Whether you pack a week before or the night before, the process is rarely easy or fun. I think I’ve truly mastered the art of packing light in recent years as a way to avoid extra costs on budget airlines and allow myself to travel more. Regardless of if it’s a weekend trip or a ten day trip to Europe, I typically only travel with a hard shell carry-on and a backpack. How do I do it? Read below for some of my biggest tips.
Pick what you want to bring, put it in a pile for a few hours, then go through and eliminate a few items. Note: This requires packing in advance.
Roll you clothes or use space saver bags.
Pack socks in shoes. And on the topic of shoes, keep them minimal.
Make a list and stick to it.
Rewear. Unless you’re getting really sweaty, you can usually rewear an item without a wash. You can also get small packets of detergent to bring with you and wash an item or two in the sink while traveling.
Wear bulky items on plane. For our flight to Germany I wore my thickest sweater, my biggest coat, and my LL Bean boots with two pairs of socks. Not ideal for comfort on the flight, but packing my LL Bean boots in my suitcase would have taken up way too much space and weight.
Create a capsule style. This is a big trend lately, that involves picking simple styles that all go together and make packing and dressing easy. Bring items you can layer and swap out for multiple outfits/days.
Bring travel sized toiletries. Even if they don’t make your must-use shampoo in travel size, purchase refillable containers to bring along your favorites and reduce your environmental footprint.
Don’t forget to leave room! If you’re heading somewhere known for a particular fashion item like purses and scarves, don’t forget to leave a little room for bringing back extras! This can also end up giving you another outfit option on the trip.
Ask yourself: do I really need this? Often times we pack more than what we need, or things we think we may finally wear because we’re on vacation. When in doubt, make sure you have some essentials, and leave the rest out.
At the end of the day, the trip should be about the experience over the clothing. Pack less and enjoy the trip more!
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