Tuesday, May 20, 2008

minimalist period packing

Currently, I'm packing for India. Unfortunately, I've inherited my mom's packing style...the one that includes the kitchen sink. I brought way too much stuff to Argentina last summer, so I was stuck lugging around my rolling suitcases and carryons, looking like a ridiculous American girl. I'm determined to be a lighter packer this summer.

In this spirit, I asked for a multi-day hiker's backpack for an early birthday present. Here is a picture of it to the side. I'm really happy with it. The goal is to fit everything I need for the eight-week jaunt in India into this backpack (and maybe a daypack for a carryon bag).

I've been learning all sorts of neat tips and tricks to fit everything into one bag. One really useful site is http://www.onebag.com I think the best piece of advice I've received on packing lighter has been to only take what you need. I always fall into the trap of taking what I might need, which can easily escalate into taking all sorts of ridiculous things.

I'm still in the process of packing, so we'll see if it all fits.

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