Written for intern blog at Australian Internships.
I don’t know about you, but I’m an over packer- to the point that it’s ridiculous. If the limit for my suitcase is 50lbs, I am using up that 50lbs! I love to be prepared, but sometimes I forget that I can find anything I actually need pretty much anywhere I go. Except Hot Cheetos… Those I must bring with me. They’re an essential…
Anyways, if your limit is 50lbs, pack 30lbs so you have room for souvenirs! (You also won’t have to lug around all of that weight)
Here are a few ways to pack lightly and efficiently:
1) ROLL YOUR CLOTHES. Some people do not think this works, but after backpacking in Asia, Australia. NZ, and Europe, rolling became a very important part of my trip. It saves a lot of space and helps keep your stuff well organized.
2) A luggage scale. My Mum bought me a luggage scale when I was leaving the country for the first time and I thought it was a big waste of money. Over 5 years later, I’m still using that scale! Every time I go on a trip I bring it to make sure my bags are never over the limit. Thanks, Mum – you do know best!
3) Pack the heaviest things in your carry on. Carry on’s are usually never weighed (though some airlines do – especially the cheap ones – so make sure you read the fine print!) This leaves plenty of weight and space in your checked baggage and you don’t have to fear going over the weight limit.
4) Pack a day’s worth of stuff in your checked baggage. When I first flew to Australia, they actually lost all of my luggage and I had nothing for 3 days. Absolutely horrible. I packed random stuff in my carry on, so all I had to wear in 100 degree weather was business suits! Ugh! I learned my lesson the hard way… Pack 1-2 days worth of clothes and a few essentials with the heavy stuff in your carry on. In the small chance you don’t have your luggage when you arrive, you will be thankful you did this!
5) Get rid of stuff. Pack several days in advance and every day leading up to your trip, go through your suitcase and get rid of 1/3 of the items. Looking at everything with a clear head every day helps the elimination process. I do this every time I go somewhere and it has saved me lots of hassle!
6) Wear all of your jackets and bulkiest items (boots) on the plane. You can always take them off and put them in the overhead storage. You can even fill up the pockets with random things! This takes the weight out of your bags, saves room, and you can bring some extras onto the plane (like snacks or books)!
7) Pack versatile clothing. Bring a cardigan that can go with 3- 4 tops. If you bring 2 cardigans and 5 shirts, that’s 15 outfits! Try on all of your clothes to see what goes together and then bring the least amount of individual items as possible.
8) Don’t be afraid to forget something. The fun of traveling is experiencing something new. If you forgot your favorite shoes, your makeup, your comb, or whatever, have some freedom and take away from the normalcy of life by going without them! If it’s a must have, you likely can buy it wherever you’re going anyways.