yes packing is stressful

and if ur big on THE LOOK ..its awful..
shoes are the worst..what to take is always a problem
but really u end up being very very casual everywhere u go …if u go to churches take a light wrap just in case they want u to cover up and in some places they want u in a skirt..so check
u hardly ever go back to ur accommodation to get changed and if u do u seldom get dolled up beyond a simple wash and quick makeup if needed
so
take ur most comfortable clothes that go with lots of things
i roll my clothes and put them in ziplock bags to keep things separate in categories but this does waste space cos i dont stuff things into shoes etc like some efficient packers do
but i still pack light and am always under the limit..unless i go buying stuff to take home and get caught on lil flights eg btw santorini and athens where they might suddenly get really strict and unforgiving and start charging u excess baggage fees
i still end up with a couple of things unworn but i d rather be prepared ..for eg i didnt wear my two sarongs once this june cos it was too cold for my aussie liking in croatia during their early summer but u cant tell til u get there and unlike many others here i dont like buying clothes outta necessity o/s..only for pleasure and only if i see something that really grabs me..cos i dont like to waste time clothes shopping trying stuff on etc

so i write a list and i lay my clothes out…each top has to go with lots of bottoms..thats the rule for me…u have to be able to mix and match ..so i stick with brown black and red clothes mostly and i do wear jeans cos i live in them …but this time i took lighter cargopants and i found them great to wear and i could also roll them up if i was near water..i took no light coloured clothes no matter how summery i wanted to look i stayed with the darker shades..
i wore every top only once b4 washing but at least i wasnt worried about staining it early in the day as im apt to do with goodness knows what cos im such a klutz ( didnt get grubby this time..so eye hand mouth coordination must finally be improving!)

i took sandshoes a light pair of black moccasins for the cities and my flip flops got a bit of wear too
good luck …i know how sleepless u can get over the clothes issue!

Comfort/fit is the most important thing with a backpack. Make sure that Eddie Bauer pack is comfortable. The newer ones with wheels are a better design than the older ones, but I still think they’re uncomfortable. I can’t imagine walking 3 blocks with a loaded one on my back.

sparks summed it up very nicely.

allthought i am not a girl, IMO, a 3000Cubic inch pack is kinda small. i have a 90L eagle creek pack which is great. i never fill it to its max, leaving me some space to bring back souvenirs or anything else i might pick up along the trip

good luck!

Sparks, great advice.

Packing light means packing things you need and will use, not the "just-in-case" stuff. It means being creative as well. For example, you do not take 14 changes of clothes for a 14 day trip. You take for example 3 trousers or 2 trousers and 1 skirt, and 5-6 shirts or blouses that go with EVERYTHING. It means leaving the shoe collection at home and taking a pair of flipflops and a pair of comfortable shoes that once again, go with EVERYTHING. I don’t do the skirt thing, but if I did, it means just one pair of nice shoes to go out at night, not 3 different pairs of high heels for the 3 different skirts you are taking. It means leaving at home the silk shirt that looks so cute with this skirt unless you intend to use it with your other skirts, trousers and shorts.

I differ here with a lot of girls, but packing light, for me, means leaving the hair dryer at home along with the make up kit. A lipstick and eyeliner do the job, no need to take 3 different mascaras, 8 different lipsticks, 4 foundations and 8 sets of eye shadow. These things are tiny, but when you amass them, they can use quite a lot of space.

If you get bored wearing the same clothes for a month, again, be creative. Accessories can give a nice touch of diversity to your clothes. Black trousers you can wear during the day along with any blouse can look very elegant with a shawl, hair in a ponytail and nice earrings(spelling) for a night out, and if your shawl is not too delicate, can serve as different things, like beachwear, something to wrap your dirty laundry on your way to the laundry machines, etc. The only "just-in-case" things that are the exception to the rule are tampons and medication for diarrea, because when you need them, you need them right away.

If you leave for a 3 month trip, don’t take 3 months of shampoo supplies, you can probably buy it there. Unless you are going on a mission deep in the jungles of a deserted island, you’ll have no trouble finding it.

If you can’t live without reading, take a light but interesting book (not Harry Potter’s #5) and trade it with other travelers when you are done with it, it’s a cheap way of reading, and it won’t add more weight on your back.

Also consider taking clothes you wouldn’t mind loosing, it’s extra space on your last days to pack souvenirs.

I’m at the office right now, I’ll think of more things later.

this is what i pack. it varies by season obviously, but my trip will be during the "not so pleasant" season, so ill pack accordingly……

outerwear-2 fleeces, 1 umbrella(good & sturdy), northface waterproof/all weather jacket……

clothing-1 cargo pants(heavy duty), 1 jeans(only for nice things-bars/clubs), and the comfiest(sp?) khakis that id travel in. 4 t-shirts
6 pair underwear & socks. 2 button-downs

1pair of nice sneakers that id wear…..

toiletries-shampoo, deodorant, cologne, toothpaste, tissues, facial wash.

thats about it…….light and simple. only my most used/comfortable pieces of clothing. very few "nice" items, im not planning on going to any political conventions or formal dates, so ill be good with my "chill" clothes….

good luck!

The best advice that I can offer is getting clothes that dry quickly.

THIN shirts, skirts, underwear, bras with removable padding instead of built in etc.

that way you can wash them and hang them off your bed or wahtever and good to go when you wake up intead of having to use dryers. They also keep you cooler in warm weather. and are lighter in your bag!

Otherwise. bring a small, thin, flat towel. I actually successfully used a hand towel for my whole trip (2 months & i’m a girl).

try to bring clothes that don’t wrinkle really easily, fold them the way u usually would and then roll them into a tube shape and pack that way, you’ll fit more. also, take the clothes you want to wear out of your bag the night before so they’re not wrinkled like hell.

put all of your cosmetics and toiletries in ziplock bags (cabit pressure = explosions).

I found this site to be really helpful…

http://travelindepen…

Jester has the right idea. There is nothing that you really need that you can’t buy in Europe. The basic packing list is:

Tickets
Passport
Plastic — you can buy anything else.

Just some other things to add:

-bring a Tide ToGo Stick (yes, it really works!) this way if you spill some of that amazing Italian sauce on your shirt you’ll be able to continue wearing it, and it takes up very little space

-also think of filling a travel sized spray bottle with Febreeze, amazing for that jacket-that-got-wet-then-was-stuffed-in-your-bag-so-now-smells-like-mildew

-Go to the makeup counters in department stores and ask for free samples, you can use nicer products while traveling than when at home! And they’re cheap and small!

-Make sure the shoes are comfortable and versitile, my last trip I only brought 1 pair of really comfy sandals that I could wear with everything, but they looked like they could have been my grandmothers, I’m spending extra time finding a great pair of shoes this time around! If anybody has any advice, please let me know!

-laundry can be done in any sink anywhere, don’t bring more than 4 or 5 outfits

Shoes are heavy, so only bring one extra pair if you can possibly do that. You need at least 2 pair of shoes on any trip, IMO, in case one gets soaked—you can dry them out overnight while wearing the other pair.

Also, plan to do laundry each week. Buy detergent there and put in a ziploc freezer bag (that you bring); bring dryer sheets from home—these weigh virtually nothing, and sheets you use can go to the bottom of your pack to keep everything smelling fresh.

Third, don’t bring a bunch of crap that you "might" need—bring only what you’re sure you will use regularly.