5 Tips for Packing Light
Packing light is easier said than done. With airlines getting stricter and stricter about how much they’ll allow on the plane and how much they’ll charge for even a carry on bag, it’s no wonder so many people are becoming masters of light packing.
As someone who suffers from chronic illnesses, having space in my luggage for medications and other must-haves means I often have to leave some things at home. This means I’ve become a pro at finding space and knowing when too much stuff is really too much. Now, I’m sharing my top 5 tips for packing light.
1. Plan for Laundry
One of the biggest questions I get is how do you pack light for a longer trip? In short, I just plan to do laundry. Let’s face it; lugging 10+ days of clothes is simply not practical. I’ll let you in on a travel secret: doing laundry while on a trip is much easier than you think.
If you’re staying in a hotel, they might have dry cleaning services on-site for a small fee or a laundry room for guests to use. Most hostels even have laundry rooms. Just remember to pack quarters. When you do laundry mid-trip, you can get more wear out of the clothes you have.
2. Color Coordinate
If you can, choose clothes that all match together. This doesn’t mean you have to wear all of your clothes at once, but it’s good to have a lot of options to mix-and-match. For instance, this isn’t the time to pack that rainbow shirt that doesn’t match anything else in your wardrobe. Instead, opt for neutrals, and look for other ways to add a pop of color.
3. Plan Ahead
It’s always smart to plan ahead so you know what to expect, but it also helps when packing. If you have a chronic illness like me, plan your travel with booknowmed.com to ensure you can get the treatment you need wherever you go.
Otherwise, make sure you know what types of activities you’ll be doing. If you’re spending all week at the beach, for example, you probably don’t need to pack hiking boots!
4. Limit Your Shoes
One area that will quickly take up space in your bag is your footwear. It’s tempting to bring as many shoes as possible, but remember this is a trip and not a fashion show. In general, I stick with no more than two pairs. I always wear the heaviest and largest pair of shoes on the plane and pack the smaller pair. One “going out” shoe and one sneaker is usually the way to go.
5. Ditch Your “Just in Case” Items
If you’re like most travelers, you pack a bunch of items in your suitcase “just in case.” In reality, if there is a situation where you need these things, you’ll likely have access to them no matter where you are in the world.
That extra bottle of moisturizer? You can easily find a similar type in Mexico. Your favorite towel? You can always pick one up at your hotel. These things are just space filler, and you have much more important things to bring.
You’re Ready to Go!
Now that you know the best tips for packing lightly, no carry on limit will have you worried. Packing lightly is all about knowing what you actually need. Once you think of it that way, it’s much more simple.
Don’t stress the small stuff. Traveling isn’t always clean and pretty. Sometimes you wear the same jeans for a few days and you might lose a few socks along the way. It’s all just a fun part of seeing the world.
