Traveling for business or pleasure? Or maybe you’re part of the 17% of travelers who fall somewhere between the two. As more people now choose to combine their business trips with a personal vacation.
This style of travel is increasing, causing a boost in happiness as you cure your wanderlust. Yet, it also means you’ll need to learn the art of packing light.
Are you taking a quick weekend getaway or a month-long sabbatical? Either way, it pays to know how to pack a suitcase.
Doing so will help you avoid extra fees for an overweight suitcase. It also makes it easy to find all your travel gear, accessories, and essentials. You also get to save more suitcase space for souvenirs.
Read on to learn the best way to pack a suitcase for all your travel needs.
Get Better Organized
The typical traveler takes an average of 7.7 trips each year. So packing a suitcase the right way is an essential life hack all travelers should learn.
One way to make packing easier is to create a master packing list. This way you can include all the needed essentials, so nothing important gets left behind. Be sure to back it up with a digital copy on your phone or computer for easy access.
It helps to create categories for easier packing. Include sublists for personal hygiene, clothing, and electronics. You also want a special section for any important travel documents. This includes passports and infant birth certificates.
It can also be helpful to organize lists based on the travel destination. As well as separate lists when traveling for business or pleasure. This way you’re not bringing any unneeded items that take up precious space in your suitcase.
There are also tons of apps that make it easy to keep track of your list. Check out Easy Pack, Packr, Packteo, and Packpoint to make your life easier.
Rethink Your Suitcase
The key to lighter travel is to say no to large and bulky suitcases. Instead of choosing a suitcase based on brand or color pattern, opt for a more convenient size and design. This way you won’t get tempted to try and fit more items in your suitcase than needed.
A smaller sized bag will encourage you to only bring what gets needed for your trip. These options are also more lightweight in design and easier to travel with.
Suitcase companies like Away also make it more convenient to pack for lighter travel. They feature innovative storage compartments for the best way to pack clothes.
Compression packing cubes are another way to save on space. They help you learn how to pack clothes, giving you more room for shoes and toiletries.
It’s also smart to buy a small travel scale. This way you can confirm your suitcase weight before checking baggage at the airport.
Yet, only bringing a carry-on is much easier if you can swing it. You’ll also never have to fret over lost luggage or extra checked baggage fees.
Take Advantage of Travel-Sized Products
Travel-size products are much more compact and easy to carry in luggage. These packing hacks can save you tons of space in your suitcase.
Although checking a bag allows larger sized liquids, these only take up more space. So always opt for smaller sized personal hygiene, bath, and beauty products.
It also helps to share certain products when traveling with others. This works well for items like shaving cream and mouthwash.
Planning to stay at a hotel? Remember your accommodations often come with most of these products as well. If you’re more particular about the products you use then you can always buy them at a local store after you arrive.
A mini-sized steamer is a great gadget to bring for ironing out wrinkles on the go. This is especially helpful if you’re using compression packing cubes in your suitcase.
Pack Pieces with Multiple Uses
The key to traveling light is picking clothing items that you can wear multiple ways. So, focus on packing pieces that have more than one use.
This could be a little black dress that can be a swimsuit cover during the day. Then you can dress it up with jewelry and heels for a night on the town.
Shoes should also get selected with care. A pair of casual wedge sandals can go from day to night.
It also helps to wear your sneakers on the plane. Then pack lighter and smaller shoe options in your suitcase. Jackets or cold weather wear can also get worn on the plane, rather than packed.
A kindle is another item you can get a lot of use from and it provides entertainment on an airplane. So, rather than packing a few books, buy e-books instead.
Always Keep Your Travel Accommodations in Mind
Where you plan to stay during your trip should influence your packing needs. Most hotels provide much of the smaller amenities and toiletries that you may need. Hairdryers, bathrobes, and towels are also provided.
Yet house rentals offer some extra amenities to make your stay even more convenient. Rental options like these listings often provide laundry machines at no extra cost. This style of accommodation can allow you the best way to pack a suitcase during those longer stays.
Being able to do your laundry while traveling makes packing light much easier. You can bring only a few outfits then wash and dry as needed.
This is especially important for younger generations who tend to take longer vacations. They prefer to travel in groups, with their trips totaling 10 days average.
Vacation rentals also come well stocked with all the comforts of home. They often include little touches like candles, throw blankets, and local travel magazines. This means less you’ll have to pack and less you’ll have to buy when you get there.
The Best Way to Pack a Suitcase for Your Next Travel Adventure
Learning the best way to pack a suitcase is an important right of passage for any traveler. Whether you’re going abroad or on a quick weekend getaway, it pays to pack light.
With these tips, it’s possible to pack light without having to sacrifice style. You also won’t get stuck leaving any essentials behind.
Looking for more travel tips for your next adventure? Check out the travel section of our blog for more inspiration and life hacks.
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