Best ways to pack lightly


You’re going on vacation which means you basically need to pack up everything you own and bring it with you, right? Wrong! Taking too much stuff on vacation is something that nearly all of us have been guilty of at some point in our lives. It’s hard to know what you might need when you’re on the other side of the world, so you just pack for every eventuality. However, rather than cramming your bag full and inevitably having to empty it and start again, just follow these tips.

Big isn’t best

Often, people will judge how much to take with them on vacation based on how much they can fit in their bag. The bigger it is, the more stuff they can fit in. With that in mind, you might be best off buying a smaller bag to offset your desire to take too much. If you can’t fit everything in, you’ll inevitably have to make sacrifices and pack only the most important things. Do this enough times, and you might finally be responsible enough to buy a bigger bag without fear you’ll fill it with more than you need.

Best ways to pack lightly

Think about what you wear

Clothes are usually the biggest problem when it comes to overpacking. In that case, you might want to think about the kind of things you’ll wear on your vacation. Certain materials like synthetics and insulating layers are a lot lighter than things like cotton. These won’t necessarily help if you plan on spending two weeks on the beach, but they’re great if you need to keep warm on your vacation. Plus, they won’t weigh you down, making it easier to pack light.

It’s all about versatility

Another thing to consider when it comes to clothes is whether or not they serve multiple functions. Try to pack anything that can be worn for numerous occasions, such as different weather conditions. The more purposes one set of clothes can cover, the less you’ll need to bring on your vacation. That goes for any other items that can be used in a variety of ways too. You’ll be amazed by how versatile some things can be.

Best ways to pack lightly

Be methodical about it

It’s all well and good saying you need to avoid packing anything you don’t need, but how do you work out what is and isn’t necessary? The best thing to do is lay everything out that you plan on taking and go through each item one by one. Tell yourself why you need it on your vacation, and throw out anything you’re uncertain about. Instead of assuming things will happen where you’ll need this, that and the other, try to be a little more optimistic. Otherwise, you’re going to end up packing your whole bedroom.

Packing usually ends up being the most stressful part of the vacation because you have no idea what to take. You don’t want to be in another country and find you left behind something you needed. However, it’s not something you should get yourself worked up about. It’s better to forget something than weigh yourself down with too much stuff.

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