I am not very good at packing and am going abroad for a year. Any suggestions for how I can take the right stuff?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: For a year? Maybe just take the clothes on your back and buy new stuff over there. At least keep it light and plan to wash often. Start by immediately making a categorized list of what you want and hone it down between now and the time you leave. If you take a laptop or other electronic devices, you need to consider voltage issues. You might want to focus more on personal items that you can’t readily replace than on bulky clothes and replaceable toiletries. (For instance, take enough shampoo to last a week or two, not a big bottle.) My final recommendation: consult with a backpacker who’s done the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. (That’s overdoing it, but it gets you in the right frame of mind.)