Italy, Spring 2023
I stepped out of my comfort zone when I agreed to host a group trip to Italy.
Venice, Italy. Photo by Alyson Morgan (@alysonsimplygrows). Luggage by SteamLine.
I’d never met any of the attendees in person.
I don’t speak Italian.
I’ve spent the majority of my weekdays for the past fifteen years mostly alone.
I’m wretched at small talk.
I get anxious over logistics.
And I don’t like to go anywhere without my kids and pups, let alone travel thousands of miles away from them.
Como, Italy. Photo by Alyson Morgan (@alysonsimplygrows). Collapsible travel bottle by Stojo.
But, on the flip side, now that we’ve settled into our new cottage and are discovering new routines in our household and business, this feels like such a season of change.
Restructuring.
Unlearning.
Relearning.
Evolution.
Lake Como
And, thankfully, the setup of this trip was such that I didn’t have to sweat the logistics, or make small talk. Instead, there were deep and joyful connections, paired with the vibrant backdrop of Italy and Trova Tourism’s mindfully curated adventures.
Bellagio, Italy
Despite initially planning on visiting France (since many folks who read this blog are interested in our @tinyfrenchfarmhouse journey), I decided to pivot and focus on Italy instead, as the itinerary sang to me given the overlap with my lifestyle.
Bike rides, long strolls, boat rides along waterways— all of this resonated with my family’s day-to-day existence. And on that note, my first group trip clearly had to include Venice, Italy— the town that inspired Venice, California, where our family resided for over a decade.
My small business and online presence were, for years, centered upon small space living along canoe-filled waterways under the warm sun that dries lines of laundry dangling from every awkward corner available.
So the visit to Venice, Italy was not only a feast for the eyes, but it was also a feast for my heart.
Venice, Italy. Photo by Alyson Morgan (@alysonsimplygrows). Luggage by SteamLine.
Our group activities included the following:
Milan City Cycle Tour
Cooking Demonstration with a Milano Chef
Lake Como Tour
Bellagio Lakeside Village Visit
Boat Ride from Bellagio to Tremezzo
Franciacorta Sparkling Wine Tour and Tasting
Venice City Tour
Gondola Ride on the Canals
Burano Boat Tour & Stroll
Burano
Venice
While the sights were stunning and the trip well-orchestrated, what meant the most to me were the friendships forged. It was an honor and joy to be joined by author, photographer and herbalist Alyson Morgan, as well as ten absolutely delightful, like-minded, and kind-hearted travelers, along with our exceptional guide.
They say that all good things must come to an end, and while the trip is indeed over I’m thinking that this good thing might just need to evolve and happen again.
… Alyson and I are currently pondering the possibilities together…
In the meantime, I’m just so glad I said yes to this.
Photo by Alyson Morgan (@alysonsimplygrows)
Pictured in this post: My travel water bottle from Stojo, and my favorite SteamLine Luggage carry-on case, which was the perfect size for our week in Italy. When at the cottage, I use our SteamLine pieces as decor in order to maximize their functionality and further enjoy their beauty. SteamLine has a refurbishment program, and they offer a collection composed of naturally renewable + sustainably-sourced rattan, and recycled synthetic leather.
Packing Carry-On Only Bags for Family Travel
Packing light for air travel with children.
When I showed glimpses of the carry-on only luggage that our family took to the Tiny French Farmhouse this summer, I received a cascade of unanticipated comments and questions: “How?” “Impossible.” “Packing list, please.”
First and foremost, we have somewhat of a cheat when it comes to packing for this particular destination, as the farmhouse is our home and we plan to leave items there over time for increasingly lighter packing in the future. However, since this was only our second visit — and three out of four of us have VERY different bodies and needs than we did the last trip — these were pretty much fully packed bags.
Since most of us are operating on minimal mental bandwidth these days, I’m breaking down what/how we packed into simplified categories below:
BAGS
3 backpacks:
~25L juvenile overnight-style backpack (I wouldn’t recommend the one we have — but this one would’ve worked better.)
1 kid’s ride-along convertible suitcase / seat extender
1 washable paper catch-all Palermo tote by UASHMAMA for miscellaneous overflow items
Baby Carrier Mini, in lieu of a stroller (Note: our youngest is small — please read specifications to find a carrier that suits your child.)
BOOKS
While I prefer hard-copy books, Adam and I use an e-reader for travel
For our baby/toddler: Indestructibles (lightweight, slim, flexible, waterproof)
For our young reader, paperback library books / series selected for content AND weight/size
FOOD + BEVERAGE
2 Stojo adult collapsible bottles, latched to backpacks with carabiners
2 Stojo children’s collapsible bottles, latched to backpacks with carabiners
1 Stojo collapsible, lidded bowl/to-go container
4 Sets of to-go cutlery with straws and washable napkins (minus the matching knives
1 Set of beeswax cloths
FOOTWEAR
I find that shoes from the following brands usually travel + wash well, as they’re slim but sturdy and flexible:
Rothy’s
AllBirds
Bensimon
FEIT slippers
Note: Rothy’s — both the men’s and women’s styles — are also versatile for dressing either up or down.
TOILETRIES
Shampoo + conditioner bar
All-age tin of sunscreen
Toothpaste tablets
Travel first aid kit
One shared travel-sized bamboo brush
Menstrual cup
LastSawb ear swab
Cadence magnetic honeycombs for smaller/specialty liquids.
A clear Stasher bag for all bottles, for easier TSA inspection when required. We then wash and use the bag for other things while abroad.
Above: A TSA-approved size bottle of multi-use Branch Basics cleaner from concentrate for use as detergent and more
TECH
We kept our tech to a minimum, editing cords and plugs and sharing as much as possible between necessary devices. We use a portable, zip-around cord book / organizer to keep everything streamlined.
TOYS
We repurposed small canvas pouches and reusable clear baggies to further organize and corral figurines, activities for fine motor skills, reusable-sticker books, and art supplies. All the pouches fit in the ride-along case with room to spare, since everything becomes undone in travel and needs to fit pell-mell, too. Once in France, we use the pouches and baggies to syphon off activities for car rides and unexpected waits while out-and-about.
CLOTHES + OUTERWEAR
This is so specific to preference, region, time of year and individual needs that I see no point in getting TOO specific. But since we knew we’d be able to wash our clothes, we only needed the following:
A TSA-approved size bottle of multi-use Branch Basics cleaner from concentrate for use as detergent and more
3 days worth of outfits each
1 overnight outfit each
Specialty gear like swimsuits and water-repellent jackets
Travel Gear for Small Spaces
Now that summer is here and travel stories and products are popping up around the web, I've been receiving more questions about where and how we store our luggage here at the Cottage.
We actually have quite a few pieces of travel gear in our tiny home, but we don't just use them when leaving town. Many of our on-the-go accessories are constantly in use here on a daily basis as home-organization tools. By selecting multi-functional items that work well both inside AND outside the house, we've solved most of the storage issues that so many small-space dwellers face when it comes to finding a suitable place to put their luggage and travel accessories.
Here is nearly all of my globe-trotting gear. I obviously don't use all of these pieces on each trip-- I pick and choose depending on context:
Since I use most of these pieces while at home, they're generally floating around between my handbag, office and bedside. But when I need to stash some items out of sight, I simply pack them within my suitcase, which is a carry-on rolling bag by Steamline Luggage that looks like a small old-fashioned trunk. I picked this piece for its function AND its beauty, because I knew it would frequently be left out in the open at home. Since I love the way it looks, I don't mind having the luggage out and using it as an accent surface when needed. I can also slide it into the storage cubby that's built-in beneath our bed. Adam uses a leather Weekender Bag by Combatant Gentlemen, which is really versatile and also can fit under our bed.
The items I use every day include my Mod Laptop 2 + Tech Dopp Kit + Mod Tablet 2 by This Is Ground, along with my Rachel Wallet by Hobo (I've had it for years and years), and a leather notebook organizer. When I'm traveling on shorter trips, I pop my "dopp kit insert" into my Mod Tablet and it becomes a handy overnight beauty tool.
For longer trips, I switch it up a bit. I use a truly wonderful Mac Cosmetics travel bag, which organizes EVERYTHING. I also bring my Ona Clifton Backpack, which safely holds my laptop and camera equipment.
All the aforementioned items help me keep the house decluttered and organized, and have been ideal for my trips, whether they've lasted a single night or an entire month. With the baby coming in October, we're going to be making some adjustments to our luggage, of course. (But more on that later! In the meantime, here are some of my favorite past travel-gear images, with cameos by #StubsandSoph.)
