A Guide to Packing Light & Looking Awesome Anyway

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Flights, accommodation, itinerary, days off work booked: check.

Holiday Mode: ON

But wait…have you packed your suitcase yet?

This is the kind of task that either brings out the procrastinator in us or reminds us that we can be responsible, organised grown-ups who have all their ducks in a row days before they set off onto the next adventure. (As cliché as it sounds, our ducks are usually in different ponds, or at best, scattered around in the same pond. Ends up being the case EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.)

First Experience

The first time we went abroad, we took with us the largest suitcase we owned, one that could fit a person in. We thought it would be perfect for a shopping spree in London, but boy, did we ever shoot ourselves in the foot so willingly! It turns out that the more space you think you have, the more you buy, but the weight restrictions at the airport happen to think otherwise. To cut a long story short, we had to pay for a taxi because our luggage was too heavy to carry. We also had to pay for excess baggage. Not much of a bargain there, was it?

Learning to Travel Light

We learn from experiences, right? From then on we realised that the most convenient way to travel was LIGHT. We did pay for an extra suitcase a couple more times, just because we also tend to repeat mistakes in a slightly different manner – but mind you – not without regretting it; the last apartment we booked had no lift and we had to carry our luggage to the FOURTH FLOOR. Hardly relaxing, but it was mostly our fault, too.

To avoid having the same stressful experiences, we have compiled a list which will hopefully help you to travel as light as possible:

1. Take a carry-on

It’s tough, we know. These days it’s hard to choose items according to needs, rather than wants. We have come to believe that the items we really want are also the ones we need. Forcing ourselves to travel light makes us realise how easily we can get by comfortably without having all that extra stuff to weigh us down.

2. Pack trousers that match with multiple tops

Unless we have some minor accident that stains the trousers, we can easily wear the same pair for two days. We like taking different tops for each day in warmer weather because we’re terrified of sweating and stinking. We detest the stench of body odour on unwashed clothes and we definitely do not want to be parading around in it. But yes, we can bring ourselves to wear the same pair of bottoms for two or three days. We do shower daily after all.

3. Roll your clothes

We learned this trick from an online video somewhere. At first we were a bit sceptical, but when we tried it we really could fit in more items. We liked it so much that we went on to roll all our trousers in our drawers. Such a timesaver! These drawers happen to be the only ones which we haven’t had to arrange neatly in years.

4. Carry hair / body care products in small bottles

Some people opt for travel-sized beauty products that come in a package at the pharmacy or the airport. We tend to keep the small bottles to squeeze some shampoo, conditioner, and the rest in because our scalps get irritated if we use shampoos containing SLS and parabens.

Admittedly, if we are paying for a bigger suitcase, we tend to carry beauty products as they are because we can’t be bothered to pour them into smaller bottles. We do, however, avoid taking the ones which are almost completely full.

5. Take the bare minimum – the essentials

I follow my list to take only what is absolutely necessary to my daily routine. Anything else which doesn’t stays home. Okay I do take my hairdryer sometimes, but only because my hair is very unpredictable if left to air dry in particular weather conditions. Otherwise I totally wouldn’t because styling hair is not my thing, as much as I admire the skill to do so in others.

6. Take only one pair of shoes if possible…the one you have on when you leave the house

This might be a tough one for shoe lovers. Don’t get us wrong, we can’t have a perfect outfit with the wrong pair of shoes…but it turns out we can only limit that to when we have the luxury of a shoe cupboard. When we’re abroad, we don’t care as much. What’s more, our back problems escalate when we go long distances in shoes that are unsuitable for walking.

If you really must take a nice pair, make sure it’s neutral. We suggest trying it on with the full outfit before you pack it. Sometimes we have the perfect outfits in our head, shoes included, but when we put it on, it just seems off. So what we’re saying is…avoid carrying anything you’re not sure of.

7. Take only the essential makeup products

If you happen to have every shade of lipstick and eye shadow on the planet (we went a bit overboard when shopping for makeup once), hold your horses! Choose a palette with neutral colours and take that. You won’t look any less beautiful, we promise!

8. Book accommodation depending on the duration of your trip

We tend to treat ourselves to hotel stays when on holiday. If you’re going on a long trip in different cities and do not want to spend extra money or time on having your clothes washed, book alternate accommodation, as in: hotel / apartment / hotel / apartment, so that you can still travel with hand luggage but wash your own clothes yourself, at no extra cost.

We hope you have found these tips helpful. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, we’d be happy to hear them below!

Safe Travels!

Passport and Pathways x

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