How to Pack Light: A Complete Guide

A lightweight pair of white sneakers is a must-have item on my packing list for any trip. I’m a big fan of Reebok shoes for everything from working out to streetwear, and I love these Active Lite sneakers for traveling and sightseeing. They aren’t clunky or heavy, so I can tuck them in my suitcase without taking up much room. While the style leans on the sporty side, these are still casual enough to wear with jeans or dresses, so they can be worn a lot throughout a trip. If you’re really crunched for suitcase space, you could use these as your only pair of shoes for your entire trip (I’ve done it!) and just wear them on the plane, meaning you wouldn’t have to pack any others in your bag.

A versatile wardrobe is going to be your best friend when packing lightly. I personally only bring clothing items that I can wear with multiple outfits, and I stick to neutral colors that all go together. Essentially, you’ll want to create your own travel capsule wardrobe filled with everyday basics that can be mixed and matched throughout your trip. If you’re not sure where to start with building a capsule wardrobe, this T-shirt from Uniqlo is the perfect foundation and a favorite of mine thanks to its flattering cut and sturdy design. It comes in a variety of neutral colors and best of all, the low price will make you want to pick up more than one. Other travel capsule wardrobe items you might want to consider include a comfortable pair of jeans, a button-down top, and a crossbody bag.

Packing cubes are one of my favorite ways to stay organized with any sized bag. These compression packing cubes add another level of convenience by using a zipper system to pack down items another inch or two. This can be extra helpful with bulky clothing, like puffy coats and jackets, but works well with any sort of soft clothing item. This set comes with one large cube, two medium cubes, two small cubes, and a shoe bag. The largest bag measures 15 x 10.5 x 6 inches when expanded and the smallest measures 13 x 5 x 5 inches, which provides a good size range for all of your necessities.

The two factors you have to consider when packing your suitcase are the amount of space you have available and the weight of the bag. While packing strategically can allow you to cram a lot of stuff in your carry-on or suitcase, you don’t want to exceed the weight limits of your airline and be forced to pay an extra fee. I always use this lightweight luggage scale before a trip so I know exactly how much my bag weighs before I get to the airport, and I bring it with me to measure my bag as my souvenir haul increases. This scale is easy to use with any bag as long as it has a handle, and measures in both pounds and kilograms.

No one likes doing laundry while they travel, but it’s one of the most effective ways to pack less. As long as you’re prepared, washing your clothes doesn’t have to be too much of a hassle. Start by packing a laundry bag like this one from Eagle Creek that has a divider to separate clothes for even more organizational benefits. You can also make laundry on the road easier by packing your own detergent — some hotels will offer this for a fee, but you don’t want to risk it. You can avoid taking up space in your liquids bag by bringing solid detergent sheets or a laundry bar, or you can bring a travel-sized pouch of your favorite detergent in liquid form.

You can save a lot of weight and space by keeping your toiletries travel-sized or by using handy toiletry bottles like these ones from Matador. I prefer this set because all the bags lie flat and help you make the most of your space. When I’m really tight on space, I like to pack a castile soap bar that can be used to wash my face, body, and hair if I need it to. While some toiletries aren’t replaceable (I get it), keep in mind that you can repurchase basics like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and soap pretty much anywhere in the world. This will obviously depend on your travel destination(s), but I often plan to buy some toiletries while I’m abroad so I don’t have to worry about packing them.

Traveling involves a lot of downtime, so it’s not unreasonable to want to pack your laptop, books, magazines, and other sources of entertainment. When you’re trying to keep things light, you want to pick electronics that can help you multitask. A tablet for traveling is a great option since you can use it to read and watch movies instead of packing books and your laptop. As long as you have an internet connection (or a portable wifi hotspot), you can also use it to browse the web. If you’re only interested in reading, you could opt for a Kindle for your literary ventures and watch movies or scroll through social media on your phone.