The old, familiar routine: a quick, two day/one night trip. I go searching for my Red Oxx PR4: not in the photo studio, not in the upstairs bedroom closet, where I spy the eBags TLS Mini. “What the hell,” I think, “This’ll work.” I bring it down to the master suite. Unzipping it, I discover 2 extra Ziploc bags, prompting a smile.
In the closet, I of course find the PR4 on the top shelf. Pull it down, grab the liquids bag, the “non-liquids” bag (deodorant, floss, spare toothbrush, etc.), and start packing. It takes about 3 minutes. A minimum of clothing, building in a bit of flexibility if it’s cool, and I’m set. I even throw in an extra pair of shoes.
Back in the closet, I reach for the extra BlackBerry charger, then stop. The iGo pouch is in the Pacsafe backpack, which I’ll bring along, so I’m set. I’ve got the paperwork I’ll need on the trip, the iPod Touch and Ultimate Buds are in the backpack, and a book and a couple of magazines I haven’t gotten around to.
The entire process takes about 10 minutes.
Having my 3-1-1 and toiletries bags pre-packed saves time. Knowing exactly how much clothing I’ll need is also an advantage. Having done this a couple hundred times over the last 30 years helps as well. 
How about you? Is your “standard trip” routine ingrained into your brain and psyche? I’d love to hear your “standard trip” stories and tips.
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April 21st, 2010 at 8:49 am
” Having done this a couple hundred times over the last 30 years helps as well.”
LOL.
The only thing I’ve done a couple of hundred times re travel is write checklists. Being a paper traveler is far different from actually _hitting the road_.
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Kevin Reply:
April 22nd, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Aww, knock it off. Your Thailand trips are reasonably frequent ( ! ) and clearly well planned.
I have it easy – almost all of my trips nowadays are quick in-and-out, 1 or 2 night deals, and they became routine a long time ago. Now the only question is which bag I’ll use. But… somehow, still fun. Go figure.
k
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April 21st, 2010 at 10:45 am
I’m a big fan of the pre-packed toiletries. I finally got tired of repacking my toiletries and bought a second toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, stick of deodorant, etc. for my travel kit. It stays in there (along with some phone and camera chargers) so when I need to go somewhere on short notice all I need to pack is a change of clothes or two. That has made a big difference–I no longer worry that I’m forgetting something important, and I can pack in a few minutes.
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Kevin Reply:
April 22nd, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Matt, my approach exactly. Extra toothbrush, contacts, deodorant, razor, ….well, just about everything. It makes life simpler, and as you suggest, prevents you from forgetting something. Thanks for the comment!
kc
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April 21st, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Disclaimer: I’m a not so frequent traveller, still learning how to do things lightly… So my apologies if what I write could be obvious for most of you. Until a few months ago, it wasn’t so to me.
However, here is my standard trip routine: 3-1-1 + toiletry bags are always ready in the Osprey Porter carry on. I put all clothes I think I need on the bed, checking that there is at least one spare item for every piece I am wearing at that moment (learnt this when I once left without socks… Stop laughing: as already said, I am a beginner). Then I add all the “non clothing” stuff (netbook, charger(s), headlight, book, papers etc) as well as running outfit and shoes (should I have time to train a little bit…). Next step: stuck everything in the backpack, using any well-known (and sometimes even a few still-unknown) techniques. The following step consists in sitting back in despair, staring at all’s left on the bed, and empty the Osprey. These last two steps are repeated a few times, until a decent result is reached.
Does practice make perfect? Well, probably yes: now I need much less time and effort to go through the whole procedure. Or maybe practice increases self-confidence, with the same effect.
OT – A technique I use to learn packing lightly is the following. Pack your carry on with all you think you *will* need, but bring a “safety suitcase” with what you think you *could* need. Write down what you’ll use from the “safety suitcase” and what you haven’t from the carry on. Act accordingly the following time. I too think this is common sense, but it has proved very useful – For example, now I leave running shoes and outfit at home. In recent months, they have travelled all over Europe, yet they look as new – probably because they *are* new, as I have never used them…
Best regards from a beginner!
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Kevin Reply:
April 22nd, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Adriano:
Thanks for your comment, and you need make no apologies for being a “beginner;” you appear well on your way to being a very savvy traveler!
Kevin
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Adriano Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 6:36 am
BTW, one “obstacle” that I had to overcome on the “way to lightness” came when I had to share room with a colleague. Let’s say that, since then, my habit of doing the evening laundry has become public domain…
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April 22nd, 2010 at 6:42 pm
It still takes me more time than I’d like to pack, but I rarely forget things these days. I know how much to bring and how to fit it all in. I converted my b.f. to one-bagging and he has become a more economical packer than me, fitting clothes for a weekend into a bag the size of a large purse. Sigh.
The short trips get me every time–I always seem to be packing more than I do for longer trips. I’m off to the Windy City this weekend for a wedding and am trying to bring the smallest bag I can + a purse. We’ll see if I can actually make that a reality…
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Kevin Reply:
April 22nd, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Berg: Good luck! I know you’ll make it work! kc
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April 22nd, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Oh, and my toiletries are almost always ready to go as well, but only because I have yet to unpack them from the previous trip!
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April 23rd, 2010 at 12:06 am
I’m a quick packer but what takes time is deciding what I want to wear. I have a range of standard travel clothing but not every trip is the same and I also like to change things around a little. The actual packing is quick. What also takes time is to decide which bag to take. This is a challenge I like and I make it more complicated than necessary. ;)
Pre-packed toiletries separated in hardware and liquids are a must.
If every trip wasn’t a little different and if I didn’t feel obliged to tend to my bag harem in a fair rotation, I could even just have one or two bags entirely pre-packed. But that would take the fun out of the planning.
Cheers,
Till
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April 23rd, 2010 at 6:15 am
I also keep toiletries and a 3-1-1 bag packed at all times. Selecting what to bring also is pretty quick for me. My biggest problem is selecting which bag to use. I have the luxury (and problem) of having too many bags that I really like – any and all of which can be used for a given trip. I am always getting ready to get rid of most of the bags to eliminate this issue but just can’t bring myself to sell/give away even one of the bags. Sigh…..
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