waiting in line at airport
Products We Love,  Travel

How to Pack Lighter

/ 49 Comments

Packing light has many advantages such as allowing you to save money and time. Once you’ve mastered packing light, you will enjoy the freedom and flexibility that comes with traveling without checked baggage. Skipping the baggage check lines and the baggage claim carousel gets your trip off to a great start. Unfortunately, saying you want to pack light is easier than actually getting everything you think you need for your trip into a small suitcase. Many of us hope to be able to pack light but when we start making a pile of everything we think we need to take with us on a trip, we quickly realize that there is no way it will all fit into one small carry-on.  

If you’re not convinced that packing light is for you, I recommend reading Ten Reasons to Pack Light and How to Do it. Once you’ve decided that you want to enjoy the benefits of packing light, you will need to make some decisions about specifically what to pack. Each and every item you add to your suitcase increases the weight and takes up space. Successfully packing light requires strict discipline and overcoming the natural urge to pack something “just in case” you might need it. Be ruthless with eliminating items until you only have what is essential and only what will comfortably fit into your small carry-on. Don’t overstuff your suitcase when packing to leave home; it will be a hassle to repack at the end of your trip, and if you do buy some souvenirs, it will be difficult to fit them in. Follow the guidelines below to select what you should bring with you to help accomplish your goal of packing light.

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase using a link on this page, you will not pay a penny more, but we may receive a small commission. See full details in the disclosure policy here.

Clothing Choices for Packing Light

The type and amount of clothes you choose to pack for travel can make a difference in the size of a suitcase or backpack you need to carry around on your trip. 

Undergarments

Let’s start with the basics – underwear. Most people feel it is a necessity. Even if you choose to go commando in your daily life, you might want to consider wearing underwear while traveling, especially if you are hoping to wear the same pair of pants for more than one day. A fresh pair of underpants for each day of travel is hygenic. Comfortable, moisture-wicking underwear is essential for long, active days on the road. To keep your suitcase as light and small as possible bring only two or three pairs of quick drying underwear. Every other evening, before bed, quickly wash two pairs of underpants in the sink. Hang to dry and repeat as needed throughout your trip. I especially like lightweight, quick-dry underwear for this purpose. Look for quick-drying underwear that can be washed and dried overnight in your hotel room – sorry, but 100% cotton does not fit the bill here; it takes too long to dry. We were recently offered a chance to try  Shinesty brand underwear. The bold, fun prints come in matching his/ her combinations. Sizes range from XS to XXL.

We were happy with the performance of the Shinesty underpants; they were lightweight, breathable, moisture-wicking, stretchy, and quite comfortable. The women’s underwear is a seamless, laser-cut, raw edge style resulting in no VPL. The men’s boxers are made of silky soft Micromodal for moisture-wicking all-day comfort. Best of all, on a recent trip, they both quickly dried when washed and hung to dry, making these a great choice for travel. Check out the fun print and color options from Shinesty. Use the code 10OFFTHEPRIME for 10% off your first order.

For women: Wear one bra and pack one bra. For hot, humid destinations, consider packing lightweight bra liners to keep your bra fresh for several days of wear. The bra liners take up less space than a full brassiere and can be quickly washed in the sink and hung to dry. 

These are my favorite: Wick ‘em moisture wicking bra liner.

 

Outfits

Now that you’ve got your foundation garments in place, choose your clothing for the trip around a coordinating color grouping theme. Packing with a simple color palette in mind will allow you to mix and match tops and bottoms to create different outfits for each day of your trip without bringing your entire closet. If something cannot be worn in at least two different outfits, it does not make the cut and would most likely be a waste of space. Packing in a color-coordinated way also helps you keep the shoes to a minimum. I often pack with a black/white/grey color scheme. Black pants, black and white or grey tops, and a few different lightweight scarves to add a pop of color. If I’m not feeling the black theme, I often go with a shades-of-blue theme. Blue jeans, tops of various blues and greys and a scarf with blues and whites will complete my packing and ensure that I have outfit choices that are flexible and can last the length of my trip. 

Rolled shirts in packing cube

I’d heard a lot of good things about 100% merino wool shirts but I had a hard time believing they would not be itchy – I was pleasantly surprised. A high-quality 100% merino wool shirt is soft, smooth, and not itchy at all. These shirts can be worn several times before washing because the naturally antimicrobial wool fibers resist odors. They are easy to hand wash and dry quickly in a hotel room. But, best of all, they take up less space when packing. Take a look at this photo. On the left is a Woolx 100% merino wool v-neck t-shirt. On the right is a 100% cotton v-neck t-shirt. The wool t-shirt rolls much more compactly needing less space in your suitcase. Tip:  these shirts do run small. If you like a looser fit, I suggest sizing up when ordering.

rolled wool travel shirt

 Outerwear

The best way to bring a jacket is to wear it on the plane. If you do not want to do that, be sure you are not packing a big bulky coat that takes up all the room in your small suitcase. Over the last year, we’ve each added a compressible down jacket to our travel wardrobe. It packs down into a small pouch about the size of a Chipotle burrito; it is warm in cold temperatures and stays warm even if wet. We chose the Eddie Bauer Storm Down jackets, they came in handy when we went on a sunrise hot air balloon flight last year.

Down Jackets in a hot air balloon

 Eddie Bauer Men’s MicroTherm 2.0 StormDown Jacket

 

For Spring and Summer travel I’ve recently invested in a lightweight, packable raincoat that served me well on my recent trip to Seattle. This jacket also packs down into a small pouch making it easy to pack and is also easy to toss into a day bag when you are not sure what the weather will be like for your day of sightseeing. 

Shoes and socks

Nothing weighs down and fills up a suitcase quicker than footwear. Rule number one: wear your bulkiest shoes/boots on the plane. Pack one additional pair of shoes. Unless you are traveling for an occasion that requires specific footwear, be sure all shoes you pack can work with several outfits. Pro-tip: If your footwear needs socks, pack your tightly rolled socks inside the shoes that you are putting in the suitcase. This will utilize the empty space in the shoes, and the socks will help keep the shoes from being crushed. 

Toiletries

Keep your toiletries minimal. Small travel sizes work for short trips. For longer trips, consider buying or borrowing what you will need at your destination. Most upscale hotels have all the basics, and some even offer an “in case you forgot it” selection of toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, etc. If you have a favorite cream or lotion that you really cannot live without don’t pack the full-size bottle. Invest in small, travel-sized tubes and jars to transfer a small amount for your trip. Remember, if you are flying, your liquids and gels need to be in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 ml) and fit in one quart-sized clear bag.

 

Electronics

I recommend packing your electronics into your one personal item carry-on and not your carry-on suitcase just in case your airplane is full and you are required to gate check your bag at the last minute. Read more tips on What to Pack in Your Extra Carry-on Bag and suggestions for keeping it all organized. To keep your packed electronics as light as possible, take as few chargers/charging cables as you can. A multi-purpose charging cable that has a connected adapter for both micro-USB and lightning cable can serve double-duty by charging both your micro-USB devices and your Apple products. This allows me to use the same cord to charge both my iPhone and my portable power block that uses a micro-USB cable. This cable also works for charging my Kindle as well as my iPad – very efficient little cable. 

Choosing Your Suitcase

The weight of your empty suitcase will make a difference – the lighter the better. Read How to Choose the Best Carry-on Suitcase. If you need a great carry-on sized suitcase, I love the Minima by Chester.  Visit their website and use the code EXPLORE during checkout for a 10% discount on your order. You don’t have to take my word for it, Chester offers a 100-day trial policy on their suitcases! 

Exterior of Minimia by Chester suitcase carry onPacking Your Suitcase

Once you’ve decided what to pack, read this post for tips on how to efficiently pack your clothing in your suitcase to maximize the amount of clothing you can fit into one small carry-on. Spoiler alert: roll your clothes and use packing cubes. Choose a set of packing cubes that fit your chosen carry-on perfectly to maximize space usage. 

If you need a list to help you remember what to pack, subscribe to my blog and I will send you a free printable, packing list!

 

What are your favorite items of clothing you always pack for travel?

Pin this for later:

Pinnable image showing rolled clothes in packing cube people in line at airport and suitcases

 

 

Share this with your friends!

You May Also Like

Sunset out the airplane window

What to Pack in Your Extra Carry On Bag

October 25, 2018
Ohare Airport Terminal

How to Stay Healthy for Travel

January 22, 2019

Top Tech Travel Gadgets

September 20, 2018

49 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *