In my quest to be a better (happier, self-sufficient, less blister-prone) traveller, I’ve gradually learned that enjoyment while on the road exists in a direct relationship with the amount of crap you choose to carry on your back.

Recently, I’ve discovered the semi-revolutionary notion that all (and I mean ALL) your travel gear can be carried in one carry-on bag. Let me say that again: no checked luggage. No extra suitcases. No jumbled duffel bags on turnstiles.

The guru of this radically simple idea is Doug Dyment, the creator of the One Bag website, an outspoken advocate of the “art and science of travelling light”. I was lucky enough to interview Doug last spring, and we had a great conversation covering the best tips and techniques for reducing your load on the road.

“It doesn’t matter how light the bag is, if you carry it for a half hour through Florence, you want to make it lighter,” Doug noted during our conversation. He asserts that travelling sensibly is all about planning ahead, and conciously choosing your gear so it serves multiple purposes.

“Most people pack the night before a trip, and they think of all sorts of scenarios - ‘I might need this, I might need this…’ ” Doug stated. In order to avoid this scenario, Doug advocates creating a standard packing list (which he includes as a free download on his website) and using it for every trip.

Last winter, I put Doug’s advice to the test. After figuring out what luggage restrictions were in effect for carry-on luggage on international flights (particularly for liquids & electronic items), I happily spent 2 weeks in jolly old England carrying only ONE SMALL DAYPACK.

It’s true: my 100 ml bottle of shampoo ran out, but I bought some more at a Boots outlet at Victoria Station. I had to do laundry a few times, but that was also a pleasant domestic adventure. I sailed through customs and was on the train from Gatwick in under forty minutes, while my fellow travellers were snarled at the luggage carosel for at least another hour. Instead of struggling with taxis, I wandered through London snapping out-of-focus pics and eating eclairs before finding my hotel.

Thanks to Doug’s advice, I was able to drastically reduce the amount of crap on my back, with no reduction in the enjoyment of my trip AT ALL. In fact, the reverse is true - I had a better time because I was carrying less! Unreal. Revolutionary. As Doug notes, “luggage is no longer the focus of the trip - it’s an epiphany for travellers”.

Thanks, Doug! I have seen the light.