|  «Back To Articles

Travel Tips for Packing Light

Traveling can be equal parts exciting and stressful. From the coordinating to the planning, there are a lot of moving parts to take care of to make sure that your trip goes off without a hitch. Now that you’ve purchased the tickets and made a hotel reservation, there’s only one thing left to do: pack your bags.

It’s rare that we go on a trip and find that we have packed just the right amount. We have either over-packed to the point where we have a hard time carrying everything that we’ve brought (and are paying luggage fees on every leg of the journey if we’re flying), or we’ve forgotten something critical (phone charger, toothbrush, clean underwear). It’s more difficult than it seems to strike that elusive balance of being thorough, yet packing light.

That’s where we come in.

There is an art to keeping your suitcase light while also ensuring you have everything you need on your trip. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, these packing tips will keep you well-equipped without adding extra weight.

Make an Itinerary

It’s much easier to plan your attire when you have a good idea of what you’re going to be doing on your trip. If you’re headed to the beach, you don’t need much more than a couple bathing suits and some suntan lotion. Traveling for business? Pack a suit or two and a couple shirts to keep your outfits fresh. Having an itinerary and a plan of what you’ll be doing will stop you from over-packing for "what ifs."

Travel Essentials First

The issue that most people run into when trying to pack light is that they forget something important. In the rush of trying to decide how many blazers you need for your weekend trip, something vital gets left out. One way to guard against that is to pack the most essential items first. You probably won’t need three different blazers, but you’re definitely going to need a belt. Once you’ve got the essentials checked off your list you can move on to planning how many outfits you actually need.

Mix and Match

Brainstorm creative ways to reuse certain pieces of an outfit to reduce the amount of clothing you pack. Instead of packing four distinct outfits, travel with a small assortment of separates and craft different ensembles. A single pair of khaki pants can be suitable for multiple events depending on what you pair it with. A shirt, tie, and blazer will have you appropriately dressed for a classy outing, whereas a polo shirt and a pair of loafers will keep you stylish and comfortable at a casual event.

You don’t have to lug around multiple suitcases to be stylish. Learn to pack light and give your wallet, and your arm muscles a much needed break!