My favorite suitcase weighs in at about 15 pounds, empty. No wonder I routinely take that sucker past the 50-pound limit imposed by most airlines for checked luggage. As if needing a forklift to hoist it onto the checkout counter weren't bad enough, most airlines these days charge fees to check it.

This pricey development has forced me to change my idea of convenient travel. In the process, I've figured out how to scale back to pack less stuff, smaller stuff and even a smaller bag to c ...

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