5 TIPS TO TRAVEL LIGHT

I am leaving to London tonight and I thought I’d share a quick and simple post on 5 tips to traveling light. I am proud to say that I have mastered being a light traveler due to my past experiences with overpacking. When I did my first solo trip to Sweden back in October, I challenged myself to pack as lightly as possible by booking flights with baggage restrictions in terms of weight and quantity. I realized that it is actually easy to pack light and less is always more!

I hope that these tips help you pack lighter for your next getaway:

1. Pack clothing that you can mix and match: This might be a given, but it’s my go to tip when it comes to choosing and organizing my outfits. I like to bring tops and bottoms that I can easily mix and match with or items that can double for more than one occasion. For example, if you bring a bodysuit, you can easily pair it with shorts, pants or skirts for two outfits. If you have a statement dress that you only want to wear for a dinner, revisit your closet again and see if there’s a better option that you can wear instead.
2. Take travel sized toiletries: This tip might also seem common sense, but you would be amazed to find that some travelers bring full sized shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste on their 5 day vacation. Remember that most hotels provide these items, but if you are picky about them, then either buy them in travel sized or get the travel sized containers and transfer your products. I love taking all my trial sized samples because they’re extremely small to carry and it’s a great way to save space!
3. Limit your shoes: I think shoes take a majority of your luggage space and it doesn’t help that they weigh the most! Depending on what type of vacation you are going on, I would suggest bringing two options. For my London trip, I am taking my trusted white sneakers because they go with all my outfits and one pair of heels for my fancy dinners and shoots. I would highly recommend choosing shoes that are comfortable and practical over what photographs well.
4. Take items that you can throw out: I hope I don’t get any backlash for doing this, but sometimes I bring items that I normally don’t want anymore so I can make room for souvenirs to bring back. I am referring to pjs, socks and makeup/ skincare items. I usually don’t bring my nice pajamas on my trip. Instead, I’ll just pack a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that I have no care for. I usually then throw them out along with socks because it’s not necessary for me to bring them home. I try to be strategic and do this with makeup as well. Obviously, I am not throwing out a new eyeshadow palette or foundation, but if I am near the pan of a palette or end of a foundation, I will usually toss that out. You might think these items don’t take up space but I promise they actually make a difference!
5. Roll up your clothes: I’ve actually heard of this tip a lot through other travelers and from articles, but apparently, if you roll up your clothes instead of folding them, you are saving space! This might not be a tip that relates directly to traveling light, but I think it’s a great addition to how to pack your suitcase in an organized manner. I recommend being strategic with your space. For example, if you are packing shoes, you can fit other items in it like your chargers, socks, etc. If you are packing a purse, you can fit other essentials in them as well. The key is to use items that take up space already and try to maximize the storage from those items.

I would love to hear if you ever struggle with traveling light. If you overpack on a majority of your trip, then definitely take a step back and ask yourself what you REALLY need instead of what you want. The best part is that if you purposely leave certain products out, it’s a great excuse to go shopping at your new location. At the end of the day, you never need as much as you think and there’s usually always a way to get what you forget.