Any word associated with “over” almost always comes with a negative connotation like what they often say, too much of anything will do you no good.
In traveling, what we want to avoid is overpacking. Why? Let us count the ways.
When you overpack, you tend to bring things that aren’t really necessary for the trip. Oftentimes, we end up tiring ourselves for carrying too much stuff when, in fact, we can survive with just a few items in our luggage.
Muscle strains and additional cost for baggage are just two of the most obvious reasons why overpacking should be a no-no.
I’ve been an over-packer my whole life; that’s why learning the KonMari method has changed my life drastically. It made me realize that I need to leave behind a couple of pouches filled with irrelevant items for the trip.
Whoever said “less is more” is definitely right when it comes to traveling, and he or she probably had to pay exorbitant fees for the excess baggage at the airport check-in counter.
To inspire you to avoid paying extra for excess baggage that shouldn’t have happened in the first place, if only you didn’t bring too much stuff, we’ve listed down the things that you can follow so as to avoid overpacking the next time you fly out for a trip.
Table of Contents
Don’t Pack to Capacity
Just because your luggage is big doesn’t mean you have to fill it to the brim. One or two items of emergency clothes may be acceptable, but to bring two extra pieces of clothing for each day of your stay is uncalled for.
Learn to say no to the things that won’t make your trip easy and hassle-free. If you haven’t decided what to bring yet, just sleep it over and do it the next day instead. Sleep might give you a fresh perspective on why you should not overpack.
Make a Checklist
Making a checklist is a must when it comes to packing for a trip. It may look like it’s an obsessive-compulsive behavior to you, but it really just means you need to organize your stuff before you put them inside your suitcase.
At least with a checklist, you will know what really needs to be in your bag. Follow your checklist. You can edit out items and add new ones, but make sure to stick with it. Don’t fool yourself into making a list if you don’t have plans of following it.
Pick the Right Luggage
If you’re only going to be away for just a couple of days, let’s say for five days, a huge suitcase is not always the perfect choice unless you’re there for special occasions that call for several more items of clothes and goodies.
Try choosing a fairly-sized suitcase. It will give you the right mindset to only bring essentials given the time frame and purpose of the trip.
Roll Them Up
Folding clothes and stacking them inside your luggage is so last season. Rolling them up is a new way to maximize the space inside.
Socks and belts can be paired together and then roll them up as tightly as possible to minimize the space they will take up inside the suitcase. I’ve mentioned the KonMari method above and how it changed the way I look at packing.
If you’re curious as to how it works, here’s one trick I’ve learned from Marie Kondo, roll your clothes into a triangle shape and sit them beside each other vertically. It’s space-efficient, and it will also protect your clothes from too much wrinkling.
Mix and Match
Because you’ve only brought a handful of clothing items, this is the part where your creativity will be tested. Mixing and matching of fashion pieces is the fun part. Just don’t forget to bring classic items like solid-colored shirts and dresses. They will save from any fashion emergency crisis, trust me.
Pack Ahead of Time
Hours before your trip is not a good time to procrastinate. If you really want to make sure that you don’t leave any important thing behind, pack days ahead of your trip.
Go back to your list and pack everything that’s on it. It could make a lot of difference when it comes to your disposition right before you take the trip. If you’re well prepared and have everything with you, it’s likely that you’ll enjoy the trip with fewer worries and conflicts.
But if you pack your stuff into your luggage a few hours before you go to the airport, imagine the stress, the panic and the horror of not being able to make in time because you decided not to do it earlier.
Pack Only Travel Size Toiletries
Big ass shampoo bottles and a whole tube of toothpaste can take up space inside your luggage. Not only will it add to the weight of your baggage, but it also has a tendency to spill across your other belongings, and no one wants that! It’s messy, and it’s a stressful thing to handle.
The best that you can do for your toiletries is to prepare them in travel sizes. There are available bottles in the market with different sizes. You can choose which one fits your toiletry pack best.
Wear Your Bulky Items
This is a trick that you can try the next time you go out for a trip. That thick jacket on your list of items to bring? Wear that to the airport. Layer it up with a blouse underneath and a scarf on top of it if you must.
And that chunky boots of yours? Instead of squeezing them inside your luggage, just wear them.
Traveling light is a revolution we should start paying attention to. So instead of thinking emergency cases that are unlikely to happen during a trip, save your back or your arms from the trouble of having to carry a piece of heavy luggage. Let’s all say no to overpacking!
