Efficient Travel Packing and Organization

I've been traveling for years now by plane and have worked out a system that allows me to travel simply (with few belongings) and in an organized manner.  I occasionally bump into someone who hasn't figured out their own system, and this has inspired me to write this quick blog entry.  My method consists of 1) a simple packing philosophy, and 2) gear for staying organized and minimal.

My packing philosophy

The packing philosophy below, to be frank, is easy and likely a no-brainer.  

1. Pack only what you need.  Then, try and leave even more behind.  Do you really need a 4 pairs of pants?  Or can you get by with the one you're wearing on the plane and a spare in your bag?  Do you think you'll actually read all 3 of those books?  Empty your wallet of all your junk and cards you won't be using.  Too many people over prepare this way (which I am often very guilty of as well), but it adds a lot of stuff you won't need.
2. Pack only 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal bag.  I hate waiting for luggage after a long flight as well as lugging around huge suitcases.  Therefore I've stopped checking bags whenever I can avoid it.  If you pack smart and efficiently, you can do multiweek trips, even international, without checking a bag.  I've done this on a number of occasions and never regretted it.  If you find that you have too much stuff to fit into these two bags, refer to point 1 as you thoroughly scrutinize everything you are bringing. 
3. Everything in your bag needs a home.  Try to find a sub-container or small bag to organize all of your loose things in your bags. 

Gear 

The gear and how you use it is the key to my packing strategy. 

1. Packing cubes.  I love these packing cubes as they keep everything very well organized and somewhat more compressed than otherwise.  The nice ones I have are from eagle creek but likely any brand will work.  I use a larger one for shirts and pants (ideally only a single pair) and a smaller one for socks, underwear, belt (if needed), ties (if needed), etc.  
2. Soft case, rugged, duffel bag.  I shared the bag I bought, but others will work likely just as well.  The duffel is nice because it fits underneath the seat in front of me on the airplane even if I overstuff the bag.  The soft exterior allows it easily conform to the area under the seat or in the overhead bin.  
3. Collapsible hiking daypack.  These packs are great for your carry on and for daytrips whenever you put down temporary roots.  They can hold a fair amount of stuff and collapse down to almost nothing when empty.  I'll often put it in my duffel bag (fully loaded or empty) to reduce my number of bags to one if space permits.   I have an orange one for high visibility for things like hiking.  
4. Quick dry underwear and socks.  When doing particularly light travel where you may not have convenient access to a washing machine, I like bringing these because I can wash them in the sink and let them dry overnight.  
5. Folding garmet bag.  This works pretty well for my suit, nice shirts and pants.  While I haven't mastered the art of folding my clothes in this to prevent wrinkles (others claim this is doable), it does pack really well and fits inside my duffel bag. 
6. Mesh storage bags.  These are great for organizing smaller accessories.  

• I use one of the larger ones for organizing my toiletries.  The TSA can see through it so they don't get upset, it can breath so it doesn't build up moisture and smell later on, and you can wash it if it gets soiled.  Include a toothbrush cover as well.  Also consider small and durable containers for various bathroom liquids/soaps. 
• I use another one for my electronics accessories (phone charger, usb cables, backup battery, spare headphones, etc.)

I've also been experimenting with various compression sacks or rollup vacuum bags.  While I'm not quite ready to swear by them like I do the gear above, they are worth considering.  They certainly compress your clothes well.  When I do use them, I tend to use them for dirty clothes.  This has the added benefit of keeping your clean clothes from smelling like your dirty ones.