packing as light as i can for a month long trip.

[lemon dropkick]

okay I'm saving to study abroad (hopefully) in Sweden next year, I only want to bring what i absolutely really need. I don't want to pack more than one bag. I've never flown before, so I guess I want it all to fit in the bag you carry with you.

any tips? I'm not above wearing all my clothes at once. I'll just throw that in there.

[the-sweet-far-thing]

Lol.
The only advice I really have is to consider the things you can purchase once you get there, and to utilize all of the space you've got.

Here are a few links I found:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90297199

http://www.newser.com/story/27206/how-to-fit-everything-in-one-bag.html

Hope those help, and have fun on your trip!

[Kristen]

I don't really have any advice on light packing, because I always pack a carry on and a suit case... with like, everything. Haha.
But I wanted to say, make sure that the classes you take in Sweden, the units/credits carry over to universities in the US. My boyfriends sister went to Oxford to study abroad and I believe it was 3 of her classes she had to re-take when she got back, because the units didn't carry over.

[sarahXedge]

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=34194


i posted a link in there that might help.

[MotherNaturesRevenge]

if you're just gonna' take a backpack...you can get a huge pack from an army surplus type store and doesn't have to be the travelers camping deal with the frame and you can get one for about $50. roll your clothes instead of folding them and just think long and hard about what you may or may not NEED as opposed to putting a bunch of useless items.

[TheWorstIdea]

I personally would just check a bag. Even if take the barest of essentials, it'll be tough (if not impossible) to fit everything into a carry-on size. You also have to take carry-on restrictions into consideration: you won't be able to take anything sharp, any liquids in more than 100mL containers, etc. So no tweezers, nail clippers, perfume, and other things you probably want to take. Yes, you could buy all of that in Sweden, but I found things like that to be much more expensive in Scandinavia than at home (Canada).

Real hiking backpacks (60+L) are expensive and a large pack without an internal frame will kill your back. If you're going to be more or less settled, like studying, I found a good suitcase with wheels much more reasonable to deal with. Buy a good daypack (25 or 30L), as you can easily fit a weekend's worth of clothes into that if you want to travel for a weekend and they're small enough to use every day.

As far as what to bring, dresses are fantastic. They take up almost no space but you can really change up your looks: wear with flats and a cardigan during the day and throw on heels and jewelry if you're going out at night. Same for skirts: a couple of skirts, tops and a jacket and cardigan will make outfits for a week. Comfortable shoes are a must, as you'll most likely be doing a lot more walking than you normally would at home. Jeans are bulky and take forever to dry, which isn't great if you're doing laundry at a hostel. You might want to bring a bath towel if you can't guarantee that you'll have one when you arrive--it's an essential and not all hostels have them. And you'll want a shower after flying forever!

[dirtyrottenlove]

I would ask Heidi. On her first trip to India, she took (LITERALLY) one small gym bag full of stuff.

[miss.hell]

i agree with the rolling thing you can fit millions of things if you roll them up real small

[Brutus]

Dont bring hair dryers, straighteners... etc. Electronics basically. You can usually borrow, or buy new stuff there, and seeing as how the electrical outlets are different.

[MotherNaturesRevenge]

Dont bring hair dryers, straighteners... etc. Electronics basically. You can usually borrow, or buy new stuff there, and seeing as how the electrical outlets are different.

for sure

[lemon dropkick]

I feel so lame now, I made this post a year ago and I didn't even go back to college last year, much less save the money to go.