You’ve bought all of these cute vacation outfits that are going to be so aesthetic for the inevitable Instagram posts that will dominate your account weeks after you return home from your trip. The only problem is, how are you going to fit it all into your suitcase, AND you only have 50lbs. The solution is only a few scrolls below!
1. CHOOSE YOUR SUITCASE
First off you will need to have a suitcase that fits your needs and will go the extra mile on your trip. There are multiple suitcases options that you can choose from. Hard-side, Soft-side, Carry-on size, four-wheeled, two-wheeled, rolling, backpack, duffle. You can take ages just to sort through the choices. Here are my opinions about Hard-Sided vs Soft-Sided!
Hard-Sided
My preferred option since it protects your stuff against damages caused by the airplanes. They are also longer-lasting and upkeep is easy. They do fit a lot into them and you can easily squish clothes into it by sitting on it 😉
Soft-Sided
This is the ultimate squishable suitcase option. You can fit a gazillion outfits and more into a soft-side suitcase. You can also push and shove it into the overhead bin and not have to worry about looking like a fool in front of a packed airplane.
2. PACKING CUBES
Packing cubes are the secret to everything. I cannot extol the benefits of organizing your clothes into a set of packing cubes. Not only do they stop your clothes from getting thrown haphazardly into your suitcase but you can separate your clothes by type or even by outfit for easy access during your vacation!
3. VACUUM BAGS
Kind of in line with packing cubes, vacuum bags will maximize space in a small suitcase. Especially beneficial if you are traveling to multiple locations which have a wide range of temperatures, such as when I traveled to Croatia and England/Scotland on the same trip. This works well the best on bulky items such as sweatshirts, jackets, and pants.
4. ROLL YOUR CLOTHES!
Rolling your clothes is the best way to make sure you are using the entirety of your suitcase. By rolling your clothes and placing them into the aforementioned packing cubes, you are able to save valuable space. It also prevents your clothes from forming creases during the long travel portions of your vacation.
5. USE ALL AVAILABLE SPACE!
Make sure you are using every inch of your suitcase which includes packing things into your SHOES! There is so much wasted space within your shoes, so stuff your socks into them - that’s where you’ll be using them anyway. Socks aren’t the only thing that fits into your shoes; your hair straightener, shampoo, and conditioner bottles (just make sure you wrap them up so that there is no accidental spillage), and electronics cords can all be stuffed into your shoes. The options are endless!
6. CREATE A PACKING LIST
In order to make sure you know exactly what you want to take on your vacation, a packing list is a key component. Not only does a packing list organize the clothes that you want to bring with you, it can also make sure that you don’t forget important essentials such as passport, hygiene products, shampoo & conditioner, and other miscellaneous items. You can find a number of generic downloadable packing lists all over the internet, however, my important tip is to use these packing lists simply as a starting point so that you can expand and personalize them in order to fit your own trip.
7. PLAN YOUR OUTFITS
Following in the footsteps of creating a packing list, planning your outfits will help minimize the amount of overpacking that can occur. I have a tendency to have my bags completely packed and then see a shirt or pair of pants that I totally believe I will need on my trip and try to jam them into my bag at the last second. This doesn’t happen when I know exactly what pants go with which shirt and the types of occasions I need specific outfits for.
So there you have it! 7 effective ways to reduce weight and maximize space when packing for your vacation! Now the only real problem is deciding which of your clothes you definitely want to bring along with you. I always need to have options so these are tried and true ways that I have utilized to overcome my overpacking situation.
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