How many times have we all heard people say that 'the less you bring the better'? And then, there's the issue of what exactly we need to bring. It all, of course, depends on where we are going, how long we will be away, if we are backpacking or if we can afford to lug around a big luggage, etc.

Amy Ziff tells us how to pack light. This may be difficult for the female species who seem to need to have options (for clothes, shoes and accessories) even when travelling.

Now, if you are a newbie in travelling, you may want to seek the help of the online Universal Packing List. The resulting suggestion of what to pack will be based on the information you enter: dates of travel, temperature at destination, you gender, kind of accommodation you booked, if travelling with kids or not, activities you will indulge in, kind of transportation you will be using and the kind of luggage you will use. You can even indicate the kind of list you want, from the basic to the most detailed kind.

I tried it out myself. Interestingly, the result I received could indeed very helpful. You are even given a list of what you need to do before you leave. Don't expect the list, though, to tell you HOW MANY, say, shirts to bring. You still need to calculate it yourself.