Ah, the travel season is upon us once again. For some reason (probably related to something dumb, like jobs and kids and school) we tend to take off to faraway lands and exotic destinations just when the weather here turns from blustery to absolutely beautiful. Vive la difference. Get those bags packed and go. Oh, and while you are packing those bags, why not go lite, change from bags to bag, take only what you need and save yourself some major headaches. It is so much easier to deal with international life, including travel details, sightseeing, language difference, maps, trains, planes, cameras, cobblestone roads, taxis and the staircase that barely fits your back side let alone your rolling beast of a wedding gift piece of luggage (Thanks, mom. We love it).
Packing light has always been an important travel tip, because traveling with less weight means you travel with more freedom. But now, when you consider the baggage fees recently implemented by most airlines, packing light makes more sense than ever. Consider that most airlines now charge per-piece fees for your luggage as well as extra-weight fees for bags over 50 lbs. All of a sudden, your travel budget just got creamed by baggage fees. That’s okay. Who needed to have the money to see the Great Wall of China, anyway? It’s just a wall. It’s so much better to have 8 sweaters and 4 pair of black pumps with you in the middle of July.
Because I am all about the positive and giving you the best possible advice on traveling, here are several time-tested strategies on how to reduce your bag weight:
If you’re not absolutely sure you’ll need something, don’t take it. Lay out all of the clothes and gear you are planning before you go then take only half of what you think you need. This tip doesn’t work for everything, though. For example, medications. Please take all those. And, often you should lay all of your money before you go and then take twice that amount. But that, friends, is another article.
Take older clothing or gear you don’t care about, buy new clothing along the way and then donate or trash the old stuff. If you wear out those old shoes along the way, why keep them?
Before you leave, pack your bag with everything you plan on taking. Carry it around for a while to find out how comfortable or heavy it is. It’s easier to ditch things at home. And remember, the less stuff you take, the more room you free up for souvenirs.
If you want to go completely light, pack your bag, ship it and pick it up when you reach your destination. FedEx is awesome. While this approach reduces your luggage hassles, it is not always recommended for international travel in particular due to the substantial duties and fees involved. But check. You might be surprised. Also, traveling with no luggage in this time of heightened airport security might bring unnecessary scrutiny and uncomfortable probing.
Or, if you’re a dedicated minimalist looking for a real adventure, you could just take what you can wear and buy what you need at your destination. There is something wonderful about not worrying about bags, shopping locally for fashion and finding what you hope are the appropriate toiletries at the local farmacia. Could be toothpaste. Could be hemorrhoid cream. Roll the dice and take your chances. At the very least you will look totally travel-chic and have a story to tell all your friends.
Travel more. Work less.
