For years I packed for the trip I was afraid of rather than the trip I was taking. The extra shoes for a dinner that never happened, the second jacket for a cold snap that never came. Now everything fits in a bag small enough to keep under the seat in front of me.

The rules

• Three tops, two bottoms, one layer that goes over everything.
• One pair of shoes on your feet, one light pair in the bag.
• Everything should go with everything else.
• Wash something small every evening; it will be dry by morning.

The surprise is how much lighter the trip feels, not just the bag. Fewer choices in the morning, no waiting at baggage reclaim, and the freedom to change plans without hauling a suitcase across a city.

You will forget something. You will buy it there, and it will become your favourite souvenir.