The Art of Traveling Light

August 1st, 2008 by Kate - NWA WorldVacations

Last night, I took a friend to the airport to go to her home out West and we barely fit all her luggage into my car.  She had a large bag filled with camping gear and food; a carry-on bag stuffed to its limits, a laptop computer, her purse, a Tiffany-style glass lampshade and an unwrapped fishing pole!   I warned her that she would never make it through check-in and Security, but - much to my surprise - she did!  However, despite her success, I was inspired to write these travel tips about packing!

With high fuel costs resulting in additional charges for checked baggage, “traveling light” is a timely topic for everyone to consider.  Packing too much can mean not only a strain on your back, but also your budget.  Having too many or too heavy bags can distract you from your vacation and also make you vulnerable to those who look for travelers that you are not paying attention or are overwhelmed with too much stuff!  I know this to be true, as it happened to me and forced me to learn a lesson about lugging too much stuff around.

Here are some tips from the experts and my experiences for you to ease your load:

Take only what you can manage by yourself
Unless you are traveling into the wilderness where there are no stores, you should be able to buy whatever you absolutely need along the way.  I once did a 10-day trip to Hawaii with just a small carry-on.  I simply found Laundromats when absolutely necessary, washed small things out, and bought other things as the need came up…like a beautiful sarong cover-up at the local market. Everyone marveled at how I did it, but I just knew that traveling means I have to be able to manage everything by myself (or with the help of traveling companions) at all times - no exceptions!

Prepare ahead of time
Every time I have taken too much with me, it is because I didn’t think things through ahead of time. Maybe some of you can relate to this “last minute packing syndrome”. Expert tips include laying everything you think you need out and then putting only half of it into the bag or always packing from a list.  Friends who travel even lighter than I do, take a few pair of easy-on pants, a skirt, and mix and match tops that work with all of them.  They love scarves as accessories because they change the look without carrying the weight around. A packable coat that can serve as something to cover up with on the plane is a smart to include if the weather you are heading towards warrants it.   

Watch what you pack
Never pack items of value in checked luggage, including money or traveler’s checks, cameras, medicine, expensive jewelry, travel documents or anything you’d really hate to lose because it has sentimental value or is otherwise irreplaceable.

Ask yourself questions like “Do I really need more than three pairs of shoes?” Try to make it with a few pair of shoes - 1 dressy, 1 casual,and one that you’ll wear in transit.  Slip-ons on the plane make going through Security easier, but you may want to wear your most comfortable walking shoes for long distances in airports. 

Remember the 3-1-1 rule for carry-ons: 3 ounce bottles or less (by volume) in 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag and only 1 bag per passenger.  Try to eliminate the larger bottles in checked baggage if you can take enough in these small bottles for the length of your vacation.

Paper is heavy 
Only bring the reading material you really need and/or can use. This is especially true of travel guides, phrase books, and maps.  Copy or take just the pages you will need and then recycle them along the way as you finish visiting that place or are done reading the book.  

Pack smart
Remember you are already wearing one outfit in transit that can work for you during your vacation or again on your way back.  Especially with one or more children, put an entire day’s outfit including underwear and socks in a large re-sealable bag and write the child’s name on it.  It can also serve as a dirty clothes carrier once the outfit is worn.  Always pack to match the weather and culture in your destination, not where you are originating from. 

You can make your next vacation a lot more enjoyable because you packed the right things in just the right amounts!

Other tips you have about packing?  We would love to hear about them!

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