Overpacking is something that almost everyone has done when planning for a vacation (we know we’re guilty of this!) But in reality, most of us know that we aren’t going to use all of the things in our luggage. In fact, a majority of travelers won’t even use half of the things in their luggage! Not to mention, overpacking can cause you to lug around extra suitcases that you don’t need and cause unnecessary stress.Â
To avoid bringing too much luggage and to help you avoid any added stress, we highly recommend that you work towards becoming a minimalist traveler. Not only will this help you save time and money (goodbye extra baggage fees), but it will also help you better understand what you really need to bring along on vacation. Ready to get started? We have you covered! Read on for tips for becoming a minimalist traveler.
Plan Your Outfits Ahead of Time
One main reason why people overpack for their vacation is because they don’t know what they are going to wear, and they want to make sure that they have enough clothes. Basically, it’s uncertainty that causes people to overpack. To avoid doing this, we highly recommend that you lay out your clothes and plan your outfits ahead of time. Think about all the activities that you’ll be taking part in, figure out an outfit for each activity, and take a picture of the outfit. This way, while on vacation, you can look at your photos to easily look at all of the outfits you have.
Buy Your Toiletries When You Arrive at Your Destination
Toiletries can be extremely bulky and take up a lot of space in your luggage. To make sure that you aren’t taking up too much space in your suitcase, leave your toiletries at home, and purchase them when you arrive at your destination. Lugging around toiletries can be a lot of work and takes up space that you could be using for clothes. When you arrive at your destination, you can buy small travel-sized toiletries, use them throughout your trip, and then throw them away once it’s time to go home.
Bring Along Clothing That You Can Reuse
Another way that you can be a minimalist traveler is to make sure that a majority of the clothing you bring can be worn multiple times. People sometimes forget that clothing can be worn more than once during a trip, and they tend to pack too many clothes. So when it comes time to pack, find staples that can be mixed and matched with other clothing items. A good tip for choosing clothes that can be reused is to bring plenty of neutral-colored clothes that can go with other items of clothing. And try to keep in mind that you can always wash your clothes if needed.
Only Bring Two Pairs of Shoes
Often we see travelers pack numerous pairs of shoes, when in reality, they won’t wear half of the shoes they brought with them. Further, shoes are bulky and take up a lot of space in your suitcase. In most cases, you only need to bring 2 pairs of shoes – one pair of comfortable shoes and one pair of shoes that you enjoy wearing to places such as a nice dinner. We recommend that you wear your pair of comfortable shoes on the plane, and pack the other pair in your luggage. If you’ll be heading to a tropical destination, you can also pack sandals but try to fit them in your personal bag if possible.
Consider What You Really Need to Bring
Finally, once you have gone through all of your clothing and have decided what you want to bring, lay out all your clothes on the floor in front of you. Now, go through each item and decide if you need to bring that item or if you just want to bring that item. If you find that you need to bring an item, put it in your suitcase. If you find that you only want to bring an item, but don’t necessarily need to bring it, consider leaving it behind. And if you find that you both need and want a certain item to come along, pack it! This will help you to minimize what you bring along so that you don’t end up overpacking.
Becoming a minimalist traveler is easier than you might think, and it can really help you change the way that you travel. Not only will being a minimalist traveler help you better understand what you need to pack for your trip, but it can also save you time and money in the long run. At the end of the day, as long as you have your passport, a few outfits that you can re-wear, and all of your essential toiletries and prescriptions, you’ll be good to go and ready to enjoy your vacation.
