Hi, my name is Korra and I was an overpacker! It took years of practice and skill building to shake the bad habit of packing everything that I could ever need for a trip. But hopefully the lessons I have learned can be taught to you a lot quicker and with efficiency!!
Today we are going to chat all about my essential tips to quit over packing. We’re going to be honest and real about how you can still feel prepared and dress how you want for a trip but without hauling around 20 extra pounds of luggage. We’re gonna chat about suitcases, itineraries, fabrics and so much more. So let’s get into it so you can start packing the correct and logical way moving forward. Keep on reading to learn-
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My 13 Essential Tips To Quit Over Packing!
How to stop packing too much:
Tip 1: Your suitcase really matters.
First things first- your suitcase matters in a lot of ways!
Too big of a suitcase is just enabling you for failure. If you see the space visibly available you will end up filling it- that is of course the human nature of us over packers 😉 and a suitcase that isn’t right for your needs or is broken causes frustration and doesn’t allow you to focus on packing efficiently.
So take the time and research and invest in a suitcase that works for you and that you can use for ages. Being confident in your suitcase is just one less thing to stress about when traveling too.
Tip 2: Know your itinerary!
So if you are a type A traveler like me this isn’t going to be challenging but if you tend to be along for the ride (looking over at my husband right now) then you gotta pay extra attention here.
Knowing your itinerary is KEY to not bringing things you won’t need and won’t end up wearing or using.
If your itinerary has only say one day of water focused activities it really won’t make sense to pack 3 swimsuits, 2 cover ups and water shoes. It’s actually a good opportunity to bring a casual dress that could double as both a cover up and a day activity dress!
Go through your itinerary and use it to make your packing list- let’s talk more about that next:
Tip 3: Make a packing list.
Packing lists are so helpful for making sure that you aren’t brining things you don’t need. And making sure that you do in deed have everything with that you actually will want.
As I was saying before an itinerary is so helpful for making your packing list. Knowing what activities and adventures you are going to go on means you know what you need.
Keep an eye out for anything in particular on your itinerary that would need niche clothing- a hiking trip planned, a waterpark, a Michelin star dinner etc… those are important to note but you only need one option for each. Just make sure that they fit in advance!
Tip 4: Pack shoes logistically.
Shoes are the bane of packing light. They take up so much space (especially sneakers and winter shoes) that could be used so much more logically. They also weight a lot that can hurt if you are trying to keep a bag under that darn 50 pound limit.
So being logical about what shoes you bring with can be so helpful for packing lighter!
Think carefully about which shoes can be the most versatile and be aware of where you are going. For example, if you are headed just about anywhere in Europe focus on lifestyle sneakers. Not only can you totally wear them anywhere but they also will keep your feet from dying with 20k steps and not tripping on cobblestone streets.
Look at the outfits you are bringing and prioritize shoes that overlap the most with different outfits. And don’t bother bringing shoes that you “might” wear because that is the worst wasted space due to size and weight.
OH and bonus tip- wear your largest and heaviest shoes on the airplane so you don’t have to pack them!!
Tip 5: Don’t ignore the weather.
It can really suck when you check your travel location and see storms or chilly weather. But ignoring the weather forecasts not only isn’t realistic it also is going to result in you not bringing things you need and overpacking things that realistically you won’t.
I recommend doing a round of research on your destinations weather historically around your trip dates in advance and then confirming 2 days beforehand what it will actually be like and using that to adjust as needed.
Tip 6: Remember you can always buy in emergencies.
With a few location exceptions you can always buy things in emergencies.
For example- last time we headed to Italy we landed in Naples to sudden storms that weren’t on the forecast. Thankfully every store we walked past was selling umbrellas and ponchos. So I was relieved we didn’t waste space on umbrellas even though we needed them.
Stores exist everywhere and there is no shame in needing to buy something because something unpredictable happened!
Tip 7: Keep everything visible!
When you are actually packing don’t put things in the suitcase until you have laid out everything you want to bring. If you start layering your suitcase and the items on the bottom become out of sight that can result in you packing too much of those things.
It is seriously so helpful to put everything on your bed and have a visible count of everything you are wanting to pack. It also shows you pretty obviously if there is too much of one category when you have it sitting there with all like items.
Tip 8: Focus on capsule wardrobe items.
Items that can be styled into multiple outfits are going to save you so much space and weight.
Focusing on a few statement pieces and mainly capsule items that can be styled in at least two outfits is going to help you out so much.
Personally I like to opt for capsule bottoms and one jacket (if relevant) that works with everything. Then I change it up with different shirts and accessories which take up a lot less space and weigh less than bottoms especially if it isn’t shorts season!
Tip 9: Pack toiletries while doing your morning routine.
If I just grab my toiletry bag and start throwing in everything I might want results in 18 lip products, a billion hair products and more foundations than I realistically use in a year. So the magic trick for keeping the toiletry bag light and realistic is just to pack what you actually use.
Go through your skincare routine and daily makeup routine and only pack the items that you ACTUALLY use.
Tip 10: Leave room for souvenirs.
This is very motivating to me personally and maybe can be a good motivator for you too to pack lighter!
If you leave room for souvenirs and don’t start your trip with over flowing bags then you can do more shopping. Don’t limit your souvenirs and tourist shopping just because you brought 4 pairs of sandals when you really only need one!
Tip 11: Be aware of fabric sizes.
Fabrics are not made equally and you probably know that.
So keeping that in mind when packing is so helpful! A pair of linen pants will take up 1/4 of the space of a pair of heavy denim jeans. If you don’t know about fabric don’t worry because you can just see and feel for yourself which items will take up less space for the same type of space.
Tip 12: Wear bulky items on the plane.
We already touched on this a bit with the shoes but wearing your bulkiest items (shoes, coat, sweatshirt, hat etc) on the plane is going to keep that space clear in your suitcase!
And you can always take off the items and ball them up to be a comfy pillow or blanket for the flight as well.
Tip 13: Trial pack in advance!
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE.
If you do that you are going to be stressed and panicked. Which leads to both overpacking and forgetting things that you need.
But realistically you need a lot of the items until the day before you leave.
So the solution? A trial pack in advance. That way you will have time to think through what you need with less pressure and can ensure that everything you are wanting to bring will both fit in your bags AND (arguably more important) don’t go over the weight limits. Us over packers should definitely have a luggage scale BTW!
Korra-Shay
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