Packing for a Semester Abroad Part 1: The Suitcases

So…

This will be the first in a series of packing-for-travel posts on my blog geared towards 1) keeping myself on-track about packing, and 2) helping others who are in my situation (aka packing for a semester abroad in less than 1 week). Since I’m leaving for my semester abroad in Europe in less than a week, I was relieved to find out that my large U-Lite suitcase had finally arrived. I now have both the rectangular, upright cabin-sized one as well as the large, check in-size one. We were able to buy the cabin-sized one right away, but had to wait an extra week since the large (in all colors) was out of stock.

The 53cm U-Lite Cabin Trolley Case has the capacity of 39.1 L. Measuring 46 x 37 x 23 cm (Height x Length x Expandable), this suitcase (along with its other U-Lite counterparts) is available in four colors: Blue, Iguana Green, Black, and Red. Clearly I made the right decision – these red suitcases will definitely be easier to spot than its cooler-toned counterparts!

Delsey U-Lite 53cm wheel cabin trolley case

Aside from it being the newest line, the Delsey U-Lite is much lighter than it looks. One of its advantages (in my opinion) is that it opens up like a clam: the top zippers open, leaving a wide interior with plenty of room. My previous Desley trolley case in size medium (from the Helium line) opens up like a book (zippered down the middle), which made squeezing things in a bit difficult at times.

According to the website, in this particular size (the 53cm cabin wheel), the Delsey U-Lite is supposed to be able to fit the following items:

what can fit in a Delsey U-Lite 53cm wheel cabin trolley case © Delsey.com

The other suitcase I ended up getting was the large Upright Delsey U-Lite Trolley Case: an 81cm suitcase with a capacity of 111.3 L, this suitcase measures 74 x 47 x 32 cm (H x L x Expandable) when empty, and 74 x 47 x 37 cm when fully expanded. The suitcase also fits well within the guidelines for checked baggage on ALL airlines I will be using, which is definitely a good thing!

Another great thing about the 81cm suitcase is that it also opens up like a clam, so I could fit a ton of clothes and shoes inside if 1) I wanted to, and more importantly if 2) I needed to. Let’s hope that all my stuff is within the weight allowance!

My next blog post will be about my hand-carry items: more specifically, my large travel tote as well as my purse. After all, I have to be able to 1) go to school with all my things, and 2) go out and have fun without worrying about an overly-stuffed bag!