A Case for Luggage

According to NBC's Ben Popkin, everything you know about packing is wrong as wrong.

Our typical approach actually promotes wrinkles. In the video, Ben's alternative approach reduces wrinkles and takes up less space.

No matter which method you use to pack, there is still making sure you know what to pack.  Brian Teeter, in his book, Healthy Trekking Guides (Irvine CA), presents us with advise on what to bring and what NOT to bring:

Be ruthless. Aim to fit everything inside a carry-on bag. You’ll cut down on excess luggage fees, eliminate the possibility of lost luggage and simplify your life. 

1. A few days before your trip, lay out everything you’ll think you need. Plan ahead on what you’ll wear. Put away anything that’s not absolutely necessary. Take what remains and cut that quantity in half. Also, don’t wait until the last moment to pack. You’ll rush, and end up bringing what you don’t need. 
2. Use [the Accolades] packing list to help you organize. 
3. Make traveling wrinkle-free with the right fabrics. Pack knits, wools and cotton clothes – these wrinkle less and offer more versatility. Travel-specific clothing from Travelsmith and REI might cost more, but stay cool, dry quickly and can be washed in your hotel sink.
4. Shoes take up a lot of space in your bag. So fill them with underwear and socks. Try to eliminate bringing extra pairs by coordinating your clothes around one packed pair. If you can, wear the bulkiest shoes when you fly and pack the other pair(s).
5. Pack your toiletries in a Dopp kit or Ziploc bag. (If you’re traveling with a carry-on containing liquids, put them in a Ziploc bag to comply with the TSA 3-1-1 rule). Save space with sample bottles of shampoo or make-up.
6. To keep necklaces and bracelets from tangling, string them through drinking straws and then fasten them.
7. No gym at your hotel? No problem! A jump rope, resistance bands and other items can turn your hotel room into a gym while hardly taking up any space in your suitcase.
8. To sleep better on the road, pack an eye mask and foam earplugs. They can help assure a good night’s sleep, and that’s important for overcoming jet lag.
9.  If you’re traveling with a loved one, a good trick is to pack half of your clothes and items in your bag, and half in your partner’s, and vice-versa. That way, if you lose one of your bags, you’ll still have something to wear.
10.  Take pictures of your luggage before your trip, especially bags you might intend to check. If the airline loses them, having photos of the missing bags will make them easier to find.

Finally, from onebag.com comes this enlightened promise:

If you persevere [with minimizing what you pack], you will at some point reach a transcendent moment, in which your (one) bag will be small and light enough to carry without consequence -- no longer of any meaningful concern. And  from that instant, your travel experiences will be forever changed with an unfettered freedom that is beyond the comprehension of those who remain bound to their baggage.

courtesty of www.onebag.com