When going for a two-week trip, you should have nothing more than a backpack. There is no need to carry a massive suitcase on such a short vacation. It will only make your vacation more difficult and less spontaneous.
No, I am not talking about you taking just one pair of jeans, three tops, and no cute outfits.
When going on a trip, I want casual and comfortable clothes to visit the destination and cute outfits to go on dinners or partying. I want enough underwear, makeup and toiletries to take me through the trip.
Now, let’s be honest; you can easily end up with a massive luggage if you want to bring everything you need for the trip. However, just like anything else, you can learn to pack light for winter or summer and have an easy trip.
Looking for tips for packing light? Use the tips below.
Related: Reddit backpackers give tips on how to pack in a carry on for 10 days trip
1. Packing Light For International Travel: Pack Only the Must-Haves
The first rule of packing light is to take only the “must-haves” and never the “just-in-case.”
I learned this the hard way.
I am an avid reader. When I am at home, I have no problem reading; I do it every day. I, however, cannot bring myself to read when I am on a trip. I realized I could not read on vacation after taking books with me on several vacations and returning with them untouched. Before I let go, I knew I would not use the books, but I still carried them “just in case.”
To be fair, I got some cute aesthetic shots of me “reading by the beach,” …but I never actually read.
This is the same case with heels. I rarely wear them in my daily life. But when it was vacation time, I suddenly wanted to bring heels “just in case.” I never got a chance to wear them.
If you want to travel with a carry-on, you must let go of things you know you can do without.
Pack clothes that you wear every day. If you are a T-shirt and jeans person, you should go for this. You suddenly won’t need fancy dresses because you are on vacation.
Always go for things you use daily, and never what you imagine you will need.
2. How to Pack Light for Winter Travel : Pack in Layers and Not in Bulk
Traveling light in winter can be a challenge. You put one woolen coat in your backpack and it is full; you are left with no space for the rest of the items.
If it is a winter trip, you want to put on the bulky coat to save space in the bag.
Dress in layers that you can strip off when it gets warmer.
You can also style these layers individually to cover for the days to come.
Remember that multiple thin layers will take up less space than one bulky piece.
Read: Affordable birthday trip ideas to take
3.Make Sure Everything Goes With Everything
This starts right from the shoes up to the clothes.
If you bring sneakers, you want to leave behind the flashy ones that go with just one outfit.
Pick simple, versatile pairs that will match everything you are bringing.
Any blouse or shirt you pack should match all the trousers and vice versa.
This is one great way to create many outfits from a few clothes.
To do this, you are safe with neutral colors. You also want to bring outfits you can dress up and down easily.
Related: Budget Travel: Reddit users reveal where they would travel to with a budget of $1500.
4. Select the Shoes Wisely
Shoes occupy a huge space and are heavier than clothes. Besides, you cannot fold them to occupy a small space.
You need just two pairs of shoes for your two-week trip. Wear one pair, the bulkier option. This option could be sneakers or boots, depending on your trip type and the season.
The pair you pack should be versatile and light. Depending on the season and type of holiday, the second pair could be sandals, another pair of sneakers, flip-flops or loafers. Espadrilles are also an excellent option for backpacking or traveling light.
If anyone asked me for tips for packing light to Europe, I would tell them to leave the high heels at home; the cobblestones in most cities won’t let you thrive.
You want to ensure the shoe is versatile enough to match all your packed outfits.
5. Packing Light for International Travel : Build a Capsule Wardrobe for Traveling
A capsule wardrobe makes your daily life simple, as many items in the wardrobe are interchangeable. You will love how easy it will make your travel life.
Before we go any further, What is a capsule wardrobe? In case you are wondering, Susie Faux came up with the “capsule wardrobe” term in the 1970s to mean a wardrobe that contains a few essential items, such as skirts and pants, which can occasionally be supplemented with seasonal pieces.
Later, Donna Karan publicized her capsule wardrobe, which contained a bodysuit, a dress, something leather, a skirt, a white shirt, a tailored jacket and a cashmere sweater.
Donna says these seven pieces can have you go to your day job and wind -up in the evening.
Isn’t this what we want when traveling light? You want something you can go with to a museum, then slightly adjust to suit your night out.
The secret of creating a perfect capsule wardrobe is simplifying your color palette. Choose your color scheme and work everything around it. Capsule wardrobes primarily consist of white, black, brown and denim.
The goal is to ensure each piece in the wardrobe goes with everything else.
6. Use Packing Cubes
Packing cubes have lots of advantages. You can fit more in a smaller space with them. They compress clothes and items to ensure they easily fit in your backpack.
You will also like how organized they can help you be. Traveling with a backpack, you will need to separate dirty clothes from clean ones. Packing cubes can sort this out for you.
You will also know what to pack and leave behind when packing with cubes.
If you have one packing cube of t-shirts, one for pants, and another for underwear and makeup, you will know to leave behind items, not on your packing list.
7. How to Pack Light for Overseas Travel: Use a Sizeable Backpack
When traveling light, go with one bigger backpack or suitcase instead of several smaller ones.
This is especially advantageous if you are traveling with children or would like to try some spontaneous activities while on the trip.
Many budget travel influencers recommend getting a small bag or suitcase so that you can fit in just what you want. They say that if you have a bigger bag, you will most likely get tempted to fill the extra space with things you do not need.
While it is excellent advice, I do not entirely agree with it. When traveling, I want some space left to return with some souvenirs.
I suggest creating a packing list and sticking to it to avoid bringing items you do not need.
8. Minimize Toiletries
Leave toiletries behind if you will be in the middle of the jungle or use particular products. Otherwise, you can always buy shower gel, lotion, shampoo and other products at your destination.
Also, if you are staying in hotels, you will most likely have these products provided. There is no need to carry huge bottles of toiletries when you get them at your destination.
However, if you have to carry them, you can use small travel bottles for your toiletries.
These will help you carry just what you need for the trip.
9. Minimize the Devices You Take
Whether you like reading while on the move, or you are a digital nomad that would like to get some work done, get a tablet or an iPad you can use while on the move.
A smaller device that contains all forms of entertainment would help you ditch the hundreds of books, a bulky laptop and other forms of entertainment that will make your luggage heavy and oversized.
A small tablet or an iPad with a power bank will be good enough if you want to travel light.
10. Wash your clothes while on the go.
Last on our best tips of how to travel light, is to wash clothes while on the move.
You do not have to carry clothes for each day of the trip. You can repurpose clothes and wash them on the trip.
Wash light clothes in the sinks, let them dry, and wear them.
Also, make good use of hotel laundrettes to wash your clothes. It is often a cheap and effective way to always have clean clothes and shoes.
Also, you should favor clothes with fabric that dies, not creases, unless you are sure you will find an iron while on the move.
Wrapping Up: How to Travel Light
Traveling light comes with a lot of advantages. For instance, you can easily and comfortably use public transport at your destination. You will not have to take a taxi to and from the airport because you have two large suitcases. You also save yourself from paying for the extra baggage on planes.
I, however, like to pack light because light luggage allows me to be more spontaneous on the trip. For instance, if I have a flight later in the day, I can pick up my backpack and visit a museum before heading straight to the airport. Or go to a restaurant. Or, I can take a short day trip from the city. You, however, will have to think twice about such spontaneous activities if you have two large suitcases.
Use the tips above to bring what you need and travel with a carry-on.
