Packing Light for Real Trips
A carry-on system that works for a week or a month.
By Owen Carrick · 6 min read
Pack for a week, wash on the road
Trip length stops mattering once you accept laundry. Seven days of clothing covers a month, and a sink wash takes ten minutes for the items that need it.
This single decision is what separates a light bag from a heavy one.
Choose one palette, one shoe pair
Two neutrals and one accent colour means everything combines. One pair of shoes you can walk ten kilometres in, plus something flat and packable if the trip needs it.
Merino and quick-dry fabrics let you wear items multiple times without it being obvious.
The overpacked categories
Toiletries, cables, and 'just in case' clothing. Buy toiletries locally, carry one multi-port charger, and remember that almost anything forgotten can be bought where you are going.
Weigh the bag before you leave the house. It is the only honest audit.