Ask anyone frequent traveler your rules for a trip and you will probably hear the same advice: never check a suitcase. Hand luggage only. But packing everything you need, especially for a longer stay, into a small suitcase and a purse or backpack takes some effort. ingenuity: the maximum dimensions for luggage that goes in most overhead bins are 22 by 14 by 9 inches (55 by 35 by 22 cm), and although most domestic flights don’t have them, or at least don’t enforce them, weight limits, Some international and trans-Pacific flights do (certain Delta flights to Asia, for example, have a limit of 22 pounds (10 kilos), while Hawaiian Airlines’ maximum is 25 pounds or 11 kilos). The reward, if you do it right: faster airport experiences that do not involve the risk of lost luggage and, upon arrival, fewer decisions about what to wear. Here you’ll find tried and true advice from some experts.
Although some regular travelers opt for soft bags (New York stylist Ian Bradley, 38, prefers the oversized LL Bean Adventure duffel bag ), most opt for the hard suitcases with wheels. “They’re lighter,” says Hitha Palepu, 39, a New York-based author and entrepreneur who wrote what may be the book definitive on the topic, “How to Pack: Traveling Smart for Any Trip” from 2017. The material from polycarbonate used for the rigid suitcasesExplain, “weighs about half as much as nylon resistant that is used in soft suitcases.” These are the bags with wheels that our experts recommended:
A roller from German brand Rimowa is often considered the gold standard, and many of the people we spoke to vouched for the durability of the products. “Are masks, but a worthwhile investment,” says New York artist Laila Gohar, 35. (Like architect Vincent Van Duysen, 62, from Antwerp, she flies with the aluminum Cabin model.) Weight limits: The brand’s lightest full-size carry-on is the Essential Lite Cabin, at 4.9 pounds (2.2 kilos).
Palepu is a fan of hard-shell suitcases from American brand Bísimo, which are considerably cheaper than Rimowa’s. “They have the best compression in a suitcase, really solid construction, and a padded handle for dragging them through the airport,” he says.
New York-based chef and author Andy Baraghani, 34, who completed a multi-city book tour last year, likes the Away Bigger Carry-On: Aluminum Edition because it feels indestructible, he says. “And the shiny finish of it stands out from the rest of the airport luggage.” (Just be careful to check that your above-average dimensions are compatible with your airline’s carry-on size limit.)
“You can’t have a mindset of ‘just in case’”says Gohar. “If something is not absolutely essential, it does not qualify.” Below are some strategies to identify basic needs.
Clothes
“Look for clothing with viscose or Lyocell blends, or silk and wool; those fabrics are more resistant to wrinkles than most,” advises Palepu. She prioritizespants that can be worn multiple times before they become unattractive, printed shirt dresses (prints help hide wrinkles) and matching outfits game that can be mixed and matched with other clothes.” But his real workhorses are the buttoned shirts for men from Uniqlo that do not need ironing: they rarely wrinkle and match a wide range of outfits.
The suits They are also a great option due to their versatility. “They can be dressed with heels for a night out or with a tank top and sneakers during the day,” says London-based creative director Alex Eagle, 40. The gallery owner Mariane Ibrahim, who lives between Mexico City and Paris. and Chicago, she has a similar philosophy: “My bag always includes a night suit and a day suitplus some basic clothing in black and white (jeans, t-shirts).”
For Gohar, the key is creating an adaptable uniform. “If you have a solid basic look, you can take a coat, one or two pairs of pants and simply change your shirt every day, says. “And I’m not afraid of wash my clothes, or that of my children, in the hotel toilet. “I just ask the housekeeper for some unscented soap and then I hang them to dry.”
Toiletries
It’s easier to buy travel sizes of your favorite products and refilling them with larger bottles at home, which eliminates excessive waste, says Palepu (alternatively, small empty containers can be found at stores like Muji). He also suggests streamlining by looking for multi-use products: “My EltaMD Tinted Sunscreen is hydrating enough to be my daytime moisturizer; I use my Le Prunier oil as a hydrating serum and finishing oil and to style loose hair back.”
Palepu likes to pack a simple crossbody bag with the items you will need between takeoff and landing (lip balm, disinfectant wipes, an e-reader), carry it on board in a larger bag, and then put it on your lap once. she is sitting. Hotelier Philomena Schurer-Merckoll, 40, who divides her time between Marrakech and London, recommends the Perriand Weekend bag from British brand Métier instead of a clutch; The hidden exterior pockets make it easy to access things on the plane, she says, and “the clip-on clutch means I have an overnight bag for my trip.” And fashion designer Phillip Lim, 51, recommends carrying an Airfly Bluetooth transmitter, which allows you to connect wireless headphones to the in-flight entertainment system.
Pack like every inch counts (because it does)
Work from heavy to light
As a rule, Palepu packs largest items first to maximize space. She recommends roll up most clothes, but not all, to avoid wrinkles, and always pack this very compact steamer to eliminate the few wrinkles that inevitably occur (you also use the device to steam your face after flights before applying a hydrating mask). Here’s how he recommends filling a bag, from bottom to top:
Start by placing the bulky sweaters at the bottom half of your suitcase, with the sleeves and extra fabric flowing to the sides.
If you will need a coat once you arrive, choose one versatile and use it on the plane. If you really need another layer of clothing, make it thin and pack it with your bulky sweaters.
Fold the suit pants lengthwise to preserve the fold and then roll them up. To pack suit jackets, Palepu recommends this method, which involves folding the garment into a square along the seams. Layer these pieces on top of your sweaters.
Roll up any other pants, as well as skirts, dresses, pajamas, and sportswear, and pack them next.
Fold shirts and blouses along the seams to reduce wrinkles and place them on top of the rolled pieces. Place underwear and socks in the remaining spaces. Once all your clothes are in your case, fold the sweater sleeves over top of your other clothes.
In the other half of your bag, place your shoessaved in shoe bags, around the perimeter. (To save space, wear the bulkiest pair you plan to take on the flight.)
Pack any other accessories and your toiletries in the center of his shoes.
Consider packing cubes
Packing cubes, which are zippered bags designed to compress clothes and save space, are especially useful for multi-stop trips as they provide a more seamless way to quickly pack and unpack. Bradley likes the ones made by Bagsmart and also reuses the dust bags that come with some of his accessories. “I put underwear, shoes and shirts in one and pants in another,” he says. Packing cubes are also especially useful for young families, Palepu says: Each of his children has a set of his favorite color, so his clothes are easily distinguished if they share a suitcase. Joeonna Bellardo-Samuels, 44, senior director of the Jack Shainman Gallery in New York, says one of her secret pleasures is “getting good hotel laundry bags” to use instead of buckets. “Each one is adorned with a beautiful monogram that reminds me of my adventures.”
Boat Memories Home
If you are going on a trip focused on shoppingPalepu suggests packing a foldable duffle bag in your carry-on luggage that you can fill and then check in for the return flight or send it home on the way to the airport. “The Dirty clothes it is the best padding for packing “fragile items”, says. Likewise, Eagle packs an LL Bean Boat & Tote for the return trip, which includes gifts and her kids’ dirty clothes (packing it separately means it’s easier to throw in the laundry once you’re home). “The zipper at the top makes it secure,” she says. “So you can check it out, if you really need to.”
*John Wogan ©The New York Times
