If you are anything like me, you will understand the annoyance of packing. Especially because I am a “light packer,” I have to go through this tedious process where I have to sort in my mind what is essential and what should remain at home. Among my peers, I am renowned for my light-packing skills. When I went to Toronto in April for a week, everyone else had lugged around a suitcase for check-in. I, on the other hand, had a mere carry-on to last me the whole week. So you could say I am somewhat of an expert in packing light.
Here are some of the tips I have gathered over the years to help me pack light:
- Versatility– When you are choosing outfits, choose pieces that you can mix and match. As you are planning your outfits, try to think of how you can use a specific amount of clothes to plan an array of different outfits. It will surprise you how many outfits can arise from just 5 different pieces of clothing.
- Outfit of the day– On the day that you are travelling, try to wear all of your heavier/larger garments, like a chunky sweater and boots, for example. This will conserve both weight and space that you can use for other pieces.
- Bottom heavy– Place your heaviest clothing at the bottom of the suitcase. For example, things like jeans and heavier tops should go at the bottom to create a solid foundation for the rest of your clothing. This is also to prevent any wrinkling of softer things, like cotton t-shirts.
- Silky smooth– If you have nicer items, like these silk pieces, fold them lightly and place them on the top. This will minimize any wrinkling. Beware of placing them too close to the zipper, as they may get caught.
- Shoes, shoes, shoes– I know you may want to have a variety of shoes with you, but in reality, all you will really need are a sturdy pair of shoes that you can trust to be both comfortable and cute.
When it comes to packing light, all you need to do is differentiate between need and want. It is like a diet, choose what is absolutely essential and get rid of the excess desires. By all means, it is not bad to indulge in a piece or two of a slightly more irrational piece of item, but ultimately, packing light means you have to make sacrifices. Wherever you are jetting off to, I hope these tips help you in your mission to packing light.