Lauren’s Packing Journey: Checked Bags to 8L Personal Item as a Plus-Size Woman

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This packing downsizing story was submitted by Lauren Thomas.

Almost twenty years ago, I went on my first big international trip to Ireland. Unfortunately, our checked luggage did not join us until day three of the trip!

When I got back, I decided two things: 

1) I was never going to check a bag ever again, and 

2) if I could make it three days with just the clothes on my back and a small purse, I could definitely pack lighter. 

Here’s how I went from traveling with checked bags to traveling regularly with just an 8L personal item, even as a plus-sized woman.

The Journey Towards Reaching My Packing Light Goals

What followed was spending the next few years slimming my load down to a 42L backpack (the EBags Motherload Jr.).

Starting out, I had no reference for how to pack lighter. To get down to a carry-on backpack, I took a lot of wrong turns and ended up spending a lot of money on compression packing cubes, special travel clothes, specialized toiletries bags, etc. 

All of this resulted in a very stuffed, very large, and very heavy bag that I could get away with never checking – but it was not what I would call freeing.

I am also pretty sure I knocked out a few people when wearing it.

The Realization

After a dream trip to Japan in 2019 where I used the luggage forwarding service, I knew I wasn’t traveling as light as I thought I was – and not as light as I wanted.

On this trip, I only carried a small 18L backpack that I shared with my partner for an entire 72 hours until we were reunited with our full bags.

💡 The lightbulb went on.

I knew I could do better so I went looking for resources. I found and joined r/onebag and r/heronebag on Reddit and thoroughly read through onebag.com where I was introduced to more effective packing techniques and making a plan for laundry. 

I bought a 28L bag with the goal to take only that bag plus handbag and while I was able to do it, the bag was still very full and heavy.

Enter HPL and Handbag Packing Masterclass*

(*Handbag Packing Masterclass is now taught in a condensed format as Baggage Freedom Express.)

Reddit is also where I found out about Her Packing List. I immediately signed up for the HPL newsletter and was excited to join Handbag Packing Masterclass in late 2022. 

HPM revolutionized how I think about packing. 

Don’t get me wrong, having lightweight, quick-dry clothing and decanting all your toiletries into smaller containers is part of the equation. 

However, shifting my mindset to identifying my essential items and building a layerable, multi-purpose, trip-specific capsule wardrobe from items already in my closet was a game changer. 

Basically, HPM taught me that my “nice to haves” were weighing me down. 

My Specific Packing Light Results

I now travel regularly with either an 8L bag or a 20L bag when I have to take my laptop for work.

I have used the 8L PacSafe Convertible bag for a few trips from overnight to up to 5 days. 

The largest handbag I own is 5L. I have dreamed of doing a long weekend trip with just the 5L bag but have not yet had the opportunity. 

I travel for work 3-4 times a year where I use a 20L bag (to fit my work laptop) but enjoy traveling with it under-packed and under 7kg!

Recap

Brooke’s ultralight packing class:

• challenged my assumptions about what I thought I needed when traveling, 
• taught me key skills to make big packing decisions easier, and 
• showed me I could easily pack for a full week in an 8L bag with a small 1L sling as a plus-size woman! 

Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your packing transformation story with us – it is very inspiring! If you have a luggage downsizing story to share, please contact Brooke.