Andrea here, contemplating an upcoming trip and thinking about what I need to take. I like to think that I’m pretty bare bones about what I need to take with me . . . but that said, I’m not quite to the point of some of my intrepid travelers friends, who can travel with an extra pair of pants, two t-shirts and sweater to last for a two-week jaunt through Europe.
Basically, I need workout clothes, casual exploring clothes, a few nicer outfits for evening, and comfy sweats for lounging in my room. And then of course, there is all the tech stuff that one can’t seem to live without—laptop, phone, headphones, e-reader and miles of wires, since every device has a maddeningly different usb port these days.
Is that too much to ask?
And that got me to thinking about the history of the suitcase—or “suit-case” as it was first called when it came into being. So of course, being the history nerd that I am, I decided to do some quick research . . .
According to Wikipedia, the first “luggage” (wheeled containers used for transporting weaponry) came into being in 1153 during the era of the Crusades. And yes, the word “luggage” derives from the verb “to lug” and first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1596 (where it is defined as “denoting inconveniently heavy baggage.”
That first Crusader-style luggage downsized over the centuries, but not by too much. Trunks—large boxes made of wood and iron frames covered with leather or canvas (waterproofed with tree sap)—were de rigeuer with the upper classes, who not only could afford the luxury of travel but also had servants to handle the task of moving the weighty luggage back and forth between various conveyances and lodgings during a journey.
But at the end of the 19th century, as travel became cheaper and journeys were no longer just for the rich, the suitcase—a smaller hand-held piece of luggage began to grow in popularity. (They were also called “grips” for obvious reasons.) Manufacturers were slow to embrace the suitcase. At first it was marketed as a woman’s accessory. But in 1938, The United States established a 40 pound limit for checked bags, and the heavy, leather and wood construction began giving was to lighter models made of fabric and stiff cardboard.
Some people experimented with attaching wheels to suitcases in the 1930-40s, but manufacturers thought men would consider it “wimpy” to roll their suitcases, so the trend didn’t catch on.
I
t wasn’t until the early 1970s that Bernard Sadow, a VP of a Massachusetts luggage company patented a design for a rolling suitcase pulled by a strap. The retractable handle and four wheels creating a vertical roller bag was invented in 1987 by Robert Plath, a pilot for Northwest Airlines.
There have been countless iterations of the roller bag, and many travel experts consider it one of the most important inventions in the history of travel. Any of us who have ever lugged unwheeled luggage on trips will no doubt heartily agree.
So that’s a very quick look at how far we have come in getting us and our stuff from one place to another . . .
By the by, my paraphernalia still doesn’t fit!
What about you? Do you have trouble whittling down the stuff you want to take on a trip? Any packing tips?
Andrea, as someone who has lugged my share of baggage around the world, I loved learning the history. I remember those first upright wheeled suitcases that were pulled by straps,. and the next generation one now that have square handles and are pulled on a pair of wheels are even better. Any time I’ve ever upgraded my suitcases, it’s been to get a lighter model. Roll on, Andrea!
I must say that e-readers have made packing much easier, especially for long trips. (Let’s see, if I’m going to be away for a month, will ten books be enough?) But I remember going home from college for Christmas vacation. The combination of books to study for finals and presents for everybody was definitely a challenge.
Lillian–those were the days! Kindles have simplified our lives, but the study books are still around for today’s students. Helps the build strong muscles!
Thank you for an informative and enjoyable post, Andrea. And the lug in luggage is definitely appropriate.
Lillian, that is so true about e-readers lightening the load. I well remember trying to choose which ten or so books to take on a trip. I’ll confess that even with taking my Kindle on a flight, I still take a paper book. After all, God forbid my eleven year old Kindle should fail, and I’d have nothing to read….
Kareni–Kindle + back up paperback–Isn’t this what everyone does?
I’m a lousy packer. I do my best to really think carefully about what I need. I remind myself of what my mom said when we went to Ireland: “We’re not going to Timbuktu. If we need something, we’ll just buy it.”
My main problem when traveling is that I can’t use hotel toiletries because I have sensitive skin. The toiletries have fragrance in them that I can’t tolerate. So, I end up packing body wash, etc. Some things I use are in big bottles; I dispense small quantities into smaller bottles, but this doesn’t work for everything. For example, sunscreen. I’m pretty sure it needs to stay in the original packaging to be effective.
Susan–at least with Ireland one needn’t pack a lot of sunscreen! But like you, I’m not a very good packer despite much travel experience. There are too many “Maybe I’ll need this, too…” thoughts running through my head.
Interesting blog, Andrea. Some years ago I was interested to learn that where we in Victoria (Australia) call them suitcases, in Queensland they’re often called “Ports” — short for portmanteaux.
The year I went backpacking I travelled with a pack weighing 26 pounds — which contained a few books as well as a few interesting stones picked up along the way. I remember when I got home, the customs man went to heave it up on the bench so I could open it and he could check the contents, and he grunted as he lifted it and said, “Gawd, what’ve you got in here — rocks?” And I said, “Yes, and books.” I think my clothes were an extra pair of jeans, a skirt, several T-shirts, undies, and something warm. I also discarded items along the way as the seasons changed.
These days my travels are usually for a conference and I always overpack, in case I need to dress up or down. But I do love my wheeled luggage.
I forgot to say, my all-time favorite piece of luggage is Terry Pratchett’s The Luggage — a self propelling trunk with hundreds of tiny feet and rows of sharp teeth. It follows its owner — whether they want it to or not, and anything that goes into it is lost forever . . .
Oh, yes, Anne, who can forget Pratchett’s Luggage?!
I’m always an overloaded packhorse but now using cameras that can be utilised without the use of a tripod helps. Packing years ago differs from what one requires these days. Medications! I limit footwear and can get away with less physical books using e-books or Audible whilst away. At least we don’t have to take the kitchen sink etc unless we’re camping!
Robyn, I was dragged unwilling on many camping trips as a kid and swore I’d never camp again when I grew up. This is a vow I have fulfilled. (Shuddering at mosquito memories…)
I use Travel Paks from Amazon. I chose two 18 x 13 inches, and a few smaller ones. It’s a great nylon zip container with a net covering to see what’s in it. I fold all sweaters that don’t wrinkle in the Kon Mari method – Marie Kondo – “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” – a decluttering idea that has her way of folding garments in drawers. I use this method to pack garments in the zip bags. Pants or dresses lie flat, with one fold over for each, on top of the zip bags, so that they stay wrinkle free.
The other side of the luggage, metal wheeled style that is a carry on for flights, I pack leggings and a light cardigan to wear in the hotel room, socks, undergarments, converter for electronics, hat that folds flat with a drawstring for sun and wind, comfy sandals, kitten heel pumps if there are evening events. Outerwear I put on in layers to mitigate the heaviness of the luggage, and put it under the seat in front of me.
I have a great bag with all the right zip compartments throughout for all the much smaller stuff – cell phone, small zip purse with sections for all cards and identity, and the passport goes in this area.
I found a strong plastic zip bag for all small containers of liquids by purchasing a zip bag containing curlers, from CVS, throwing away the contents and using the plastic zip bag.
Patricia, you are definitely a Ninja Level Packer!
I recently started using packing cubes, and it really does help keep things organized inside the suitcase. I well remember when I was a child, my grandparents went on an extended European tour, and they traveled there by ship, with old fashioned steamer trunks. The kind that you would set upright and there was a section for hanging clothes, with pullout drawers underneath. I guess they had to use porters everywhere they went!
Karin, these days we have fewer porters but much lighter luggage!
We have a small apartment in Europe, which we use twice a year, but it takes three flights to reach our destination. After lugging our suitcases there and back for many years, and after having missed connecting flights due to long waits at luggage carousels, we now only take carry-ons, and buy what we may need if we are missing anything.
Patricia–that is a LOT of flight changes! The ‘buy what you need at the other end’ is problematic because it can be difficult to find what one needs, but since you have an apartment, presumably you know the area, which would make shopping a lot easier.
It has been a while since I last traveled, but whenever anyone mentions packing the picture that pops into my mind is two cats (one on each side of the suitcase) watching every move I made and my dog on the floor watching with a worried look on his face.
Don’t really remember having any problem with what to take with me.
LOL Mary — yes, I am careful not to start packing until I’ve taken the dog to the kennels. She loves it there, but if I start packing in front of her, she watches every move with such a woebegone expression. I can’t even get a suitcase out of the closet.
I keep a check list for “Conference packing” which is very useful.
I’m not one for travelling but when I do go anywhere, even here in my own country, I find it hard to know what to take and what to leave. One of my daughters must have taken a degree in packing!! She has one bag and you wouldn’t believe what comes out of it! Her sister says she got the bag from Mary Poppins 😄
It was mentioned above but what came to mind when I started reading was the old steamer trunks. I loved them!! They make me think of Poiret and anyone travelling in the 1930’s.
Oh yes, Teresa. I don’t think my parents ever had a steamer trunk, but I remember a scene in a Marx Brothers movie with one, and it was a hoot.
Now that I think about it, my ideal way to travel would be on a steamship in the 1890s, with a steamer trunk, leather cases (initialed), hat boxes, jewelry case (my maid would carry that), cosmetic case, and porters and servants to take charge of it all. Of course, I’d have been lucky to be one of the maids, or a passenger in steerage, but still…
These were very glamorous times for travelers, weren’t they? Rich travelers, that is. I’ve always had a yen to travel down the Nile on a felucca — but that fantasy was fed by 1930’s glamorous book travelers doing it. I doubt it would be quite so luxurious now.