While traveling for a vacation is the best, packing is not that fun. Stuffing all your outfits into a small suitcase can be hectic. On top of it, we always tend to carry some things for just in case scenarios, for instance, extra underwear. That’s precisely the reason why 62 percent of Americans end up overpacking their bags.
Whether you are a planner or the last-minute packer who hopes that his luggage does not exceed the scale, this post is just for you. These tips will help you lighten your luggage and pack your bags like a pro.
Plan your wardrobe
Instead of putting in all you like, it’s better to plan your wardrobe according to the needs. For instance, packing your cutest short outfits while traveling during winter or in a colder region won’t make much sense. Instead, it would help if you carry a Guess hoodie or similar brands since they are comfy and inconspicuous.
It will also help if you take only the necessary quantity. There’s no point carrying five pieces of denim and four t-shirts for a 3-day trip. Thus, pack your wardrobe based on the trip requirements and not solely based on your liking.
Roll and fold
There are two standard techniques to fold your clothes: rolling and folding. While it is often said that rolling is better than folding, we will recommend going with a hybrid approach. It will give you the best of both packing methods.
Rolling soft garments is the most way to use up packing space. But rolling stiffer clothes will cause wrinkles on them. Hence, roll the delicate pieces made of non-wrinkling fabrics like nylon and fold the stiffer ones.
Avoid over or under packing
Neither pack too much nor pack too heavy. An apparent reason not to overpack while traveling in flight is to abide by the airlines carrying capacity limits. If you overfill your luggage, you will face challenges carrying it around during the travel.
While under packing will reduce the weight to lift, it will cause other problems. For instance, if you leave space in your suitcase, the clothes and accessories you tucked inside will crumple or might even break.
Keep the essentials accessible
There are always some essentials that you want no matter what. For some, these essentials are water and medication. For others, it can be the makeup kit. Regardless of your requirements, ensure keeping them on the top of your luggage or carrying them in a handbag.
Keeping the medication, water, and other essentials in the handbag will help avoid opening the luggage bag for every small thing.
Carry extra bags
It is evident that you will be shopping during your vacation. But that’s not the only reason to carry extra bags. You might also need them to pack your dirty clothes while returning. Bags such as additional totes or zip locks won’t take much space in your bag but can come in handy when required.
Use packing cubes
Using packing cubes is not essential, but it can help you make the most of every inch you have. You can use these tiny cubes to organize your luggage. For instance, you can have a separate cube for clothes and another one for shoes. With packing cubes, you won’t have to worry about crumpling items in your suitcase.
Pack your liquids separately
Packing your liquids separately is the best way to avoid any leakage problems. You never know how long your liquid bottle will withstand the constant movement. It can explode or leak at any time, thereby making your clothes wet.
You can use toiletries bags to pack your liquids. These bags are more durable than zip locks and can prevent the liquid from spreading to other parts of the suitcase. Hence, if you want to ensure dry clothes when you reach the destination, pack your liquids in toiletries.
Tuck dryer sheets between clothes
When packed tightly in a suitcase, clothes can end up smelling weird. Tucking a few dryer sheets between the clothes will keep the odor at bay. Don’t worry about the weight as they are super light. When you reach the destination, your bag will smell fresh and not weird.
Wear the bulkiest clothes
If you still can’t get the zip to close, the best thing to do is wear the bulkiest during your travel. Whether it’s a blazer or a coat, if you want to carry it but can’t get it into the bag, wear it. However, while wearing bulky clothes, ensure that it does not affect your fashion to a significant extent. You don’t want to look like a fool in front of everyone on the plane.
Packing bags is one of the most stressful parts of traveling. But it does not have to be that way. With the tips mentioned in this post, you will easily manage your packing well in advance without getting stressed about it.
