Traveling light (Yes, it's possible)

I know, I know. You’ve heard many people talk about this, but the idea of traveling with only one bag and bringing fewer items horrifies you.

Back in December 2021, I decided to bring just one piece of luggage and a small backpack on a trip to Vancouver and Whistler, BC. It was winter, so I needed to bring at least one warm jacket and one pair of winter boots. Those two items alone can take up substantial space in your bag, and from my experience, most people bring more than one jacket and often more than one pair of boots.

We started this trip by driving north from Seattle to Vancouver, BC. We stayed in Vancouver for a few days; it is one of our favorite places to go both during the winter and summer. Vancouver is beautiful, and while there are some similarities to Seattle, it offers a unique vibe and enough differences in landscapes and restaurants that make it a favorite place for us to visit. Vancouver is about 140 miles from Seattle, and it only takes about three hours to get there.

In Vancouver, we spent our days walking around the city and visiting shops, restaurants, and coffee shops—all the things that we like doing when in a city. Since it was December, there was a Christmas market in the city, which we also visited. It was pouring that day, but we still found it enjoyable, and the weather made it more memorable.

But what does this have to do with traveling light?

I am going to get into that, I promise.

After spending a few days in Vancouver, we checked out of our hotel and got back in our car to drive to Whistler, BC. Normally, this is a two-hour drive from Vancouver, but it took us about three hours due to some snow on the road.

Whistler is a town north of Vancouver, British Columbia, that’s home to Whistler Blackcomb, one of the largest ski resorts in North America. We had booked a couple of rooms at the Fairmont Château Whistler hotel, and our plan was to spend the next week before and after Christmas at this hotel enjoying the winter wonderland atmosphere and even trying skiing.

Before we left Vancouver, I remember stopping at a shopping center to buy winter boots as I hadn’t brought any. Since we were going to be in a winter wonderland, it made sense to get them.

Once we arrived in Whistler and unpacked all our stuff in our respective rooms, we walked around the hotel and then to the Whistler Village Centre to eat something.

The next week we spent walking around the hotel, the village, skiing in Blackcomb, and eating and drinking plenty of hot beverages. On Christmas Eve, we had a special table reserved at the hotel, which was set in a private area of the restaurant next to a garden. It was beautifully decorated and made us feel special. The food was great too.

We were all a little sad to leave but eager to continue our trip back to Vancouver and spend a few more days there before driving back to Seattle to celebrate New Year’s Eve in our city.

The drive to Whistler was without issues, but it took longer than expected due to some snow on the road. The drive back to Vancouver was absolutely magical, especially outside of Vancouver, where all the trees were covered with snow. It was truly a beautiful thing to see and experience.

Once we were back home in Seattle, the first thing I did was unpack. To my surprise, I realized that I had used every single item I’d brought, at least once. My luggage is small enough to fit in the overhead bin of any plane, and while we didn’t fly during this trip, I had a pleasant feeling knowing that with only this bag and my small backpack, it was enough. I had done it—I traveled light.

Items I brought to our Vancouver/Whistler trip

Clothes:

• 1 winter jacket

• 1 light jacket used as a layer

• 4 pieces of underwear

• 4 pairs of socks

• 3 t-shirts used mostly as layers

• 1 long-sleeved shirt

• 1 nice sweater (to wear on Christmas Eve)

• 1 set of thermal underwear

• 1 pair of sneakers

• 1 pair of winter boots (I bought them on our way to Whistler)

Other:

• 1 digital camera

• 1 action camera

• 1 iPad

• 1 laptop

• 1 notebook

• 2 pens

• 1 watch

• 1 phone

• 1 external hard drive

• 3 cables

• 1 cable to charge laptop and iPad

• 1 cable to charge watch

• 1 cable to charge iPhone

• 1 toothbrush

• 1 deodorant

• 1 toothpaste

These are all the things I brought on this trip, which was a combination of a road trip, a city visit, and a skiing adventure.

I didn’t miss a thing. Since I knew in advance the hotels we were staying at, I didn’t bother to bring other items such as shampoo, lotion, etc., as I knew these hotels had these items available to all guests.

What if my trip involves many days or weeks?

Since this trip, we have traveled to Vancouver, NYC, Quebec City, Mexico, Minnesota, California, Texas, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Chicago, Oregon, Peru, etc., and I haven’t brought more than a single piece of luggage and sometimes a small backpack. Our trips last many days and weeks, and with every trip, I am packing less and less. Once you realize that it’s not a problem bringing only one pair of shoes, one or maybe two pairs of pants, just a few t-shirts, one jacket, etc., the trip becomes more enjoyable, less stressful, and way more manageable.

I used to bring three or four pairs of shoes to “cover” all the possible situations, but after some introspection, it was obvious that I often only wore one pair of shoes. Also, jackets—if you are traveling in winter, consider bringing only one or two jackets. You really don’t need to bring all your coats and jackets; you aren’t going to have the chance or the energy to wear them all. The reason I don’t need to bring too many shirts or underwear is because most places I visit have a way for me to wash them—and if not, the shower never disappoints.

The reality is that most people don’t end up using all the items they brought. While they might feel safe bringing all these things, they are robbing themselves of the enjoyment of not having to worry about multiple items and, worse, having to carry them all. Traveling with fewer items allows you to move faster, stress-free, and often cheaper. You don’t need the extra space in an Uber, or to check in any of your luggage, or worry about your items not arriving with you. There is also the truth that the more options you have, the harder and more stressful it is to choose one thing to wear. If you only have a few things to wear, the decision is easier.

What if I really need something I didn’t bring with me? The good news is that most places you visit will have everything you might need, and if you are traveling light, you likely have more space to place items you acquire during your travels.

Have you ever had trouble closing your luggage due to all the items it has? When you travel light, you can close your bags easily—no need to step on them or apply force to close them.

Everything is just easier. Lighter.

How do you start with traveling light?

• One pair of shoes and one coat/jacket (if winter). Fewer shoes and jackets are a great way to reduce the amount of luggage you bring to your trip. Plan ahead and find out what type of shoe is the best for your destination(s), and try to bring one pair. You can always bring some sandals in addition to one pair of shoes as these are thin and very light.
  
• Fewer pants. Do you really need a pair of shorts and pants for each day? You don’t. Chances are that you can wear the same pants and shorts for two or three days, maybe even more. Remember, you can alway wash your clothes and wear them again!
  
• Avoid thick sweatshirts, hoodies, and sweaters. In most cases, you really don’t need to bring these items, maybe one of them if you really need it, that’s it.
  
• Do not bring paper books unless you really can or want. If you enjoy reading, bring a kindle or download the Kindle app to your phone. You can also use a variety of other apps to read books and magazines. I personally enjoy reading paper books, and since I travel light I can give myself the luxury of bringing one. Also, since I often have space, I end up buying one or two books while I am traveling.

If you focus on bringing one or a few of the items mentioned above, the amount of luggage you’d be traveling with will be reduced dramatically. Give it a try, you can do it!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Below are other sources and references on this topic:

1. Marie Kondo. “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.” Ten Speed Press, 2014.

2. Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus. “Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life.” Asymmetrical Press, 2011.

3. Elaine St. James. “Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter.” Hyperion, 1994.