Traveling can be stressful and the tendency to throw extra clothing, beauty products, and tech items in your suitcase is natural. If you want to lighten your suitcase, there are some simple tips you can use to stay organized and keep your bag light. No point getting an extra baggage fee.
Here are some helpful tips when packing:
1. Pack a week’s worth of clothes, even if your trip is longer. If your trip is longer than a week, you send out laundry at the hotel.
2. Try not to overpack shoes. This can be challenging so I recommend limiting the number of pairs of shoes to three. This will cover sneakers for working out, casual shoe for site seeing and walking about and a dress shoe for dressing up. One way to save space when packing shoes is to place socks and small items inside the shoes or use packing cubes to keep shoes separate from the rest of your belongings. You can also wear the largest pair of shoes to save space in your suitcase.
3. Planning your wardrobe is another great way to avoid overpacking. Make a list of every outfit you’re packing for day, night, and events/activities. Planning your outfits will also ensure that you don’t forget necessary items for certain activities.
4. Whether it’s black, navy, or olive green, choosing one basic color to coordinate your wardrobe around is very helpful. This will save space without sacrificing style. You can also mix and match your outfits. You can use the 3:1 clothing ratio. For every pair of bottoms, you pack three tops to go with it. It is helpful to layout the outfit options before packing. The visual element will help you pare things down and plan outfits more easily.
5. Rolling your clothing can sometimes save space in your suitcase, but it’s important to think about fabrics when you’re deciding how to fold your clothing. It’s best not to role items that will wrinkle easily. Keep cotton shirts and similar fabrics flat, while synthetic materials can easily be rolled up without wrinkling.
