packing lightly – away

I don’t usually do non-food related blog posts. So while this post has no recipes or ingredients it is about travel and since I know many of you travel to eat, I figure it’s all part of the same topic. And if I don’t often encorage you to eat lightly, I can, however, give you advice about packing lightly. So consider this a public service announcement.

Actually, what prompted me to write this up was an article I read and shared last week. It was all about whether you are one of those people who live out of a suitcase in your hotel room or whether you are one of those people who unpack immediately, no matter how many nights you are staying. I loved reading all the comments from people 

I’m definitely on ‘team unpack.’ I spend the first 10 minutes of any hotel stay unpacking my bag because really folks, it doesn’t take more than 10 minutes max. I do this for a lot of reasons, but mostly I want to create a sense of my own space no matter where I am. Also, I try my best to stay in hotels that look nice to begin with. And the idea of a half open suitcase with messy clothes falling out of it is the opposite of my idea of attractive and/or homey.

I not only have strong opinions about unpacking. I have even stronger views on packing.

As many of you know in addition to writing about food in my books and apps, I also lead food tours in Italy. We also have a couple of apartments in Rome that we rent out. And I myself am on the road a good portion of the year, so I definitely, at this point, have very strong opinions about packing for a trip. 

One of the biggest mistakes I see from both our tour guests, as well as renters, is when they travel with WAY too much luggage.  Arriving in Italy with a large piece of luggage that you will need help lifting into a taxi or getting on to a train is just not worth it. Ever.

My rule of thumb when traveling anywhere is that I want to be independent. Too many things can go wrong along the way, and worrying about a huge piece of luggage is just not something I want to deal with. What if there is a taxi strike and I have to walk or take a bus? What if the elevator is broken and I have to walk up 3 flights of stairs? These things happen people. And I guarantee you that having 3 extra pair of shoes and multiple changes of outfits are not going to be making you very happy by the time you reach the third floor of that walk up.

During my last two book tours, when I was hopping on and off a plane every 2 or 3 days for three weeks I came up with the perfect solution. I wanted to avoid checking luggage for the entire trip. Yes. You read that right. I managed both book tours, with multiple public appearances and tv shows, with only a carry on. So, if I can do a 3 week book tour, you can certainly manage 10 days in Italy, right?

My system is based on using Away brand luggage (and no this is not a sponsored post, I just love this brand). The suitcases are shell type, and come in various colors and sizes. They aren’t cheap, but they are very high quality, look great and have a lifetime warranty.

I own both The Carry-On as well as The Bigger Carry-On Why? Because in the USA they let you carry on the bigger one, and in Europe the airlines often restrict the size to the smaller one. That said, I’ve managed to carry on the bigger on on European flights as well.

I also own The Everywhere Bag. This slips neatly on to the top of either Carry Ons.

Most airlines allow you to take one carry on and one personal item (purse). I pack my every day purse, and then use  The Everywhere Bag as my flying purse.  I put my computer here, as well other electronics. It has a nifty little compartment on the bottom that holds my umbrella and an extra pair of flats. And this is also where I pack my make up and toiletries.

Now to the packing part. If you don’t use packing cubes you don’t know what you’re missing. Away has sets that are very well made, but you can pretty much buy them anywhere. The beauty of the cubes is that you can fit a LOT into them (I roll up my clothes) since they stretch and compress. It also makes unpacking in hotels and remaining organized so much easier. You just take the cubes out, place them on shelves or drawers in your hotel, and you’re good to go.

Each Away bag also comes with it’s own little laundry bag which I love.

When I do have to bring more than can fit in just a carry-on I bring BOTH carry-ons, checking at least one. The Away bags are so easy to handle (with wheels that work very well) that I can handle 2 of them, no problem. The four wheels on each suitcase, which rotate a full 360 degrees, make them super easy to drive.

The biggest change for me with Away was that they are clamshell suitcases. In other words they are hard sided and open up like a clam. So you really have to think before opening up your suitcase to stuff in one more thing. It was a learning curve, but one I tackled pretty fast.

The only thing I regret about my Away bags is that I have them in black and navy. I really wish I had been more adventurous and gotten one of their other colors. Not only because they are pretty, but because when I do check them they are more distinguishable on the luggage wheel. And I desperately covet the Aluminum edition, but that seems crazy expensive to me. Add to this that I get their newsletter and so am exposed directly to all their fabulous limited edition collaborations. I particularly fell in love with this stylish version.

I bought my first Away bag in one of their stores, and it was only available with the built in battery that you can use to charge your phone. I have to say that I’ve never ever used it. These days you usually have to pop  it out of your suitcase before you board anyway, so what’s the use? Also, when inserted it does take up precious space in the suitcase. So my advice would be to not get the battery.

PS: I usually only use my own photos on this blog, but in this case I pulled images off the Away website since who takes photos of their own luggage? (I guess some people do, but my camera is usually focussed on what I’m eating).

For more information on dining in Italy make sure you download my app EAT ITALY. The app is free, and contains guides to Rome, Venice, Florence as in-app purchases, and completely free guides to regions like Amalfi Coast, Umbria, Puglia and more. Available for iPhone and Android.

And if you’d like to pack up your suitcase and join me in Italy  visit this page to find out more and make sure you are signed up for my monthly newsletter.