You don't have to be a minimalist to pack lighter when you travel. It's not about scaling everything down to the point where you claim you own just "five" things. Instead, packing light is about being flexible, making transportation easier to manage, and saving your back from strain throughout your journey.
You may have already seen my packing list; here are five ways I lower the overall weight and size of my backpack.
Table of Contents
1. Use a Smaller Bag
This might be an obvious way to scale back on the things you bring with you, but seriously speaking, we'll probably fill it up no matter what size our bag is.
Have you ever seen a backpacker walking about with a half-empty backpack? No, most of the time, I see backpacks maxed out and overflowing with extra things hanging from strings and carabiners.
One of the easiest ways to pack lighter is to use a smaller bag; that way, when your bag is full, it won't be too big.
2. Bring Less Clothing
Clothing is one of those things that I see nearly everyone brings too much of. Yes, you need the basics, and you may need a few extras, but do you need seven shirts and seven pairs of underwear?
I travel with no more than three sets of clothes, sometimes with just two. Now, of course, you have to consider the weather conditions where you'll be traveling, but think about how many clothes you need.
Remember, you can wash your clothes in a sink each day or even buy new clothes wherever you are.
3. Hold Back on Toiletries
I've honestly seen travelers with toiletry kits that are nearly the size of my entire backpack! Stuffed inside are full bottles of shampoo, whole boxes of band-aids, facial creams, and who knows what else.
Depending on your own physical needs and comforts, you can probably still cut back on some of the unnecessary toiletries. Also, remember again that just about everything toiletry-wise will be available in the nearest store in whatever city you'll be in.
4. One Pair of All-Purpose Shoes
Shoes are incredibly bulky and often quite heavy, but they are indeed important, depending on where you're going or the activities you'll be doing.
The way I travel, I bring one all-purpose pair of shoes that I use for walking, hiking, or jogging, and I carry a pair of flip-flops that I prefer to wear most of the time.
These two footwear options are likely all you'll need for a typical backpacking trip, and any additional footwear will only add weight to your bag with minimal use.
5. Fewer Books
I don't mean less reading material (I think reading is a great thing to do when you travel), but I do mean fewer physical reams of paper that are outrageously heavy.
I know it is nice to have a physical book to read while traveling (maybe one or two), but a whole stack of books may not be worth their weight. You can often find used books when you need them or trade with other travelers.
Additionally, consider an e-book reader, which allows you to store hundreds of books on a compact device.
When it comes to guidebooks, either don't bother and rely solely on the information you find online, or I've seen people tear out only the valuable pages from guides and discard the useless portions.
I'm an advocate for traveling in a way that makes you feel most comfortable, and we each have our unique wants and needs. However, I firmly believe that lightening the load is directly correlated with getting the most out of your trip.
These are just five suggestions, but there are countless other ways to cut weight from your bag, allowing you to travel with ease and give your back a break.
