Which kind of traveler would you rather be? The one who packs light, or the one who wished they had?
Whatever your mode of travel may be, excess luggage is a headache. Traveling to a foreign country should fill you with delight, not bog you down with extra weight and stress. Practice makes perfect. Hence, with more trips, you too will become an expert packer. Until then, this article can help you navigate through your ‘to take or not to take’ dilemmas.
Packing all that you require is easy. What’s not easy is deciding what to leave at home. You can overcome the what-if-I-need-this syndrome by getting the creative side of your brain to work. Begin with browsing through a few think-inside-the-box packing methods. For example:
- Tetris packing: Use rolled-up clothes like Tetris pieces, and start stacking! Or rather, packing…
- Capsule wardrobe: Pack a few dresses to create ensembles by mixing and matching them.
- 5-4-3-2-1 formula: 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 3 pairs of footwear, 2 or a few light pieces of accessories, and 1 swimsuit (or perhaps a raincoat, or a hat).
With your creative juices flowing, the itch to sneak in a few of your favorites will follow. Hold your ground and do not to get carried away! Familiarize yourself with a checklist of what you will absolutely not need on your international trip:
Your Journal
From keeping a track of memories to finding self-expression, research backs journaling as an aid to mental well-being. But hey, why carry that bulky diary? You can continue to document your musings with smarter options. Try the following tactics:
- Use the notepad app on your phone (Smart Note/Easy Notes are a few top-rated apps)
- Don’t want to crowd your phone screen? Make use of voice notes, or the speech-to-text utility and WhatsApp yourself.
- Record your moment while expressing your heart out. A one-minute video fuels more vivid memories than 50 images would.
Once back home, review, reminisce, and transfer your experiences to your diary at your leisure.
Another Pair of Heels
Are you an aspiring travel or lifestyle influencer? No? Then ditch those bulky heels! Since it is an international trip, chances are that you will be on your feet a lot. It’s better to avoid blisters, tripping, twisting your ankle, foot fatigue, and general unpleasantness.
If you feel that many of your outfits will not look as sassy with a pair of flats, then alright – here are a few suggestions:
- Strictly pack only one versatile and comfortable pair of heels.
- Choose wedges or platform heels. They are stable, and the even base will keep your feet at ease.
- Being comfortable never goes out of fashion. Consider buying sneakers that give you the added inches and comfort.
Unnecessary Electronic Gadgets
The more gadgets you carry, the more chargers and pouches you’ll have to worry about. Don’t forget, you will be made to load the tray with all of these devices at the airport security check. You should look forward to exploring your destination, rather than juggling your tablet, laptop, Fitbit, and Kindle. Your gadgets left at home could use the downtime.
Make a good smartphone with long battery life your best friend for the holiday. Be it attending to important emails, keeping a count of your steps, clicking high-quality pictures, and accessing e-books, your smartphone is capable of doing it all. Plus, all the handy apps for local navigation, music, language translation, even a flashlight – they’re all housed in your magical device.
Expensive Jewelry
Sure, you’re keen on wearing your diamonds and gold for special occasions. However, your international trip is not one of them. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but you can leave them home for the holiday.
Not only will you be in danger of getting mugged or robbed; losing the precious possessions will cause immense regret and misery.
If an exquisite dinner date or a dressy affair awaits you on this trip, you can make an exception by ensuring the basics beforehand:
- Your accommodation is equipped with a safe in the room
- Pick only a few versatile pieces which can be paired with different attire
- Try to pick ones which are not very expensive
- Wear them at places with tight security like elite restaurants or exclusive clubs
No such occasion? Leave them home.
Hairstyling Tools and Cosmetics
All hotels, Airbnbs, and even hostels provide decent hairdryers. What about that hair expert-recommended shampoo? Well, if your hair acts impossible without it, please buy it at your destination.
Don’t worry about going without these items you’re so used to. A few choices below can be considered to assure you good hair days during the trip:
- Invest in a hot-air hairbrush. Enjoy the combination of a hairbrush as well as a dryer.
- Buy pocket-sized hair straightener, especially innovated for travel.
- Dry shampoo is tailor-made for traveling. Apply whenever, and refresh your hairstyle in seconds.
- Keep a well-branded serum handy. It helps tame your frizz, nourishes your hair, and adds shine.
Everything You Can Find There
While it is true that certain things can cost more overseas, stuffing the corners of the suitcase to save a few bucks is not worthwhile. It could also translate into extra baggage fees that outweigh what you could save. Be it snack packets or cotton balls, don’t get misled by their insignificant size and weight; you will be putting a significant amount of effort in micromanaging the minor items. Rather, keep the hassles at bay by adopting these methods:
- Carry only travel-sized personal hygiene items such as toothpaste and deodorant.
- Pack only vital medicines for emergencies, such as band-aids and antiseptic.
- Invest in a leak-proof dispenser bottle, designed with multiple containers to hold your shampoo, conditioner lotions, etc.
One thing you must not refrain from carrying on your international trip is travel insurance. Be it flight cancellation, baggage loss, or a tripping accident, unforeseen situations can arise. By having insurance in place, you can receive compensation for unexpected situations that are covered by your plan. This provides a lot of peace of mind, and one less thing to worry about while you’re packing.
