Let’s just say, I do not have the best track record when it comes to packing lightly. I have always been that one person in my family that has to be prepared for every minor problem that may arise. However, I realize that while living abroad overpacking will cause more problems than it will fix.
Since I will be flying to Italy for nearly five months, the plane makes it very hard to overpack. Yet, knowing myself, I will still find a way to pack everything…just in case. Before I leave for a trip, I plan out everything that I plan to take with me and outfits I can make with those items; however, I still tend to put almost everything into my suitcase with my excuse being, “What if I need that?”
When I started to pack for my semester abroad, it took me quite a bit of time to truly narrow down my clothes into what I really needed vs what I wanted. So, here are some tips that helped me to pack less and organize my suitcases:
- Truly think about what you need vs what you want.
- It was very hard for me to think this way, but it did help in the end. Many of my clothes I took out of my suitcase because I was unable to find a reason as to why I needed them other than ‘I liked them’ or ‘What if?’ If you are packing ten pairs of jeans for example, think of how many you would actually need. Narrow down the pile by which pairs fit the best, which pairs were the most comfortable and which pairs I could wear with the greatest number of outfits/shirts.
- Can I re-wear this? Is this multi-purpose? Or does this only have one wear in it?
- Very similar to the first point, if you cannot find more than one purpose for any piece of clothing, than you should not be bringing it with you abroad. Again, I narrowed it down by thinking about how many different ways I could wear an item.
- Try your best to plan ahead.
- Once you get to your destination, you will be very thankful if you planned ahead before leaving home. Don’t bring ten T-shirts just because you can’t pick between them. Instead bring three or four T-shirts that you absolutely know you will wear multiple times.
- Don’t pack things that you can buy abroad.
- This may seem very hard to do, but surprisingly you can find many products you use here, abroad. I have seen people pack huge bottles of face wash and shampoo and conditioner, but you don’t have to! People in your host country are people, and they use all of these things. Before leaving, research any hair or face products you use and see if you can buy them in your host country. I guarantee, if they do not sell that exact product, they have a very similar one.
- Don’t pack super heavy items if you can wear them.
- If you are traveling somewhere that gets cold or does not get warmer until later in the season, then you will need some heavier clothes. However, heavy clothes take up a lot of space and weight in a suitcase. If possible, wear some of the heaviest clothing you have, and pack the lightest of those heavy items. For coats, wear the heaviest one that you plan to bring and pack the lighter of the two (I guarantee you will not need more than one or two coats).
- Use packing cubes to utilize space.
- Packing cubes will help keep your clothes organized and will create more space for other items. I discovered that in order to effectively use packing cubes, first pack all of the clothes and items you are taking into your suitcase (it does not have to be neat) and weigh your bag. If your bag is over, you know you need to eliminate some items, if your bag is under, perfect! Then take those items and organize them into the packing cubes and place them into your suitcase. This will then keep your clothes organized and all packed into one space, so you know where to look.
- Don’t pack full-sized toiletries.
- What I did when it came to pack toiletries was, I decided how much of shampoo or conditioner I would need for one week. I would then pack that amount, knowing that I could buy more once I arrive to my host city. Pack all you know you will need for up to one week and leave the rest. Once you run out, buy more in your host city.
- FOR MY GIRLS: The only toiletry item I would recommend packing enough of for the length of your stay is pads/tampons/etc., or any feminine hygiene products that you use because they are different in other countries, including Europe. You don’t have to, but I would recommend it.
- You do not need as many shoes as you think you do.
- It may seem like you need at least 5 or more pairs of shoes, especially for my girls, but in reality, you don’t. I would limit yourself to two pairs of tennis shoes/everyday shoes that you know you will wear every day. In terms of sandals/flip-flops, you truthfully only need one pair, so pick the pair that can go with the most outfits and can get wet in the case that you go to the beach or pool. With dress shoes, realistically, you only need one pair of nice dress shoes because the pair you bring should fit with numerous different outfits. The less shoes you bring, the more room and the lighter your suitcase will be.
Once you start packing, you will get done before you know it, so don’t wait until the last second. Remember that just because you think you need it, it does not mean that you do. Learning to pack lightly is very challenging, but it is manageable. I would rather pack less, and carry around a lighter suitcase, than break my back trying to carry my suitcase full of overpacked things I don’t need. Remember to pack smarter, not harder.
