Take What You Need: Tips For Traveling Light

When it comes to traveling, many people tend to over-pack. With many airlines enforcing fees for heavier baggage, it is becoming ever more important to learn how to pack lighter. The following article will help you to identify what you need to take while eliminating unnecessary items in your travels.

The first thing you need to do when packing your bag is identify items that you will need on your trip versus items that you simply want to take. Do you really need to take that extra pair of shoes or your large make-up bag filled with every cosmetic item you own? Probably not. Think back to your last few vacations and about the items that you packed and didn’t end up using. These would be good items to eliminate in future packing.

Nearly every hotel supplies soap and shampoo. Even if these are not available in your room, sample sized products are generally available at no charge from the concierge desk at your request. For this reason, unless you have a need for very specific types of hair product, do not bother with packing your own soaps and shampoos. Some hotels even provide items like razors at customer request, so you may consider contacting them in advance to see if this is another item you can cut from your packing.

Plan out all of your outfits in advance and take only what you need. One outfit for each day, unless there is an event that requires specific types of clothes. If you are going to be outdoors a lot (for instance, camping), you may consider packing an extra outfit, but do not go overboard. Try to plan outfits that have few elements, and try to use clothing items that you can use for more than one outfit.

Many people will pick up some new items on their vacations that they’ll wish to bring home, so make sure that you leave room to accommodate these souvenirs. When you are buying souvenirs, don’t go overboard with large items. Think about how much room you have in your luggage and the weight of the items so that you don’t have to pay the oversize fee for checking your bags.

Many people try to prepare for potential boredom by packing books and computers and other entertainment devices. Generally, you will not need all these items. Taking an item or two may be beneficial, but don’t over think it. Devices with multiple purposes, such as eReaders (where you can store many books at once) or tablets (which can function as internet browsers, game devices, eReaders, and more) are great ways that you can prevent your boredom without using a lot of space in your luggage.

Shoes can take up a lot of room in your luggage. Try to find and pack shoes that are versatile. Look for shoes that are comfortable enough to be worn all day (with potentially a lot of walking) but that can also be dressed up if you need to go out to a nice dinner. If you can, just take one pair of shoes (the ones on your feet), but if you cannot (for a very formal event, for instance), limit yourself to just one additional pair.

Generally, you can fit more in a suitcase if you place your items in an organized manner. Folding or rolling clothing tightly will help you to pack these items without taking up a lot of space in your luggage.

You do not need to worry about bringing extra towels, bed sheets, or pillows. These items are included in the charge you will pay at your hotel. Packing them will just take up valuable space in your suitcase if you bring your very own along from home.

Get rid of that extra baggage so that you can enjoy your trip! When you follow the above advice, over-packing for trips can become a thing of the past.