Traveling to your bucket list destinations and having a great time requires ample preparations. Being well prepared involves finding intelligent ways to travel light while carrying all your essential items.
Packing light is one of the biggest challenges most people face when traveling. You may feel the need to carry many items, anticipating how they might come in handy. However, this leaves you with hefty luggage that will eventually become a drag.
To help you travel smart and light in 2022, here are our go-to tips that you should try for your next trip.
Pack in Advance
The best way to plan for light travel is to pack in advance to avoid frantic last-minute rushes. When rushing, you’ll pack many things that may take up space for no reason. Therefore, take your time to pack in advance to ensure that you carry essential items.
A great way to do this is to lay out all the items you intend to carry and evaluate them before packing them into your bag. Then, after seeing all your things together, you can assess what is missing and remove what is not needed.
Have a Checklist
A checklist is a great tool to have when packing for any trip. It will help you ensure that you have everything and only stick to what you need. To come up with a checklist, you’ll need to consider the destination you’ll be traveling to, the weather, the duration of the trip, and other essential factors.
Your packing list will also prompt you to buy your things in advance to avoid spending a lot of money buying from the airport. Therefore ensure that you come up with a well-curated checklist for every trip to help you pack smart and light.
Invest in Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are incredible when it comes to organizing your backpack or suitcase. They help you categorize all the items and pack them in specific cubes before placing them in your bag.
They offer a great way to help you know where each item is and avoid disarranging your luggage each time you are looking for something. Investing in such accessories for your travel backpack is an excellent way for you to travel smart.
Additionally, your packing cubes can help you reduce the items you choose to carry on your trip. You will need to pack things that will fit into your cubes without making them bulky and adding more weight to your luggage.
Make Use of Your Carry-on Bag
Carry-on bags offer an incredible option for you to travel light. You can ditch the large suitcases and additional bags and opt for a simple carry-on bag. This is a great option, especially if you plan to travel for a few days.
You can carry a few clothes and toiletries in your carry-on bag and comfortably travel with less luggage but with all your essentials.
Additionally, with a carry-on, you won’t have to worry about waiting for your bags after alighting the plane or dealing with lost luggage. Instead, you get to move along quickly and begin your adventure.
However, if you’ll be traveling for a more extended period and need a suitcase, ensure that your carry-on also helps carry some items. This is a great way to distribute things to avoid carrying a larger bag or two smaller suitcases.
Layer on Clothes for Your Flight
Layering clothes is a great way to avoid taking up space in your bag. Wear your warmer clothes for the flight to ensure that you have access to warm clothes when needed during your trip.
Warmer clothes tend to take up a lot of space in the suitcase and add a bit of weight to the luggage. Therefore, if you can avoid that by layering adequately for your flight, you’ll be traveling lighter with a smaller suitcase.
Be Smart with Your Shoe Collection
It is pretty tempting to carry different shoes for different days and occasions. However, it would be best if you remembered that traveling light is better and more fun. Therefore be smart with the shoe collection you choose to carry with you.
A great way to pack the best shoes for any trip is by looking at comfort and convenience. Carry a pair of sneakers to help you comfortably move around, and pack a pair of sandals and classy shoes for going to restaurants and occasions.
You can wear the sneakers during your flight, pack the sandals in your carry-on bag, and keep your classy shoes in your suitcase. This is a great way to distribute the shoes to ensure that your luggage is light and easy for you to travel with.
