Gunnar Garfors
Garfors managed to
So it's safe to say that he's perfected his packing strategy.
For Garfors, when it comes to packing, less is more.
"It's all about the convenience when I travel, and the flexibility, being able to jump on it if I find a cheap ticket last minute, or if someone asks me if I want to come somewhere, I can literally be ready in two or three minutes," he says.
Here's how Garfors keeps it light and simple while traveling.
He never checks luggage.
No matter if he's going on a five-week vacation or a quick business trip, Garfors only ever travels with hand luggage, which makes venturing from place to place much easier.
"It's about being able to do whatever I want when I travel," Garfors explains.
"When I look like a tourist with one huge suitcase or even four huge suitcases, that limits my flexibility, limits my movement, my choice of movement. I might not be able to fit on a bus even or a train; I might be forced to take a taxi. I certainly cannot get a ride on the back of a motorbike or moped. I can't bike, I can't just suddenly go on a hike to some other neighboring village. And of course it's more environmentally friendly to not have to carry along loads of extra kilos of luggage."
He buys clothes while traveling.
Garfors saves money and space by buying clothes while he travels, since most countries he visits are cheaper than Norway. However, he does suggest bringing a foldable bag in your luggage if you're planning on buying clothes while traveling. Otherwise you might not be able to fit everything on your way back.
"Coming from Norway, which is the most expensive country in the world, why would I want to pack loads of clothes and take them with me instead of actually buying clothes, and then I can get a new wardrobe?" Garfors says. "It's cheaper wherever I go."
He brings one pair of shoes that he can wear in multiple different situations.
According to Garfors, shoes - not clothes - are the biggest challenge when it comes to packing since they're heavy and take up a lot of space. For this reason, he travels with a pair that's versatile.
"I try to wear more flexible shoes that can work in different situations, usually black shoes because if I'm suddenly invited to a wedding out of the blue - which happens when you travel to faraway places - you can still sort of get away with it," Garfors explains.
He rolls his clothes and separates liquid and non-liquid toiletries.
When it comes to packing, most travelers either roll their clothes or lay them flat - there's usually no in between. Garfors chooses to roll his clothes.
And to avoid spending unnecessary time in security unpacking his luggage, he makes sure to carry his liquid toiletries in bottles that are small enough to pass regulations. He also carries two separate see-through toiletry bags: one for storing his small bottles of liquids and one for storing things such as a toothbrush and nail clippers.
He travels with a suitcase that can turn into a backpack.
Going somewhere with cobblestone streets or gravel roads can make traveling with a rolling suitcase a nightmare. Because of this, when Garfors travels on business, he packs in a suitcase that has wheels but can also double as a backpack. His suitcase backpack hybrid can also fit dress shirts and suits without creasing them. When he's traveling for pleasure, he only takes a backpack since he's not worried about wrinkling his clothes.
"When I travel on business I don't have a backpack; I have a suitcase with wheels on it, but you can also turn it into a backpack," Garfors explains. "So it's very flexible. In airports, I can roll it behind me; I just pull out the handle. And if I'm going where there's uneven surfaces, I can make a backpack out of it so it's more convenient."