Packing light - must haves?

I%26#39;m trying to manage to bring only 1 carry-on bag for my trip since I arrive late Monday night and leave early Friday morning. As a typically woman I%26#39;m having trouble eliminating things I normally bring when traveling, 1 bag with a 40lb weight limit is going to be tough. So, what do you take with you that you could absolutely not live without?

Packing light - must haves?

Bathing suit, comfy shoes and suntan lotion, other than that, don%26#39;t worry. And remember whatever you forget, there%26#39;s lots of places to buy any forgotten necessities.I always pack a couple pairs of pants but have never needed them...lol They were just a waste of suitcase space.

Packing light - must haves?

I wish I could learn to pack light, but I always find it impossible to have less than 2 bags.

We are leaving very early Friday morning from JFK and I was helping my husband pack his bags last night (I%26#39;m all packed already)and he is worse then any woman on this board. He has 3 full bags to my 1 large and 1 small. I even took things out that he wanted to take. So as I said ';Sorry, but I wish someone could teach him to pack light';. LOL he really is funny and I think he took more pairs of shoes than I did.

don%26#39;t stereptype - not all woman have trouble packing light, many of us do it with ease - and you can too.

With 2 pieces, your carry-on piece and personal piece, you will have plenty of room.

I only carry-on, can go weeks without needing to check a bag.

Color is key - make all pieces work together. 2-3 bottoms, 2-3 tops, a scarf or pashmina, jacket/sweater/anorak depending on season, 2 pair of shoes, bathing suit and cover-up. This will get you anywhere in any country. If you%26#39;re casual all the time shorts, capris or casual skirts, for a dressier evening make one of the bottoms a silk skirt or your fav LBD. A few well chosen accessories. If you like, travel knits are great - so small (a top fits in your palm) and can wash in the sink.

Presrcription meds, are the only ';musts';. Access to money.

Don%26#39;t sweat the toiletries - a qt bag is big enough for anything you have to carry that%26#39;s not a med (does not have to go in the bag) or not provided in the your hotel room. Anyone who need more than what is allowed in a qt bag needs too much! Sunscreen, lip balm and my fav face moisturizer - I can live a few days w/o my fav shampoo if I choose to.

I like to bring mini-bottles since there is plenty of room.

Thanks for the hints, keep them coming. I think I can

pare down the clothes, shoes, toiletries and misc. seem to louse me up. I know I need sneakers so I%26#39;ll wear those, then I have flats that go with mostly everything, but then I figure I need one pair of heels, see what I mean?

You really just need clothes for 3 days-Tuesday through Thursday. A couple pairs of shorts/capris, a few tops, one bathing suit with a very light cover-up, one washable light nightgown, one skirt/nice slacks and a silk blouse( in case I want to go to a nicer restaurant) would be all I need for those days. I don%26#39;t go to the clubs so that is not a problem. I like silk because you can roll it a tiny space or tuck it in anywhere. I would wear my bulkiest shoes and then bring another pair and a pair of dressier but flat sandals. I find I can fit more in my suitcase if I tightly roll the clothes rather than fold them. I stuff the extra pair of shoes with my undies. Put all your toiletries in travel sized bottles-you don%26#39;t need more that that for the few days you are going to be there. There are Walgreen%26#39;s and a CVS on the strip if you need to buy anything else.

Make sure you have the important things: credit cards, money,confirmation numbers, medicine,photo ID, cellphone and charger-which you should keep in your purse. I bring a large pocketbook on the plane and stuff it with things -even books- and then pack a very small pocketbook to use in Vegas.

Really- there is no reason not to be able to fit everything you need in one carry-on for your short trip.

Okay, I%26#39;m so inspired I can%26#39;t wait to start packing. I just know I can do it! I%26#39;ll just have to be careful with the 40lb limit. I have a really big purse that I utilize to it%26#39;s fullest. I learned the hardway about the charger goes in the purse rule. I was stuck once when my flight got cancelled, my charger was in luggage which was checked and I was almost stuck in the airport overnight, alone, with a dead cell phone. NEVER AGAIN!

I use a tote for my personal item... it%26#39;s far larger than my regualr purse.. I can carry several days worth of clothes in it.. if I need to. Comfy shoes are a must.. a few casual things and 1 nice outfit.

I just packed my small carry-on just to see what I could fit into it. 6 shorts/capris, one nice pair of slacks, 6 light tops- including two silk ones, one pair of comfy shoes/one pair of sandals, undies, bathing suit/cover up(both dry overnight) and one light short washable nightgown that will also dry overnight. Plus a few incidentals- a bag that fold onto itself and then zippers and a small hat. I still had some room left if I wanted to squeeze something else in. That gives you something new to wear each day and each night for three days. Whatever you wear going you can wear coming home- even if you have to wash them out.

I think you can do it, especially when you think about the space you have = one carry-on item and one personal item. I would warn you about trying to re-wear items. It%26#39;s very hot and you%26#39;ll probably ';glow'; OR sweat like the reast of us. I wouldn%26#39;t feel comfortable re-wearing items. I plan on taking mostly dresses since they take up less room and can be cooler and more comfy. Good luck!

Carry only half of what you think you need in your suitcase, and bring twice as much money as you anticipate.