8 cool tips to help you pack light, like a pro

There was a time when packing for a holiday involved removing every item of clothing I own from the cupboard and attempting to stuff it into an undersized suitcase. On top of this, I would squish, push and force countless pairs of shoes, accessories, grooming products and tech gear into what little space remained.

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I would then be required to lug the beast containing all my worldly possessions into cars, onto buses, on and off trains, through airports, streets, hotels, motels, hostels and worst of all, up and down countless flights of stairs. After busting my hump through six torturous weeks in Europe and requiring several painful visits to the chiropractor upon my return, I decided to take a stand against over-packing. I had finally had enough of living like a rogue gypsy turtle and decided it was time to downsize.

When I travel with mates, they often have the advantage of travelling lighter because their packing lists genuinely read something like this: shorts, shirts, undies, toothbrush and soap (maybe). I’ve learned to resist the temptation to use their spare luggage space because once you start with one pair of shoes, before you know it, you’ve commandeered half their bag with spare outfits and accessories you’ll probably never wear.

In packing for a one-week trip to Bali I decided to make the bold move of not taking a suitcase or checked luggage of any kind. Instead, I opted for a backpack big enough to take as carry-on luggage. Don’t worry, even the steward at the check-in counter was surprised. “Checked luggage today sir?” “Oh, no. Just the backpack” “….. Oh…. oh… yes of course…a whole week and you…. Just the backpack, not a problem sir”.

Despite a few initial setbacks I’ve perfected the art and no longer struggle under the weight of cardigans, extra shoes and assorted clothing I’ll never wear. My back rejoices at the freedom of not having to wrestle 35 kilos worth of luggage from the airport conveyor belt and most importantly, I no longer bear the shame of the bright neon ‘heavy load, bend at the knees’ tag usually affixed to my bulging suitcase. Packing light isn’t easy but you get the hang of it. You’ll find with less luggage you’re able to move between locations a lot faster, freeing up your time to see more of your holiday destination and your lower back will thank you.

My top tips to help you pack light

Be honest

This is the most important one. If you haven’t worn that jacket you bought six months ago, you sure aren’t going to wear it on holiday when you know you’ll be photographed. So don’t pack it and don’t pack anything else that you think you ‘might’ like to wear. All packed items must have a proven history of good field performance.

Play favourites

We both know that most of your holiday clothing should come out of the clean laundry pile because those are the clothes you wear the most often anyway. Don’t be so hard on yourself, if you love wearing the same navy shorts every day then pack them! It is your holiday after all and what’s most important is that you feel comfortable and confident.

Consider your comfort

If you’re planning on moving around a lot or spending time on a bus be sure to pack at least one comfortable outfit because the last thing you need is to be stuck wearing restrictive clothing on a 14-hour bus ride.

Plan ahead

If you’re travelling for five days then plan five outfits. The chances are that you more or less know the itinerary so think of an outfit for each day plus one or two extras i.e. something for a nice dinner or beach bum day. Make sure your outfits are interchangeable too so you can mix Tuesday’s shorts with Thursday’s top.

Be ruthless

Once you’ve laid everything out do a very stern audit of what you’ve got. Don’t be afraid to cut things from your packing list, you are on holiday so if you arrive there and realise that two sarongs just weren’t enough I’m sure you can buy a third one somewhere and it’ll be a nice memento.

Divide and conquer

If you’re travelling with someone else do you both need to bring a hairdryer, straightener, heat-protector and hairspray? Probably not. You can save money and space by sharing some items and the extra space you have left over can be used for souvenirs. I would definitely recommend you each bring your own toothbrush.

Prepare accordingly

When packing for a two-week holiday to Bali the chances are you won’t need much more than shorts, a few shirts and swim gear. So don’t go overboard and start packing five pairs of jeans and a jumper ‘just in case’. In Bali, there’s no ‘just in case’, it’s always hot so do some research on the weather forecast for your destination and be realistic about what you do and do not need to take with you.

Relax

Why are you stressing about what you have and haven’t packed anyway? As long as you have the basics I’m sure you’ll be able to survive in your four-star beach-side luxury resort and anything you’ve forgotten you can purchase at your destination, I’m fairly certain the rest of the free world also know about toothpaste. When you look back at your holiday you won’t be thinking ‘Wow… that was a killer outfit’… you’ll be thinking ‘Wow… that sunset was incredible’.

There are a few extra things that I always like to pack and usually come in handy: a plastic bag, a ziplock bag, basic medicines, a bar of soap and a pack of wet ones.

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