Packing Light Toiletry Edition

If you read my previous post, you know by now that I could never really live out of a carry-on suitcase when I travel for more than a week, not because I consider myself a fashionista, but because I need space for souvenirs and pasalubong (if I feel like buying). 

However, if there is one thing I learned from being a budget traveler all these years, is that you save weight on the things you can. One aspect of travel on which you can save weight is your toiletry bag. 

If you're particular about the products you use on your skin, chances are you bring a toiletry kit filled with your own shampoo, conditioner, and various skincare products. I don't advice against this, because I also do it myself but for other reasons. While I don't have sensitive skin, I do have a sensitive wallet. 

Most of the time, I stay in apartments not hotels. Unless specified, chances are toiletries are not provided by the hosts. So in order to save a few bucks, I bring my own toiletries. But, I never bring full-sized tubes and bottles. That's why I always bring home travel-sized soaps and shampoos you find in hotel rooms. I also buy refillable travel containers for my facial and body lotion.

So don't look like a travel neophyte by bringing full-sized toothpaste tubes, lotion, and shampoo. Always remember, the lighter your bag, the more stuff you can buy. 

How to Travel Light - No Seriously, How Do You Do It?

I have been toying with the idea of bringing just a carry-on suitcase on a 21-day trip this July. I know, I know, it's still a ways away, but I am already dreading the thought of lugging around a full-sized suitcase along cobblestone streets, and hauling it up and down the stairs. 

Many people have written about how it is possible to live out of a carry-on suitcase for three weeks, a month even. I read a lot of these blog posts and every single one of them shows a picture of an overstuffed backpack or small suitcase, with no room to spare if you want to do a little shopping. Also, do these people not know that the same number of clothes take up more space once worn? It's like you can never fold them the same way. Ever. 

So, what gives? Do these people not shop at all? Do they discard pieces of clothing before they go back to their respective countries? 

I once traveled to Singapore with a couple of friends from college. One of them brought extremely old clothes to be discarded on the last day. But old clothes that you're ready to give away? I would like to look good in my photos. 

I guess bringing just a carry-on suitcase is a bit too extreme for me. Even if I know I will never have the money to do a lot of shopping, I will still need extra room for a few souvenirs here and there. So for now, I have decided to bring a medium-sized suitcase - big enough for all my clothes and with room to spare for souvenirs. By the souvenirs I mean food.