Not only do the majority of us have too many clothes, we also tend to believe we need to carry half of our wardrobe with us while we travel. The fact is, we don’t. We will review a few ideas on how to pack lighter, better, and more efficiently.
Let's try to rethink how to pack clothes.
SHOES:
You should carry at most 2 pairs. If you wear sandals, you can bring the equivalent since sandals are flat and pack nicely in different ways.
Men – color coordinate your wardrobe and bring shoes that match just about anything: solid colors, blacks, whites, browns, tan nubuck. You really only need one or two shoes—Max of 3. Shoes take up space, and your available packing area will vanish quickly when you pack light. Consider the shoes you wear to travel as part of your daily outfits. It will help you lighten your load.
YTF Recommends: Sneakers/walk shoes, sandals, and casual/dress shoes for the nightlife if you choose to partake. You can get away with this set for the majority of your trip scenarios
Women – OK, I get it. Style is style; fashion is fashion. You can’t be seen wearing the same thing twice. Truly going to tell you this, but do you really think anyone cares? No one is paying attention to what you are wearing. You are on vacation! It’s expected to wear the same shoes, especially if you plan to walk around a lot; there is no reason to be in heels when trekking for 10k-15k steps a day, which is a minimum when exploring places. Picture bloggers are not true travelers (yeah, I said it). Real travelers are trekking it in relaxed, comfortable footwear to avoid blisters at the end of the day. Don’t look at the pre-planned shots and think that is standard. It isn’t.
YTF Recommends: 3 flats, 1 heel, 1 casual tennis shoe, 1 pair of sneakers, or other comfy shoes on the plane (those will be your walking shoes). Flats can lay flat in your suitcase, so only a little space is taken.
CLOTHES:
OK. I am going to say something that everyone can absorb. It is the biggest untold secret about traveling. Here it goes: You’re the only person who cares about your appearance. No one else really cares. The only time someone cares about what you are wearing is if it impacts their enjoyment or relaxation. Do you want to know why people don’t care? It’s obvious. It’s because they are also on vacation, and all they care about is what they are doing, NOT what you are doing. So who are you truly there to impress? I’m not saying forget how to dress and wear dirty clothes all day, no, not at all. I’m only trying to express that there is no need to pack for 10 days; maybe instead, pack for six or seven to start.
How do you fix this? We can take baby steps. First, pack everything you THINK you need. Then remove 20% – 30% of it. So, for example, if you prepared 10 different outfits, only pack 7-8. Don’t think about it, do it. After your trip, review what you STILL didn’t wear. You will be surprised. On the next trip, you then try for 25 or 30%. Get to the point where you are down about 40-45% of the items you usually pack. Why do this? Self-realization. You start learning what you only NEED while on trips, not what you think you need, and should bring with you “just in case.” The “JICs” for a better term, always trump your actual needs. This leaves you doubting if you packed enough, so you automatically decide to overpack to compensate for fear of missing out on something because you needed to make sure you had the right outfit, shoes, etc. Where does this leave you? On the floor in the middle of the airport, trying to figure out how to rearrange items between bags to avoid getting hit with the extra weight bill.
Become a pro-packer and start to rethink how to pack clothes! Below are some of my self-realization.
• Underwear (socks, undershirts, underwear, etc.): pack for 60% of the days you are there. When you are down to 40%, start washing. They will dry in time before you run out!
• Bottoms: neutral/dark or solid light colors will match the majority of things you decide to pack. Packing with this thought process will help reduce the clothes needed to carry on short or long trips.
• Shirts: Darker colors, and if you are in the tropics, darker colors with patterns (shirts with patterns hide the accidental stains better than solids, as well as distract the eyes. Solid natural colors also help in this process
• Coats: When necessary, you only need one to wear.
• Swimsuits: Women can carry many of these, but after 4 or 5, they start to take up room. Think about keeping this number under that amount.
Men: we can wear the same trunks daily for the whole trip. No one cares; we know that which is why being a guy, at this point, is a win! LOL! I recommend having an extra set with you to give the one set some airing-out time.
By starting to rethink how to pack clothes with a few of the ideas above, you can pack more souvenirs and gifts for friends, family, co-workers, and loved ones. Or not. LOL!
Post below and let me know what your packing recommendations are!
If you want additional packing tips, check out RETHINK HOW TO PACK: ALL THINGS ELECTRIC.
