Do's and Don'ts: How to Travel Light

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How to Travel Light Without Making Sacrifices

In Europe, you're only allowed the smallest piece of carry on luggage, and sometimes, no purse to go along with it. And of course the fees for checking a luggage are out of the question, so you have no choice to pack light. So how do you do it when you value wearing clean clothes every day, having enough toiletries to last you, and never having a shortage of underwear?

Don't

Don't pack bulky items. Thick cotton underwear takes up more space than nylon underwear. Tights take up less space than leggings. And too many jackets are a waste of space. When deciding between items, pick the least bulky. I will do a separate post about packing for cold weather, but in general, choose those lightweight  over the casual cotton t-shirts. For every heavy fabric t-shirt I can bring two lightweight tops. And usually they're more stylish.

Do

Prioritize what you cannot travel without. I have this huge guidebook for all of Europe that takes up a good portion of my packing space. I have now opted for copying the pages instead of bringing the entire book. When I'm staying in a hotel, I don't bring my sleep sheet that I use for hostels. And now I've stopped wearing makeup when I travel, it's too much to bring along and takes too much time in the morning. But I know that I have to have my iPad with me and an extra pair of underwear and pants. You never know when you might accidentally get splashed. So know what you cannot travel without and what you can leave at home.

Don't

Don't pack your jacket or your boots. Wear your heaviest clothing on the plane. If you're only bringing one pair of jeans with you on the trip, wear them on the plane to save some space. The same goes for boots and jackets. Some people even wear multiple layers of clothing on the plane to save space. I don't do that because I don't need to be sweating uncontrollably for prolonged periods of time. So it's your choice, but at least avoid packing jackets and clunky shoes.

Do

Leave extra room for your purse. Some airlines won't let you bring more than one bag on board, including your purse. So leave extra room for that purse, it will make your baggage weight be less and it saves you some room on the return for some shopping. But I have gotten past those pesky airline rules by hiding my purse under my jacket when I have absolutely no room left.

Warm weather like in Rome? Lots of lightweight tops Trevi Fountain, Rome

Don't

Don't foret about layering. Layering helps you stay warm and if it gets too hot, you can gradually take off the clothes you don't need. But the reason why I like layering is that I can wear my shirt for an extra day or two by putting tank tops underneath. Layering also allows you to have a variety of options and styles but bringing less clothes.

Do

Re-wear pants and tops. My general rule is that pants last 3 days. I can get 4 out of them but I don't like ruining them either. Tops I usually do a maximum of two, but if I can, I will wear one top per day. Usually in the winter I keep the two day rule and in the summer I have a one day rule. But when it comes to pants, shorts, and skirts, as long as there's no giant gelato stain on them, they're fair game.

Cold weather like in Berlin? Re-wear those sweaters! Berliner Dom, Berlin

Don't

Don't forget that you can do laundry. Laundromats are everywhere in Europe, so thinking that you are going on a month long vacation without laundry is not going to happen. Today many hostels allow you to do your laundry there for a price, so at night, when you're not out doing anything, wash your clothes. The best way to pack light is to pack enough underwear for two weeks and enough clothes for one week. From there you can wash clothes, but if you can't find a laundromat, the bright side is that you at least have clean underwear. But if that still freaks you out, you can wash your clothes in a sink. But trust me, they have laundromats, just ask the place where you're staying for the closest one.

Do

Remember the 3-2-1 rule. 3 pairs of pants or bottoms, 2 pairs of shoes, and 1 really good jacket. You don't need to bring a pair of shoes for every outfit, instead make sure that the outfits could go with either pair. Always bring at least one pair of longer pants to Europe if you plan on visiting famous cathedrals, they don't allow exposed knees in some. And one really good jacket depends on the season, but in general, make sure that it's waterproof.