If you are an organized person by nature, it does not necessarily mean that you will manage to pack light for the trip. If you are a disorganized person, it is almost a guarantee that you will end up dragging some useless stuff on a vacation with you. Still, this struggle is something that can easily be overcome with a few tips on how to master the sublime art of packing light.
It’s crucial if you are going on a globe-trotting adventure
Globe-trotting solo adventuring and hiking is on the rise. The popularity of this format of traveling is even becoming the norm among people with families – the setup is often that one parent stays home with a child while the other goes backpacking, and vice versa. If you are going on such a trip, you will get physically exhausted every day and packing light becomes essential.
Limit yourself to one travel bag and one carry-on
Still, if you don’t really plan to hike across tall mountains and cross countries on foot, you won’t be limited to the backpack, but you should definitely limit your luggage items. If you are going on a slightly laid back vacation, limit yourself to one travel bag and one carry-on. Keep your documentation and your portable devices in your carry-on along with some useful items that should always be in hand’s reach. Your clothes and toiletries should be reserved for the travel bag.
Prioritize underwear
When you begin packing your clothes, you should prioritize underwear. In other words, according to the length of your trip, first pack your underwear before you start choosing the shirts and pants for the travel bag. Try to think in terms of extremely comfortable women’s underwear, high quality socks and light bras. This should be fairly easy to manage if you are going on a two or three day’s long trip. However, if you are going on a trip that lasts more than two weeks, it is fairly unreasonable to pack one set of these items for each day, which brings us to the next tip.
Book in advance
According to the length of your trip and the route which you plan to take, browse online for the opportune accommodations and, here’s the crucial part, try to look for rentals that will lend you the option to wash your clothes. If you manage to find motels and hotels with washing machines that are at your disposal, you will be able to pack even lighter. Just do not forget to book all of these places in advance. By today, even the most “backwater” parts of the world have accommodations that provide such DIY washing services.
Keep toiletries in a single zip bag
Unless you plan to “sip Champagne on the yacht and move like Harlow in Monte Carlo”, try to keep your toiletry zip bag easy on the makeup. Bring just a few basic things, if you have to. Reserve the rest of the space for truly important things like toothpaste, toothbrush, hair brush, sanitary pads and tissues. Keep it all in a single zip bag which will be packed last in the travel bag – so it is kept on top of all things for the ease of access.
Be vigilant about shoes
All things considered, embarking on a vacation of any kind means that you will certainly spend a lot of time on your feet. Tours and walks are a natural part of even the most laid back tourist adventures so you should definitely be vigilant about what sort of shoes you are bringing along for the trip. Comfort is essential, so choose two pairs of casual shoes that can pass off as elegant, depending on the clothes you are wearing. Lightweight hiking shoes are a good option, along with light slippers and/or sandals if you are visiting a warm part of the world. This brings us to the following piece of advice.
Investigate the weather
The world is large and climate conditions can be staggeringly different depending on where you want to go. In order to prepare yourself for packing light, do a thorough online investigation of the climate conditions and weather that is typical for this part of the year for the region.
Redo it at least two times
Finally, after you have chosen all the clothes and toiletries to bring along, redo the “packing” before you start shoving the stuff into your bags. In other words, revise your choices and try your best to think in practical terms – you will almost certainly take out at least 20% of the clothes you have picked for the trip the first time around.
If you are a seasoned traveler, you are surely familiar with the excruciating existential terror of packing. It is a balancing act that is usually learned at snail’s pace and one needs to go through at least a dozen of trips in order to start being truly practical with their packing habits. Still, since we are ‘blessed’ with the advantages of the internet age, one can look into the tips and tricks in order to cut the learning curve short.