With the complicated travel requirements on airlines today, many tourists and working hard to condense their suitcases to the bare requirements and traveling with just a carry-on bag. When you’re flying with a smaller suitcase, you can bypass some of the check-in points and take your luggage with you in the cabin of the plane. You don’t have to wait in the baggage claim area of the airport and you don’t have much to lug around from hotel to hotel as you travel. If you’re considering travel with just a carry-on, it may be easier than you think.
Pack Detergent
A very mild dishwashing detergent is all you need to wash out some of your clothing while you’re traveling. If you bring along a small bottle of detergent, you’ll be able to wash out your socks, underwear and undershirts in the hotel and leave them to dry overnight. This lets you bring just a few items with you saving precious room for other items.
Wear Your Jacket
Even if it’s a bit sultry in the city you’re flying from, throw the raincoat you’re bringing over your arm or wear it on the plane. Unless you’re traveling in the winter, all you need in Italy is a light raincoat designed to keep you dry and to keep you warm if the mornings are a bit cool. The lightweight jacket will also help to cover your shoulders in many of the churches where bare skin is frowned upon.
Bring the Right Shoes
If you shop carefully and buy the right pair of shoes the first time, you don’t need to bring a wide assortment. Of course, you’ll be slightly limited in your options for the evening if you’re wearing a pair of sturdy brown leather walking shoes. If this is a problem, and you’re hoping to see the finer side of an Italian town on one night, gentlemen might consider a sports coat and tan slacks to match the brown shoes, and ladies might find room to slip in a pair or flats or sandals that would work a bit better for evenings.
Build Smart Outfits
Rather than packing five or seven separate outfits for your big adventure, pack smarter outfits instead. Three pairs of pants and a few interchangeable shirts will pair up over the span of a few days, especially if you’ve brought along some detergent to wash them out and your hotel has an iron to press them again after they dry. Lightweight clothing packs more compactly than heavier items and they dry faster, too, if you’re planning to wash clothing while away.
