How to pack for ten days in one small bag

The first time I travelled for ten days with only a small backpack, I expected to feel deprived. Instead I felt free. No checked luggage, no waiting at the carousel, no dragging a suitcase over cobblestones. Here is the list I have refined over many trips.

Pack for five days and plan to do laundry once. That is the whole secret.

The list

• Five tops that all go with both bottoms you bring.

• Two pairs of trousers or one pair and a skirt, one of which you wear on the journey.

• Five sets of underwear and socks, washed in the sink halfway.

• One warm layer and one light waterproof, whatever the forecast says.

• One pair of comfortable shoes worn, one light pair packed.

• A small bag of toiletries in travel sizes, plus a bar of soap that doubles as laundry soap.

The habits that make it work

Roll clothes instead of folding them, and put small things inside shoes. Choose colours that all match each other so every combination works. Wear the bulkiest items on travel days.

What I stopped bringing

Hair dryers, which most hotels have. Books, replaced by an e-reader. Just-in-case outfits, which I never wore. And a second pair of good shoes, which I missed exactly once in five years.

The payoff

The benefits go beyond airport convenience. With one small bag you can walk from the station to your hotel, change plans at short notice and move between towns in minutes. You spend less time deciding what to wear and more time outside.

It also changes what you buy. With little spare room in the bag, you think twice about souvenirs and tend to choose one good thing rather than several forgettable ones.

Try it once on a trip of three or four days before attempting ten. The first time you walk past the baggage carousel and straight out into the city, you may find it hard to go back.