I love to travel, whether it is a weekend away or an extended overseas trip…I love the buzz of discovering new places or revisiting old favourites. But I am terrible at packing lightly; the minimalist approach does not work for me, and I’m not even that much of a clothes horse.

But unless you have an unlimited budget to pay for extra baggage, or a big SUV to haul everything along with you, one must attempt to rein it in somewhat. So if you struggle to pack lightly or just struggle with what to pack in general here are some tips that have helped me over the years.

The Packing Process

Whether I’m going away for a few days or a few weeks I take the same approach to packing. I start with what I call ‘the first cut’ – this is where I go through my wardrobe and grab out everything I think I want to take. At this point I don’t worry about rational choices or baggage limits, I just go with my gut.

Then I fold everything neatly; separate it out into categories (undies, t-shirts, dresses etc) and step back to assess the damage. Sometimes stepping back involves walking away and doing something else (read, having a glass of wine) for a little bit.

Now comes the culling stage. I think carefully about where I’m going, what I’ll be doing and what I’ll need to get through it all. Will I have time to wash clothes, do I plan to shop, do I need work clothes, will I be going out at night, will I need comfortable walking shoes? With this in mind I now go through everything I want to take and decide if I really need it.

Going somewhere tropical – then I don’t need four pairs of jeans. Not going anywhere fancy – ditch the three pairs of high heels. Work trip – lose the summery dresses and night club clothes. Leaving town for two weeks – do I have enough socks, undies and bras to cover my whole trip or will I wash some stuff along the way. I usually try to cut back by at least 20%, and this sometimes involves cutting back more in some areas in favour of other stuff, such as not taking PJs and just making do with sleeping in a t-shirt so I can fit in an extra pair of shoes.

I also think about whether I plan to buy souvenirs or go shopping. If I know I won’t have the time or money to buy anything new, I will deliberately pack a little extra or take a smaller suitcase so that I have no room to fit anything else in. I find this helps me resist the urge to buy things I don’t need on impulse.

I take this approach of doing a first and second cut for everything from clothes and toiletries to all those extra bits and pieces like books and electronics. I even take this as an opportunity to go through my handbag and declutter – you’d be amazed at the junk those things accumulate. Big or small it all takes up space and adds weight, and who wants to be lugging around a heavy suitcase full of crap they don’t need in a strange city whilst trying not to get lost.

 Other Tips

• If you know you struggle to pack lightly, then spend the extra to buy a plane ticket with a decent baggage allowance. It will save your sanity and help avoid those hefty excess baggage fees at the airport.
• Most airlines will allow you to take one carry-on bag and one handbag or laptop bag. Take advantage of this and pack that cute little clutch you love (now empty) in your suitcase and take a lightweight canvas tote or a backpack on board with you instead. They fit more and are easier to sling over your shoulder so your hands are free.
• If you’re going away for less than a week then only take travel size toiletries or use the free stuff you get at your hotel.
• A sarong or a large shawl is a lightweight item that folds up small and can have multiple uses as a towel, a picnic blanket, cover up, wrap etc.
• Going to the beach? Either use the hotel’s towels or pack one of those quick dry ones that a lot of people use at the gym.
• Unless you really need it, leave your laptop at home – for frequent travels consider switching to an iPad or a netbook.
• A lot of people swear by Kindles or ebook readers, and if you like to read these can be a great option. I’m old fashioned, I like actual books so will either just take a bunch of magazines, buy a new one once I arrive at my destination or take ones that I’m happy to ditch once I’ve finished reading them.
• Take clothes that are versatile, easy to wash and don’t require ironing.
• Think about what you’re going to wear on the plane/in the car. First, and most importantly, you want to be comfortable; and secondly, it takes up less room in your suitcase if you wear your bulkiest pair of shoes and jacket instead of packing them.
• When travelling on an international flight I make a habit of packing one full outfit in my carry-on luggage, plus my toothbrush and basic toiletries just in case my main suitcase gets lost and I need to survive for a day or two without it.

So there you go, my tips for packing light – what are yours?