7 Tips That Will Help You Pack Light

Are you struggling with packing every time you go on a trip? Do you find yourself coming back from your vacation with back pain from carrying all your luggage?

Well, we understand the struggle!

We have actually always been the kind of travelers that pack light and always think that less is more, but we have been on vacation with family members that are probably the heaviest packers that we know.

And it is a struggle. A REAL struggle.

Not only for them but for everyone. On those trips there were always extra fees to be payed, luggage that would not fit or was too heavy.. the list goes on.

So, why should you travel light?

For us, the most important factor is that you get to travel stress-free! You will be able to travel with your cabin sized pack in sight, without the need to wait for your luggage once you reach your destination (and not risk loosing it). 

And, it is cheaper, with no extra fees for checked luggage! All you need to do is book your trip and you are off for an adventure. When you’ll arrive, well.. it will be easier to unpack and just as easy to pack back again! How cool is that? 

So, with that said, these are our top tips that will hopefully help you pack light for your next trip!

#1 It all starts with your bag!

For us, using a backpack to travel is a no-brainer. Because they are often much smaller than a suitcase, you will be forced to be more choosy with what you pack.

Backpacks are also the most practical option if you intend on using a lot of public transportation on your way to the airport and at your destination, as well as on rail trips that require you to change trains very often. 

Having your belongings always on you will also make you feel more at ease, rather than having to drag them around with only one hand. You’ll also have less of a risk of someone making a run for it with your luggage. Backpacks are specially helpful when visiting European hill side towns with a lot of ups and downs, tiny streets where cars are not allowed and apartment buildings that often don’t come with elevators!

Something to keep in mind:

Beware if you intend to travel within Europe and to take advantage of some of the low-cost airlines: They will often require you to pay an extra fee to bring a carry-on luggage with wheels on board of the plane! If you don’t want to pay extra, you’ll need a backpack.

#2 Stick to a packing list.

When travelling light, a packing list is your best friend! After all, it will keep you in check and help you avoid the struggle of packing clothes “just in case”.

Once you have made your list, lay down all the items on a flat surface like your floor or bed and rethink everything you have selected this far. Ask yourself the question “why do I need this item?”. If any of the answers start with “what if..”or “it might be useful for..”, you might not really need to bring it with you. Of course this is easier said than done, but avoid adding unnecessary items to your pack.

#3 Remember the importance of “mix and matching”.

When deciding which clothes to bring on your trip, think that most items should match everything else you have packed. 

Pick colours that go well together and maybe one or two items that perform a double duty. 

A good example of this is a sarong: you can use it as a beach cover, or a shoulder cover when visiting mosques and religious sights. It can be used as a beach towel, a head scarf or even just as a scarf that you can use to protect you from the sun. The options are endless and on top of that it is extremely light.

Pro tip:

When travelling in the winter months, look for merino wool clothes. They are compact, light, and very easy to layer. These clothes will keep you warm in cold weather and won’t smell, making them super practical when traveling. The brand we recommend the most is IceBreaker: although pricier, it really lasts a lifetime if well taken care of.

#4 Don’t overpack shoes! 

When travelling you won’t need your full collection of shoes. Trust us, you don’t.

Usually we will always travel with 2 pairs of shoes each, maximum 3. 

What works for us the best is to always bring a comfortable pair of sneakers (usually that’s the pair we will use on the flight), and sometimes a nice pair of shoes for special occasions. 

• For beach destinations we would opt to bring a pair of sneakers and flip flops. In this case, sandals could be a good third pair if necessary.

• For winter destinations we would normally swap the sneakers for a pair of boots, and generally that would be enough. An extra pair of sneakers could be a good option for warmer days.

Try it for yourself, as these are just our preferences. Once you start travelling light you will know exactly what works for you and it will become easier to decide which pairs of shoes you really need.

#5 Wear heavy and bulky items when you fly.

If you are taking a jacket on your trip, you should consider wearing it when you fly. The same applies for jumpers, heavy trousers or shoes. 

By doing this, you avoid having to pack these heavy and bulkier items on your backpack, allowing you to make space for all the other items on your list and eventual souvenirs you will get during your trip.

(It goes without saying that you shouldn’t layer yourself until you look like the Micheline Man, just enough to lighten your bag!)

Pro tip:

Consider packing a ultralight daypack. Having an extra backpack to store bulky items once you pass the security checks at the airport can be quite handy. Also, these compressible backpacks are super useful as a shopping bag, a dirty laundry bag or even as a small backpack when you are out and about.

#6 Take advantage of packing cubes and small containers.

We only started using packing cubes regularly in the last year. Before we would just compartmentalise our clothes and electronics into tote bags or small zipper pouches. It worked fine, but nothing beats packing cubes, specially when it comes to compressing items of clothing. Nowadays we don’t go anywhere without them! 

You don’t even need to invest that much money to get good ones. Cheaper packing cubes do the job just as well as expensive ones, in our opinion. 

Pro tip:

Getting packing cubes in different colours and shapes will help you stay organised even with the smallest backpacks.

This is the model that we use from Decathlon (it comes in a pack of 3).

Reusing small containers is also a great way to organise your light pack. You can store any small items in them, such as medications, day creams or first aid essentials.

You might like to check out our article: 5 Everyday Items You Can Repurpose When Travelling.

#7 Do laundry at your destination!

This is something that we only started doing this year. And what a change! 

If you are planning a longer trip, like a multi-city trip for example, consider doing your laundry in a laundromat at your destination. You avoid having to pack too many clothes, and you don’t even need to worry about bringing your own detergent with you!

To plan in advance you can use Google Maps. Just type in “laundromat” and do the search in the area your are going to be staying in.

When planning longer trips our goal is to pack enough for 7 days. We then schedule a morning or afternoon to do our laundry and reuse the same items again (repeating this process if necessary).

These are the 7 most important tips we swear by in order to pack as light as we can for our trips!

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Until next time, we wish you safe travels!
Ana & Luca

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