To Check a Bag or No? That, is the question

I HATE paying to check a bag.  Obviously, if I'm going anywhere for more than a weekend, a larger bag is preferred.  I mean, a diva needs options for wardrobe changes.  I'd love to go full on Diana Ross, and change six times a day if the occasion calls for it. But alas, pesky checked bag fees put the kibosh on that.  So for me, it's all about efficiency.

On my last trip to the Dominican Republic, I fit a week's worth of clothes and toiletries in a small carry-on with a few tricks and gadgets to quickly get through TSA and Customs.  I had more than enough and actually didn't even wear a number of things.  I have the art of packing light down to a science, I thought I'd share this info so you can keep that extra $50-$80 in your pocket on your next vacay. Wouldn't you rather bank that? Or use it to fund an excursion? Or better still, cocktails??

Helpful Items to Pack More Efficiently

• Packing cubes: Roll clothing as tight as possible to save on space. Ebags sell them in sets or various sizes but you can also find them at discount stores like Marshall's, TJ Maxx or Ross.

Travel friendly toiletries:  Without saying, you can find almost anything in travel-size. Most big-box stores and pharmacies have entire sections dedicated to travel size products.  Use solids wherever possible: deodorant, face wipes, solid shampoo (pictured on the right) and conditioner, Palmer's cocoa butter vs lotion etc.

Packable "bulky" Items:  a down jacket, rain jacket and/or a tote/backpack take up considerable amounts of luggage space.  I like taking a packable tote or backpack on vacation so I can carry personal items around without hassle. I mean, have you seen a bathing suit with pockets?? Investing in "packable" versions will be money well spent to avoid packing a larger bag to accommodate these bulky items over time.

The key to packing light is starting with a few pair of shoes and making sure everything in your bag works with your footwear. Thin fabrics and pieces that serve more than one function are ideal. For example, I have a reversible swim suit that still offers a bit of variety when I'm trying to limit the number of pieces in my luggage.

That being said, tropical vacations are easiest, since you really only need flip-flops, swimwear, lounge-wear and a few nice pieces to wear to dinner most evenings.   Cold weather trips are not too bad though, since you can travel in and pack your layers and reuse bulkier pieces, as needed. 

If you're traveling on an airline that requires you to pay checked bag fees, avoiding them is totally doable.  I find that putting aside items I want to take a few days in advance, allows me to get a sense of what goes with what, and helps refine the editing process. Edit, edit, and edit some more -- you'll need to leave yourself some wiggle room in case you want to bring back a few souvenirs.  

P.S. If you purchase these packing aids online, don't forget to visit your reward program's shopping portal to get miles or points for them.  Ebags has many of the packing items available on its website and offer a substantial amount of miles/points for your purchase.