How to Travel With One Bag

In this age of airline fare wars, spiking fuel costs, 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. 

Choose the right bag. Your choice will evolve as you consider what you need to put in it, but consider:

• Size: The largest that airlines will allow as a carry-on is a good starting point. Consider a bigger bag if you need to carry extra items such as winter clothes, gifts, a computer, or a fancy camera. Go for a smaller one if you want to carry the bag long distances.
• Weight: Some airlines weigh carry-on bags before you board, so try to make sure that most of the weight comes from what's inside, and not from the bag itself. Avoid the need for expensive extra-light materials (such as the ridiculously priced titanium luggage) by choosing a simple tough, floppy nylon bag. Avoid heavy and bulky extending handles and wheels and opt instead for a bag with a strap, or, preferably, much more comfortable and unrestrictive, one with backpack-type straps.
• Storage: Multiple pockets help keep things organized. Pockets accessible from the outside provide convenient access to travel paraphernalia such as an inflatable neck pillow or other sleeping aids and snacks, without unpacking or rummaging through everything else.
• Extra space: Your choice of bag may evolve with your choices for its contents. It should have just a little room for extras, not so much that the carefully packed contents shift around in transit.

Determine which items are really necessary. Ask yourself what you need to function day-to-day, or which items will dramatically improve your traveling experience. At the relevant destination, could any item be feasibly rented, borrowed or bought (and not kept to bring back)? Gather only the absolute essentials. Here's a short list of items that you might need to bring:

• Three changes of clothing (at most). Perhaps more socks, underwear and shirts than pants. (Consider packing synthetic fabrics, which are lighter, fold up smaller, slide past each other readily rather than distorting piles, and dry faster––especially for pants, where any difference in feel is less noticeable.)
• Toiletries, such as a toothbrush, floss, soap, shampoo, razors, and anything else you need for grooming. See below for more information about packing toiletries.
• Medical items that you currently require, such as medication, bandages or eyeglasses.
• Any charge cords or other accessories you need for your phone, laptop, or other electronic items.
• Shoes, if you'll need a pair besides your traveling shoes.
• Empty water container. A bottle will do. A flexible "hydration pack" can expand to hold more and is more convenient to carry when in use, but if the main bag is a backpack, check that the hydration pack can be comfortably carried when full along with it.
• Empty plastic bags. You can put dirty clothes in them until washing to keep them from contaminating the clean ones. They should be clear so they aren't confused with trash and thrown away. Try produce bags.
• Laundry detergent for washing by hand. Put a few scoops of powdered detergent in a plastic sandwich bag if you're going on an airplane. An inexpensive, lightweight, and long-lasting alternative is to carry a bar of laundry soap.
• A portable clothesline (available at any camping or travel goods store).
• A universal sink stopper (a flat rubber disk, available at any hardware store). A rubber ball can be an alternative, but check that it doesn't tend to float and is large enough so as to not risk falling in.

 Pack using the "bundle" method. Wrap clothes around large and/or semi-delicate objects (such as bags of toiletries, pairs of shoes, or electronics), 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 reduces wrinkling.