Lighting in this hotel room is crap, but maybe I can try to take a picture or story for instagram to show what toiletries I took. This time it was a little weird, because I didn't have travel contact solution, so I bought that here, and I didn't take our face moisturizer or SPF because I didn't want my husband to go without it, so I brought little Aesop samples that I received when I went to their store in Seattle and I ended up picking up a moisturizer from the Deciem store this evening. All that to say, any photo I take may be a hodgepodge!
That was impressive -- I'm in awe of your process! It has motivated me to drastically downsize my packing for 3-day weekend trips we take around the state of Colorado. I often start small with packing, panic at the last minute, and start adding in things I might need. Would love to see how you pack toiletries. Thanks for the inspiration!
I've shown it on Instagram stories, so I just sort of skimmed over it here. I don't usually pack makeup, but, as my skin is unhappy with me at the moment, I brought a tiny tube of concealer that I will probably still never use, but generally not bringing makeup helps keep the toiletry bag light.
I'm with you - for makeup I only wear ever lipstick. In the past, I wore mascara. But my eyelashes are so long that when I put on mascara my lashes brush against my glasses, which annoy me.
Great job but I would also bring sleep wear and house shoes - walking barefoot in hotel rooms grosses me out. And yes I carry a thin knit robe - never wear - but if there is an evacuation, I want to be covered🤦🏻♀️. Loved the video💝💐😎
LOL! I... am not concerned. Sometimes hotels have robes. Alas, my hotel this time does not. I can always throw on, you know, a shirt and pants, which takes about three seconds.
It's super hot in New York right now. In the summer here, I wear loosely draped or cropped pants or skirts and short sleeved shirts (I add a cardigan for air conditioned indoor spaces). I love your minimalist approach to packing and appreciate your videos. Have a great time!
I'm about to fly *back* to Seattle tomorrow (after visiting family in Michigan for 7 days), and I also overpacked. I'm planning to do a systematic assessment of my bag when I get home, to take stock of what I used and what I didn't use so I can hopefully pack smarter next time. Watching your process and seeing your items assembled before packing was very helpful!
Second to the last time i went to Hawaii i way overpacked. So while i was there i wrote down everything i took with me. Then i used a highlighter on everything that i used. Im ashamed to say i only highlighted about one third of what i took. So last time i went i used that list as a guide. I got away with a significantly smaller suitcase and i actually wore everything that i took. Now I’m obsessed with purse packing - getting everything into a large or medium purse.
I travel very light and take a portable clothes line with me that I use in my hotel. This allows me to wash my underwear every day so that I don't need to take a pair for every day that I'm away. Depending on the fabric of your tops, you could wash them in the bathroom sink and roll them in a towel to remove excess water. In a pinch, you could always wash areas of the tops, such as the underarm area. I pack dresses when I travel, and I never take more than five with me, regardless of the length of the trip.
Ha! I'm planning to wash a shirt and a pair of jeans in the hotel bathtub as soon as I finish replying to comments! I have washed underwear by hand before (once I forgot to pack any underwear, so I had to wash them every night), and they turned out hard and weird, but I can probably steam them back to life with the hotel iron if the things I hand wash tonight get too stiff.
Yeah I wash at the hotel with shampoo or my own travel size detergent. No shame. It's clean lol 😎 plus hotel water temps are usually super hot and the water is chlorinated. Not good for my skin, but great for disinfecting.
@@nicnothingnice , I looked into buying travel (camping) detergent, but I didn't find the ingredients to be terribly different than plain shampoo. Kind of surprising, but also good in a way because there's no reason for me to bring anything extra!
Jansport provides a lifetime warranty. There's a form you can print out from the website and fill out describing the problem. Then you put the form and backpack into a box, take it to the post office, pay the shipping, and then in a couple of weeks (2-3), Jansport will send your bag back fixed or they will send you a new bag if they couldn't fix your original bag. I've done this twice: the 1st time, my bag was toast, so they send me a new one and the 2nd time, they replaced the zipper (which was why I sent it in) and sent me back my bag. Hope this helps! :)
Here's the link to their warranty page for you and all the other JanSport users out there: www.jansport.com/customer-service/lifetime-warranty.html The "Start Warranty Claim" button brings up the form that you print out, describe the problem on and place in the box when you ship your backpack to them. The address for where you need to ship your backpack (US or Canada only) is found at the bottom of the webpage (not the print out page). They will not accept in person drop-offs. :)
My next trip I plan to use a backpack as well and small purse. I have packing cubes just in case but I see you didn’t need any. I love your minimalist lifestyle 😊😊
Thanks! I've considered packing cubes, as I've seen videos of other people use them on youtube, but I think I would just be annoyed to own them any time I'm not traveling, which is, you know, most of the time.
More of these videos please! Love that you're not sacrificing style. My problem with most of the ultra light packing videos is that the wardrobe is far too casual for me - featuring only shorts and tank tops. Its nice to see that this can be done with slightly bulkier/heavier clothing. I could wear this to a conference and look very appropriate.
I know exactly what you're talking about. When I first started paring down my wardrobe, I watched so many videos of people with 25 items, but those items were hiking shorts and bandeau bras and that's just not relatable for me. Those things aren't clothing to me; they're undergarments or beachwear.
For places to visit in the Cotswolds, I would recommend Bourton on the Water and Castle Combe (Castle Combe is very small but is definitely worth a visit and you can get a nice pub lunch there - quite a few films have been shot there including War Horse as it's very quaint and English). I hope you enjoy your visit, I moved to the Cotswolds last year and love it here!
Oh awesome! Thanks for the tips! We are definitely staying in Bourton on the Water a couple of nights, and I'll add Castle Combe to our list. In order to not be constantly on the move, we decided that this trip will almost exclusively be spent in the Cotswolds, with a little bit of Cambridge and London thrown in for good measure. Thanks again!
Very nicely done I will have to take my 25l backpack as on long trip so packing all year round weather and meds etc will take up room... also will take jacket and 3 pairs shoes and sandals ... have cut down from case so will weigh in at about 10 kg lightish but cannot carry on .. thank you for very helpful tips ..Lynn from UK
love the bag it really suits you! I have a goal that i want to be able to fit all of my belongings in to a full size suit case and a bookbag to make it easy to up and go sense i live in dorms. This really helped me look at what i actually use everyday , im inspired!
If you ever need a backpack/ bag in the future you should give matt and nat a try if you haven't already! They are pretty transparent ethically. It is synthetic leather but I've had a wallet from them for 5+ years and it is going strong. The aesthetic seems to be up your alley as well. I want to get a bag from them but I'm waiting for my current one to give out haha. Hope your trip goes well! You should see a Broadway show if you are into that sort of thing. I've heard Hamilton is awesome. :)
Hamilton was sold out, but I'm going with some friends later this week to see Mean Girls, which I had no idea was a musical. I'm actually not a fan of musicals, but, since they wanted to go, I decided I will tag along. Also, I've heard of Matt and Nat, but, as, well, I hate synthetic materials, I've never tried them. If I'm in a pinch again and can't find the real deal, I'll look them up!
I can't recommend anything in the cotswolds because I don't live in that area, but I would be very interested to see what you pack for a trip to the UK. Especially if you're coming after things have cooled down. And if you're going to use your new backpack! I would hate to visit the UK because literally no one living here knows what weather to dress for. Pre-empting and packing for our weather would be my nightmare haha! I hope you have a great time in New York.
I'm not sure if I'll make another packing video for that trip, since I just made one, but maybe. If not, I'll probably post it to Instagram stories. I do plan to use the same backpack and take essentially the same things, plus an extra shirt and maybe a sweater and a scarf... or maybe I'll just buy a scarf there as a souvenir. The only other time I've ever been to England, the weather was disappointingly predictable, and it only rained twice that I can remember. I'm hoping that, between a shirt, a sweater, and my blazer, I will be able to layer appropriately. Wish me luck!
We stayed in Moat end B&B in Kingham when we visited the Cotswolds. Really cute village and great B&B. Are you hiring a car when you're going? Really recommend that you do. Getting around without one is really difficult.
It's not hard to find good quality bags in general, but I hadn't found a real leather backpack in a style and size that I wanted, but this little faux has been holding up nicely! I'm not going to make a habit of buying fake leather, but, at least in this instance, it's worked out.
From the description: "Oh yeah, I forgot to talk about shoes! I'm bringing one pair of shoes: my trusty Pumas, which I will be wearing on the plane, so no need to shove them in the bag." I believe the Pumas in question are black with a gold accent, which would go well with everything considering her choice of black bottoms :)
Oh yeah! I haven't looked at Nisolo's stuff for a while, good recommendation! They do have a backpack, but I'm not really into the design. I will watch for when those black, smoking loafers come back in stock though...
the only thing about leather bags is that I find them to be heavy. I don't take leather bags for travel - I only use leather when I'm out and about in my hometown.
A few people have mentioned this, and, initially, I thought it was a good idea to try. It would be a great strategy for anyone if they're interested in replacing their backpack with something similar, but, the more I've thought about it, the more I realize doing this would actually be a waste for me. I wanted a significantly smaller backpack, something without branding, and, ideally, something leather, so I've decided not to try to use the warranty this time.
I wonder if Jansport would take it back to repair and donate. It just seems like a bummer for it to end up in a landfill when it could be repaired and used again somewhere!
This is perfectly timed. We're going to New York in September for about that length. We have to take baby stuff, but my personal bag is definitely going to be this!!!
I’d love to see what make up and such you packed/use daily. I tend to overpack and each time say to myself why did I pack all of this! Also, what about shoes? Thank you for your tips.
For shoes, I only brought my black pumas. I didn't bring any make up as I don't typically wear it, but I did take a photo of all the toiletries I brought and posted it to Instagram. To be fair, I probably didn't need all of the toiletries I brought either!
Vested Interests thank you. So wish I could go without makeup, if I’ve definitely paired down. I usually pack too many shoes, too. I’m a work in progress!
I realize you didn't ask for this, but it reminded me: my husband asked the other day if I was wearing "different" makeup. I haven't worn makeup regularly since... last winter there was a foundation I liked that I wore a bit, but it's been a while. He had no idea. Hence I don't bother!
Vested Interests Love that! I only wear a touch of blush brow mascara and eyelash mascara and mineral powder. It’s quick. My eyebrows are hardly there. It’s an age thing i guess lol
Hi, I live 45 mins drive from the Cotswolds in the UK so visit often. There are lots of lovely places to visit there: Bourton on the Water, Broadway village (you can also take a return steam train trip from here through the picturesque countryside), Blenheim Palace, Sudeley Castle. If you like walking the following might be helpful: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/cotswolds/articles/Cotswolds-pub-walks/ . The walks around the slaughters, Stanton/snowshill and great tew are really pretty. If you have time Stratford upon Avon isn’t far and worth a visit (there is the RSC there if you like theatre, shakepeare’s birthplace/museums, tea rooms and you can also take a boat trip). Warwick Castle is also a good day out. Thanks for all of your videos! Has been been great inspiration to keep decluttering. Hope you have a great trip and the above is helpful, Andrea
Thank you! That definitely is helpful. We may stay in Stratford upon Avon, Chipping Campden, and Burton on Water, but we may also cut one of those in order to be a little more leisurely. Blenheim Palace and Snowshill are definitely on our list, but I've copied the other recs to a note. Thanks!
Just wondering if you used a packing cube or bag to keep your clothes protected from the other items? I have square packing cubes from ikea that I think are so helpful for packing into small bags.
I do not! I've seen other people use them, but I think I'd just be annoyed to store them the rest of the time when I'm not traveling. However, sometimes I put my clothes into a reusable/cloth grocery bag to keep them separated from other things in my bag/separate clean from dirty clothes during the trip. Does kind of the same thing, and it's multipurpose!
Great job for six days. I think you did a great job. I am sensitive to cold so I feel I need more layers like leggings and long sleeves. I packed a backpack only for a trip to San Diego and I still had items I didn't wear 😮 it was a 3 day weekend and I had day and dinner outfits. My dressy wedges were only work once and took up the most space SMH. It was freeing to only have a backpack though 😍
I used that same backpack for a two week trip to the UK, and there were still a few things (some clothing, some not) that I didn't need to bring! Travel always involves some guess work, and I'm still learning, but, like you, I'm kind of ok with that as long as my "margin of error" isn't bigger than a backpack!
Well done! Hope you had a wonderful trip in NYC! Impressive, as always. Love your choice of backpack. I'm currently away on a 25-day trip in 3 countries, and I definitely over-packed, even though we only brought carry-on. With 36 degrees in Spain, could just spend the entire vacation in a swimsuit on the beach x)
Oh man, I have a 14 day trip coming up, and I thought that was long! 25 days is amazing--I hope you're having a wonderful time! Note to self: If I ever go to Spain, don't bother bringing more than a swimsuit.
LOL! 14 days is perfect. Hope you're going somewhere fun. We usually go to Spain in December when it's the perfect 18-22 C (64-71 F). This August trip was an experiment, and with 36 C (97 F), I wouldn't recommend it ;) Hope you had a great time in NYC
I feel like I've been challenged - I'm flying (home) to London, from Ireland (where I now live) for 2 weeks shortly. Now then, I've often wondered how you guys would do on the minimal wardrobe if you lived over here where we can get 4 seasons in one day! Weather is all year round unpredictable and very variable. Will be interested to hear how you fare in England.... Happy travels!
I'll try to keep you guys posted! As I mentioned in Instagram, I'm currently planning on bringing the exact same items to the UK, except I'll swap the tank top for a sweater. The only other time I've been to England, the weather was disappointingly predictable. I did bring a light coat that time though, and, this time, I'm hoping to bring a wool jacket and layer when needed. It's entirely possible that I chicken out and bring the same coat again. We'll see.
I just found this video. I had an idea on laundry. If it was just one or two things, couldn't you get a travel size bottle of laundry soap and wash them in the sink, and if need be dry them with a hair dryer?
I did end up washing my clothes by hand for this trip! I just used shampoo and the tub in my hotel room. My husband and I also recently spent two weeks in England, and we did all of our laundry by hand there as well. We brought a few travel packs of woolite (I would have used shampoo again, but I brought some wool sweaters) and washed them in the tub and hung them to dry, no problem! Also, just FYI, I looked at REI for camping laundry detergent, as it's theoretically concentrated (and therefore compact) and biodegradable, but I didn't find that the ingredients were that much different from plain ol' shampoo, so I'll keep using it in the future when I travel!
I like the look of your new bag. It is cool that after you packed all your clothes, there was still room for your handbag. I look forward to your post trip report on how it all worked out. I enjoy all your videos. Did you lose weight? Your face seems slimmer. It could just be the way your hair frames your face so nicely.
I don't think I've lost weight. Based on how I eat, I don't think that's possible, BUT, I have noticed that the shape of my face has changed because I'm still using Invisalign. It's moving my teeth around, and they sort of hold my mouth open (or keep my teeth technically farther apart), so my face looks longer than it used to when I have the trays in.
I don't bring pajamas or slippers on most trips, but I probably will bring them when I go to Chicago for Christmas, as it's not Christmas without them.
Wallet lives in my purse, which I showed but I didn't go into its contents. I didn't bring my passport because I live in the US and I was traveling to NYC and therefore didn't need it. Keys I left at home because my husband was staying home and could let me back into the house. With the exception of the other day to day contents of my purse, that's all I brought!
Thank you for videos, you are very inspiring! Could you please make more videos about packing and how not to overpack? Can't stop thinking that I will need all of my stuff 😆
Ha, well, this sort of was a video about I'm attempting to not overpack, but I guess I could have been more explicit. 1) As much as possible, try to plan what you want to bring in advance. If you re-wear items like I do, maybe you can wear each item twice to avoid packing too much. 2) Remember that, with very rare exception, there are stores and services wherever you're going. I didn't bring contact solution this time because we were out of travel solution, so I just bought it here. I also realized that I could easily get the hotel to launder clothing for me if need be, or, if I don't want to cough up the $15 to have the hotel wash a shirt, I can hand wash it. 3) Decide what you want to tote around with you (in my case, the 17 liter backpack), and then work backwards and only allow yourself to bring whatever comfortably fits in that piece of luggage. Also, do you actually USE all of the things you typically bring with you? I definitely don't, and, after managing to still overpack using my previous, 31 liter backpack many times, I have pretty compelling evidence to tell me that it's really not necessary... Anyway, I hope some of this helps!
Vested Interests thanks for such a detailed answer! Maybe I just watched inattentively 😅😌 I'm going to a nearby city in late august, definetly will try this tips.
What about toiletries? Do you use the ones the hotel provides? Amazing video btw. You are one of my top minimalism inspirations. Keep up the good work. :)
At around 4:40 she shows everything she's packing into the bag. At lower left there's a small black zippered bag, which I'm guessing has her toiletries in it.
Yep! That's the toiletry bag. This time, since I'm traveling by myself, I didn't take our full moisturizer and SPF (I left those behind for my husband), and brought a few Aesop samples that were thrown at me the last time I bought their products. Comb, face scrub sample, serum sample, hydrating mask sample that I've used as moisturizer, tweezers, razor, contact case and solution, perfume sample, deodorant... I think that's it. Using the shampoo and soap from the hotel.
Vested Interests Wow, that’s amazing that you can fit everything into 17 L backpack and still have room to spare! I hope one day I can be as minimal as you. P.S I can’t believe you actually replied. I am a huge fan of yours ever since I discovered your channel a few weeks ago.
If you start planning now, you'll be much less likely to overpack! Plus, I mean, worst case scenario, you may forget something and need to buy it. Obviously I'm not a fan of buying things on a whim, but if you're really in a pinch, it's not the end of the world.
it would be nice to know what size clothes you wear. I wear plus size so my clothes take up more space. I doubt that this size bag would fit my essentials. nice to see how you did it.
I'm pretty small, so that could be a valid point in some instances. There was quite a lot of space left over though, so you might be surprised what you can fit into 17 liters!
I just dicovered MAHI leather because they were kind enough to send me one of their items to review. I had been looking for a solid black, leather backpack for years, and now I have the prefect one. I love backpacks for travel since they are hand free!
Glad you found one that you like! I do wish I had been able to find one in leather, but, as I now have this one, I'm going to try to tough it out and get some use out of it. So far, it's actually holding up nicely, so I will try to forgive it for being synthetic.
Vested Interests That is great it's holding up well. It seems like not all faux leather is not equal. Some actually does seem to last very well. Then there is the kind that starts to flake amd peel right away. I have had a few beautiful purses that I was only able to wear a few times because they started to fall apart right away 😔 Now I think I finally learned the type to avoid.
Honestly if you have the choice between synthetic (that can be recycled) and literally someone's SKIN nobody can justify wearing the skin of a rape victim. Think, people. Use your brains!
From the description: "Oh yeah, I forgot to talk about shoes! I'm bringing one pair of shoes: my trusty Pumas, which I will be wearing on the plane, so no need to shove them in the bag." :)
I highly recommend checking out the bag reviewer Chase Reeves and his website bagworks.co, his reviews have helped me and my friends buy bags that fit and assist with our lifestyles.
Oh wow, that seems to be a very comprehensive website! I'll have to check out the videos later when I'm not on poopy hotel wifi. All of the "minimal" "one bag travel" bags appear to be over 17 liters though... at least from what I just scanned.
Since you packed way lighter then most people id wager that the edc category is prob the best place to look, as its closer to the 17L of your current bag which i would personally classify as a edc bag and not a "one bag travel bag". Chase has a couple youtube videos featuring a collection of edc bags that i would recommend watching.
That is on our list! We've earmarked Chipping Campden, Stratford upon Avon, and Burton on Water as possible places to stay. We *might* nix one of them, just so we're not rushing around, but we haven't completely made up our minds yet. We'll definitely visit all three, but we might not spend the night in all three.
I have not, but thanks for the tip. Alas, perhaps I wasn't super clear about it, I'm really not a fan of synthetic materials, which includes vegan leather.
Was hoping to see which toiletries you took - I’m trying to start paring down my makeup and toiletries when I travel so would love some inspiration!
Lighting in this hotel room is crap, but maybe I can try to take a picture or story for instagram to show what toiletries I took. This time it was a little weird, because I didn't have travel contact solution, so I bought that here, and I didn't take our face moisturizer or SPF because I didn't want my husband to go without it, so I brought little Aesop samples that I received when I went to their store in Seattle and I ended up picking up a moisturizer from the Deciem store this evening. All that to say, any photo I take may be a hodgepodge!
That was impressive -- I'm in awe of your process! It has motivated me to drastically downsize my packing for 3-day weekend trips we take around the state of Colorado. I often start small with packing, panic at the last minute, and start adding in things I might need. Would love to see how you pack toiletries. Thanks for the inspiration!
I've shown it on Instagram stories, so I just sort of skimmed over it here. I don't usually pack makeup, but, as my skin is unhappy with me at the moment, I brought a tiny tube of concealer that I will probably still never use, but generally not bringing makeup helps keep the toiletry bag light.
I'm with you - for makeup I only wear ever lipstick. In the past, I wore mascara. But my eyelashes are so long that when I put on mascara my lashes brush against my glasses, which annoy me.
I am traveling this week and I needed this as a reminder that I don't need a giant suitcase to go away for 10 days. THANK YOU! :)
lol, nope! Have fun on your travels!
Great job but I would also bring sleep wear and house shoes - walking barefoot in hotel rooms grosses me out. And yes I carry a thin knit robe - never wear - but if there is an evacuation, I want to be covered🤦🏻♀️. Loved the video💝💐😎
LOL! I... am not concerned. Sometimes hotels have robes. Alas, my hotel this time does not. I can always throw on, you know, a shirt and pants, which takes about three seconds.
me, too. my hotel was evacuated early one morning...false alarm. But I always wear PJs....plus bed socks - I get cold even in summer.
Jansport offers a lifetime warranty-check into what your options are for your old bag 👍🏽
Hmm, interesting. If my husband hasn't already sent it off for textile recycling, I will have to look into that. Thanks!
Let us know how you do with your new backpack on your travels please!!!
Thanks! Maybe I'll update via Instagram stories or something.
It's super hot in New York right now. In the summer here, I wear loosely draped or cropped pants or skirts and short sleeved shirts (I add a cardigan for air conditioned indoor spaces). I love your minimalist approach to packing and appreciate your videos. Have a great time!
Pppssshhhhhh, if it's under 100 degrees, I'm fine. I was skipping around SoHo today no problem!
I'm about to fly *back* to Seattle tomorrow (after visiting family in Michigan for 7 days), and I also overpacked. I'm planning to do a systematic assessment of my bag when I get home, to take stock of what I used and what I didn't use so I can hopefully pack smarter next time. Watching your process and seeing your items assembled before packing was very helpful!
That's a great idea! It's effectively the "packing party" method of decluttering, but with travel.
Second to the last time i went to Hawaii i way overpacked. So while i was there i wrote down everything i took with me. Then i used a highlighter on everything that i used. Im ashamed to say i only highlighted about one third of what i took. So last time i went i used that list as a guide. I got away with a significantly smaller suitcase and i actually wore everything that i took. Now I’m obsessed with purse packing - getting everything into a large or medium purse.
I travel very light and take a portable clothes line with me that I use in my hotel. This allows me to wash my underwear every day so that I don't need to take a pair for every day that I'm away. Depending on the fabric of your tops, you could wash them in the bathroom sink and roll them in a towel to remove excess water. In a pinch, you could always wash areas of the tops, such as the underarm area. I pack dresses when I travel, and I never take more than five with me, regardless of the length of the trip.
Ha! I'm planning to wash a shirt and a pair of jeans in the hotel bathtub as soon as I finish replying to comments! I have washed underwear by hand before (once I forgot to pack any underwear, so I had to wash them every night), and they turned out hard and weird, but I can probably steam them back to life with the hotel iron if the things I hand wash tonight get too stiff.
Yeah I wash at the hotel with shampoo or my own travel size detergent. No shame. It's clean lol 😎 plus hotel water temps are usually super hot and the water is chlorinated. Not good for my skin, but great for disinfecting.
@@nicnothingnice , I looked into buying travel (camping) detergent, but I didn't find the ingredients to be terribly different than plain shampoo. Kind of surprising, but also good in a way because there's no reason for me to bring anything extra!
Where did u get the portable clothes line?
Jansport provides a lifetime warranty. There's a form you can print out from the website and fill out describing the problem. Then you put the form and backpack into a box, take it to the post office, pay the shipping, and then in a couple of weeks (2-3), Jansport will send your bag back fixed or they will send you a new bag if they couldn't fix your original bag. I've done this twice: the 1st time, my bag was toast, so they send me a new one and the 2nd time, they replaced the zipper (which was why I sent it in) and sent me back my bag. Hope this helps! :)
That's really good to know, thanks! I'm glad Jansport made good on their promise!
Here's the link to their warranty page for you and all the other JanSport users out there: www.jansport.com/customer-service/lifetime-warranty.html
The "Start Warranty Claim" button brings up the form that you print out, describe the problem on and place in the box when you ship your backpack to them. The address for where you need to ship your backpack (US or Canada only) is found at the bottom of the webpage (not the print out page). They will not accept in person drop-offs. :)
Ok, now THIS one I've got down! 3 weeks in France and Spain, Ebags weekend, holds more weighed in for carryon at 17 liters! Worked fine
Nice! I used this same bag for two weeks in England--no problems at all!
My next trip I plan to use a backpack as well and small purse. I have packing cubes just in case but I see you didn’t need any. I love your minimalist lifestyle 😊😊
Thanks! I've considered packing cubes, as I've seen videos of other people use them on youtube, but I think I would just be annoyed to own them any time I'm not traveling, which is, you know, most of the time.
Vested Interests this is true!
That bag is roomy!!! I love watching videos like this
So far, it's worked out nicely!
I would have loved to see ehat was inside the toiletries bag. It was a good video regardless.
Great video! Thanks for sharing and have a nice time in NYC 🌺
Thanks! So far, it's been great. New York always is though.
More of these videos please! Love that you're not sacrificing style. My problem with most of the ultra light packing videos is that the wardrobe is far too casual for me - featuring only shorts and tank tops. Its nice to see that this can be done with slightly bulkier/heavier clothing. I could wear this to a conference and look very appropriate.
I know exactly what you're talking about. When I first started paring down my wardrobe, I watched so many videos of people with 25 items, but those items were hiking shorts and bandeau bras and that's just not relatable for me. Those things aren't clothing to me; they're undergarments or beachwear.
For places to visit in the Cotswolds, I would recommend Bourton on the Water and Castle Combe (Castle Combe is very small but is definitely worth a visit and you can get a nice pub lunch there - quite a few films have been shot there including War Horse as it's very quaint and English). I hope you enjoy your visit, I moved to the Cotswolds last year and love it here!
Oh awesome! Thanks for the tips! We are definitely staying in Bourton on the Water a couple of nights, and I'll add Castle Combe to our list. In order to not be constantly on the move, we decided that this trip will almost exclusively be spent in the Cotswolds, with a little bit of Cambridge and London thrown in for good measure. Thanks again!
Very nicely done I will have to take my 25l backpack as on long trip so packing all year round weather and meds etc will take up room... also will take jacket and 3 pairs shoes and sandals ... have cut down from case so will weigh in at about 10 kg lightish but cannot carry on .. thank you for very helpful tips ..Lynn from UK
Thanks! That sounds like an amazing trip you're going on--have so much fun!
Check out the day owl packs. Made from recycled material and awesome.
love the bag it really suits you! I have a goal that i want to be able to fit all of my belongings in to a full size suit case and a bookbag to make it easy to up and go sense i live in dorms. This really helped me look at what i actually use everyday , im inspired!
Great video but what about shoes? What did you wear to travel in? If coming to the UK go to the lake District, peak District and Yorkshire dales.
If you ever need a backpack/ bag in the future you should give matt and nat a try if you haven't already! They are pretty transparent ethically. It is synthetic leather but I've had a wallet from them for 5+ years and it is going strong. The aesthetic seems to be up your alley as well.
I want to get a bag from them but I'm waiting for my current one to give out haha.
Hope your trip goes well! You should see a Broadway show if you are into that sort of thing. I've heard Hamilton is awesome. :)
Hamilton was sold out, but I'm going with some friends later this week to see Mean Girls, which I had no idea was a musical. I'm actually not a fan of musicals, but, since they wanted to go, I decided I will tag along. Also, I've heard of Matt and Nat, but, as, well, I hate synthetic materials, I've never tried them. If I'm in a pinch again and can't find the real deal, I'll look them up!
I can't recommend anything in the cotswolds because I don't live in that area, but I would be very interested to see what you pack for a trip to the UK. Especially if you're coming after things have cooled down. And if you're going to use your new backpack!
I would hate to visit the UK because literally no one living here knows what weather to dress for. Pre-empting and packing for our weather would be my nightmare haha!
I hope you have a great time in New York.
I'm not sure if I'll make another packing video for that trip, since I just made one, but maybe. If not, I'll probably post it to Instagram stories. I do plan to use the same backpack and take essentially the same things, plus an extra shirt and maybe a sweater and a scarf... or maybe I'll just buy a scarf there as a souvenir. The only other time I've ever been to England, the weather was disappointingly predictable, and it only rained twice that I can remember. I'm hoping that, between a shirt, a sweater, and my blazer, I will be able to layer appropriately. Wish me luck!
We stayed in Moat end B&B in Kingham when we visited the Cotswolds. Really cute village and great B&B. Are you hiring a car when you're going? Really recommend that you do. Getting around without one is really difficult.
We are renting a car this time, yes. I'm really hoping that parking won't be an issue... fingers crossed.
Is it difficult to buy good quality
soft say Italian bags? Come to
Switzerland or Italy and you can
get gorgeous ones that last for
years. Nice video.
It's not hard to find good quality bags in general, but I hadn't found a real leather backpack in a style and size that I wanted, but this little faux has been holding up nicely! I'm not going to make a habit of buying fake leather, but, at least in this instance, it's worked out.
Hi! What about shoes? Just the ones you are wearing on the plane? Do they match all your outfits for the week?
From the description: "Oh yeah, I forgot to talk about shoes! I'm bringing one pair of shoes: my trusty Pumas, which I will be wearing on the plane, so no need to shove them in the bag." I believe the Pumas in question are black with a gold accent, which would go well with everything considering her choice of black bottoms :)
Blaire Shoe Thanks!
Yep! Thanks! I only brought the Pumas. I will disinfect the crap out of them once I get home.
@@VestedInterests this comment aged like fine wine.
Check out Nisolo's backpacks. They are real leather that you can use a water proof spray on. Really good quality and ethical too.
WarzyHarzy thank you for this recommendation. I was looking at the longchamp backpacks, but the ones on here, and other items, are beautiful!
Oh yeah! I haven't looked at Nisolo's stuff for a while, good recommendation! They do have a backpack, but I'm not really into the design. I will watch for when those black, smoking loafers come back in stock though...
the only thing about leather bags is that I find them to be heavy. I don't take leather bags for travel - I only use leather when I'm out and about in my hometown.
Jansport does lifetime repairs on their backpacks, might be worth seeing if they can repair the waterproofing and fix the stickiness 😆
A few people have mentioned this, and, initially, I thought it was a good idea to try. It would be a great strategy for anyone if they're interested in replacing their backpack with something similar, but, the more I've thought about it, the more I realize doing this would actually be a waste for me. I wanted a significantly smaller backpack, something without branding, and, ideally, something leather, so I've decided not to try to use the warranty this time.
I wonder if Jansport would take it back to repair and donate. It just seems like a bummer for it to end up in a landfill when it could be repaired and used again somewhere!
It's not going to landfill; it's going to textile recycling.
This is perfectly timed. We're going to New York in September for about that length. We have to take baby stuff, but my personal bag is definitely going to be this!!!
That is good timing! I hope it helps and have fun on your trip!
Ivy
Have you done a what’s in my bag video or your purse? If not, could you? Would love to see it. Thanks so much
I have!: th-cam.com/video/XucuapVIYBc/w-d-xo.html
I’d love to see what make up and such you packed/use daily. I tend to overpack and each time say to myself why did I pack all of this! Also, what about shoes? Thank you for your tips.
For shoes, I only brought my black pumas. I didn't bring any make up as I don't typically wear it, but I did take a photo of all the toiletries I brought and posted it to Instagram. To be fair, I probably didn't need all of the toiletries I brought either!
Vested Interests thank you. So wish I could go without makeup, if I’ve definitely paired down. I usually pack too many shoes, too. I’m a work in progress!
I realize you didn't ask for this, but it reminded me: my husband asked the other day if I was wearing "different" makeup. I haven't worn makeup regularly since... last winter there was a foundation I liked that I wore a bit, but it's been a while. He had no idea. Hence I don't bother!
Vested Interests Love that! I only wear a touch of blush brow mascara and eyelash mascara and mineral powder. It’s quick. My eyebrows are hardly there. It’s an age thing i guess lol
Hi, I live 45 mins drive from the Cotswolds in the UK so visit often. There are lots of lovely places to visit there: Bourton on the Water, Broadway village (you can also take a return steam train trip from here through the picturesque countryside), Blenheim Palace, Sudeley Castle. If you like walking the following might be helpful: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/cotswolds/articles/Cotswolds-pub-walks/ . The walks around the slaughters, Stanton/snowshill and great tew are really pretty. If you have time Stratford upon Avon isn’t far and worth a visit (there is the RSC there if you like theatre, shakepeare’s birthplace/museums, tea rooms and you can also take a boat trip). Warwick Castle is also a good day out. Thanks for all of your videos! Has been been great inspiration to keep decluttering. Hope you have a great trip and the above is helpful, Andrea
Thank you! That definitely is helpful. We may stay in Stratford upon Avon, Chipping Campden, and Burton on Water, but we may also cut one of those in order to be a little more leisurely. Blenheim Palace and Snowshill are definitely on our list, but I've copied the other recs to a note. Thanks!
Just wondering if you used a packing cube or bag to keep your clothes protected from the other items? I have square packing cubes from ikea that I think are so helpful for packing into small bags.
I do not! I've seen other people use them, but I think I'd just be annoyed to store them the rest of the time when I'm not traveling. However, sometimes I put my clothes into a reusable/cloth grocery bag to keep them separated from other things in my bag/separate clean from dirty clothes during the trip. Does kind of the same thing, and it's multipurpose!
Of course, great idea!
Great job for six days. I think you did a great job. I am sensitive to cold so I feel I need more layers like leggings and long sleeves. I packed a backpack only for a trip to San Diego and I still had items I didn't wear 😮 it was a 3 day weekend and I had day and dinner outfits. My dressy wedges were only work once and took up the most space SMH. It was freeing to only have a backpack though 😍
I used that same backpack for a two week trip to the UK, and there were still a few things (some clothing, some not) that I didn't need to bring! Travel always involves some guess work, and I'm still learning, but, like you, I'm kind of ok with that as long as my "margin of error" isn't bigger than a backpack!
Well done! Hope you had a wonderful trip in NYC! Impressive, as always. Love your choice of backpack. I'm currently away on a 25-day trip in 3 countries, and I definitely over-packed, even though we only brought carry-on. With 36 degrees in Spain, could just spend the entire vacation in a swimsuit on the beach x)
Oh man, I have a 14 day trip coming up, and I thought that was long! 25 days is amazing--I hope you're having a wonderful time! Note to self: If I ever go to Spain, don't bother bringing more than a swimsuit.
LOL! 14 days is perfect. Hope you're going somewhere fun. We usually go to Spain in December when it's the perfect 18-22 C (64-71 F). This August trip was an experiment, and with 36 C (97 F), I wouldn't recommend it ;) Hope you had a great time in NYC
I recently discovered your channel and just wanted to say I really enjoy your videos! Thank you. p.s. I love cross-body bags too.
Thanks! All of my purses are crossbody. There is no other acceptable bag, in my opinion. ;)
I feel like I've been challenged - I'm flying (home) to London, from Ireland (where I now live) for 2 weeks shortly. Now then, I've often wondered how you guys would do on the minimal wardrobe if you lived over here where we can get 4 seasons in one day! Weather is all year round unpredictable and very variable. Will be interested to hear how you fare in England.... Happy travels!
I'll try to keep you guys posted! As I mentioned in Instagram, I'm currently planning on bringing the exact same items to the UK, except I'll swap the tank top for a sweater. The only other time I've been to England, the weather was disappointingly predictable. I did bring a light coat that time though, and, this time, I'm hoping to bring a wool jacket and layer when needed. It's entirely possible that I chicken out and bring the same coat again. We'll see.
Love your video - thank you!
I loveded ur are so simple in the way you talk
I just found this video. I had an idea on laundry. If it was just one or two things, couldn't you get a travel size bottle of laundry soap and wash them in the sink, and if need be dry them with a hair dryer?
I did end up washing my clothes by hand for this trip! I just used shampoo and the tub in my hotel room. My husband and I also recently spent two weeks in England, and we did all of our laundry by hand there as well. We brought a few travel packs of woolite (I would have used shampoo again, but I brought some wool sweaters) and washed them in the tub and hung them to dry, no problem! Also, just FYI, I looked at REI for camping laundry detergent, as it's theoretically concentrated (and therefore compact) and biodegradable, but I didn't find that the ingredients were that much different from plain ol' shampoo, so I'll keep using it in the future when I travel!
Go to Stonehenge, it is nearby where you are going! By the way, lovely and informative post as always.
Thanks! We thought about Stonehenge, but we're not 100% sold. You're the second person to recommend it though, so maybe...
New York is HOTTTT. You definitely will need laundry done. 85 with 85 humidity!
Girl, where I'm from, that ain't hot. That's called "October."
I like the look of your new bag. It is cool that after you packed all your clothes, there was still room for your handbag. I look forward to your post trip report on how it all worked out. I enjoy all your videos. Did you lose weight? Your face seems slimmer. It could just be the way your hair frames your face so nicely.
I don't think I've lost weight. Based on how I eat, I don't think that's possible, BUT, I have noticed that the shape of my face has changed because I'm still using Invisalign. It's moving my teeth around, and they sort of hold my mouth open (or keep my teeth technically farther apart), so my face looks longer than it used to when I have the trays in.
It did cross my mind that the Invisalign may have contributed to the slight change in your face. I wish that all goes well with the Invisalign. ( :
Meeeee too ;)
What about sleepwear and slippers? Won’t you take those?
I don't bring pajamas or slippers on most trips, but I probably will bring them when I go to Chicago for Christmas, as it's not Christmas without them.
Vested Interests Haha! Got it ).
Howcome you didn't include a wallet, passport, keys, and other essentials? Love your video, as always.
Wallet lives in my purse, which I showed but I didn't go into its contents. I didn't bring my passport because I live in the US and I was traveling to NYC and therefore didn't need it. Keys I left at home because my husband was staying home and could let me back into the house. With the exception of the other day to day contents of my purse, that's all I brought!
Where did you get that purse??? 💜💜💜
Enjoyed it. Well done.
Thanks!
Thank you for videos, you are very inspiring! Could you please make more videos about packing and how not to overpack? Can't stop thinking that I will need all of my stuff 😆
Ha, well, this sort of was a video about I'm attempting to not overpack, but I guess I could have been more explicit. 1) As much as possible, try to plan what you want to bring in advance. If you re-wear items like I do, maybe you can wear each item twice to avoid packing too much. 2) Remember that, with very rare exception, there are stores and services wherever you're going. I didn't bring contact solution this time because we were out of travel solution, so I just bought it here. I also realized that I could easily get the hotel to launder clothing for me if need be, or, if I don't want to cough up the $15 to have the hotel wash a shirt, I can hand wash it. 3) Decide what you want to tote around with you (in my case, the 17 liter backpack), and then work backwards and only allow yourself to bring whatever comfortably fits in that piece of luggage. Also, do you actually USE all of the things you typically bring with you? I definitely don't, and, after managing to still overpack using my previous, 31 liter backpack many times, I have pretty compelling evidence to tell me that it's really not necessary... Anyway, I hope some of this helps!
Vested Interests thanks for such a detailed answer! Maybe I just watched inattentively 😅😌
I'm going to a nearby city in late august, definetly will try this tips.
I didn't actually list those things out, that's just a distillation of what I tried to do. Good luck packing!
Vested Interests Thank you! Best wishes for you too!
You should get a kindle paper white
What about toiletries? Do you use the ones the hotel provides? Amazing video btw. You are one of my top minimalism inspirations. Keep up the good work. :)
At around 4:40 she shows everything she's packing into the bag. At lower left there's a small black zippered bag, which I'm guessing has her toiletries in it.
Yep! That's the toiletry bag. This time, since I'm traveling by myself, I didn't take our full moisturizer and SPF (I left those behind for my husband), and brought a few Aesop samples that were thrown at me the last time I bought their products. Comb, face scrub sample, serum sample, hydrating mask sample that I've used as moisturizer, tweezers, razor, contact case and solution, perfume sample, deodorant... I think that's it. Using the shampoo and soap from the hotel.
Vested Interests Wow, that’s amazing that you can fit everything into 17 L backpack and still have room to spare! I hope one day I can be as minimal as you. P.S I can’t believe you actually replied. I am a huge fan of yours ever since I discovered your channel a few weeks ago.
Aww, thanks! Glad you enjoy the videos!
I going on a long trip ksoon and think i will def. overpack 😞 you are an inspiration.
If you start planning now, you'll be much less likely to overpack! Plus, I mean, worst case scenario, you may forget something and need to buy it. Obviously I'm not a fan of buying things on a whim, but if you're really in a pinch, it's not the end of the world.
♥️
You taking only one pair of shoes?
it would be nice to know what size clothes you wear. I wear plus size so my clothes take up more space. I doubt that this size bag would fit my essentials. nice to see how you did it.
I'm pretty small, so that could be a valid point in some instances. There was quite a lot of space left over though, so you might be surprised what you can fit into 17 liters!
i’m confused (or maybe stupid) why the weight by liter? how come it’s not by kilogram or pound?
It is the internal capacity of how many litres can fit in it
Yep, it's the internal capacity, not the amount of weight that it can hold. A liter is a measure of volume, not weight.
I am in the UK steam punk in July in Lincoln..
I just dicovered MAHI leather because they were kind enough to send me one of their items to review. I had been looking for a solid black, leather backpack for years, and now I have the prefect one. I love backpacks for travel since they are hand free!
Glad you found one that you like! I do wish I had been able to find one in leather, but, as I now have this one, I'm going to try to tough it out and get some use out of it. So far, it's actually holding up nicely, so I will try to forgive it for being synthetic.
Vested Interests That is great it's holding up well. It seems like not all faux leather is not equal. Some actually does seem to last very well. Then there is the kind that starts to flake amd peel right away. I have had a few beautiful purses that I was only able to wear a few times because they started to fall apart right away 😔 Now I think I finally learned the type to avoid.
Honestly if you have the choice between synthetic (that can be recycled) and literally someone's SKIN nobody can justify wearing the skin of a rape victim. Think, people. Use your brains!
Awesome video
What about shoes?
From the description: "Oh yeah, I forgot to talk about shoes! I'm bringing one pair of shoes: my trusty Pumas, which I will be wearing on the plane, so no need to shove them in the bag." :)
Yep! Just brought the Pumas. Wore them on the plane, so they didn't go in the bag.
Ok so she didn’t show her putting things in bag
I highly recommend checking out the bag reviewer Chase Reeves and his website bagworks.co, his reviews have helped me and my friends buy bags that fit and assist with our lifestyles.
Oh wow, that seems to be a very comprehensive website! I'll have to check out the videos later when I'm not on poopy hotel wifi. All of the "minimal" "one bag travel" bags appear to be over 17 liters though... at least from what I just scanned.
Since you packed way lighter then most people id wager that the edc category is prob the best place to look, as its closer to the 17L of your current bag which i would personally classify as a edc bag and not a "one bag travel bag". Chase has a couple youtube videos featuring a collection of edc bags that i would recommend watching.
Ahh, that makes sense. Thanks!
We went to the Cotswolds last year and loved Chipping Campden!
That is on our list! We've earmarked Chipping Campden, Stratford upon Avon, and Burton on Water as possible places to stay. We *might* nix one of them, just so we're not rushing around, but we haven't completely made up our minds yet. We'll definitely visit all three, but we might not spend the night in all three.
Look at coated canvas. Durable, ecofriendly and waterproof!
Have you ever looked into JW Pei for vegan leather
I have not, but thanks for the tip. Alas, perhaps I wasn't super clear about it, I'm really not a fan of synthetic materials, which includes vegan leather.
Pajamas?
Nope!
Love the video, love what you packed, but I have to say I just don't like the backpack.
Wah wah. I'm actually more pleased with it than I thought I would be. The vegan leather hasn't bothered me too much, so we'll see if it holds up...
🖐🙃
Well done with packing light. Nice bag, but...the thumbnail scares me! Everytime I see it I see a man in a hooded leather mask!
Oh no! I don't see it, but that doesn't sound appealing...
incredible