Packing Light

Some tips on packing light…

Even when you have the “perfect” backpack, you should know how to pack correctly according to your trip.  To prevent muscle strain and back pain, it is advisable to pack as little and as light as possible.  As they say, “Pack everything you think you will need and get rid of half of it”.

How much you need to pack for your trip? Well, it depends on the season and length of your trip.  Common sense will dictate this.  You don’t need sandals and a swimsuit for winter travel, unless you go to a tropic place, of course!  The same goes that you don’t need a heavy sweater for your summer or tropical vacation.  Now, when traveling in spring and fall, you should be prepared, to some extent, for both warm and cool weather.

Some tips to consider when you’re packing:

• If you’re traveling to a cold weather, try packing clothes that can be used in layers.  Layering is more effective that carrying that bulky sweater and coat.  And layers can be mixed and matched, so you look as if you have many styles throughout your trip using only a few clothing elements.

• Choose dark or neutral colored clothing.  This helps “hide” the stains.

• Roll you clothes into tight tubes.  This saves space and reduces wrinkling.

• Put an odor absorber or drier sheet inside your pack, it will keep your clothes smelling fresh.

• Carry a laundry bag in your pack.  It will help separate your dirty clothes and keep your clean clothes fresh.  It is possible you will do laundry on your trip, so with the laundry bag it’s easier to do this task.

• If you have travel guides, photocopy only the pages you will need.  Don’t carry the whole book as they take so much needed space and add unnecessary weight to your back.

• When writing your packing list, try to reduce things to the minimum.  Don’t add things just because you think they can come in handy.  From experience, most of the time those “handy” things are almost never used; and you ended carrying them all the way.

• Use airtight bags for your clothes and important stuff.  They help reducing the amount of space clothes take and also help protecting everything from getting wet.

• If possible, try to leave at least 25% of your pack free.  You will see that as you spend your time traveling, it will fill up with souvenirs and extra stuff.

Although every single trip requires a different packing list, here is a comprehensive packing list that can guide you to create your own packing list.