Organizing your belongings is one of the most frustrating parts of travelling. Even though you might want to take a lot of things with you on your trip, it’s not a good idea to do so because you might end up paying extra baggage fees when you get to the airport. You’ll also be forced to carry several heavy bags, which can hinder you from enjoying your vacation.
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That’s why a lot of seasoned travellers recommend downsizing your luggage. This way, you won’t have to deal with pesky airport baggage fees, and you’ll feel lighter when you walk around with your luggage. However, reducing the number of items in your luggage can be challenging, especially if you aren’t used to packing light. In this list, we’ll take a look at six travel hacks to help you downsize your luggage for your next trip.
Check the Weather
Researching the weather of your vacation destination can help you choose the right clothes to keep you cool or warm during your trip. If you’re going to a tropical destination, for example, you can pack clothes made from lightweight materials to help you stave off the heat. If your destination is a winter wonderland, however, you can focus on bringing insulated clothing and winterwear pieces that are easy to layer, so you can stay cosy and warm during your trip. When you pack appropriately for the weather, you won’t have to bring excess clothes that you won’t even wear.
Pack Clothes That are Easy to Mix and Match
To reduce the number of clothing items in your luggage, it’s smart to bring garments you can easily mix and match. Sticking to wardrobe essentials like women’s leggings, jeans, blouses, basic tank tops, and a stylish jacket should make it easy to coordinate your clothes with one another. By choosing your clothes carefully, you’ll be able to pack light and still have enough clothes to create a new look for each day of your trip.
Roll Your Clothes Instead of Folding Them
If you want to maximize your luggage space, it’s a good idea to roll your clothes instead of folding them. Rolled clothes occupy less space and are easier to grab from your bag, letting you bring a few more items while keeping things organized in your luggage. However, this packing method isn’t effective on bulky clothes like sweaters, jackets, and jeans. This is because if you roll clothes made from thicker fabrics, they’ll only get bulkier. For these types of clothing, it’s better to fold them instead of rolling them.
Buy Your Toiletries When You Arrive at Your Destination
Although you can bring travel-size toiletries, buying toiletries when you arrive at your destination might be more convenient. This hack comes in handy—especially if your trip will last over a week or so—because you won’t be limited by the airline’s liquid rule. You also won’t have to pack a toiletry travel bag, freeing up more space in your luggage. What’s more, you get to explore the local products offered at your destination, making your travel experience a little more interesting.
Take Advantage of the Appliances at Your Place of Lodging
When you’re looking for a place to stay for your vacation, be sure to check if the hotel room, guest house, or shared accommodation comes with appliances. This is important because if they provide you with appliances like a hair dryer, washing machine and dryer, and iron, you can leave a few items at home.
For example, if the accommodation you’ve booked has a washing machine and dryer, as well as an iron, then you won’t have to pack a lot of garments. You can use these appliances to wash and iron your clothes, so you can reuse your clothing items and keep them in good condition during your trip. This is good because the fewer clothes you bring, the more space you have in your luggage for your laptop and charger or for the souvenirs you’ll bring home.
Create a Checklist and Stick to It
To help you stay on track with your downsizing goal, you should create a travel packing checklist and stick to it. This list should contain all the essential items you need for your trip, from your important travel documents to the clothes you’ll bring. It’ll also serve as your reminder not to overpack. What’s more, this list can help you stay organized, so you won’t feel anxious as the date of your vacation nears.
Taking an international trip can be an enriching experience. However, it isn’t easy to enjoy your time off if your luggage is weighing you down. When you take too much stuff with you, you’ll have more things to worry about and you’ll be carrying more bags than you need to. You might also make the trip more expensive because of excess baggage fees. With the help of these tips, however, you can downsize your luggage and still have your travel essentials with you during your trip.