The first time I tried to pack light, I ended up with seven shirts, three hoodies, and one panicked cry in the airport bathroom because my bag still wouldn’t zip.

How to travel light with these packing tips didn’t come easy, y’all.

But here’s the good news: I’ve failed enough times for both of us. Now I can finally fit everything I need for two weeks into a bag smaller than my 7th-grade gym locker.

Why Light Travel Isn’t Just for Minimalists or Backpack Hippies

Look, I used to be that person—packing an entire haircare routine for a weekend getaway. One time I brought a robe. A robe. To Miami. Where I ended up sweating through every outfit in the first 6 hours.

Anyway, how to travel light with these packing tips has become less about fitting into a Pinterest aesthetic and more about… not losing my mind.

The Freedom Part

• No waiting at baggage claim while everyone crowds the belt like vultures.
• No baggage fees (which, fun fact, have stolen more money from me than my college ex).
• No dragging a suitcase over cobblestones like a sad, noisy snail.

Pick the Right Bag or Suffer the Shoulder Pain

Okay, so here’s where I messed up once: I brought a vintage duffel bag with no wheels through four airports in 48 hours.

My rotator cuff still hasn’t forgiven me.

So yeah, how to travel light with these packing tips absolutely starts with picking the right luggage.

My Go-To Carry-On Checklist

• Under 22 inches tall (to fit that janky airline sizer thing)
• Lightweight AF
• A front pocket for snacks I pretend are “emergency-only”

Pro tip? Softshell bags squish better into overhead compartments, but they’re also the travel equivalent of sweatpants—great for comfort, not for protection.

Let’s Talk Clothes—And Your Weird Need to Pack 9 Shirts

I used to pack like I was going to spill on everything twice. Spoiler: I still spill. But now I pack smarter.

How to travel light with these packing tips basically means creating a mini capsule wardrobe that makes you feel like you’ve got options—even if you don’t.

What Actually Works:

• 3 tops + 2 bottoms = 6 outfits (math!)
• Neutral colors that play nice together
• One wildcard item (mine’s a shirt that says “I came. I saw. I took a nap.”)

Also? You don’t need four pairs of socks for a 3-day trip. Your feet aren’t changing identities.

Shoes: The Ultimate Suitcase Bullies

Every time I pack two pairs of boots, a sandal, and a “just in case” wedge, I lose space for things like—oh I don’t know—underwear.

The Golden Shoe Rule

If you remember nothing else about how to travel light with these packing tips, remember this:

Three pairs max.

1. Something to walk in
2. Something to not look homeless in
3. Something flip-floppy if it’s warm (or waterproof if it’s soggy)

Your stilettos can sit this one out, Cinderella.

Packing Cubes: Not a Scam (Despite What I Thought)

So I used to think packing cubes were for Type A folks with color-coded calendars and alphabetized spice racks.

I was wrong.

These little zippered squares of joy turned my suitcase into a functional drawer.

How to travel light with these packing tips gets ten times easier when your socks aren’t flirting with your snacks.

How I Use ‘Em:

• One cube for tops
• One for bottoms
• One for unmentionables (and I will mention them again later)

You can also just use gallon Ziploc bags if you’re on a budget or just vibing with chaos energy.

The Toiletry Trap: Where Dreams (and TSA Rules) Go to Die

Raise your hand if you’ve ever brought four moisturizers “just in case.” Yeah. Same.

I once packed an entire 10-step Korean skincare routine and used two products the whole trip.

So, how to travel light with these packing tips means keeping it basic:

What Actually Comes With Me:

• Mini toothpaste & brush
• Shampoo bar (the weird-looking kind)
• One moisturizer that does “enough”
• Deodorant (a non-negotiable, even when camping)
• SPF because sunburn makes me cry like a sitcom breakup

Fun fact: I still bring floss, even though I only use it two days before I see my dentist. Sorry, Dr. Lee.

Plane Fashion = Strategy, Not Just Looking Cute

Here’s the deal: wear your bulkiest stuff on the plane. Don’t care if you sweat. Don’t care if it’s August.

How to travel light with these packing tips includes sacrificing comfort for carry-on space.

My Airport Outfit:

• Jeans (hate ‘em, but they take up room)
• Hoodie or coat
• Heavy shoes
• Slight panic

Bonus: layers let you fake sleep on the plane when your neighbor won’t stop talking about their gluten-free ferret.

Kill the “What Ifs” Before They Kill Your Bag

Every extra shirt I’ve packed “just in case” has ended up wrinkled and untouched, like my old high school poetry.

You Don’t Need:

• A fancy outfit “in case” you get invited to a gala
• A fourth pair of socks (again, WHY?)
• Your emotional support blanket (unless it’s TSA-approved)

How to travel light with these packing tips is about accepting that you’ll survive without that backup scarf.

Do Laundry—Yes, Even on Vacation

Fast forward past three failed sink-washing attempts and one super shrunk shirt, and now I swear by the hotel sink trick.

Or laundromats. Or that sketchy Airbnb washer that sounds like it’s fighting a demon.

Lazy Laundry Kit:

• Travel detergent or Dr. Bronner’s (multi-use!)
• Rubber sink stopper (learned this one the hard way)
• Hang-dry items on chairs, towel racks, or doors

How to travel light with these packing tips doesn’t mean smelling funky by day four. Promise.

Electronics, a.k.a. The Black Hole of Cords

One trip I packed two cameras, a GoPro, a laptop, Kindle, tablet, and four chargers. I used… my phone.

So now?

What Stays:

• Phone
• Charger
• Power bank (hello, 14-hour layovers)
• Universal adapter

That’s it. Unless you’re a YouTuber on deadline—then go ahead and bring your tripod, you glorious overachiever.

And yeah, how to travel light with these packing tips means leaving the Bluetooth speaker at home, DJ Khaled.

Embrace the Power of Multipurpose

A sarong saved me once. No joke.

Beach towel, picnic blanket, curtain, emergency dress when my shorts split open in Lisbon—legendary.

Multi-Use MVPs:

• Sarong or large scarf
• Reversible jacket
• Zip-off pants (ugly but useful)
• That one friend who brings snacks

Everything earns its keep, or it gets left behind. It’s the how to travel light with these packing tips manifesto.

Travel Lists Save Lives. And Socks.

I once forgot underwear but remembered a travel yoga mat. Never again.

My Real-Life Pre-Trip List (coffee stains and all):

• 3 tops
• 2 bottoms
• 1 sweater
• Toiletries
• Charger
• Snacks (I have no food patience)
• 3 pairs of socks. That’s it. End of story.

How to travel light with these packing tips starts with writing a list and ignoring the voice that says, “But what if there’s a spontaneous opera?”

When in Doubt, Leave It Out

If you’re not sure you’ll use it, don’t bring it. Unless it’s deodorant. Then please, for the love of nose hair—bring it.

Final Thought (But Not “In Conclusion” Because We’re Not Robots)

Anyway, here’s the kicker: how to travel light with these packing tips will feel unnatural at first.

You’ll twitch when you don’t bring your backup hoodie.

You’ll miss your full-size conditioner.

But you’ll thank yourself when you skip baggage claim, hop straight into your Uber, and realize—you’ve finally packed like a pro.

And that, my friend, is the kind of freedom they don’t sell at REI.