Have you ever gotten home from a trip away and noticed that half of your suitcase was full of things that you never used? This happens to pretty much everyone. We have a habit of packing for all of the scenarios that might occur, no matter how unlikely they actually are. Today, we are going to show you how to pack lightly for your world adventure so that you do not have to worry about carrying any unnecessary weight.
A Starting Point
Before you can even start to think about the items that you will pack in order to pack lightly, you need to get rid of the ‘unlikely scenarios’ mindset. It should be swiftly replaced with a ‘must have’ one, focusing on all of the things that you know that you will definitely need over the course of your trip. That way, you will not be stuck taking a hoard of things with you that you do not actually need.
It is also really important to start by downsizing if you currently travel with a large suitcase. You really should consider taking one that is carry-on sized, because that forces you to work with the space that you have available, meaning that you will simply have to prioritize things. Even people who usually take backpacks with them on their adventures tend to pack them to a point where the zip could easily burst open.
The backpack scenario is actually a really easy one to fix. You just have to go to the shop and buy a smaller backpack than the one that you were already thinking of using. You can then pack the smaller backpack to the point of bursting, sacrificing certain items along the way. Once you are all done, you can return all of the items in the smaller backpack to the one that you were already thinking of using.
This all ensures that your backpack is not over packed because it forces you to work with the space that was available in the smaller backpack. You can also return the smaller backpack to the shop once you have finished using it.
Packing
Once you have worked out exactly how much space you have got to work with, you need to start thinking about all of the important items that you would like to pack. Remember to keep your mindset stuck in ‘must have’ mode. There is one thing that you should know before you start packing.
In order to make things even easier for yourself, you should pack anything that is slightly heavy towards the bottom of your suitcase. This is because it is easier to roll a suitcase around when the weight inside is directly above the wheels, especially when you are traveling through long airport corridors. This will also stop your suitcase from being knocked off balance.
Packing Rule 1: Be careful with your clothes.
Have you ever been on holiday and forgotten to wear some of the items of clothing that you had packed in your suitcase? This is something that most of us are guilty of because we tend to pack for an array of different circumstances. When you come to pack your clothing, you should try to make sure that all of the items that you are taking are items that you will definitely wear.
You should also make sure that all of your items are small, lightweight and consume only a little bit of space. Anything that takes up a lot of space will be detrimental. You should also make sure that you only ever pack enough clothes to last you for a single week, regardless of how long you will actually be going away for.
It might sound a little bit silly to only take enough clothes to last for a week if you are going away for months, but it actually makes a lot of sense. It will be much easier for you to find somewhere to wash and dry your clothes than it will be for you to carry around all of the items of clothing that you would need for the duration of your trip.
Packing Rule 2: Do you really need all of those toiletries?
Try to find out beforehand whether or not the places that you will be sleeping at will stock items like shampoo, conditioner, soap, and toothpaste. If not, then you should consider whether or not you will be able to purchase them when you arrive at each of your destinations. You should also try to avoid taking heavy items like a hair dryer with you because most places will have one that you can use.
Packing Rule 3: Are all of those electronics really necessary?
It can be really tempting to take all of our home comforts with us when we go on an adventure, but are they really necessary? You need to think about what you really need and what you will definitely use while you are travelling. Chances are, you will definitely need to take your mobile phone, a charger and possibly an adapter for your charger.
The other electronics that you will need depend entirely on the sort of adventure that you are intending on having. If you would like to take photographs, then it would be a good idea to pack your camera, a charger, all of your accessories and a laptop or a tablet in a separate handheld bag. That way, you can easily view your photographs on the go and you can keep everything under the seat in front of you on an airplane.
Packing Rule 4: A different set of rules for backpackers.
If you are packing in order to go backpacking, then a slightly different set of rules applies to you. Most backpackers tend to stop off and go camping in a variety of different places so you will need to think about what will be the best ultra-light sleeping bag for you. You also need to make sure that you have the space needed to carry an array of ultralight backpacking gear. Otherwise, you are going to end up carrying something that is simply too heavy.
What are you waiting for?
There are millions of adventures to be had out there so you should go and have some of your own. As long as you keep your mindset stuck in a ‘must have’ mode you will be absolutely fine when it comes to packing all of your things. Just remember that anything that is not absolutely necessary should not be found tucked away in your suitcase or your backpack.
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