These days, it costs a lot of money to check bags on a flight — even just one bag. Check two or more, and you can easily start racking up fees that are half the price (or more) of a plane ticket.
Plus, as many international travelers find, that huge suitcase on wheels that rolls effortlessly through airport hallways suddenly becomes a major hassle and backache on uneven/narrow sidewalks, in tiny taxi cabs, or in utterly charming 17th-century hotels with no working elevators.
But sometimes it’s tough to break the over-packing habit.
Want to lighten your load? Here are 8 bright ideas, ranging from easy-peasy to unconventional, that can save you money and help you travel light(er):
Always think “multi-use.” It’s tempting sometimes to just pack that one extra sweater because it’s so great. But are you going to wear that sweater more than once? Does it go with the pants you’ve packed? Does it work with the shoes you’re bringing? What inevitably happens is that you wind up packing other things to go with that one extra thing — and that’s how over-packing starts.
Make a list. Find tops, bottoms, and shoes that are versatile and that you can easily mix, match, and layer. Accessorize with light, easy-to-pack things: scarves, neckties, fabric belts.
If you must bring bulky things, don’t pack them…wear them. While this can be an uncomfortable option if you’re traveling between two very different climates, it still is easier than over-packing for one outfit. The bulky jacket, the long sweater, men’s dress shoes, the knee-high boots, the shoes with chunky heels, the big purse, the hiking boots — these are great candidates for wearing rather than packing. They take up a lot of room in a suitcase and they are unusually heavy.
Do a little laundry. Rather than packing a separate outfit for each day, consider bringing a few ounces of laundry soap and washing a load for a second round. Depending on the trip, this could allow you to even get all your clothes packed into a carry on.
Hit the thrift. If you’re heading to a cool city, get the skinny on the best thrift stores or local shops in the area, and find something that can serve as a boost to your traveling wardrobe and a unique souvenir of your visit. (The money you save on over-limit fees can go a long way to having a wonderful piece from your destination!) Donate something you brought with you and take home something new-to-you. Of course, depending on your budget, you might prefer a high-end boutique to a second-hand store — but the idea is still the same. Arrive light, leave light. And every time you put on your great find, you can remember the fun you had on your trip.
Use technology to your advantage. You know that you can bring a library’s worth of books and magazines on an iPad. But a tablet can also house handy travel apps that can make your trip more efficient and can store vital information. You can scan copies of your driver’s license, passport, or credit cards and securely email those images to yourself for easy access in case they are lost or stolen. There are apps for reservation and flight information, train schedules, best gas prices in your area, best food where you’ll be staying…all right at your fingertips, which can save you the weight and hassle of hard-copy documents and folders.
Before you pack, you can check out a site like Clothes Forecast, which allows you to check the forecast of your destination and can help you plan what to pack based on the temperature and conditions that might await you upon arrival.
Mail your stuff to and from your hotel. This might sound like a pretty kooky suggestion, but if you’re going to be staying in one place for a while — say, 10 days at a resort or something like that — consider what Caroline Costello from SmartTraveler.com points out: “It costs $39 to ship a 15-pound package from Boston to Los Angeles if you use an Express Mail Flat Rate Box from U.S.P.S. Comparatively, a third checked bag on a domestic flight can cost as much as $150.”
If you plan ahead and just use simple ground shipping, you could save even more money. Pack a few essentials in your carry-on, and you can easily be set for a week.