One-bag, carry-on, light travel tips, techniques, and gear

Here are tips from OBOW poster Paula on beating the liquid rules, personal items - and more:

I have managed to replace all my liquid/gel toiletries / make up with solids, so no need to show these items at security:

Shampoo / laundry liquid = I now use chemical free soap (ordered fromwww.clearwatersoapworks.com (BC Canada).

Liquid mascara = La Femme cake mascara (through amazon.com)

Face foundation/liquid eye liner etc = Lauren Hutton’s Face Disc. (I love this all in one compact with brushes, eyes, lips and face are accounted for in this neat, travel friendly disc. (Bought through the Shopping Channel)

Hair styling gels or sprays = Alberto VO5 Hair Clay (bought in Boots the Chemist, UK)
Perfume or body spray = (this was tip from Rick Steve’s graffiti wall), take some cotton wool balls and spray them liberally with your favourite perfume or scent, pack them in a small screw lid pot. No longer a liquid but last a good while that you can rub your skin with them to apply the scent.

Hand lotion = In a pinch I use Nivea lip seal as a hand and cuticle moisturiser.

Other helpful items:

Metal nail file = replaced by The Body Shop matchbook emery boards.

A microfibre towel is excellent when handwashing clothes, after rinsing and wringing them out, roll them up in the towel and wring it further, it soaks up excess water and the clothes dry that much more quickly. I wished I’d taken two towels with me last trip….they are great on wet hair as well.

One serious tip. If you are going to handwash stuff, for pete’s sake take a sink stopper. For some inexplicable reason some hotels and apartments (especially in the UK) do not supply sink plugs. Last trip, out apartment kitchen and bathroom sinks didn’t have these which made washing clothes / dishes quite frustrating. If you haven’t got one and you come by a plastic tub lid, use that, it’s quite effective.