Does packing for an upcoming trip give you anxiety because you want to pack light, but don’t know how? It doesn’t have to. I remember in my early days of travel; I would take the maximum baggage allowed – 2 bags of 75 pounds apiece. Can you imagine?! It was bulky, and as a smaller person, incredibly difficult to manage. I will tell you a secret – there is freedom in packing light. FREEDOM! Not sure how to get started? Here are a 5 tips and tricks to get you on your way to packing light:
- Compression Packing Cubes – Use packing cubes. There are those of you who swear by rolling your clothes, those who just fold them nicely in stacks, those who may just throw everything in the bag and pray it zips – but I assure you packing cubes are your friend! – Make sure you purchase the kind that compress – they will keep your clothes neatly organized and reduce the amount of space they take up in your bag. Less luggage = packing light
- Pack a capsule wardrobe – Pick a color scheme and stay with it. When traveling to Europe, I often choose black and grey. Everything I take coordinates and I can wear each piece of clothing at least twice. Coordinating outfits = packing light
- Pick your Outfits – Plan your outfits. Before leaving on a trip I make a list of my daily activities and choose what I will wear each day. This takes the stress out of the “what am I wearing today” question on a trip and also makes packing so much easier. All the “extra” clothes I don’t need get taken out (a packing light win!). Taking less clothes = packing
- Layer – Plan on layers. Layering is your friend when traveling. Bring items you can layer together to make an outfit warmer if you need to or if you encounter unexpected weather. Layering will make your entire travel wardrobe more versatile. Layering = packing light
- Shoes – Bring the right shoes. Make sure you pick shoes that are comfortable and can be worn in different situations. Wear your heaviest shoes on the plane (for me this often my tennis shoes or boots). Versatile shoes = packing light
Lastly, my biggest tip of all: Remember – people live where you are going! This is a mantra I repeat over and over to my travel group participants. You can find everything you need in order to survive (baring required medications) when you land. Here is your chance to try a new shampoo in Scotland or that shea butter body lotion in Ghana. Remember to have fun with it! Happy travels and don’t forget to pack light!
