Elite Packing

by Andrea Millar — July 3, 2008

Air travel: I know I'm supposed to be excited about drinking ginger ale and watching truncated episodes of Everyone Loves Raymond at 10,000 feet, but I know I'm far from alone when hopping on a plane mostly means frustration. Adding to the woes of many a traveler, many airlines have started to charge for a second checked bag, or even a first (Southwest remains one of the few who haven't gone that route yet). If you're already paying a steep price for a ticket, you're probably less than thrilled at the prospect of dropping more money on your trip, on top of all those "processing fees."

Luckily, Ideal Bite has the scoop for staying positive as these (most likely permanent) changes take effect. They point out that the fuel saved will not only mean a more economical flight, but that the disincentive provided by the fees will also lead to significantly reduced carbon emissions--think of how crappy your car's mileage becomes when you weigh it down. They suggest putting everything you need together, then eliminating 1/3 of it. Because really, usually, we don't use everything we pack, so why not save our backs? They're also big fans of OneBag.com. Definitely check out the section on bundle wrapping.

It's also worth following one commenter's advice and checking out the GoGreenTravelGreen's 45 Tips to Lighten Your Load. They collect tips from all over, from common-sense stuff (use a packing list) to more subtle touches (wear your business suit on the plane, then unpack at the hotel). To that I add one of my Mom's: use toiletry-size shampoos and conditioners, and for gosh sake, reuse them when they're empty. And, if you're my Mom, you did this with little initial investment by stealing these containers from hotels. I'm not advocating that, but you gotta be resourceful to be one of the truly elite packers.