Packing light always sounds like a great idea… until you actually start packing. That’s because somehow, even for a short trip, it feels like you might need five outfits, three pairs of shoes, and every possible charger – as well as plenty of things just in case.
But the fact is that packing light really does make travel easier – you’ll have less to carry, less to organise, and less to worry about in general, and once you get the hang of it, it’s hard to go back. Here are a few simple tips that can really help.
Start With The Right Bag
Packing light is always going to be a lot easier when your bag isn’t a massive one. The reality is that if you start with a huge suitcase, you’ll fill it (that’s just human nature). Using a smaller bag forces you to be realistic and it keeps things a lot simpler from the beginning.
Ideally, you should use a good backpack or a cabin-sized case for a short trip, and that’s usually enough.
Plan Outfits, Not Individual Items
One of the biggest mistakes people make is packing random clothes instead of actual outfits because that’s how you end up with lots of bits and pieces you’re never going to wear.
Try to think in terms of what you’ll wear together, and choose pieces that mix and match easily, sticking to a simple colour palette so everything works. That way, you can pack fewer items but still have plenty of options.
Keep Shoes To A Minimum
Shoes take up so much space, and most of the time, you’re only going to need two pairs – one comfortable pair for walking around, and one slightly nicer pair if you need it. Any more than that and your bag starts filling up fast.
You’ll probably just wear the same pair most days anyway, and since that’s likely to be the case, you’ll be carrying around extra shoes for no reason, and they’ll be taking up a lot of space that could be used for other things.
Use Layers Instead Of Bulk
If you’re going somewhere cold, it’s even harder to pack because the clothes you’re going to need are big and bulky. Or are they? What about instead of packing heavy jumpers and thick coats, you think about layering instead?
You could take a light jacket, a warm base later, and something you can add or remove easily, and that’s going to give you more flexibility without taking up loads of room. And you can always easily pack small items like thermal socks as well, and that means you can be comfortable and warm and not add a load of extra weight to your bag.
Don’t Pack Just In Case Items
This is a really hard habit to get out of, and we all pack things just in case we might need them, but most of the time, we don’t. Think back to the last time you went somewhere – did you have to use any of those extra things? Probably not. And of course, if you really need something, you can probably just buy it from wherever you are.
The best thing to do is try to pack for what’s going to happen (or most likely to happen), and not for what might happen. It’s amazing how much easier and lighter your packing will be with just this one rule of thumb in mind.