When traveling, there is the tendency for us to pack lots of clothes and everything in our home with us. We rationalize it to ourselves that we don’t want to forget something important or get homesick. But if you plan to come back with a heavier luggage than you set out with, it is wise to pack light. Also, there is an acceptable travel luggage weight expected of travelers. Once you exceed that expected luggage weight, you might be required to pay extra by the transport agency. So it is always nice to pack light when traveling. Here are a few ideas on how to avoid over-stuffing your luggage with unnecessary items:

Take only the Clothes you need

Clothes have a way of bulking up our load. Chances are you may get gifted with clothes if you are visiting family or go shopping for clothes when you travel. So you can pack just a few clothes so there is room for more. Check the weather forecast of the place you are traveling to and pack accordingly. If it’s raining season, you know you’ll need a cardigan and an umbrella. If it is the dry season, you know you need to pack a few chiffon tops and Ankara shorts. Pack neutral colored clothes and two trousers you can mix and match. Choose clothes that you can easily wash and dry overnight if need be. The fear of laundry is usually one reason people pack excess clothes. Settle it in your mind that a little washing won’t hurt you. Last but not least, take shoes that go well with multiple outfits. That way you don’t pack over two or three pairs of shoes.

Select only a few items from your Beauty regime

Unless you are a professional makeup artist, there is no need to pack your entire make up box when traveling. A few compact items like foundation, powder, eye pencil, an eyeliner, two lipstick and a 4-in-1 eyeshadow pack would do. Shampoo, body wash, and multiple face creams can increase the weight of your bag. Use a smaller can to repackage these or you can buy sample-size of these items which is cheaper and smaller than the full size. You can get combo packs like a shampoo/conditioner combo, a concealer and highlighter pencil or a moisturizer with SPF 15; it will save you packing two sets of items.

Avoid packing unnecessary things

Try not to travel with expensive Jewellery or valuables. That way if your luggage gets stolen you won’t lose them. If you must take them, put them in your carry-on bag. Don’t show off with them by wearing them around to inexpensive places, it will attract the attention of thieves. There are things that are cheaper where you are than where you are going to like a roll of tissue, books or drugs. That should not be the reason why you pack heaven and earth when you are traveling. Remember luggage weight fees. There are also some gadgets that people are tempted to pack that have the ability to increase the weight of your luggage. Like neck pillows, large headphones, hairdryer, iron, extension cable, etc. Just select one or two very important items and leave the rest for later. Make up your mind to spend a little to get them there rather than traveling with them. Replace some items with alternatives like taking a tablet or smartphone with e-books rather than traveling with hardcopy books. Or choosing an all in one adapter rather than having multiple adapters per equipment. When you leave out certain things, you may find out, you never really needed them, to begin with.

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This article was first published on 7th May 2018 and updated on August 27th, 2018 at 1:41 pm

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