From whatever your goal may be when you travel (cute photos for Instagram, lasting memories, food adventures for days), there’s the process of balancing bringing everything you need and not overpacking when you head out for the day to explore. It’s frustrating going about your day only to realize you forgot your sunglasses as the sun’s beating down on you, but it’s also annoying carrying around a heavy bag packed with things you won’t even touch for the day. To make traveling just a bit more focused, we have some tips on how to pack lighter and more efficient for your next trip.
First, Establish What Type of Bag You Need/Can Have
Depending on whether you’re going backpacking or seeing the sites of the city, you’ll have different needs for the day that call for different types of bags. For example, you might want to grab a full-on backpack with some snacks and an extensive first aid kit if you’re going backpacking (for a more complete list on what you should probably include in your backpack for a backpacking trip, check out REI’s Day Hiking Checklist). Now for city sightseeing, it’ll be helpful to have an itinerary because some locations don’t allow backpacks and will make you pay for storage. In those cases, it might be a better option to settle for a crossbody bag. Do some research to find out what you’re going to do for the day and if there’ll be limits on the type of bag you can bring wherever you go.
Determine Your Essentials
While this varies on some degree from trip to trip, your list of essentials is more set than the type of bag you’ll bring. For example, a basic list of essentials can include band-aids, a reusable water bottle, sunglasses, identification, and multiple sources of money (cash and credit; remember some stores don’t accept credit!). Then from there, determine if your list also includes a camera or feminine products. If you plan to buy a lot of souvenirs, it might be a smart idea to bring a small reusable bag that can be folded up to take up the least amount of space, as suggested by a blog post on Travel Fashion Girl. If you plan to be out for a long while and plan to use your phone a lot (for communication, taking photos or navigation), also be sure to pack your charger (cord, portable battery, and/or travel adapter if need be). I recommend also saving a list of travel essentials in your phone just for easy access and preparation.
Lay Things Out Before Packing it in
This tip can also be used when you pack for your entire trip along with when you’re packing for just a day out on the town. Before you start putting everything in your bag, have a visual representation of how much you’re actually going to be carrying laid out all in front of you. When you see the volume, you might be able to cut down on a few things you actually don’t need (for example, if you’re in a sunny, humid location, you probably don’t need your hand lotion). In this article from Travel + Leisure, Skye Senterfeit uses the method of laying everything out to group items together, which then helps her decide how useful each item will be.
Set Your Mindset to Serve You Best
For those with the biggest goal of packing light, start developing and practicing a minimalist mindset. This mindset will extend beyond lightening your bag to all aspects of your life, which can translate to a win-win situation. Jessie Beck from Packsmith has an article on how to practice a minimalist mindset when packing for a trip, but there are tips you can apply to packing your day bag. For example, consider getting a smaller bag than you need. That way you purposely and physically limit how much you can bring. Another example is to minimize the amount of toiletries you might need (again, think hand lotion, or maybe your just-in-case eyeliner).
Packing is an exciting adventure in itself and also a journey on self-discovery, specifically knowing what you need and what you don’t. For more tips on how to pack lighter for your next trip, check out Sarah Schlichter’s article on Smarter Travel, and this article on Condé Nast Traveler that collected tips from flight attendants. There are so many tips and tricks out there to explore, and so let the adventure of packing begin!