This article is not about destinations or Indian food or phenomenal street markets. It is about packing lightly and doing so without buying fancy gadgets and without breaking your back. According to medical experts, women suffer from back pain more than men do. When we travel, we exacerbate the situation by over packing, especially by carrying heavy items like personal products.

Here are some easy suggestions for your next trip. Your tour might allow large cases; but you might not have to pop so many ibuprofen pills. The list below is cheap and accessible.

I do not like packing cubes. You can easily subdivide your garments, pile neatly and place them in corners of your bags. Remember to put on top what you will need when you arrive. Pajamas, after an overnight flight. Tee shirt if arriving into heat.

Keep the wardrobe to one color. It might seem boring, but it is easy to accomplish. I usually pack black and white with some somber colored tees.   Wearing very bright colors is not always appropriate outside of the US. Non-American people tend to wear darker colors or very light pastels; sporting bright pinks or neon greens mark you as a tourist. (Oddly neon green is the color of the Parisian garbage men’s outfits and bright red with yellow stripes are for firemen).

Don’t be swayed by the expensive gorgeous brands like Spanx or Vuori. If they are out of your budget, go for the many brands of lightweight budget clothes. Budget favorites are Uniqlo, Madewell, Chico’s, Muji and non-brand clothes on Amazon. Some athleisure clothes like Patagonia will last forever and weigh ounces. If you want a real investment, Eileen Fisher’s classic black knit pants will take you to Buckingham Palace if you add the right tee and scarf.

The scarf saver. A scarf, even one bought on the street in New York, will save you on a cold plane. Fabrics like acrylic blended with cotton are as warm and 1/10 the price of cashmere. Wool is the go-to scarf for very cold seasons; during rain, wool can also hold 30% of its weight in moisture. Want to look fashionable, choose a black and white scarf that has a hint of mustard or red or this year’s Pantone Viva Magenta.

Measure out all liquids like shampoo, conditioner, and creams. You do not need a 16 oz bottle of anything. I keep tiny hotel bottles and refill them; they are marked with ounces so TSA can calculate your liquid amounts. Alas, tiny bottles are disappearing; the thrown out plastics are bad for our earth. Be careful about buying what are called ‘Travel Sets’, they are not marked for liquid volumes and often leak.

Shoes. One pair of day shoes and one ballet slipper type night shoe should be enough for most trips. If your day shoes get wet, stuff them with paper and dry with the hair dryer. Paper can be hotel stationery or newspaper, a room service list, or whatever you have at hand. Hang the shoes upside down. If very wet, replace the stuffing after a few hours.

Now your budget shopping list

1. One pair leggings that double as compression socks. From many sites $28 upwards.
2. Laundry detergent sheets. I just tried them. They are feather weight and instantly dissolve into effect detergent in a hotel sink. Tru Earth is the brand I bought; there are others equally effective.
3. Colored TSA lock, it makes you bag easier to find on the conveyor belt.
4. Small travel mirror, here is the best place for the highest magnification mirror. Mirrors go from 10 to surgical magnification, are excellent quality and reasonable. $30
5. A 2 port fast charger for your electronics  $20 on Amazon
6. Victorinox Swiss Army card, a gadget I would never travel without. It has 10-13 tools from $25
7. Dollar store type rain jacket or poncho. Disposable ponchos from $1, not too ugly jacket from Walmart, brand Omni Cheer. If the French could wear them during the Olympics, you can too.
8. It might seem obvious, but if you plan on future travels, buy a lightweight suitcase. Travel Pro, Delsey (my favorite), Kipling are budget priced. Don’t buy black, every bag that comes off the conveyor belt will raise your expectations.