It goes without saying that humans are some of the most curious beings ever. ‘Adventurous’ easily captures their nature of seeking new places and visiting them. With each passing day, many people tick off places they have visited from their bucket lists but that is really never enough to satiate their ‘travel craving’. Sometimes this travel becomes nightmarish. The weather decides to act up, financial constraints stand in the way of your fun and some trivial matter makes it hard for you to travel comfortably-packing-especially packing light.
Every so often, a trip may require you to dash somewhere for a couple of days or weeks. It is prudent to know exactly how to prepare for that short travel, in terms of packing, which will in turn save you so much money and time. You will travel comfortably and really enjoy your stay in the area you decide to visit. There is no such thing as cardinal rules to packing light, but here I will share with you some tips.
The weather
You are used to the perfect weather. The sun rises in the morning, the azure blue colour of the sky persists during the day then the sun sends its golden yellow rays as it sets in the evening. A light tee and probably a cardigan is all you need during such days. The area you are planning to visit may not necessarily have such a perfect weather but that does not mean that you will pack your entire wardrobe just in case the weather drastically changes and you will be forced to keep changing into suitable clothes for that weather. Carry only a jacket to keep warm in case of extreme cold at night. This you don’t have to pack in your bag as it will take up much space. You can either wear it or carry it.
Small back pack
A small backpack or a carry-on is ideal when you intend on packing light. The trick here is to ensure it is roomy enough to pack your travel essentials but small so as to pack a week’s worth of clothes. This should easy for you to carry on your lap or easy to place between your legs in a vehicle or a plane. A small backpack will be easy to carry in case you need to walk around. Avoid heavy bags that will make you stagger as you travel and are likely to cause you discomfort.
Toiletries
Many hotels will provide the toiletries you might need but carry some of your own in case these don’t match your preference. Carry only what you need. There is no need to carry your entire make-up kit while you will only end up using a fraction of that.
Gadgets
Depending on the nature of your travel, you may be required to carry gadgets like your laptop. If it is impossible to leave it behind, carry it but if you can carry lighter gadgets like your smartphone or tablet, then you will have saved on space and packed light. Smartphones pretty much operate like that laptop and you can do a ton of things from one. Instead of carrying hard copy documents, scan them and carry them in a hard drive or flash disk.
Clothes
Whether you will be away for a week or more than a week, carry clothes for a week only.
- You will not want to carry a heavy luggage by adding an iron box to your list. Choose clothes that are less likely to show wrinkles.
- Consider rolling as opposed to folding. Rolling will take up less space and avoid wrinkles.
- Carry clothes that dry quickly when cleaned.
- Carry enough pairs of socks, under garments and only a pair or two of shoes.
- Clothes that can be colour-coordinated are the best when packing light. You will need just one suit (preferably black) and different shirts that can go with it.
- Choose clothes that are versatile. For instance, a pair of trousers that has a zip at the knees and can be used as a short.
Packing list
This is probably the first thing you need to do but it also passes best as the last thing you need to do. Draw a list of all the things you think you will require and spread them out on mat. Pick the ones you need in order of their importance as you tick them off your list. This way, you will not forget anything plus you will have packed only what you need.
Travel: How to pack a suit jacket without wrinkling it
You are free to add some of the tips that work for you in the comment section below to also help other travellers.
