My husband and I are currently traveling around Europe and Africa for 5 weeks. We both are experienced travelers and have learned a lot about packing. I’ve traveled a variety of ways, with gorgeous giant bags and beautiful carry-ons and on long extended trips with a backpack. I’ve found that at 54, there are things I care about more than I used to.

Here are some tips for what I prefer and find the easiest:

I do not want to carry a large bag of dirty laundry around the planet. I would prefer to carry half the load and pay a few dollars every so often for laundry service. A clean nightgown, a pair of jeans, 3 shirts and a handful of underpants midway through your trip will make you ecstatic and set you back around 30 dollars. For me, that is worth it.
I love my Tumi 4 wheeled carry-on size bag. I am a 4 wheel girl. I’m all about ease. I also like the extra pockets to store dirty laundry or books I’ve collected on my journey.
Bought new clothes for your trip? Wear them at home before you go! You may realize the pants are too baggy, the socks itch, or that travel shirt is hot as holy hell. The last thing you want is a surprise disasterous article in your very limited wardrobe.
Determine your priorities. Mine is usually camera equipment and electronics for communicating and uploading photos. Adjust your “personal item” AKA second bag accordingly. I’ve ditched the cute tote for a backpack to carry my very heavy camera and lenses. My shoulders are thrilled.
Really wonderful sleep does wonders for a great trip. What is crucial for you to have the highest quality sleep? My must haves are my pillow and reading material. My husband and I always EACH have a reading light and an eyemask by our sides. This way we can both sleep or read and neither feels disturbed. I actually cut one of my favorite pillows in half and put it in a baby pillow case to save room.
Seperate liquid toiletries and “dry ones” so that you can easily pull out your liquid bag in security. Try to find a durable, reusable liquid bag. Read plastic bag laws for countries you are visiting.
Carry a lightweight medical bag with any prescriptions or over the counter medications when traveling internationally- include blister help. Again, a clear and reusable bag is ideal. It can be challenging when ill to find the right medications abroad. Keep all medications in the original packaging.
Pack early and somewhere other than your own bedroom. If you wait until the last minute and pack near your closet, you will end up with too many unneeded items. Edit, edit, edit! You’d be surprised how little you need. I start with a desired pile of clothes and just keep deleting, deleting, deleting until I get down to the bare minimum.
Set your priorities and limits and work within them. For example, I don’t mind wearing jeans, buttondown shirts, or nightgowns multiple times. I really care about clean underwear. Easy! Fewer clothes, lots of underwear!
Wool travels better than cashmere. Wool retains a much better look after several wearings, cashmere can end up a pilled mess. I have one of each with me currently and the cashmere sweater is about to become a bed jacket, it looks so terrible.
Bring one dressy outfit. Amanda Cutter Brooks is absolutely correct in her directive to “always pack a party dress.” One dressy outfit can be worn multiple times. I currently have a feminine blue blazer, a good belt, an Hermès scarf and black croc Belgian loafers with me. I can put them together with a blouse and trousers and voila! My husband always has a blazer when we travel abroad and I love seeing it on him.
Have a visible list that you check off every time you check out of your hotel. Mine is a list of things I could easily forget, sleeping items I use the night before we leave, which could end up under the bed and left behind. My list says “pillow, watch, phone, eyemask, chargers, documents” After loosing two favorite pillows in hotels I learned a valuable lesson- no more white pillow cases. This will also help you remember your chargers which may still be in the jacks.
We use dark but not black luggage. One of our sons was on a plane recently and another passenger was having a complete and understandable meltdown. A different passenger had grabbed her carry-on bag out of the overhead and run to their next plane, leaving their bag behind and taking with them all of her business clothes and presentation materials. Colored baggage gives you a little more hope of keeping track of your own bag.
Bring two international adapters so you have a spare. I also bring an Ikea multi charge plug so I can charge my Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad all in the same block.
Extra glasses and sunglasses might be much more important than extra clothes, especially in remote areas.
You don’t need as many shoes as you think you do! Edit! Make sure you have at least one great pair of walking shoes. That “Europeans don’t wear sneakers” idea is very outdated! Sneakers are everywhere in Europe!
I carry an old elegant change purse of my grandmother’s and keep it in my pocket. Euros are often used in coin form. I can pay for small things without pulling out my wallet or opening my purse.
A great waterproof coat and a very light and reusable shopping bag are fantastic to have. Both of mine fold down and into small pouches. They fit in my purse.
I wear a simple wedding band and a small pair of gold knot earrings. I don’t want to spend one minute worrying about where my jewelry is. Sometimes I bring a colorful plastic necklace along.
My most luxurious accessory are my noise canceling headphones. I adore my Bose over the ear headphones and never travel without them. I have some pleasant rain albums downloaded into my iPhone that I can put on while I read on a noisy plane. I also love audible books and always have one going.

Favorite go to comforts while in France. Favorite pillow from home, reading light, sleep bask from Leland Gal in Leland, Michigan, Beauty Counter facial wipes, my travel liquids in a clear zipper bag, my Roberta Roller Rabbit cosemetic bag for non-liquid items, and an Ikea multi charger with a European adapter.

I often leave a note for myself written on scrap paper near the door or on my suitcase. This way I don’t forget last minute items, especially those which might be in my bed from the night before.

Favorite pillow, great read, and reading light accompany me on a long weekend to Fisher’s Island.

A Tumi carry-on, Patagonia backpack, and a Pip and Roo leather needlepoint case got me through a very long journey from Barcelona, through Pyrenees to western France wine country, to London, Kenya, back to London and through Oxfordshire. It was manageable getting on trains, planes, safari trucks, and in small European rental cars. When I took this photo on the Barcelona train station I had no idea we would be on the last train out of the city before the planes would also be grounded and roadways closed due to political protests and unease after a court verdict.