In the hall
The Only Sandals I Pack
I haven’t checked a bag in three years.
I have a husband who really enjoys efficiency. Gone are the days of hauling four body bags overseas containing every family member’s entire wardrobe.
A quick anecdote to illustrate just how far I’ve come: seven years ago, flying home from France, I arrived at the airport with at least eight pieces of luggage. One was filled entirely with plates I’d bought at the flea market, and weighed quite a bit…
We were sweating at the check-in counter, partly from the physical exertion and partly in anticipation of the bill. As we hoisted the final suitcase onto the scale, it broke.
It was surely pure luck, but it also might have been the airport’s way of asking me to reconsider my lifestyle choices.
Anyway. I’ve changed.
These days, I travel almost exclusively with a full-size Away carry-on. Last September we went to Africa for two weeks, and I managed the entire trip with a carry-on duffel.
Full disclosure: we have occasionally cheated. An additional Away has been shipped ahead to a later stop, and ski clothes have been known to travel tucked into equipment bags. But the principle stands: pack versatile pieces, and very few of them.
The shoe formula
One pair of sandals or flats. One pair of heels that works with the general theme of the trip. A pair of sneakers and/or boots. The bulkiest pair gets worn on the plane, and everything else gets crammed into the suitcase. It’s astonishing how much you can fit into those things.
The ones I’m wearing are old one-offs from Sunset Beach. There’s a similar pair, without the beading, on the Substack.
More on packing lightly soon.
