This is the super fancy Windows Phone 7. Behold!
Ooo. Shiny.
The idea behind the phone is that you can do all kinds of stuff with it, so you don’t have to carry so many gadgets around to stay on top of your life. As you know from the Packing Light series, I’m all about doing more with less, specifically only what you can fit in a carry-on and a backpack
Lots of you have asked me what I pack in my backpack while I’m on the road. All of my electronics go in there, so here’s my list of what’s in my “personal item” bag when I’m boarding a plane.
Digital SLR with 50mm 1:1:4 lens
Camera battery charger
Phone charger
Earbuds
Laptop charger
Laptop
Magazine
Moleskine journal
Pens that won’t explode in flight
A hard case for my glasses
A small purse that contains:
-my wallet
-keys
-phone
-and a mesh zip bag with:
+Waleda hand cream
+Burt’s Bees lip balm
+Lipstick
+Eye drops
Comfort kit with
-snacks
-teabags
-a sleeping mask
-earplugs
-an inflatable neck pillow with knit cover
How about you? What’s your bare minimum of what you need to be comfortable when you’re traveling, or working, or just getting ready in the morning? What are your tricks for doing more with less in your life?
I’m giving away one Windows Phone 7, which is worth about $500, plus all this good stuff:
-A one year XBOX Live Gold membership
-A three month unlimited Zune Pass — which lets you download and stream unlimited music and keep 30 songs forever and ever.
– A T-Mobile SIM, active until November 30. (If you’re already a T-Mobile subscriber, you can also use your existing SIM.)
To enter, all you have to do is leave a tip in comments about how you’re doing more with less. You can enter once a day, but you’ll need to cough up a new and improved tip every time you comment. I assume this helps ensure that you are not a robot. Not that I have anything against robots.
Now for the fine print. The contest is open until November 29, and as usual I’ll pick a winner using random.org. I’ll email the winner, and once he or she emails me back, I’ll announce who it was on Mighty Girl. Sound good? Great. The crazy detailed details are here, as are the bazillion (or so) other sites where you can go to enter for another chance to win the phone. I encourage you to do so.
This giveaway was brought to you by the new Windows Phone 7. Less MIA. More PTA: Learn about Windows Phone online and see it in person at local T-Mobile stores today.
http://thirdparty.fmpub.net/placement/370528?fleur_de_sel=%5Btimestamp%5D
Mighty Girl 
Traveling…make-up removing wipes, chap stick, and crappy magazines the bring me joy (US, Life & Style, People.)
Downsizing…making dinner at home, never charging anything, and using coupons at the grocery store (grocerysmarts.com is a huge help!)
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Doing more with less. . .is kind of all I feel I’m doing in my life right now. Such a sob story, but it’s just the truth: my husband was laid off in June, and hasn’t been able to find a job yet. So I’m finding out just how long I can go without buying random stuff at Target on a whim, etc. It turns out, I can go a long time! Tip? Well, it’s not like I’m actually recommending losing your job in order to gain material perspective. . .but maybe we could all stand to put some thought into what’s really important in life. . .stuff? Or having your family, your health, a husband who can make you laugh daily in spite of unemployment, etc.
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my ipod, i cant live without my ipod. id die without my ipod i know thats redundant but its true
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Bare minimum for work and getting ready in the a.m. Is coffee, a clean car, music and and my plan of the day. A snuggly sweater is a bonus.
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My biggest ‘do more with less’ tip, which I know isn’t for everyone, is to stop wearing makeup. I’m in my early 40s and I stopped wearing makeup right out of college, so I’ve saved a ton of money and time over the years. And without any makeup in my carry-on, I have room for another pair of cute shoes.
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Easy-to-maintain haircuts have always been a must when traveling. If my hair is long enough to twist-up, fine…otherwise I go to the other extreme and go for a pixie cut with a trim or cut just before leaving.
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By using Quick Steps in Microsoft Outlook, I do more and do it quicker.
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During Spring Break, and Thanksgiving break the kids and I spend one hour a day cleaning one room (a different room each day). The rule is, if it doesn’t somehow improve the quality of our life and/or we haven’t used it in a year, we get rid of it. Tomorrow we start our Fall cleaning, and I’m really looking forward to it.
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Hey there! Less IS more. I used to have all these toiletries cluttering my bathroom with a long facial routine to match. It was a pain in the butt. Now I’ve just got my Cetaphil and some lotion and I am much, much more pleased with this system.
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I carry my small black “going out” purse inside my day purse when traveling. It helps me carry less but is also super easy to change purses when it’s time to go out.
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Tinted lipbalm…combines the lipbalm/lipstick idea and lets you carry less.
Clear nailpolish…good for your nails and those litte runs in stockings.
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I must travel with my ipod and some type of reading material (I want to say it’s a classic novel but it’s more often US Weekly or In Style ;).
For simplifying, I’m in the process of donating clothing items and appliances that I don’t use anymore. I’m really tired of the clutter.
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i am meditating. my mind is a mess.
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I gave up my car & now ride a bike. Everything that needs to go with me anywhere needs to fit into a typical rucksack. It typically must contain my laptop, space for a jacket & gloves, room for a snack & drink, my cell phone & my keys. anything else is just a bonus.
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I’ve started the primal workout program. It’s super minimal in that you’re just doing body weight exercises for weight lifting, and I’m not paying for a very expensive gym membership. I’ve started walking a ton too…less in definitely more in this regard!
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I’ve started carrying a smaller purse. I wouldn’t recommend the first part – injuring your back – but starting to carry a much smaller bag with way less stuff (I used to carry a mini *stapler* for goodness sakes!) has really freed me. I don’t spend time searching for stuff, I know where everything is, and I always have exactly what I need, no more than that.
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I bring paperbacks that I bought at a used book store when I travel. Then I leave them places where they will be read again, like waiting rooms or coffee shops.
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I have starting using coupons again….saving quite a bit on stuff!
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i always pack something for allergies. every once in a big while i hive from eating seafood, so i never leave home without some type of antihistamine.
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Whenever I get mail, I am typically very disappointed. It is usually junk mail, with the occasional “suspicious package.” What I usually do is keep a sort of “incinerator” out back to burn all of my junk mail. It is nothing more than a simple brick fireplace that I use to get rid of unnecessary clutter. It helps me do more with less!
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We have small bottles to reuse for traveling with carry-on sized liquids, so we don’t have to check luggage. Saves money on luggage fees and repeatedly buying travel size stuff.
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For regular days I use a little purse with my wallet, my keys, a pen, cell phone, lip gloss and a emergency binky for my little guy.
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I’ve been trying to do more with less this holiday season – more handmade gifts or small inexpensive gifts that speak to the personality of the recipient more than a big expensive generic one.
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I am going an entire year without buying clothing except socks and undergarments. It’s amazing what I’ve rediscovered in my closet either to wear as is or to turn into a “new” piece of clothing!
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I read all my books on a Kindle now, it saves me from having piles of books around my house with nowhere to put them.
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This may sound sorta goofy, but I am doing less in the way of personal grooming products. Very little makeup, (only lipstick), very little hair product, etc. I may not look quite as perfect as the rest of the world, but I get out of the house pretty quick! 🙂
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I am cooking and entertaining at home more and eating out and going out for cocktails (much) less. Rather than Starbucks, I make coffee at home. I also bring leftovers to work for lunch – instead of going out for lunch.
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i’m all about replacing my stone age phone. I’m sure it will allow me to do more with less time
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I recently switched from high-speed Internet back to dial-up, if you can believe it, and it’s actually been sort of a relief that I can’t wile away the day online.
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Bare minimum to be comfortable while I’m traveling: water, a cozy pair of socks and a journal.
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Can I give a shout out to Playaways? I wanted to take an audio book with me on vacation and was dreading transferring the library discs to my computer and then to my iPod. Playaways are preloaded digital media with just that one book on them. Totally awesome (and free from the library!!). I loved being able to knit and listen to a book at the same time on the plane.
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I can’t go anywhere without my Dansco clogs. I have to wear them on the plane unless, for some reason, my suitcase has not reached it’s weight limit. I wish I could give up the shoe obsession, but my feet don’t feel right if I don’t wear them at least every other day. Good thing dress shoes are so petite!
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I never travel with shampoo/soap/hair gel or the like. I just use whatever is at the hotel and/or person’s house. I know this makes many people cringe. But I’m never gone for very long and it makes me that more appreciative of my shampoo scent when I get home.
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I have a carry-on suitcase. No matter what, I never check a bag. I just make sure everything can fit into that suitcase, even if it means wearing bulky boots through airport security.
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Once I lost my job, I started making changes with the little stuff. For example, when grocery shopping, I buy the bags of potatoes instead of the large, perfect, individual spuds that have a cost by weight.
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More is less…laundry detergent. Using the attached cap, I filled it only half way. Clothes still clean. Then, tried a quarter capful. Clothes still clean. Maybe we only need a whisper of that stuff–with the clothes being still clean! Cheap cheap–and cleaner water too!
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I never really thought about it, but reflecting back, I bring way more on trips than necessary. Give me a tube of mascara, my favorite pair jeans, a few t-shirts, a warm sweater, and pair of walking shoes, and I’ll be good for a week!
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In terms of less is more, we definitely try to do hand me downs and homecooked meals. We’re a tight-knit family and no one really complains about hand me downs. Homecooked meals are also cheaper and probably healthier than ordering take out everyday!
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When I go on a trip there are two items that I wont travel without my pillow and hair blower! For some reason I can’t sleep without my pillow so after so many nights with insomnia that’s the first thing on my hand, I even I have a special costume made bag for it so I will carry it with my! For the rest if this phones delivers as it promise it will be a dream come true!
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I’m pretty proud of myself – everything I need on a plane, I can pretty much get into my purse, and I carry around on a day-to-day basis – plus a few extras, but not a lot.
Wallet w/ pen
iPhone w/ headphones
Tampons
Canon Elph (hardly ever use it anymore…hmm, maybe I should stop carrying it)
Business Card Case
Hair brush
Hair clip
Sunglasses
Dramamine, 3 day supply of meds, ibuprofen, lactaid
Moleskine journal
If I have room, I might stash a paperback in there, or just bring a magazine, esp. if I have to be hauling a laptop bag for work. I can generally get the purse in the laptop bag, too, which is a lifesaver.
Too bad the laptop is so damn heavy my shoulders are killing me 5 minutes in to the trip.
I throw a sweater over my arm or through the strap, and am good to go. *Maybe* spare socks and underwear, if I’m traveling someplace sketchy or have a tight layover.
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I have simplified my cleaning routines. A simple soap with only a few ingredients works great for both skin and hair, and I don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals. I clean house with water, vinegar and a basic eco-friendly soap, so there are no half-empty plastic bottles of bleach, ammonia and other nasty stuff in my cupboards.
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cardboard, plain ol cardboard has always helped me. fold them into boxes, use as a make shift table, line areas for crafts. always works for me 🙂
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This is a little gadget-focused but…I love to read when I’m on trips so with that in mind, I purchased a Kindle. I suppose I could do with the app on my iphone if I were just reading for an hour or so, but when I’m on vacation, I will sometimes find a comfy spot and just marathon-read. My Kindle allows me to take a library with me which is nice because I like variety and have a tendency to read 2-3 books at once.
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Aside from just trying to stretch everything in the house a little further, the family and I have stopped buying books and dvds instead opting to take advantage of our local library. It’s become a weekly routine that we all enjoy.
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We chose to pay for internet and not buy an insane cable package. I watch only the shows I want on hulu and don’t have to watch the rest of the garbage!
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Calendars are a huge help. And the Outlook Quickstep is a great shortcut tool that helps me quickly create some of my common tasks, appointments, and emails while on the go. The win phone 7 will be a great mobile tool to aid in this
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Doing more with less? Throw a potluck. Still festive, so much less work and cost. It’s the only way I could host 60+ in my tiny house and smaller budget.
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I use small hand towels instead of paper towels or napkins. I don’t have to spend any money on paper products and it’s more eco friendly.
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I live in a tiny studio, and I have learned so much about what “stuff” I don’t need. I have recently thrown out my TV and microwave (substitute hulu and stovetop), and since books take up a lot of space, I bought a kindle (which is also fantastic for traveling light)
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Pack lists are essential. I get all last-minute rush-rush-rushed, and when I land in the destination city, I often find that I’ve packed 3 black t-shirts.
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