Travel Packing Tips: 3 Ways to Avoid Overpacking

There are many things that make travel uncomfortable and one of these is overpacking. Overpacking makes travel uncomfortable because it makes it difficult to navigate other aspects of travel such as waiting in long lines, entering various modes of transportation and in some cases, can cost more money in form of extra baggage allowance on airlines. Despite this, many people cannot seem to stop overpacking and this often boils down to a need to have ‘everything’ on hand for a trip, no matter how short. However, cutting down on the number of things you take with you when traveling can be done in a few easy steps:

1. Travel-size: It is not unusual for people to find themselves overpacking various toiletries and other items for everyday grooming and use. These items tend to be rather heavy collectively and many pack them out of caution as they do not want to be in a foreign environment without something as essential as hairspray and deodorant. To avoid this sort of situation, buy a travel-sized version of the toiletries that you use regularly. Some brands offer a complete travel package that has a travel-sized version of practically every toiletry that a person could use. It would be a good idea to buy and few and keep on hand at home so that you can take one whenever you need to travel. 

2. Pre-determine and pre-pack: Oftentimes, when you are packing with the intention to travel, there is the tendency to want to pack for all possible situations. This often leads to situations where a traveler will pack two weeks’ worth of clothing for a two-day trip. When packing close to a trip, we are usually more anxious and act more on impulse than practicality. To avoid this, decide what you want to take on a trip before a trip arises. This could be certain items of clothing or shoes and so on for a specific number of days on a trip. These should be kept aside and once the need to pack for a trip arises, take them out. By doing this at a time when you do not need to, you are more likely to be objective and reasonable about what you need and not overpack. Furthermore, when you do need items of clothing and so on for a trip, you will already have them packed and can thus save time. 

3. Small boxes: One of the easiest ways to overpack for a trip is to choose a larger box as your main piece of luggage. Subconsciously, you might want to fill it up or give yourself more room to overpack. Beforehand, go through your pieces of luggage and determine which ones will be used for what type of trip. A piece of luggage should be designated for trips shorter than a week, for example. By sticking to this, you are forced to prioritize the necessary items and not pack everything and anything. 

Travelers do not have to overpack for every trip. Follow these tips to organize and prevent overpacking.