Packing Light

Vacation packing tips.

Packing Light for carefree traveling. Vacation packing tips for packing suitcase, duffel or carry on bags because "traveling light", is the number 1 tip shared by all veteran travelers.

The savvy voyager is traveling light. Here's How!

traveling light

If you want more from your vacation the best travel packing advice we can pass on is to pack less. Liberating yourself from cumbersome baggage will allow you the freedom to enjoy the journey without the restraints of babysitting stacks of luggage at every stop.

The art of packing light has been perfected over the years by experienced voyagers many of whom never check a bag. It is possible to travel with nothing but carry on luggage and still have everything you need.

Here are some packing light tips to keep your luggage manageable.

Check With Your Airline
Check for current luggage restrictions and allowable dimensions.
Start With a Durable, Light Weight Bag
Avoid a lot of zippers, caribiners and hardware that add weight to your luggage without adding function. Every extra ounce your bags themselves weigh is an ounce of gear you won't be able to include. Duffel bags are perfect, the bag itself weighs very little.
Pack the Absolute Necesseties First
Medications, contact lens materials, hearing aid batteries, passports....all the things you can not travel without go into the bag first. If you have any room left over after that you can take some clothes.
Minimize Clothing
The easiest way to minimize your clothing is to choose a neutral color pallette (black, khaki, white or cream work well) for your basic wardrobe (pants, jacket/sweater, skirt, capris, shorts, dress) then add sizzling accessories to spice them up like brightly colored t-shirts, scarves, ties, beads... Choose lightweight wrinkle resistant fabrics that wash easily and dry quickly.
Plan to Launder Some Items
Make use of hotel laundry facilities or rinse out clothes in your room and hang to dry. Take along an inflatable hanger to help maintain the shape of drying clothes.
Wear Your Bulkiest Clothing on The Plane
Rather than pack the chunky shoes and the cumbersome sweater, plan to wear them while you travel.
Take Some One Way Items
Pack some older, comfortable clothes and shoes that are nearing the end of their life, particularly if you intend to make purchases during your trip. Donate or discard these items and replace them with purchases of new clothes and gifts or just make your load lighter for the return trip. Any remaining shampoos, lotions, toothpastes, etc., can also be left behind.
Consider Cargo
If this is a long trip that will take you through different climates consider shipping things home once they're no longer needed.
Limit Shoes
No more than 2 pairs of shoes, 1 comfortable pair for walking and 1 dressy pair for evening wear.
Avoid Denim
If you must take denim clothing keep it to a minimum and wear it on the plane. Denim is one of the heaviest fabrics, is not easily hand washable and takes forever to dry.

The savvy traveler looks like they know what they're doing (even if they don't) and nothing ruins that impression more than too much luggage.

Our vacation packing checklists will get you off to a good start. By no means are we suggesting that everything on the list should accompany you on your trip. The list offers suggestions from which you should make careful selections.

In light of tougher airline luggage restrictions, hair dryers, irons, shoe wardrobes and kitchen sinks are not going to make the cut.

Pack only what you can carry yourself.

If you need a porter or a yak to help with your bags you've got too much stuff. Aside from being a real drag through airports, into taxis, busses, trains, up stairs, into elevators, along cobbled roads, too much luggage makes you look like a novice traveler which, unfortunately, is exactly what some unsavoury characters look for when choosing a victim.