packing

Simple -- pack on paper fist - a packing list. Pack for a three to five day trip. We wear one and pack three changes with it is a three day trip or a day trip. You think you are packing for a month -- you are not. Just three to five and recycle.

Hi Corinne!
I am going to Italy in August too - we are going for 3 weeks and we are only taking carry-on bags. Last summer we were in Spain (which I'm assuming will be similar weather to Italy) and I have a packing list on my website of what I took. I felt really good with everything I had - I wore everything I took multiple times and didn't get bored with my clothes. www.yourfamilyineurope.com (It's a site for family travel for Europe but the packing list applies whether you're taking kids or not!) What I took is found under Packing - Women - Warm Weather. I hope it helps! It took me many years of carry-on to figure out exactly what worked for me. No last minute toss-ins, that's the key! :)

I just returned from two weeks in Italy with a carry-on bag and small backpack. I carried five days' worth of clothes and hand-washed if necessary. Did laundry once during the trip.

Best rule of thumb I've seen, pack for four days whether you're going for a weekend or a month. I don't do that exactly but I like the idea of a few bottoms and a handful of tops that can be mixed/matched into multiple outfits and layered for any weather.

@ Kira...your site is wonderful. Loved the story about your dress in Paris. I goofed with wardrobe in Paris back in the dark ages...early 70's. Wore a midriff top which was fine in Florida but OMG did it attract attention in Paris! What was I thinking? Live and learn... Pam

I have yet to read a post were someone said they took to little clothing on a trip. I like Franks suggestion of packing for a 3 to 5 day trip. On our next trip, the wife and I agreed that planning on stopping at a Laundromat once a week would be a good idea. Even though you are wasting time at a laundromat I find every experience on a trip to be worthwhile because of the cultural differences you discover and the people you meet. I think we will take less knowing we'll have clean clothes. If you leave room in your bag you can buy stuff to wear as you go. It'll be hot so take light colored cotton.

Hi Corinne. Take a look at Rick's packing list for women on this site: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/womenpack.htm I follow it generally when I travel but make some modifications - i.e. I don't bring a swimsuit or wear dresses on vacation, and I bring 7-10 pairs of socks and underwear because that's what I'm comfortable with.

If you like to wear skirts, I highly recommend them. Something thinner, silky and that doesn't show wrinkles. Skirts require less laundering than slacks or shorts and they pass for casual or dressy. Keep on top of hand washing clothes a little each day or so.

We used an Eagle Creek Pack-It folder for shirts when we went in May. It really worked to keep the wrinkles under control.

I always pack much too much! So the answers can come from you! What things did you bring back unused/unworn on previous trips? Leave those out. What things duplicate other things yet can be easily washed in a sink? Leave those out. Hairdryer? Leave it at home, use the ones provided by your hosts. Lots of toiletries? Bring trial sizes and leave the rest. (yes I know - I'm a man) I say use your experience.

@ Kira, After a brief glance at your website, it sounds like you're as much a "travel nut" as many of the rest of us here. I'm usually running through ideas for my next trip during the flight home from my current trip. @ corinne, What types of items do you normally pack on trips? There's no reason you have to pack more simply because you'll be travelling for a month. In terms of packing, travel in August will be both an advantage and disadvantage. You'll be able to pack lighter clothing, but will probably be doing laundry quite often (I certainly found that to be the case in Greece last year). You might find it helpful to have a look at Rick's article on the subject. There's a link at the top for a suggested woman's packing list. That should provide you with a starting point, and you can customize according to your preferences. If you have an iPod Touch, there are some good travel and packing App's available. I use a custom packing list that I've developed over a period of several years. It's formatted on an Excel sheet, and is "adjusted" slightly according to the specifics of each trip. Happy travels!

So, woke up thinking about your packing for a month and where it might be useful for you to start. ( How sick is that??) What colors do you like to wear traveling? Do you usually pack items that will mix and match with each other? After you follow suggestions above and see what you packed last time that you didn't use perhaps consider a basic color scheme...black/white/red or maybe navy/white/aqua or whatever suits your taste. I like the idea of starting on paper, then moving to putting everything out where you can see it. That way you can move things around and see what works with what. Here are some interesting wardroby sites that give you ideas on how to use pieces in multiple ways: http://www.thechickonthego.com/
http://www.contourwear.com/products_main.html The clothing in these sites is much too young for an old geezer-ette? like me, but its easier for me to imagine plugging in some of my clothing into a formula.