Traveling for 7 days (or more) with just a small backpack

BarcelonaWe all prefer light luggage, but at the same time, we don't want to miss anything. There's a way to fold clothes when packing that's a game-changer, allowing you to travel for 7 days with just a school-sized backpack. With this system, we'll stop wasting time rolling each piece of clothing one by one or crumpling it in compression bags. The difference is huge, and once you've tried it, you won't go back.

I discovered this method many years ago. Yumi and I became friends one summer in Ireland when we were 16. We continued in contact by letter, which was the norm in those analog days, and when she decided to travel around Europe for two months, she stayed at my house for two nights. When I picked her up at the train station, she only had a school backpack on her back. I asked her where her suitcase was, and she told me that was it. I couldn't understand how she could do it with so little. At home, I discovered that at night she washed her underwear by hand and hung it on a small folding clothes hanger with two clothespins. She also placed a tiny microfiber cloth underneath so as not to damage the furniture if it dripped. She placed the hanger inside the closet with the door half-open for ventilation, hidden so the room wouldn't look cluttered. She was my Japanese soulmate. In addition to clothes, she carried an A5 notebook and colored markers, because every night she kept a travel journal. I didn't carry a camera so as not to carry extra weight. To keep memories of the places, I bought postcards and sent them home. And finally, when we said goodbye on the platform, she took out her cross-stitch kit, complete with threads, for those downtimes on the train. It was light, and she loved doing it. That backpack was a Mary Poppins bag come to life. Yumi traveled light, but not lacking. She carried what she truly needed and enjoyed, and for her, this was comfortable and more than enough.

How to fold clothes?

With this system, we'll first lay out all the clothes we need flat on a table, loosely stacking them. We'll just stack them, starting with the largest items like pants, and then layering sweaters, t-shirts, and underwear on top. Once everything is stacked, we fold the clothes over themselves, adding a couple of folds, until it looks like a "cannelloni" of clothes. We put everything inside a backpack. There'll still be room on top for a toiletry bag if we want to carry a book or an accessory like a cell phone charger.

But to achieve what Yumi had achieved while traveling, it's not only necessary to know how to fold clothes, it's also important to take into account some considerations to make packing a success. To make sure you don't forget anything, it's a good idea, first, to make a list. How many days in advance should we make it? Well, as soon as we start mentally compiling it and are afraid of forgetting to pack things, like our medication, our phone charger, or our menstrual cup. For some people, making a list is a world of its own: it's useful to keep a list from each trip or outing (on paper or in an app) and refer to it whenever you need to plan a new getaway. When making the list, consider what's worth bringing for 7 days and what can be purchased there, such as diapers or sanitary napkins. Filling your suitcase with "just in case" items denotes a fear of uncertainty and a distrust of one's own luck.

This is a pretty comprehensive list. Some people can travel without pajamas, water shoes, or swimsuits. It all depends on lifestyle and destination. Those who want to reduce their clothing and travel lighter can pack half as many. Seven days is a good time to do laundry, and in summer, t-shirts and underwear dry quickly. If you're menopausal and sweat, you might need two pajamas to wash them. If you're going somewhere hot, a sweater will do. Don't take this list literally.

This list is good for traveling for more than seven days, actually. We can travel like this for months, as long as we find time every now and then to do a little laundry. And let's not forget one small detail: it's wise to pack with courage and optimism.

What things are dispensable?

There are as many pieces of luggage as there are people. Everyone has their own preferences and needs. If we want to bring our own hairdryer, we might have to forgo a second pair of shoes. In my case, I always bring gluten-free rolls, which take up a lot of space, and I pack less clothes. And we also have to think about when we'll need to repack our backpack to get home, when we'll use the same folding method. Otherwise, it won't fit. And when we get home, the experts recommend washing everything. The backpack too. Beyond learning how to fold clothes, we analyze some of the items that might be best left at home (or maybe not).

The footwear

One of the things that takes up the most space in your luggage is shoes. If you have to carry a lot of them, the backpack system won't work. There's room in your backpack for other footwear, whether beach or hiking, if you're wearing bulkier items during the trip.

The sneakers

If we're worried about going barefoot to the hotel, apartment, or wherever we're staying, we can grab some socks and save the space that slippers take up.

The toiletry bag

We'll try to pack the minimum amount of products we need for the days we're away and put them in travel-sized jars (which we'll finish using when we get home) instead of using the original packaging. We avoid using product samples that have been given to us for free because they may have expired or deteriorated due to the temperature change and cause an allergic reaction. Another trick to save even more space is to use a plastic bag, like a zip-top freezer bag, as a toiletry bag. It's not a pretty solution, but it saves the space taken up by the fabric and zipper of the toiletry bag.

Medications or supplements

You don't need to take the whole box. Just what you need for those days.

Sheets and towels

If we need to carry sheets, pillows (two are better if we're using an unfamiliar pillow, as it's more hygienic), shower towels, and pool towels, we'll need to bring a larger backpack, or perhaps a suitcase altogether. pareos of beach take up much less space.