Travel can be a beautiful and unforgettable experience, except when you have too much luggage to carry and back pain does not allow you to enjoy your trip to the fullest. A twenty-kilogram backpack that you have to lug through an airport can lead to serious spine and shoulder pain, and your trip can easily turn into a nightmare.
The better and more comfortable way to travel is to travel light, which will make your vacation easier and ultimately more enjoyable. Especially if you plan to walk a lot with a backpack on your back most of the time, every gram counts. There are a few tricks to lighten your backpack and a few we will now look at the lines below.
Plan Before You Travel
You need to plan what all you will need for your trip. Take into account what the weather is like at your destination and what activities you plan to do there. By making a list early and going over it a few times, you can make sure you do not bring extra things, which defeats the purpose of packing light.
For example, if you are traveling to a destination where it will not rain (for example, it is a destination where it rains only occasionally, or the weather forecast predicts a very low chance of rain), suppress your fear and “what ifs” and leave your umbrella or raincoat at home.
Reduce Your Toiletries
Sure, you can take travel-sized toiletries to save space. Even better, opt for sample sizes that you can buy at pretty much any cheap store. The items are smaller, cost much less, and can be thrown away when you leave.
If you not only want to travel light, but also save money, you can buy small empty plastic bottles for cosmetics, such as a shower gel, shampoo, or body cream, and fill them with the product you have at home. For example, a set of plastic refillable bottles costs around $2 on Aliexpress. In addition, these bottles have a maximum capacity of 100 ml, so if you only travel with a backpack, you do not have to worry that the bottles will be thrown away by the airport security check.
Remove The Air
If you want to use a smaller bag, you need to find a way to eliminate the air in the items you pack. One way to do this is to roll your clothes instead of folding them. Tuck small items into the shoes you are packing to make sure there are no empty air spaces. Even better, get a vacuum-sealed bag to put your things in and then vacuum all the air out of. Vacuum-sealed bags can reduce the size by up to 50% and are one of the best tricks you should not forget if you want to travel light.
If you do not have a vacuum cleaner, there are also zipper bags. You simply put the clothes in a bag, pull the zipper almost to the end, and leave only a small space open. Then you squeeze all the air out of that bag. Once you have done so, tighten the zipper to the end so that no more air enters.
Save On Clothing
All too often, people take large amounts of clothing on a trip. And no, they’re not always women! Choose clothes that match each other, as well as clothes that you can wear on top of each other, to reduce the number of clothes you take with you. If you are staying in an apartment with a washing machine, only take enough clothes for a few days and wash your clothes regularly.
If you are traveling to a very cheap destination, buy clothes on the spot. Not only will you travel light, but you will bring back home nice pieces of clothing for little money.
Leave Your Laptop At Home
Unless it is necessary, for example, because of your work, or you plan to do a lot of composing on the road, you do not need to bring a full-fledged portable computer with you on vacation. Laptop and charger take up a lot of space and you often have to be careful with your backpack not to break your device.
We recommend leaving your laptop at home. You can use a smartphone to read emails or news while you are on the road, or take photos and share experiences on social networks, thus significantly reduce your luggage.
Opt For Multipurpose Items
Anything that can serve two or more purposes is a good thing. This way, you can take one thing instead of two. For example, take a pair of pants that can be converted into shorts with detachable pant legs that take up less space than a pair of pants and a pair of shorts. If you’re used to carrying several chargers to travel with you to charge your phone and power bank or smartwatch overnight, you’d better buy a charger with two or three USB ports.
Consider Leaving Your Camera At Home
Massive professional SLRs look great, but they take up a lot of space. Unless you are a professional photographer, leave your huge gadgets behind and either take a small camera, such as GoPro that fits easily in your bag, or use your smartphone’s camera. Today, there are a number of smartphones with high-quality cameras.
Last word
Whether you are traveling to larger cities or to nature, we can all agree that travel should always be pleasant and stress-free. Which of the above tips is your favorite?
