Several years ago I had to take one for the team and join my daughter in Italy to be her travel partner. It was a hard pill to swallow but I took it like a big girl and had a great time. In preparation for the trip I got some tips from a friend on traveling light. Those tips changed how I pack and I have embraced the packing light method ever since. Here are some tips on how to pack light.
Get a Good Bag
First of all, get a bag that is good and preferably lightweight. I opted, on my friends recommendation, to get a Cotopaxi Allpa 42 Liter backpack. They aren’t cheap but they are worth the money. You might even be able to find one on FB Marketplace or a similar selling site. I cannot say enough good about this backpack. It unzips and opens like a suitcase and has great compartments for storing and organizing. At first, I was a little concerned that I would not be able to keep track of where I put things but I quickly realized that this was not a problem. I just put things in the same pockets, etc. each time I travel and have gotten used to where everything is. Just think of it like a traveling dresser. In addition to a large and small compartment for clothing, there is a sleeve for electronics that you can easily access from the outside of the bag. You can also easily access the large clothing compartment of the backpack from a single zipper on the side without opening the whole bag. This makes it easy to pull out a jacket or anything else that you might want. There is also a great pocket at the top of the backpack to stash your quart sized bag of liquids for ease at security check points. While the Cotopaxi Allpa obviously isn’t a vault, it does have a way to secure the zippers which keeps them from easily being opened allowing for peace of mind. Another advantage of the backpack is ease in getting around while using public transit, walking on cobblestone or other uneven surfaces, and trekking up and down stairs. Dragging a suitcase in these instances can be tricky. That being said, I can also understand if you don’t want to carry 20 pounds (or more) on your back. If this is the case, find a lightweight carry-on with quality wheels. I am currently in the market for a new carry-on suitcase after having two suitcases that ended up with lopsided wheels rendering the suitcase unable to roll. It’s more a drag along case now. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Sometimes I do prefer a suitcase over my Cotopaxi even though I love it with my heart and soul.
Take Fewer Clothes and Shoes
This can be a hard one. I believe in you though. You can do it. Let’s face it, you can wear the same pair of pants or shorts for 2 or even 3 days without laundering them. Shirts, on the other hand may be a different story and underwear, well, your brother might say you can wear them inside out and then backwards to get more than one day’s wearing but I am not about to do that. For a seven day trip, you can make do with three pairs of pants or shorts or 3 skirts that match with most of your shirts. You can bring 7 shirts and a zip up or cardigan sweater for when it gets chilly. You can even take fewer shirts if you do laundry part way through your trip. You’ll of course need 7 pairs of underwear and socks if necessary as well as a pair of pajamas. Bring things that you really like. If it’s in the budget, go shopping for a couple of versatile pairs of pants or skirts to help you with having things that coordinate with everything. If your trip is longer than 7 days you can take the same amount of clothes as you do for a 7 day trip. You’ll just need to do laundry. A lot of Airbnbs and VRBOs have washing machines and if they don’t or you’re staying in a hotel you can often find a laundromat or you can always wash items in the sink. If you will be handwashing items, you can use soap sheets which truly work well (I’ve used them) and are quite compact and lightweight. Shoes are a difficult one. The key here is to have versatile shoes. I still need to work on this area. Oh shoot, sounds like I need to go shopping;) I typically end up with 3-4 pairs of shoes including the ones I am wearing. The good news is that sandals for summer travel don’t take up a lot of space. I like to have a pair of shoes that are a little dressy, a pair of shoes that are good for hiking and if it’s summer I might bring my chaco sandals for beach or water. That’s quite a few pairs of shoes and this is one spot where if I put aside my vanity or found more versatile shoes I could pack lighter. I’ll be working on this for my next trip. Good luck on this and once again, if anyone has ideas, please pass them on to me.
Organizers
In addition to a good bag. I have found that packing cubes are helpful in organizing clothes, especially if I end up using a carry-on. Packing cubes take the place of drawers and keep your suitcase organized. I only use one of them in my Cotopaxi, but my husband uses multiples in his Cotopaxi. It’s all personal preference, of course, but it is very helpful to have things like socks and underwear in a packing cube so that they do not inadvertently get scattered throughout your belongings. You can of course put shirts in another cube and pants in another for further organization. Another helpful organizer is a bag for electronic accessories. I love this one from Travelon. It’s very helpful to have my cords and chargers in one spot instead of having to dig through a backpack to find them.
Toiletries
Another thing that helps me to pack light is to have a small toiletry bag as opposed to the bigger one that I used to have. This Travelon toiletry bag is great! It has a hook for hanging and has plenty of pockets for the things you need. I also carry any jewelry in this cosmetic bag in a cloth drawstring bag as opposed to keeping it in a plastic container like I used to. In the spirit of packing light I also got 1 ounce liquid containers like these. While 1 ounce is definitely a small amount, hotels and Airbnbs typically have shampoo and conditioner that you can use. Bringing along 1 ounce of each product is ample.
Daypack
A small backpack is a great addition to your travel gear. I have one similar to this one. I use it when I’m sightseeing or taking hikes while I am out traveling. By attaching a carabiner to the top loop of the backpack I also have a spot to attach a pair of shoes that I might need later in the day. The backpack is also good for carrying small things that I want to easily access on the plane when my Cotopaxi is in the overhead compartment.
Give It a Whirl
That’s it! And there you have it, my download on how to pack light. I really enjoy not being shackled by a multitude of suitcases. Try packing light on your next trip. Feel free to ask any questions if you need clarification or are wondering about something I didn’t cover. Also, please comment on what has worked for you in packing light. I would love recommendations on upping my game in this area. Happy traveling!!!
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