There is a lot to look forward to when you’re planning a trip, but the one thing people can all say could be a hassle is planning what you want to pack.
You want to pack enough so that you don’t lose any important travel essentials. At the same time, you don’t want to pack too much that you end up having to pay for baggage fees.
When packing for travel, you can’t go wrong when you pack less than you planned for.
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Why less is more?
Nowadays, it is no longer sustainable for us to continue to ignore the needs of mother nature. Thus, we should try and become more environmentally aware of all the things that we do, including how we pack our things.
With that said, packing fewer items will mean that you are going to be able to fit into smaller transportation means. You won’t have to get an upgrade for your car rental just to be able to fit you and your things. Thus, you get lower costs and leave fewer harmful emissions in the world.
1. Use a small carry-on bag
When you’re packing your stuff for travel it can be hard to limit yourself and the number of things that you want to pack with you. After all, we want to be able to travel without any concern about missing important stuff like our gadget store toiletries or clothes.
If you have a hard time limiting yourself then it’s a good idea that you ditch your bigger suitcases and switch it up for smaller carry-on bags. By switching to a smaller bag you will be limiting yourself without any choice to what number of items you are able to bring.
2. Bring clothing that you can wear in any situation
One of the biggest reasons as to why we tend to pack heavy is because of all the clothes we bring with us. Of course, if you plan on taking photos of yourself in beautiful landscapes, you wouldn’t want to be the one ruining the shot by looking unkempt. However, you can still be fashionable without packing too much.
All you need is to know your fashion bare essentials, and which will good on you no matter how you wear it. By bringing these clothes, you can easily mix and match your outfits and look cool without bringing heavy luggage with you.
3. Don’t take stuff “you might need”
Often the reason why people overpack for a trip is that they’re thinking about being prepared which leads them to become over-prepared.
A lot of people pack items in their luggage because they think that they might need it. As it turns out, they won’t use it in the end.
If you think that you might need something then you probably don’t need it. One way to know what items you really might need for your trip is to know your itinerary beforehand. It will save you time and money.
4. Invest in travel size kits
Instead of bringing toiletries in their bottles with you, it’s best that you bring travel-sized versions of them. You’ll be surprised just how heavy the cumulative weight of these toiletries are.
Make sure that you buy bottles that fit your carry-on size well. Better yet, you can consider buying your toiletries at the place you’re traveling to instead.
You can purchase a lot of travel-sized bottles and containers in a variety of pharmacies. Just transfer the contents to the newer bottle and you’re done. Make sure that you label the bottles so that you don’t end up applying shampoo on your face.
5. Pack multi-purpose items
One other thing that you can do that will reduce the number of items you’re packing is to bring items that have a number of purposes. For example, you can bring a Turkish towel that can serve as your blanket or can be rolled into a pillow.
Unless you’re a professional photographer going to a gig, then you don’t have to bring full camera equipment with you. Your own phone should be enough to take photos with.
6. Take advantage of laundry opportunities
As mentioned before, clothes are the reason why most bags tend to be bulky. That said, you should look for smarter ways to lighten up your baggage based on how you manage your clothes.
One way to do that is to pack a few clothes but make sure that the place you’re staying at has a washing machine that you can use and a dryer. This will allow you to reuse your clothes so you don’t have to bring a number of clothes with you.
There are many ways you can simplify your packing and doing so will bring you a lot of benefits. Not only will you be able to travel light but you will also be able to travel in a sustainable way. On your next trip, why not try the six ways listed above and pack light?
