Do you tend to overpack when you travel, whether it be on a vacation or business trip? You are not the only one.
Many prospective travellers tend to make the same mistake of packing their bags with every item they might conceivably need, only to end up with a heavy and unwieldy set of luggage containing things that they mostly never use. When it comes to packing for a long trip, less is always more, both in terms of weight and convenience when searching through your stuff.
So, read on for a couple of handy tips to help you keep lean luggage:
Plan your outfits
Keep in mind first how many days you’ll be on vacation. It would be useful to divide those days into activities or events such as beach outfits, dinner outfits, hiking outfits, etc. Decide on how many items of clothing you’ll need to bring and wear appropriate outfits for all those different events or activities. If possible, try to find clothing items that can be worn more than once on your vacation days.
Make a checklist of the items you need
Essential self-care items from sanitising wipes to dry shampoo are important, but so are your day-to-day necessities. So, figure out what are the items that you absolutely need to bring, then make a checklist that has everything on it so you can be sure you do not forget anything. Start with your clothes, and proceed to other stuff you will need such as your camera, cellphone, wallet and most importantly, your ticket. Remember to be extra careful during these times, and don’t forget to bring your face mask and alcohol too.
Pick the right suitcase
When choosing a suitcase, it is advised for you to go for a modestly sized one rather than a big one. Bigger suitcases are heavier and encourage you to pack more things into it, which will likely lead to you bringing items that you do not need. One carry-on suitcase is probably the best choice, though larger suitcases can be appropriate for long-term trips.
Roll them up
Suitcases are often more bloated not because of the number of items stored within, but because of the inefficient way they are packed. For clothes, the most efficient, space-saving way to keep them is to roll them up. This method also gives more space for other items to fit without them squeezing against each other.
Stay calm
While travelling can be exciting and fun, preparing your things days before your trip can be stressful. A common cause of overpacking is a constant worry that you might not be prepared for what might happen during the trip, leading to overcompensation by packing too many things.
If travelling makes you feel this anxious, we advise taking up meditation (perhaps aided by downloading meditation apps on your phone) to help you calm down. In addition, this practice can also be helpful should you be out exploring and suddenly need a medical evacuation in Singapore because of an emergency.
Conclusion
It’s always important to be prepared when preparing for a trip, but it’s also helpful to keep in mind that you don’t need to bring everything yourself. Many things can actually be bought at the destination, so having a sizeable amount of the local currency is a better way to be prepared than hauling around an unwieldy amount of luggage.
