Are you the kind of person who also takes a lot of stuff with you when you're travel, driving around or just away for the day?
When I travel, I always bring "what if" things with me. What if I get sick and need an extra change of clothes, what if someone spills something on me that makes me need to change clothes, what if I hurt myself and need a band-aid. I've always been a "what if" kind of person.
However, I've recently started to realize that if these "what if" things were to happen, I rarely travel to such desolate places that I won't be able to find a store where I can solve my problem. So why do we (I) take so much with me when we (I) go away?
It's a bit funny, but when my sister and I go down to a store in Sweden where we usually shop in the sense of BIG, the car is always packed when we leave and even worse when we get home. Since we book a cabin, we have to bring our own bedding (blankets take up space in the car), we always bring a packed lunch on the road, a change of clothes, hygiene items, etc. Then you stand there looking at your luggage and wonder how this could have gotten there, the trunk is already full.
ONE OF THE SHOPPINGTRIPS I MADE WITH MY SISTER
I've started thinking about it lately and just bought myself a cabin bag that I'm going to try to pack in when I travel. Having everything together when you travel makes it so much easier instead of my usual tactic of packing in a few different bags. It will be exciting to see next time I travel if I manage to stick to the bag I bought.
I also bought a cooler bag today which is a backpack to make it easier to collect all the food and drinks we bring with us in one place, even there I'm an expert at spreading myself out.
The strange thing is that my behavior when I travel doesn't match my behavior at home. I usually solve problems that arise at home and buy what I need if I'm missing something. I don't know why I always have to bring so much with me when I travel. What do you do when you travel, regardless of whether it's by bus, train, car, boat, plane or some other way. Do you carry unnecessary luggage that you could have done without? Do you come home with clothes you never used?
Here are some tips on how you can pack more minimalistically!
1. Have a packing list. This will prevent you from just throwing things in or forgetting what you have already packed. It creates order.
2. Put different outfits together on the bed. Clothes that can be matched with each other. For example, you might be able to have the pants with three different tops. Or the dress that can be matched with a cardigan when it gets chilly. This way you can reduce the number of items of clothing if the outfits can be combined with each other.
3. Pack in packing bags for better sorting. Having everything loose in the suitcase creates disorder and chaos if you have to open it in public.
4. Weigh the packing and choose lighter over heavier not only for the sake of your back when you have to lift the suitcase but also for the sake of money, not fun when you have to pay for excess weight on the flight.
5. Given the current circumstances in the world, I would advise packing a little more medication if you have it, than you need, in case you are delayed. Prescription medications can be difficult to obtain and it only creates unnecessary stress if they run out while you are stranded. Don't forget to pack them easily accessible too.
6. If you are unsure whether there is a towel to borrow where you are going, only pack a small towel. I usually take a smaller towel with me if I am unsure. That way you have something to dry yourself with in case there is none, but it does not take up too much space unnecessarily. Towels and thick sweaters have the ability to fill up a space quickly.
7. Bring multifunctional things so that you do not have to lug around several different things. For example, your mobile phone can function as both a book and a camera, although I myself prefer to read a physical book =), it is all about space and weight.
8. Think about which destination you are going to. If you are going to lie on the beach the whole trip, you may not need to bring your stiletto heels, then sandals or ballerinas may be enough. If you are going to climb mountains, then good shoes are preferable to sandals. Simply adapt the contents of your suitcase to the holiday you are taking.
9. Do the same with your children's clothes as you do with your own. Put together combinations of outfits to pack less.
10. Put creams and shampoo etc. in smaller bottles. If I'm only going away for a few days then I don't bring shampoo with me, I make sure to wash my hair just before I leave and then immediately when I get home again.
11. One way to avoid bringing unnecessary things is to check the weather before you go so that you have packed the right clothes for the right weather and therefore avoid bringing a rain jacket if you absolutely don't need it. If you only knew how many times I've thrown my rain jacket in at the last minute without using it just because I thought it was nice to have. If I don't have the dogs with me I hardly go out in the rain anyway.
12. Don't forget to have fun. Make it as undemanding as possible. If it's a vacation, you should be able to relax.
Best regards