When I first started traveling, I was THAT person that packed everything. My suitcase was so big, it could probably fit three grown men comfortably. I would lug that thing to the airport hoping with every fiber of my being that it would pass the weight test. If not, I had my carry-on that wasn't completely full, so I could unload some things into that if needed.
Then, I went to Australia for 3 months and realized during that time that I was wearing basically the same clothes through the weeks and I hadn't touched half the things I packed.
I wasted perfectly good souvenir space for way too many clothes, shoes, and toiletries.
After Australia, I decided to begin some light packing experiments. I visited my parents for a couple weeks in Wisconsin and packed two pairs of pants, a large number of shirts, a sweatshirt, and some other winter gear that seemed necessary 12 months out of the year in northern WI. I also took what I considered "necessary" toiletries. I fit all of that in a medium-sized bag.
Only one grown human of average stature would be able to fit inside this bag.
I was pretty proud of myself, but it was also a test to see how much I didn't use while I was there. I purposefully re-wore clothes (after washing them, of course), and found that I was actually using only about half of what I packed.
The biggest test came when I did a twelve-day, six-country Europe trip in January with a carry-on and a backpack.
I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy, but it was possible. I'll share more about that experience in the next part of this series.
Then my final pièce de résistance... the pride of my packing skills... in 2023 when I did a two and a half weeks, four-country Europe trip with a carry-on and a backpack.
By this point, it was actually, quite easy and I even had souvenir space to bring a couple things home!
Through my experience I've found there are some very important things to consider when attempting to pack light. They are...
Location, Location, Location!
Where you are going really makes a difference on how you're going to pack!
Could I go to Australia with just a carry-on, yes.
Could I go to Iceland for a week, in the winter, with a carry-on, nope. Not me. Not yet. But I only say that because I have been there, in the winter, and three layers of windbreakers and snow-pants still didn't make me feel warm enough when I was outside. Comfort level when traveling is important.
Here are some things to ask yourself about the location and how that will impact your travel packing.
Accommodations
Some questions to consider:
Are you staying somewhere that offers a washer and dryer?
Are you staying somewhere that has a laundromat nearby?
Do you have time in your itinerary to go to the laundromat if there is one?
Are you staying somewhere that offers laundry cleaning services?
Activities
Some questions to consider:
Are you going for work or leisure?
Are you going to be sweating a lot in your clothes?
Will you be mostly indoors, mostly outdoors, or a mix?
Will you be swimming a lot or mostly on dry ground?
Climate
Some questions to consider:
Does the place you're going have a hot, humid climate where you'll sweat even when standing still, under shade? (Think Savannah, Georgia in mid-July).
Are you going somewhere with a hot, dry climate where you won't sweat when standing under the shade outdoors?
Are you going somewhere with a cold, wet climate, where you'll potentially have snow or very low temperatures?
Are you going somewhere with a cold, dry climate, where snow may not happen, but high wind and brutal low temperatures could be an issue.
All of these are important things to think about when prepping your packing list.
Length of Time
I've actually learned that the length of time of my travel has far less impact on my packing than my accommodations, the activities I'll be doing, and climate of the area.
For example, like I mentioned above, I could easily take a 3-month trip to Australia with just a carry on. In Iceland, however, I know I would need a larger bag to fit all the warm clothes I would need for my own safety from the windchill and comfort.
On the other hand, I can spend a lot longer in a place with far less luggage if I have the access to do laundry, than in a place where there are no laundry facilities. But there are ways around that as well!
Packing List Prep Part 1 = Complete.
While you're crafting your packing list, these are questions you should be asking yourself. Once you know these things, you can move on to the next part of your packing adventure: knowing what you'll need when you get there.
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