Article: How To Travel Light and Pack Like a Pro
How To Travel Light and Pack Like a Pro
When you spend enough time in airports, you’ll start to cold-read people. A rolling rack piled high with suitcases just screams “high maintenance” … but a small rolling carry-on? That says self-reliance!
Packing light is about more than just saving time at the airport (less time at bag check) or making travel less physically demanding (less heavy stuff to lift upstairs). It’s about trusting yourself to make the most of fewer possessions. About freeing yourself to absorb experiences, free from the worries of material goods.
Ready to let go of the baggage and pack light like the pros? Here’s how to start:
- Choose Light, Durable Bags
Start from first principles — no checked bags. Airline carry-on policy now sets your limit. One small suitcase, one “personal item” like a backpack or tote. With less space to fill, you can start to make decisions. By choosing bags that are lightweight, you will immediately take the burden of physical strain off your travel experience.
- Choose Your Transit Outfit
You will free up a ton of space in your reduced luggage if you get strategic about what you wear in transit. Choose your bulkiest garments and shoes. That way, you don’t have to cram them into valuable suitcase space — after all, you’re wearing them! Worried about overheating from wearing your heaviest outfit? Planes are usually a little bit cooler anyway. Your coat can double as an airplane blanket.
- Pick Two Pairs of Shoes
Ooooh the pain! The shoe-lovers among you are probably cursing my name, but you’ll be singing my praises when your back isn’t sprained from dragging suitcases across a strange city.
There’s no getting around it — shoes are bulky and heavy. If you cherish your shoe collection, editing it down to the essentials is a priceless exercise in humility. Once you master shoe discipline, everything else is easy.
Start with one pair of comfy walking shoes and one pair of versatile formal shoes. Challenge yourself. Which shoes will take you the most places?
- Pick Versatile Outfits
Now that you have picked your shoes, the hard part is over. You can now pick outfits that go with the shoes. Go for neutral colors and your favorite garments — outfits you love to wear in multiple settings.
- Roll Your Clothes
This is a time-honored “pack hack.” In defiance of the laws of physics, the same garment takes up less space in a suitcase when you roll it than when you fold it. As a bonus, rolled clothes unpack with fewer wrinkles.
- Use Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are like “suitcases within suitcases” — discrete packages that go in your suitcase. Often you can compress clothes even more by putting them in packing cubes. Additionally, you can keep your stuff organized (one cube for tops, one cube for undies, etc.)
- Explore Local Laundry Options
Hot take — you can pack fewer clothes if you can do laundry at your destination! Do some research. Does your hotel have laundry service? Does your Airbnb have washing machines? Is there a laundry pickup and delivery service you can leverage for extra convenience?
You don’t want to burn your precious vacation time doing laundry, but if there’s an easy solution at hand, you can save yourself quarts of suitcase space!
- Pare Down Your Toiletries
Remember, many airlines only allow you to carry on a one-quart Ziploc bag of 3-ounce bottles. Products like toothpaste, mouthwash, and shampoo can easily be purchased in-country. So, what 3-ounce bottles of liquid can you not live without? Things that will be hard to find after you land?
- Eliminate “Just in Case” Items
Everyone has things they pack “just in case.” A travel iron just in case the hotel doesn’t have an iron. A favorite pillow just in case the hotel pillow is too firm. A pair of impractical heels just in case a handsome local invite you to tango. As tempting as these “just in case” items may be, try to discipline yourself to say no. “Just in case” means it’s perfectly possible you won’t need that item at all. If the need does arise, resourceful travelers can find what they need at the destination. That’s part of the adventure!
There’s a kind of Zen to packing light. If you’re new to the practice, it may feel like choosing between your babies. But don’t worry — you’ll get the hang of it! As you start to become less and less dependent on the possessions that anchor your home, you’ll discover the freedom that only the open can offer … the freedom of endless possibilities.
