Traveling Lighter: Results

I spent what was essentially a long weekend in Portland, and decided to make this my first trip where I ditched my rolling carry-on for a backpack. The results: I’m very, very glad I made the switch. I was able to fit: my laptop, chargers, three T-shirts, two sweaters, a pair of khakis, a nylon jacket, several pairs of socks and underwear, pajama pants, two notebooks, my reading glasses (I’m blind!), my Ziploc bag of toiletries, and a few other small items (Advil, gum) with room to spare (though if you’re traveling light, you should leave room to spare or else you’ll kill your back with all that weight). At one point, when I had a few minutes to rush through the airport to catch a connecting flight, I was able to do so easily with my backpack, and then stow it underneath my seat since all the overhead bins were full by the time I got on the plane. I also packed using packing cubes for the first time because a friend recommended I do so, and it helped a ton to get everything organized. Now I’ll have to see if I can make this work on a week-long trip!

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