Whether you’re traveling to fun places or you’re going on a trip for business, you have to think about how much stuff you’re going to take with you. Depending on how long you plan to stay at your destination, you might need more than a few days’ worth of clothes and other supplies.
The problem is that carrying around a bunch of luggage is cumbersome, and it can be hard to keep track of everything. The ideal solution is to travel light, but not so light that you sacrifice your needs. As part of our travel tips and advice, if you’re looking for ways to travel lighter, try these suggestions on your next trip.
1. Keep your pockets empty
The less stuff you travel with, the better, but keeping your pockets empty serves a practical purpose: you won’t need to empty them to go through security, and nothing can fall out while you’re traveling. Empty pockets just make life easier. However, if you’re like most people, you probably keep your phone in your pocket, and this can be a little awkward at times.
There’s a chance you’ll drop your phone while trying to take it out of your pocket, and if your phone catches anything else in your pocket, it will all just fall out. If this happens when you’re on the plane, train, or bus, it will be harder to pick up whatever spills out. A lanyard to hold your phone around your neck will help you avoid this potential scenario. Once your phone is secured inside a protective case, a lanyard will make a great travel accessory.
Watch this video for some more tips:
2. Pack smaller bags with your main luggage
Once you reach your destination, you’ll probably need to carry a smaller bag with you while you explore the area or go to your business meetings. Instead of packing what you’ll need into a smaller bag ahead of time, which will increase the number of bags you need to handle, pack your smaller bag or suitcase in your main piece of luggage. It might work better to pack it empty if everything fits better in your suitcase while loose. You can always pack your smaller bag when you arrive at your destination.
3. Mail bulky items
Mail big things to your destination ahead of time. You’ll need to have someone on the other end to receive your package, but if you happen to be visiting family or friends, that should be easy. When you’re done visiting, pack it all backup and mail it back to your home. It will probably be a little more expensive than taking an extra carry-on bag, but it means not having to actually lug around another bag, and that’s worth the cost.
4. Buy certain items when you arrive
When you’re running out of space in your main luggage, consider which items you can buy when you arrive at your destination. For instance, maybe you’ll need some hiking boots for a single day, or you’d like to bring some card games or board games to play. These items will take up quite a bit of space, but they’re easy to buy when you arrive. If you don’t want to stuff them in your luggage to return home, either mail them back to yourself, donate them to a local thrift store, or post them up for sale/free the day you leave. Read this for more tips.
5. Fold your clothes differently
Many people have gotten into the habit of rolling and folding clothing items a certain way, but when you want to save space, you’ll need to lay everything flat. For example, fold everything as little as possible so it fits across the whole suitcase – t-shirts can be folded in half just once or not at all depending on the size of your suitcase. Only roll clothing when you’re stuffing it into tiny nooks and crannies to fill unused space.
The better you use the space in your main suitcase, the fewer additional bags you’ll need to bring on your trip.
6. Take only the clothes you’ll actually use
Carefully consider what you need. If you don’t normally go through 5 different pairs of pants in a week at home, don’t pack that many pants for your trip. Only take what you’ll realistically use, and remember that you always have the option of buying a new shirt or pair of pants if needed or doing laundry.
Traveling light is easy
Traveling light is all about maximizing space and limiting what you pack. If you can master these two things, you’ll have less baggage to lug around on your travels.
