click to supersize

Should you select travel minimalism, your first reward will be efficiency. When properly packed, rollies and their equivalents breeze through security, finding repose neatly above your seat. They follow you loyally from connection to connection and would never ask you to wait on them after a long flight.

But as you continue, you’ll also begin to see that carry-on bags are carefree and impulsive. Should you opt to spend the day sightseeing before settling at your hotel, rolly tails behind you without any complaints. If you want to race to catch an earlier train, your single carry-on is ready to race on your whim.

And in reality, that single bag can even end up feeling luxurious. When you do unpack at your destination, you are free to stage your own high-end boutique. With only a handful of impeccably selected items on the rack, your closet becomes a highly exclusive and elite event.

PostScript Answers to Anticipated Excuses

• “But I want to look good for pictures”

  Strategic packing ensures that you will be confidently prepared for the receiving end of a camera lens.  Rather than haphazardly stuffing your case with weak “what if’s,” you have carefully considered and written a cohesive fashion adventure.  In consequence, your scrapbook will rival the precise coordination of your favorite retail catalog.

• “But I have kids”

  Get each of them their own carry-ons which they are capable of carrying themselves. School book bags are certainly acceptable.

• “But I’m going to be gone for more than a week”

  I spent a month studying abroad in Europe living out of a single carry-on. Trust me, if my shoe-loving soul can do it, anyone can.