that if you are someone who is used to using a variety of products and tools for your daily shower routine, you might want to consider a more care-free hair style and getting by with a bare minimum of soaps, lotions and chemicals.

We don't usually do much washing on our trips- and they are usually about the same length as yours. Here is what I pack: (wear black cotton-blend pants, T-shirt and a long-sleeved "big shirt" {button up that can look a bit like a jacket}, windbreaker/rain shell with hood, good walking shoes - black) in carry-on suitcase- 2 pair black or khaki cotton-blend pants, 3 or 4 T-shirts (short sleeve in summer, 1 short rest long sleeve in winter- red, black, or purple), 1 or 2 "big shirts" (black & white stripe, black,or red), optional sweater that goes with all of above, 4-5 bras, enough panties for at least 1 week (often enough for entire trip) same with socks, hand wipes, stain wipes, first aid "kit" in a baggie- band-aids, small packets of neosporin, dental floss, advil or aleve, benedril, dramamine, nyquil gel capsules, etc.), sewing "kit"( various colors thread wrapped around a small piece of cardboard, 2 needles, buttons, safety pins), medicaitons, medical info sheet, copy of insurance info, 3-1-1 bag with deodrant, perfume, shampoo, lipstick, chapstick, toothpaste, etc., another quart baggie with eye shadow, blush, powder, comb, brush, tweezers, razor, clippers, etc. , "feminine supplies" if needed, wash cloth in a baggie- if winter- gloves, hat. Totally optional- scarves, phone, charger, adapter plug, camera & charger, extra memory cards for camera, paper and pen/pencil, my sketch book and chalks/pencils, blow-up neck pillow, clothesline (see this site's store), extra shoe liners, umbrella, day pack.
Hubby gets by with a bit less - no need to duplicate first aid/sewing kits, etc. My suitcase will weigh about 14-15 lbs. and his will weigh 10 or a little less.

We even did an around the world trip with the same stuff! It all fits in Rick's bags that we bought more than 20 years ago and that still look almost new. I carry a day pack and move stuff into it as needed.

The thing that's sending you off track right from the start is when you write "14 day vacation". The duration may be 14 days or 14 weeks, but you live it one day at a time! So you only need to bring what you'll need for a few days in the way of clothes, washing and cleaning as you go along. It won't kill you to wear the same things 5 times over the course of a trip. For a 2-week trip you can carry enough supplies if put into small containers (makeup, etc) but for longer trips you buy more as you go; makes for a fun experience since you get to see a slice of local life most tourists don't.

Here is a website with more tips http://www.onebag.com/

my husband strapped an neck pillow to the part of his backpack that was meant to carry a tent or sleeping bag--at the very top. did it look silly? yes. did it work for him? absolutely!

i'm a woman, and carried a 24lb backpack (not huge--smaller than most wheeled carry on bags) for a 22 day trip, and i'm convinced i could have brought even less. four dresses and four pairs of underwear would have been plenty (i brought seven and seven) as for adapters, they don't weigh much, and you really only need one, or two at the most (if, like we were, you are going to the uk and the continent) take one neutral colored jacket or sweater and wear it on the plane/train/ferry so you don't have to pack it. the one thing we didn't ever use was our clothesline--it didn't work (the suction cups were not strong enough) and it is MUCH easier to just hang clothing on hangers (if provided) from the shower curtain (or on the backs of chairs or out the window...necessity is the mother of invention!) have a great trip, and don't stress about what to pack. you really ONLY need your passport and a credit card--you can buy anything else you need there! (trust me--i sent my husband for a pregnancy test in paris--it took him five minutes to purchase one, and took me ten to figure out the instructions, with a little help from my RS phrasebook!)

Laura, deciding what to pack can be overwhelming. Don't try to pack your life. It's not necessary. I learned my lesson a few years ago when on a European group tour. I packed what I thought I needed. I over packed because I only wore about 10 percent of the stuff. My strategy: pack a bag with everything you think you want to carry before the trip,carry, roll, lift the bag. Think how heavy and cumbersome even a light weight bag can become when you have to manuever it thru airports, train stations etc. Go thru the bag and take out items that you do not need.
Take light weight, dress in layers, dress up with scarves. Dwindle things down so that they fit into one bag. Tumi has a great carry on bag and to me is worth the price. Try on your outfits. Take only what you feel comfortable wearing. You can fit a lot of stuff into a large purse. You should always take a change of clothes and undies in the purse. I think it's important to carry some protein snack bars and gum.

First tip from me is one my friend gave to me years ago. Pack things you are planning to get rid of. For instance, underwear that have seen better days. Wear one pair on the plane for sure. You usually want to burn that pair anyway after spending 36 hours or so in them.

Have an old pair of sneakers? Bring those for your hiking, walking around, etc. Leave them behind. You don't have to dress like a vagabond, but we all have clothes that are older, or just never quite right. Why not plan to give them one (or two if you don't mind doing some laundry) more hurrah before their retirement? The bag may be a little tight on the way there, but a lot lighter on the way home, or at least more room for wine and souvenirs.

Whether you plan to wear and toss or not, for women, a black dress (preferably made of jersey or something that doesn't wrinkle and is comfortable) which you can dress up or down. Hand in hand with that is the pashmina style scarf for both warmth with a coat if neaded, and accessory with the black dress, etc. Pair of black pants. Pair of jeans and/or kacki style casual pants. One nice cardigan sweater. One casual jacket/blazer. Couple of shirts (which you can wash, rather than the sweaters, etc.) I always bring a lightweight zip up fleece. I usually get the most mileage out of that (usually black). If you have the right style, it can look good with the jeans, pants, maybe the dress (depending on the fleece or wool) and can be an extra layer when lounging around the hotel or the plane when it can be chilly.

Mind you, these tips probably don't suit the person who likes to dress to the nines when they go out, but will go a long way for someone who is casual but elegant (sort of!).

I've brought only one suitcase (22" Travelpro) which I always carry on (unless the airline absolutely insists) in the last 18 years of international travel (including a 18 day adventure tour in New Zealand and Peru). Its actually pretty easy to do.

There is a lot of great advise posted here already, can't resist adding my two cents :)!
I took a 21 inch carry-on and a personal bag, with what I thought was the absolute minium- discovered I could have done without quite a few things. You will need a sweater and a lightweight rain jacket, the jacket you wear on the plane. If you take 5 tops and 5 bottoms that mix and match you should be in great shape. The little black dress is defintely a great bonus. Wish I had had more room in my suitcase for purchases to bring home!

Laura from San Diego's comments are spot on. I would add that it helps to do some planning. Take her list and pick out pieces that you have, or will buy, and see how many outfits you can make out of it. I usually try to take tops that work with every pair of pants that I take. If you take three tops and two pairs of pants that all match, then you have six different outfits. You can change the look with scarves and/or a vest. I usually take a dress that is wrinkle resistant. that makes 7 outfits. And this isn't even counting what you wear on the plane. If those pieces work with what you packed then you have lots of different outfits. My friends are always amazed at how many different outfits I can pull out of a small suitcase but it isn't really that hard.

Also, I will not take a bag that I cannot lift over my head. If I cannot lift the bag over my head, then it is too heavy and something has to go. This is important if you are taking carryon on the plane or anticipate train travel. It is also a good rule of thumb for how much trouble you are going to have hauling your bag around.

Every trip I take, I end up coming back thinking I could have done with less clothes. It sounds difficult at first, but once you try packing light, you will never want to go back to lugging tons of clothes/things with you.

We recently returned from Oahu and Maui, and while packing to return home, my husband and kids all chimed in telling me what they used a lot and what they "thought" they would use. I myself found that I had two dressy tops and dressy capris that I never wore! They didn't take up much space, but I hauled these items and never wore them. Truth be told, we had planned on some upscale dining beforehand, but changed our minds and did more hiking, snorkeling, lazing on the beach and we had a washer/dryer at the condo.

You will begin to learn how to pack smartly with each trip. Lay out your clothes and try to come up with multiple outfits out of the least amount of pieces like others have been suggesting. We have found that colour coordinating makes for more outfits.

The hardest time I have had packing is travelling during winter because clothing can be so bulky.

Hello Laura. I understand your question. When my travel bag for a vacation trip to Europe was a big suitacase, I totally filled it, and I wished that suitcase was bigger so I could put more stuff in it.
When I saw Rick Steve's first video of travel tips - how to pack for a trip : he recommended using only a bag of carry-on size. I thought a bag of that size would not be big enough for me. But, I owned a bag of that size and shape. I decided to try it. I was not able to put food in the bag,or unnecessary things like binoculars (8 x 40), but everything that I needed to bring to Europe could fit into that bag.
Actually, putting things into my carry-on bag was easier than putting things into my suitcasee, because the carry-on bag is thicker. You did not say what is the size of your bag. If you wish to use a carry-on size bag, it is not as difficult as you might think it is. Other repliers here, and Rick Steves, said bring a few items of clothes, and wash clothes frequently. That is not necessary. I put in my carry-on bag seven sets of underwear, and a few long-sleeve shirts, and pants. I put seven sets of men's underwear into a packing cube : it is medium size, 3 inches thick (made by Colombia Sportswear). My packing cube is thinner than the packing cubes for sale by Rick Steves. A second packing cube (3 inches thick) could contain socks. I did use a smaller bag than that, for a trip to Japan, very many years ago, but that was during warm weather. In that trip I wore short-sleeve shirts, I did not bring a jacket or sweater or unbrella. Experienced travellers who want to bring a smaller bag in their next trip, learn how to do that. Some seasoned travellers bring some old underwear and socks. After they wear each item one day in Europe, they toss it into a trash can. That creates space in a small bag, for picture post cards and a small wall calendar and small souvenir items that they acquire in Europe. Most people decide to bring less things in their next trip.

Simple. Bring some stuff, and buy some there. Toiletries can be bought there. Plus, a few new "French" outfits make good souvenirs.

I love packing light, but I think we all arrive at our own balance, depending on your interests, time of year, etc.

I'd add that for women, additional underwear doesn't take up much space, and means less washing. We go to a laundromat about every 5 days (keep in mind that if you are at the laundromat, you'll always have a pair of clothes on.) I do some handwashing, depending on humidity, how long I'm planning on being there, and how strict the hotel is about handwashing. I just take a nylon cord for what little I do hang -- I don't care for the rubbery RS clothesline sold on this site. If you stuff your clean clothes into the holes, it just wrinkles them and makes that take longer to dry. Plus it's bulkier than I find necessary. Just my taste.

Only take a dress if you normally wear them and if you think you'd wear it more than twice. You can dress up a pair of black pants just as well. Pick the clothes you take so they all mix & match. (I personally take 3 pairs of pants, and a mix of t-shirts and shirts/blouses that can go over them.)

If it's fall through early spring that you travel, you may need to take more heavier clothes. Or if you're going to a mix of locations it might require you to have a wider variety of warm/cool clothes.

Otherwise, keep everything else to a minimum. Like everyone else, on my first trip I took along every toiletry and OTC medication I thought I might possibly need, only to realize I was in plenty of locations where I could pick up whatever I needed. I ended up with a horrible cold in France and quickly made friends with the pharmacist down the block, who took care of me with cough drops, cough syrups, and prescription-level medications. The same goes for clothing -- they have it there, too!

Do try to follow RS's advice to do a packing dry run at least a week before.

Go to the Travel Tips page on this site and read the articles under the Packing heading in the upper left-hand corner.

"I only wear a shirt and underwear one day..." (Lee, Rocky Mtn High)

And Lee, just WHICH day would that be?!? Scandalous!

And Laura, that's how you pack light!

Mike in Los Angeles said it - 4 days = 14 days = 4 months. You pack basically the same bag for each trip. Everyone has given you great advice. Most of us come home from a trip and pare down our packing list even more. OK, it CAN be a little addictive LOL!

Do you have a bag in mind yet? If you've read any of RS's books or watched his Travel Skills videos you know what you're supposed to pack in...no 14"x20"x29" monstrosity! LOL!

I can remember just how RADICAL this whole 'pack light' concept was when I first started reading and watching RS many, many years ago. Actually, the whole 'you can do Europe on your own; you don't need a tour operator' was very eye-opening! 'Wow, I can do it on my own'?!?

Thanks, Rick ;-)

You've created a monster...

Laura, I've sent you a PM.

Think of it this way:
The few outfits you pack (mix and match of course) are your "travel uniform". When you get up in the morning, you put on your uniform and go! You will be sick of the clothes by the end of 14days, but I promise you won't wish you had brought more!!!

It sounds tough, but once you do it once, you will learn to bring less every visit I started off on my first trip with 6 pairs of pants and 6 sets of tops for a 17 day trip to spain. Big mistake on top of bringing a non ergonomic backpack. This year will be my 6th consecutive trip and I am bringing 2 pairs of pants (wearing one of those pairs) and maybe 3-4 sets of tops. What I do not short myself on is socks and underwear, bringing about 7 pairs each (wearing one). Since I travel in the winter, my pants are jeans and they hide basic daily wear travel stains well.

Bingo, Lisa! It's a (mindless!) routine when wearing your uniform...

You get up, put on the red/blue/green shirt, then put on the brown/black pants, then one of 3 pairs of socks, then one of 2 pairs of shoes. (I don't do 1 pair!)

THE watch, THE bracelet, then choose - gold or silver earrings? Then strap on the money belt.

Grab your daybag, then off you go for the day!

We did 4 weeks with our 22" bags, and halfway through I was so sick of my clothes. I ended up buying two tank tops to wear below the shirts/polos I had taken, and a scarf. They took up very little space. When we were leaving the UK for Rome, the BA attendant asked where was the rest of our luggage. She could not believe four people could carry so little for such a long trip! We went from coldish England to hot Rome, then to France where it was very chilly.

I would say in April you will need something waterproof, and a zipup fleece top could be mighty handy. We were there in early June a couple years ago and I was cold, plus it rained.

Most of the packing lists I've seen are written by men. It's usually agreed that women take more beauty products than men, thus using more packing space for them. I refuse to leave my curling iron at home or my makeup, although I have cut my travel makeup to a mini-version of my home supplies. And of course, it's my luggage that contains the sink stopper, clothesline, microfiber PackTowl, detergent, the "expand-o-bag", the medicines we need to bring, etc. so of course it's easier for my husband to get all of his belongings in his one bag because of all the misc things that get put into mine! I have found that my clothes take up the least amount of room. Our last trip I wore a pair of black slacks, black L/S knit top, black sweater, and carried coat, gloves, and scarf. I packed 1 pr of jeans, 2 turtleneck sweaters, 1 L/S knit top, and 1 T-shirt, plus 1 pr of flats to wear out to dinner at a nice restaurant and to go to the theatre. (Paris & London). Also took a couple of silk scarves. That was for a 2-week trip. Yes, I got sick of my clothes, but who cares. I also took my silk long underwear since it was in March....wore them daily. We stayed in apts that had washers & dryers. All that being said, it was nice to only have to schlep around 1 bag each.

Most of the packing lists I've seen are written by men. It's usually agreed that women take more beauty products than men, thus using more packing space for them. I refuse to leave my curling iron at home or my makeup, although I have cut my travel makeup to a mini-version of my home supplies. And of course, it's my luggage that contains the sink stopper, clothesline, microfiber PackTowl, detergent, the "expand-o-bag", the medicines we need to bring, etc. so of course it's easier for my husband to get all of his belongings in his one bag because of all the misc things that get put into mine! I have found that my clothes take up the least amount of room. Our last trip I wore a pair of black slacks, black L/S knit top, black sweater, and carried coat, gloves, and scarf. I packed 1 pr of jeans, 2 turtleneck sweaters, 1 L/S knit top, and 1 T-shirt, plus 1 pr of flats to wear out to dinner at a nice restaurant and to go to the theatre. (Paris & London). Also took a couple of silk scarves. That was for a 2-week trip. Yes, I got sick of my clothes, but who cares. I also took my silk long underwear since it was in March....wore them daily. We stayed in apts that had washers & dryers. All that being said, it was nice to only have to schlep around 1 bag each.

Most of the packing lists I've seen are written by men. It's usually agreed that women take more beauty products than men, thus using more packing space for them. I refuse to leave my curling iron at home or my makeup, although I have cut my travel makeup to a mini-version of my home supplies. And of course, it's my luggage that contains the sink stopper, clothesline, microfiber PackTowl, detergent, the "expand-o-bag", the medicines we need to bring, etc. so of course it's easier for my husband to get all of his belongings in his one bag because of all the misc things that get put into mine! I have found that my clothes take up the least amount of room. Our last trip I wore a pair of black slacks, black L/S knit top, black sweater, and carried coat, gloves, and scarf. I packed 1 pr of jeans, 2 turtleneck sweaters, 1 L/S knit top, and 1 T-shirt, plus 1 pr of flats to wear out to dinner at a nice restaurant and to go to the theatre. (Paris & London). Also took a couple of silk scarves. That was for a 2-week trip. Yes, I got sick of my clothes, but who cares. I also took my silk long underwear since it was in March....wore them daily. We stayed in apts that had washers & dryers. All that being said, it was nice to only have to schlep around 1 bag each.

Re-read Laura from San Diego's post. I second her info totally! Skirts and t-shirts & easy slip on dresses you can dress up (pretty scarf) or down, depending on the time of day and city you're in, are a definite YES, and usually are lighter and less wrinkly than shirts and pants. Buy a couple of packs of undies from Target and throw them away as you wear them...no stinky clothes to bring back...Plus, the less you take over, the more fun stuff like wine, etc you can return with!! Dont stress...if you really need something, you can probably buy it locally!

Electronics and shoes screw me up every time. I always have to have at least 2 pairs of shoes packed because I like to switch pairs after a long day of walking. Size 12 take up a fair amount of room. I've got my electronics paired down to an ipad, iphone, a Garmin GPS and a S90 Canon. Hopefully that will drop a few pounds. Another plus is with the ipad, I won't have to carry guidebooks any more. I could never bring myself to tear pages out of the guidebooks.

That second pair of shoes can be light-weight sandals of some sort. Every trip I go thru my bag and thin out down to real essentials. every year I take less and less in my 3-1-1 plastic bag, with the plan to replenish my supplies in Europe. There are things I've taken on previous trips for comfort, convenience, etc. If I haven't used them on previous trips, they stay home this time. My biggest weight problem is books. One of those electronic gizmos may be the answer (Nook, Kindle, etc). As far as I am concerned I really only need one change of clothing, something to sleep in, and enough outer-wear to deal with the climate. I don't carry an umbrella unless it is raining when I leave for the airport. I've started traveling with a notebook (laptop) to take advantage of Wifi in the hotels, but I leave my camera at home. Often I buy a disposable camera after I arrive in Europe.

A few things I've done to lighten the load: Rather than take a second pair of shoes, I take one pair of disposable insoles pre-cut to size and change them every week. This helps to keep the shoes fresh and adds a little extra cushion./// Multi-charger for all of my small devices. One cord and with changeable tips. Can charge four items at once./// My handwriting is terrible and I hate writing by hand. So now I carry a very lightweight digital audio recorder and describe things as I see them. I'm going to try using this with Dragon Naturally Speaking which will transpose my words into written copy. (Yes, there will be mistakes, but easier to fix on a computer.) The recorder weighs less than most journals./// Scan some guidebook pages onto my computer then transfer them to my ipod touch or Blackberry. Also utilize Blackberry and Google Maps instead of carrying them. (These can be preloaded if no signal is available.)