When I travel, I rarely need to check in luggage. 7kg carry-on, coupled with a roomy handbag, is more than enough for essentials, clothes and shoes for most occasions. Minimising luggage is very liberating - it's easier to move from place to place, I worry less about losing stuff... I even have space for shopping.

Travel with less, and you will see more

I remember my host's surprise when I arrived at her B&B in Cassis, Southern France, with a small handbag and a plastic bag of clothes for the next 4 days (admittedly not an ideal bag for clothes, but it did the job). This was, admittedly, my most "minimalist travel" moment; and it showed me how little I actually need to travel well and look decent. It just means being more considered and sometimes inventive in what I choose to pack.

Cassis, France

Years of travelling lightly has taught me a few things. Here's what I've learned so far:

The Essentials
1. Durable, lightweight luggage. A backpack or carry on bag whose dimensions match those specified by airlines. A light and spacious handbag with a zip closure and/or compartments, such as Longchamp Le Pliage. Opt for canvas or fabric, as all-leather bags are heavy.
2. Travel cubes are excellent for sorting and condensing clothes. They ensure your clothes don't end up a tangled mess of clean and unclean. Mine are from ikea. 
3. Microfibre towels are lightweight and fast drying.
4. Blow up neck cushion. Never buy a bulky stuffed one - they waste space, and you probably won't use it anywhere except on the plane. Mine is from ikea.
5. Compact, durable umbrella. I love mine from the Boston Umbrella co.
6. Power adapter, preferably streamlined so you have one for all your gadgets. I recommend PlugBug if you have Apple gadgets - it has interchangeable heads for all countries.
7. Padlock. Most hostels provide a locker for your valuables.
8. Eye mask and ear plugs for a decent sleep. Especially if you're staying in shared dorms.
9. Small first aid kit. Mine consists of band aids, alcohol swabs, nail clippers, tweezers and small scissors.
10. Make digital copies of all important documents. Passport, ID, travel insurance. Save them online and offline, so you will always have access.
11. I don't travel with a camera. It's an expensive and heavy object that I don't want to have to worry about losing or breaking. All photos on this blog were taken by an iPhone 4 (sorry for the sometimes dodgy quality).

And if you forget something - no big deal, you can probably buy it there.

Choose your shoes wisely! These well-worn heels have travelled the globe with me.

What do I wear?
1. Warm weather? Opt for fast-drying fabrics - thin cotton, active-wear synthetics.
2. Cold weather? Bring a lightweight puffer jacket that can be rolled up into a small parcel. I love mine from MacPac. Bring lightweight wool and synthetics for layering. Thermals are a must.
3. Avoid jeans. They're heavy, hard to hand wash and take forever to dry. Yoga pants, chinos and cotton pants are better.
4. Roll your clothes and put them in travel cubes. Not only does it save space, it also minimises wrinkles. Wrinkle prone clothes (silk, linen) survive better when rolled together with something cotton.
5. Shoes will weigh you down, so choose wisely! Pack tried and trusted footwear, i.e. shoes you know you can walk a day in without blisters. Bring your most comfortable heels if you need them for work/events/going out. It's no fun breaking in new shoes on holiday!
6. Pack multi-purpose clothes. Pyjamas that can be worn in public. A black dress that can be dressed up or down. Swimming bathers are good to pack, because you never know. They also double up as underwear.

Florence, Italy

I'm leaving soon for 5 months to Sri Lanka and India, with 7 kg of luggage. I'll keep you posted so you can travel with me!