Travel Backpack Pack List and Windows Phone 7 Giveaway

Travel

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

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456 thoughts on “Travel Backpack Pack List and Windows Phone 7 Giveaway”

  3. Travel item that I must have everytime- a pillowcase, shove a sweater into it and instant clean pillow.

    Doing more with less-pillowcase, those travel pillows always end up dirty, lost or too bulky for traveling…;D

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  4. I couldn’t believe the money I was spending on bottled water. I got some water filter bottles and I haven’t looked back. Much better for the environment also.

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  5. This year I’m definitely going to do more with less during Black Friday. I buy useless stuff I only use once so I’m going to spend less and use that money for stuff really need for the rest of the year. I’m going to have more time also by doing less shopping!

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  6. I went on a ‘no buy’, used up my existing enormous stash or grooming supplies, and am now down to just a handful. I have discovered I love Cetaphil lotion- it is my face lotion under my sunscreen, my eye cream, I use it as body lotion on myself and by 11 month old, and I smooth a small amount over my hair to tame wispies and little frizzies.

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  7. Depends how I’m traveling… in a car definitely a blanket. On a plane, a cardigan. And I try to keep the bag as light as possible – I always clean it out before a trip.

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  8. I wash my hair with conditioner only. It saves me money on shampoo and doesn’t dry out my hair. Bonus all around!

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  9. A good rough washcloth is infinitely more economical than exfoliating shower gel and it does a much better job.

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  10. I’ve been Cutting back on eating out by having little dinner parties instead. You still get to hang out with friends and it helps me stay on top of housework more by keeping my apartment neat.

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  11. I try to do more with less while traveling by obsessing about what needs to be packed and then putting it all into my very compartmentalized canvas carry on. With two young sons, I’ve got it all…granola bars, bandaids, nail clippers, hand sanitizer, lip balm, hand lotion, a deck of cards, you name it, oh and my iPod (sorry Microsoft!) On the iPod I can check the weather, calculate tips, show the boys’ a movie, lay games, read a book…

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  12. I use a pashmina instead of a scarf when traveling. I can wrap it around my neck or over my head outdoors. On the plan I can lay it across my lap or over my arms or even across my face if I want to sleep. Also I pin my gloves with a large easy open safety pin inside my coat pocket. Keeps the gloves in my pocket when I am not wearing them and I can also pin a ten or twenty there for a hidden but handy bit of emergency cash.

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  13. I’m doing more with less by making sure I only have and buy things that are absolutely essential. If I don’t need it, I don’t buy it. No more imp[ulse buys to cheer myself up.

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  14. It has been so long since I last had my own carry-on. I walk on the plane with a diaper bag, baby in Ergo, daughter holding on to jacket (need to wear jacket long enough for 4-year-old to reach). As far as more with less goes let me say, it is amazing the number of uses baby wipes have: spit up – use a wipe, runny nose – use a wipe, spilled your juice – use a wipe, doubting the whether the surface of your touch screen personal viewing device is sanitary – wipes again. The list goes on, but I don’t want to bore you.

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  16. More for less means shopping garage sales and thrift shops, and even a stop at the day-old bakery store …it all stretches the dollar a bit further.

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  17. This year we are putting a cap on all holiday gifts. We have some mixed income families getting together and this will prevent any uncomfortable gift giving.

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  18. Maggie, every one of your travel fashion shows (ie, what you packed) has inspired me to do less with more. This week: packing for 4 for 5 days in 2 backpacks: GO!

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  19. We had to cut down on eating out. Not only because of money, but also because we realized how horrific our dieting has become. So we are spending less money and getting more nutritious food.

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  22. I recently started using Vitamin E oil instead of other moisturizers. I use it for both face and body — I even used it to take off mascara the other day. Keeping it simple makes me happy.

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  23. Historically I am an overpacker, however, last few trips I’ve been leaving out anything that I might need and taking only what I know I will need. The might need stuff can usually be bought if the need comes up.

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  26. Doing more with less: starting my holiday shopping in February so I don’t have to lay out any cash when I’m brokest (after August, generally). It’s not like I look hard for bargains either – usually I just let deals websites like Wantnot hand them to me!

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  28. We have started turning what used to be everyday habits into luxury ones. I earn a new pair of cute shoes, a dinner out, a stunning new sweater.
    It makes us think about our purchases and how we really want to spend our money.

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  29. I have a new clothes shopping rule…only buy it if it goes with at least two things you already own. Expands more wardrobe with less stuff.

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  30. I’m all about doing more with less by using free tools such as the Google calendar to organize my day, week, month, year…need I go on!!!

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  31. I usually travel for business; so I have to pack all of my files, laptop, and office supplies into my carry-on. This doesn’t leave a lot of room left for my personal stuff. I can usually fit a small purse and a book in by bag and that is about it.

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  32. My more for less: Bake family goodies instead of buying storebought. Make extra and freeze for later. Do the same for meals: cook more, freeze extras.

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  33. Baby Wipes can do anything in my opinion. I pack extra in the baby bag and I can clean up spilled coffee in the car, wipe down the last table at a fast food place or clean spit up off my new shoes

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  34. Thrift store shopping! You can find truly unique items for 1/10 the store price. I was hesitant to give it a try, it still had a stigma for me. Haven’t looked back since I made the jump. 🙂

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  35. I calculate how many times I need to wear something in order for it to ‘pay itself off’. My friends always look at me like I’m crazy, but I’ll say “That’s $100, so I will need to wear it ten times to pay it off.” It helps me rationalize spending and not buy things that I won’t use.

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  36. I freeze any leftovers for later in the week or the next week. Keeps the kids from eating the same thing day after day.

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  37. If you’re taking a trip with someone else, collaborate. Regardless of size difference or otherwise, there will always be something you can share–even if it’s just basic toiletries. One codicil: make sure that you are actually willing to share whatever you’re offering up in this situation. Don’t just give in and pretend that it will be okay since it will eventually lead to hard feelings.

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  39. I never pay full price for anything, so in turn, I don’t impulse buy. I shop online for coupons or the paper. I also don’t buy my toddler new clothes unless I get a wicked deal. I buy resale, or turn adult shirts into clothing for him by working on my sewing skills. Doing more with less is what it’s all about.

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  41. My nook currently has 6 electronic library books on it. I’ve never bought a book for my nook and like the idea of not killing too many trees in our electronic world.

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  42. i love clinique city block. its like using a very sheer foundation with spf protection and evens out my tone.

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  43. I’ve had absolutely no time to work out lately. And my pants are proof to that problem. However, I’ve tried to do little things throughout the day that give me some extra movement – for example: Doing squats and lunges while brushing my teeth. Taking the stairs instead of the escalators at BART. Taking the long way around the office or breaking up the trips I need to take to the printer or to an office in a different area than my desk so I have more opportunities to walk/move (of course that isn’t super time efficient if you’re having a busy day). And when I finally get home at 9pm and all I want to do is veg for an hour before I go to sleep, I stretch the whole time. Even without exercise, you need to stay as flexible as possible, and it doesn’t stimulate you so much to keep you from falling asleep soon afterwards.

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  44. I got so used to writing to do lists for my work that now I can’t live without them for other aspects of my life. Sometimes I write ridiculous things like eat or take a shower. Somehow writing it down makes managing time a whole less stressful.

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  45. I try to cook a lot of food and freeze some of it for later. It saves a lot of time in the end and I don’t have to come up with ideas of what to cook.

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  47. When traveling for more than three hours, I tuck a small box of raisins, or trail mix and an energy bar high in protein with healthier nutrition stats in my carry on. They don’t take up much space and I don’t have to overspend on airport bought snacks or meals.

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  48. I do more with less by using awesome phone apps. There are many useful, fun, and creative apps out there that help make life a little bit easier to manage.

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  49. I’ve stopped wearing chapstick, so I basically don’t need my purse anymore – just throw my wallet in my gym bag and head to school.

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