I hate to pack, but I love to travel

Good thing H&M is everywhere

I’m an experienced traveler. I put in a scary amount of mileage when I worked for an investment bank, years and years ago. I spent a summer in China and six months in Guadalajara. I’ve been to 44 of the 50 states. I get around. This year, I’ve had so many trips for work, fun, and family stuff that I reached Gold status at Hilton without the help of an affinity credit card.

Given my extensive travel experience, you'd think packing would be a breeze for me, right? Wrong. I hate packing, and I hate schlepping bags. My idea of luxury would be a personal assistant who packs my clothes, then takes the suitcase to FedEx so that it is waiting when I check in to my hotel.

To reduce the schlep and avoid dealing with airline luggage fees (and delays), I have gotten pretty good at packing light. Even though I hate it, I can do it.

The first step is figuring out what you need at your destination. In the olden days when I had to dress up to call on clients, I meticulously layered my clothes and wrapped them in plastic dry cleaner bags to prevent wrinkles. It worked like a charm. For more casual trips, I throw items in my suitcase and hope for the best.

But for vacations that last more than a few days, I make a list of what I am likely to need, carefully roll everything up, and put it all into packing cubes. These nifty organizers keep everything neat and accessible, making unpacking a breeze.

Here’s my biggest tip: You can get anything you forgot at your destination. People all over the world wear clothes and use toothpaste. I admit, clothes can be a challenge for me in much of the world, because I’m 5’8’: a bit taller than the average American woman and a lot taller than the average woman in most of the world. However, Old Navy, H&M, and UNIQLO can be found in many different countries, and they carry a wide range of sizes. Finding local merchants for the ordinary things you forgot is part of the adventure.

Next, you can wash almost anything in the bathroom sink. I travel with a Tide To Go stain remover to take care of any spills and use the hotel shampoo to soak.  Rinse, place on a towel and wring it out, then dry. Any time I am in the same hotel for at least two nights (for time to dry), I wash out some clothes.

I like to pack items that I don't intend to bring back with me. Whether it's old, worn-out underwear or T-shirts from past fun runs, I wear them during my trip and discard them along the way. This practice not only lightens your load but also leaves space for souvenirs and mementos from your travels. Plus, in some countries, the housekeeping staff will appreciate your gently used clothing. I bring a compression sack to give me extra room on the return trip.

Remember that anything you wear on the plane doesn’t take up luggage space or count as a carry-on. I usually wear jeans and a sweater on long-haul flights. Denim and wool don’t absorb odors, so you can get a lot of wear from them on your trip. I bring a shawl to use as a blanket on the plane and wear instead of a warm jacket at the destination; it works if the temperature is above freezing.

Finally, remember that you probably won’t see anyone you know. So, don't stress too much about your outfits or if you're repeating your look. Chances are, the people you meet won't even notice. Make your trip comfortable and convenient for you.

Got any advice for me? Please share in the comments.