The art of packing light

I am a fanatic.  To me, packing light is a challenge and a joy.  It requires study, self awareness, and discipline.  It also provides a path for continuous improvement.  The reward of this zen-like activity is freedom.  Freedom to reach any destination without a hotel reservation.  Freedom to hop on any form of transportation, from a crowded subway in Barcelona to the back-seat of a motorbike in Vietnam.

To Naomi, and others who would like to experience the joy, here are some rules.

Rule number one:Take only what you KNOW you need.
Buddhists and logic purist will be quick to point out that you can never know the future.  Trust yourself.  You'll know when you know.  If in doubt, leave it out.  Do not be tempted by "Just in Case" items.  Allow for some discomfort.  If expecting large climate variations, consider buying locally.  For example, instead of carrying a parka on a six-month Asia trip, I bought one (for a couple of bucks) after arriving in the Vietnam Highlands.  In the process, I visited the village market, haggled like the locals, and practiced my Vietnamese vocabulary (The numbers, one to twenty).  Two weeks later, in the Mekong Delta, I discarded  the jacket.
Do consider the consequences of not having an item.  I will always carry a poncho on an overnight hike in the Sierra Nevada, while getting wet in Paris, can be romantic.

Rule number two:  Plan on layers
Any item of clothing should be part of a plan.  Three light layers, topped by a light rainproof shell are sufficient for most Summer travel.  At the low end of the temperature range, all your items should be on your body, not in the pack.

Rule number three:  Use only synthetic materials.
No cotton.  Nylon wicks moisture away from the body and dries quickly.  It is easy to wash, and is ready to wear in the morning.  Down, the most compact insulation material available, is the only exception to this rule.


Rule number four:  Choose the right luggage.
Any container will get overfilled.  Therefore, the right size is slightly smaller than what you think you need.
My preferred style is an internal-frame backpack, with straps that can be tucked inside.  Wheels are evil.

Results
Using these rules on a trip that included both Southern Spain and Norway, my pack (without the computer) weighed six kilos.  Adi needs skin care products, and her pack weighed less than eight kilos.  The list of everything I took is shown below.  We think that next trip, the list can be slightly reduced.

Upper Layer
  T shirt -3
  Long T
  Long sleeve shirt
  Windproof fleece jacket
  Light rainproof shell with hood
Lower Layer
  Underwear -3
  Long john (light)
  Swim trunks (can act as short pants)
  Long pants (Next trip, maybe revert to two pants)
Head-wear
  Sun hat
  Warm cap (Important to hair-challenged men)
Footwear
  Black running socks -3
  Covered-toe sandals.  (Usable both in the city and mountain hikes)
  Thongs
Toiletry
  Silk sleeping sheet
  Towel (Synthetic)
  Soap and case
  Tooth brush and paste
  Shaving razor (Not Mach 3) and gel
  Deodorant stick
  Nail clip
Other
  Mosquito repellent
  Sun block
  Sun glasses
  Small assortment of first aid items
  Folding knife
  Headlamp
  Pen and memo pad
  Adi's neck pillow
Communications
  Reading glasses
  10" Netbook computer
  Earphones -2, with a splitter jack
  Kindle (For the guide books)
Luggage
  Passport/money pouch
  Small day-pack
  Internal-Frame backpack  54x33x25 cm.  (Eagle Creek does not make them that small any more)

Adi packed almost the same, with the following exceptions
  Only two T-shirts
  Black travel dress
  Hiking shoes
  Slippers

Pack light and be happy.