For my college graduation, my sister and I took a three week vacation and hit several climates along the way… cold spring of Northern Europe, dry heat of the Middle East, early summer of Washington DC.

My sister arrived at my apartment with an overstuffed large suitcase labeled heavy and I said “No Way!” We left ¾ of the contents at my apartment, and traveled together with the one suitcase, with an extra suitcase packed inside to bring home some goodies.

Packing light, especially for multiple climates, can be really tricky. Deltalina showed us how to pack, and here are my tips on what to pack.

Let’s start with the basics…
- Make a list of your activities for the destination and note the dress code for each.
- Choose ONE pair of shoes, and wear them on the plane (it is acceptable to bring a pair of flip-flops or some other space-efficient lounging shoe) More than any thing else, shoes take up a lot of space!
- Have a space to spread everything out so you can see how the tops and bottoms go together. I generally do this on the bed. Edit as necessary.
- Take clothes you can mix-and-match. This gives you the option to transform day to night, and the chance to change your mind about what to wear today.
- Pack basics, but only one of each. My sister had four black tank tops in her suitcase. Sure I own many black tank tops, but only pack one. Jeans are a great idea if it’s not a business trip.
- Layers! Especially for cold weather.
- Travel size toiletries, especially if you are not checking bags
- Larger items go in first. Squishy items (like socks or small stuffed animals) in and around. Coats can be carried on.

There are numerous reasons to pack lightly but packing light means there’s more room for souvenirs, less weight to haul, and less laundry!

Shani Nizan
delta.com