Traveling light reduces all kinds of travel stresses. You don’t have to worry about standing in long lines to check-in luggage or lug heavy bags up and down the airport. You have fewer things to worry losing, and you find yourself having greater mobility with lesser luggage. The following 15 tips teach you how to lighten up the luggage and really enjoy the trip!
1. BUY BASIC ESSENTIALS AT YOUR DESTINATION
Pack only those things you absolutely cannot buy at your destination and purchase the rest. You can purchase toiletries, underwear and so on. If you’re traveling to a cold weather place, carry layering items with you and buy a fleece jacket for cheap at a thrift store.
2. DON’T CARRY BOOKS
Books and magazines add to your carryon luggage bulk. Buy all books and maps secondhand at your destination and dispose of them before your return journey. For those books you want to read during your trip, load your iPad or Kindle with e-book versions and lighten up your load.
3. DECIDE WHAT TO WEAR EACH DAY
Chart out the number of days you’re going to be away and the occasions for which you need to dress. Take the appropriate clothes and see if you can wear the same clothing more than once. Take more accessories than basic clothing so that you can repeat clothes with different accessories and achieve different looks.
4. BUY A LIGHTWEIGHT SUITCASE
Discard old heavy luggage and get yourself a lightweight, polished fiberglass suitcase. Alternatively, opt for a holdall or a sports bag that can be locked. These bags hold a lot more since they’re flexible.
5. CARRY ONLY A CARRYON
Save the trouble of checking in baggage and worrying about baggage loss by packing your essentials into a carryon bag. You can use a bag that is 7″ x 14″ x 20″ as carryon luggage.
6. AVOID TROLLEY WHEELS
Bags that come with pullout handles and trolley wheels are a bother to store, occupy a lot of space and are heavier than a sports holdall. Plus, the wheels and handle keep getting in the way when you want to make a smooth exit from the plane.
7. TAKE CLOTHES THAT CAN BE EASILY LAUNDERED
Buy clothes that don’t wrinkle, don’t need ironing and can be rolled into small packages. These clothes should either be machine washable or hand washable. Don’t depend on hotel laundry; save the costs and rinse things out in the hotel bathtub.
8. LEAVE GADGETS BEHIND
Take just a smartphone or an e-book reader along if they don’t take too much space. Leave your laptop, headphones and all such gadgets behind if you want to travel light. You can connect to the internet from any cyber café at your destination, so you don’t really need your laptop.
9. TAKE MULTI-PURPOSE CLOTHING
Pack clothing that can be used in different ways. For example, a colorful sarong can double as a quick towel, a beach cover-up, an evening skirt, a makeshift bag, a sheet or a scarf. A colorful, sequined throw can become an evening wrap, a skirt or a tube dress and so on. Use your imagination.
10. MAIL YOUR PURCHASES
You’re bound to shop for souvenirs and have much more to bring back. One idea to explore is to mail all purchases to the recipients before you leave. Check the costs for this and use cheap but sure carriers to forward your stuff.
11. CARRY OLD CLOTHES
Take a few old clothes that you don’t mind discarding when the trip is over. This way, you’ll have that much space free in your bag for valuable things you want to bring back, things that you cannot mail home.
12. PACK HIGH-TECH FABRICS
High tech fabrics like knit memory polyester and spandex dry out very quickly, does not wrinkle and can be rolled up. You can easily get away with taking just two pairs of socks or two dresses, by rinsing them out every alternate day.
13. PACK LIGHTWEIGHT SHOES
Pack easy slip on shoes in lightweight, flexible leather. These can be squeezed into a small plastic bag and shoved into a corner. Wear your sturdy sneakers on your plane journeys.
14. USE HOTEL AMENITIES
If you’re going to be staying at a hotel, check for in-house amenities such as toiletries, hair dryer, towels, iron and board and so on. Remove all these items from your packing list. You can save a great deal of space.
15. INVEST IN A TRAVEL PACK
Invest in a travel pack which combines the features of a backpack and soft-side luggage. These bags come with light weight internal frames, top handles and backpack straps. They are light, easy to carry and easy to pack. Plus, if you decide to go backpacking at your destination, you’re all set with your one piece of luggage.
Teena writes for gift ideas Company that offers a large range of thrilling gift ideas for men and women all across Australia.
