Are you looking for ways to pack light for your next trip? You’re in luck, because I’m back and ready to share with you my top tips for what to pack. I’ve got some great solutions that have worked for me on short haul trips. so, whether your’re going on a short trip, hand luggage only, or if you always end up packing way too much stuff, keep reading!
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Choosing your bag
First things first, think about your mode of travel when packing light. If you’re going anywhere by plane you’ll want to check what the baggage allowances and restrictions are. These can vary between different airlines so always check the website of the one you are travelling with. For example with Ryanair you now have to purchase ‘priority boarding’ to bring a cabin bag on board, plus one small bag such as a handbag. Other airlines, for example Easyjet, allow one cabin bag only, and believe me I’ve seen people get charged extra at the gate for trying to bend this rule!
As most of the flights I take are with Ryanair I’ll continue writing this post with their rules in mind, so one cabin bag and one smaller bag. So which bags do I use? Well on my most recent trip to Prague I got a new cabin bag from Amazon (see the bag on the right).
I also use a smaller Osprey backpack sometimes, which is a daypack that detached from my bigger Farpoint backpacking bag, it comes in handy for taking around cities etc, but obviously holds less stuff due to being quite compact. The Amazon backpack has a few strap attachments which means you can change up your options in terms of how you carry it. Another handy feature is that it has a load of useful pockets and different sections to keep your travel documents and other bits and pieces easily accessible. It’s not going to win any style awards but it’s pretty good for organising and maximising the amount of space you have at your disposal.
How to pack light – Make the most of your small bag too
As for a smaller bag, this almost always ends up being my camera bag! A DSLR (even a smaller one like my Canon EOS 77D) plus three lenses soon takes up a decent chunk of your main luggage, so it’s just easier and more practical for me to have this separate in its own bag.
And if you were wondering why I choose a backpack over one of those wheelie cabin bags, it’s mostly because I cannot stand those things! I’m forever trying to get around packs of people in Airports that drag them a mile behind them and creating a constant threat to my ankles! All grudges aside I also prefer backpacks for getting around train stations and places that have a lot of stairs!
How to pack light - what should I pack?
Need to bring
I think everyone has their own idea of what ‘essentials’ are but there are a few things that you should definitely not leave without, even when packing light. These are:
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Travel Documents:
Passports, visas, tickets, booking confirmations, boarding passes, travel insurance, and another form of ID, such as a driving license (especially if you are renting a car)
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Money:
Either in the form of cash or a card that can be used abroad (be careful of extra charges for doing this!). I use a Monzo card when I’m abroad, as the exchange rates are some of the best you can get and you can withdraw up to £200 from an ATM each day without any additional charges. It also comes with a handy app that makes it easy to track your spending and keep your money topped up.
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Medication:
If there is medication you take regularly, or need in the event of an emergency make sure you have enough to last the trip, plus some spares just in case. Also check the expiration dates of anything you are bringing and get a copy of your prescription to take with you. It’s a good idea to split medical supplies between your bags if you are travelling with someone else, so that if one bag gets lost or stolen you aren’t left high and dry.
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Phone:
Make sure your phone is set up for use abroad, have digital copies of your travel documents on here as a backup, and remember to bring your charger!
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Electronics:
Just bring the essentials, a travel adapter and a power bank (I swear by this one) is always a good shout for when you are out all day!
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Locks:
Depending on where you are going/staying its always useful to have a couple of TSA approved locks to keep your things safe.
Want to bring
Anything else like clothes and toiletries are things that, in a pinch, you can buy when you reach your destination. That’s obviously not ideal though! So here are the things I tend to take for a long weekend:
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Toiletries:
travel sized (less than 100ml) bottle each of shampoo, conditioner, face/bodywash, toothpaste, toothbrush, small roll-on deodorant, and the one I always forget- a hairbrush.
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Makeup:
The fewer liquids the better for going through security! Stick to your staple items, which for me are foundation (Revolution’s fast base stick foundation is amazing and a travel friendly size), mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick (one neutral shade, and one a little more vibrant). Any products which can multitask are also great for travel, such as bronzers or highlighters that double up as eye shadows etc.
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Clothes:
This is usually the difficult one! I think it’s easier to pack for colder climates simply because you will be wearing a lot of your clothes to travel in anyway, and you know for sure you need to pack warm clothes! Check the forecast for your destination and pack accordingly. For three days you only really need one pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a jacket and clean underwear. Don’t forget you will be wearing one outfit to travel in, so as long as you have a few items that mix and match well you wont feel like you are in the same outfit for days.
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Shoes:
Again, don’t over pack shoes, they are usually heavy and take up a lot of space! If you are just going on a city break, some comfortable but stylish trainers or sneakers should do just fine. I swear by my Skechers Air Walk trainers, which are light, cushioned and comfortable enough to walk for hours in. If you are doing anything a bit more adventurous like hiking you may want to take something a bit more substantial for walking in. If you’re heading to the beach or staying in a hostel a pair of flip flops or sandals that can lay flat in your luggage is worth having too.
How to pack light – everything else…
So we’ve packed everything we really need, but there are a few other things that you may want to bring with you of course! For me, my camera is always coming with me, but for you that might not be so important. Also things such as guidebooks can always come in handy if you need any inspiration for your travels, or just a normal book to keep you entertained for the journey. Remember though that the more you bring, the more you need to carry, and the less space you have in your bag for souvenirs!
How to pack light while and stay entertained? The answer is apps! They are so useful to have downloaded in advance and don’t waste any space at all. I definitely recommend downloading a map that you can use offline, and any apps for local public transport are really useful too. You can also use apps like Duolingo to brush up on your language skills.
Packing light – some final thoughts
So to conclude before I ramble on forever, when it comes to how to pack light, less is definitely more! I think I read once somewhere that you should pack what you think you’ll need, then you should half it. And for the most part this is true! As long as you have all your essentials ready you don’t need to weigh yourself down with anything else that you might not need/ use. If you do a little research on your destination, it’s climate and any planned activities, there’s no reason to take more than one bag on a short break!
I hope this mini guide has been somewhat useful to you in knowing how to pack light for you next trip. If you have any tips of your own feel free to comment below!
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