It is incredibly tempting and the result of many who pack, to pack every single item on the planet into their suitcase which doesn't end up fitting, so then they pack another bag which they then have to check, just to get to their destination and not need half the stuff they packed in the first place. It is quite literally an impossible task in the minds of some to pack light. They hear the word, "light" and they think that means sacrificing style and the convenience of having what they need, but it's quite the opposite. Packing light ensures that that suitcase of yours is going to zip up every time, that you don't have to deal with baggage claim, that you can fit in a souvenir or two on the trip back, and that you can move through an airport or location independently without the aid of extra carts of extra hands, who might have their own heavy luggage, to help you.
1. Packing Cubes are the Tetris of Packing Light
If you have never had the distinct pleasure of packing with packing cubes, you need to get on board immediately! Here is the thing about packing cubes: they allow you to pack the maximum amount of stuff in your luggage AND ensure that everything that went in, will absolutely fit right back in when you leave for your return trip.
The cubes are designed to perfectly fit the dimensions of your luggage and leave no unused space unless you want there to be. Once the clothes are inside they make it easy to transport with convenience handles and straps easily from your luggage to say a drawer in your hotel. You can use one packing cube for all your shirts, another for shoes, another for undies, another for...you get the point. If you are traveling with children or someone else, color coordinate each person with one cube color each, so you can easily tell what belongs to each person. They come in various sizes, and brands, most of them really good, and just making packing really efficient.
2. Create a Capsule Wardrobe
What is a capsule wardrobe you might ask? For the purposes of vacation packing, it is packing versatile enough, but minimal enough amounts of clothing that all mix and match together. So instead of packing 6 shirts and 6 bottoms that each are so different from one another that it's nearly impossible to mix and match, you pack 6 shirts and 6 bottoms that can easily mix and match with EVERYTHING in your suitcase so no matter what you pull out of your bag, you know you can wear anything in there along with it.
Yes, even on vacation, people waste valuable adventure time fretting over what to wear because they've just chucked in any old thing in there without purpose so that everyday they can only wear the one specific outfit only, and if that gets ruined or messed up, they are out of luck. Start with your basic solid color items, like a versatile white/black/blue top and/or bottoms, and then look for items in 1-3 colors choices whether solid or pattern that can easily be mixed together like red/white/blue, pink/grey/black, mustard yellow/maroon/khaki.
Don't think it's versatile enough, look at the examples above/below. Give yourself the options and the convenience of capsule wardrobe packing. You can turn just a few pieces into several outfits that allow you to seamlessly go from one day to the next without sacrificing your style. Also by doing this version of minimalist packing, it leaves room for you to shop, if you so desire, for other items on your trip.
3. Roll Your Clothing to Maximize Space
Learn how to roll your clothing the maximize the space in your luggage. Folding or worse, just dumping everything in is the biggest waste of space. If you're the type who "needs" to pack a lot, then cram more in with rolling whether or not you use packing cubes or not. Rolling also helps cut down on the amount of wrinkles in your clothing because you are not creating creases, but even so, in a lot of destinations you travel, hotels or family/friends will have an iron available, so pick your poison...more clothes, or more wrinkles, less clothing.
4. Travel Hacks
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