by Michelle Joe, Guest Contributor
It’s the last day of the month, and you can barely retain your focus, much less engage an active role in the daily chaos.
Maybe it’s because of the sleep you gave up last night or because you’ve had enough of it…
Sadly, having a cup of coffee doesn’t stave it off every time. Instead, you need a therapeutic break. Slammed up amidst the office drills and domestic pressures, every one of us yearns for a hiatus.
Traveling, as science proves, is the ultimate getaway. It rejuvenates our energy, physically and emotionally. The switch is necessary for nourishing our brains.
However, planning for a trip can lead most of us experiencing knots in our chest and butterflies in our stomach. Known as Pre-travel Anxiety, it is mainly due to packing stress and planning itinerary.
According to Calm Clinic, travel anxiety is a common and complex problem. It causes people to feel depressed or anxious when planning a trip in the subsequent weeks leading up to it.
What if we help you overcome it?
Travel is food for the soul. You don’t have to run away from it. All you need to do is work out your issues.
Tell me, what scares you the most about travel?
If it’s the itinerary, get professional travel companies to do it for you. If it’s packing stress, we are here to help you through it.
Don’t take it as icky stuff that you’ll leave for the last minute. Learn minimalism for travelers. Among many others, one benefit of packing light is you don’t have to drag around heavy suitcases or wait in long luggage queues.
No matter what gender you belong to, you can embrace minimalist travel with a few smart tips. Here is our “banish the clutter” packing guide to help you pack like a pro:
Evaluate Every Item
Minimalist packing is not about ruthlessly stuffing five pieces of clothes in your bag and calling it a day. It is about thinking through every item and packing meaningful things only.
The basic approach is the same you use when de-cluttering your house – consider the following questions:
- Can I wear all the clothes multiple times and pair them up with varying pieces?
- Am I packing things that are likely to be available at my destination?
- Am I packing material I can live without? (Accessories, gadgets, etc.)
- What consumes most space and weight?
Let these questions serve as a guide to help you decide what to pack and what to leave behind. Of course, you will be taking the basics like phone and comfy shoes. But things like heavy novels and food items can be left off.
Get a Compact Bag
More than anything else, the size of your bag will tell you how to pack. If your bag is small, you will automatically prioritize your stuff. Or else, you will keep filling it unless it’s an absolute mess.
Most hand-carry bags have a capacity of 40 liters. This size is perfect for short trips and even full-time nomadic travel. As per the present travel trends, the bag that offers an ultimate combination of style and size is Tom Bihn Synapse 19. It’s portable, and the number of compartments will keep you organized.
Backpacks are the choice of most travel freaks. They prefer carrying the baggage on shoulders instead of rolling heavy suitcases on streets and sandy beaches. You can easily run around the city with everything right there with you. Clever features of new backpacks make packing and organizing a whole lot easier than you can imagine.
Your choice of the backpack also relies on the place you’re going and the nature of your travel. Find out about it before you begin to pack.
Pack Clothes you can repeat
If you know over packing is your weakness; you must familiarize yourself with a capsule wardrobe. It’s a minimalist trend that initiated in the 70s.
Fast forward to this day, and it is our ultimate savior when learning how to travel light. You have to pick a few versatile favorites with a simple color palette, so it easily mixes and matches with other items.
Capsule Wardrobe makes packing easy and quick since you will always have a trusted set of items you can go for. A typical capsule wardrobe will include the following clothing categories:
- Workout
- Outerwear
- Lounge
- Formals
- Layers
- Accessories
Also, when working on it, put your comfort first.
Ladies, you don’t have to pack itchy, fancy, or non-seasonal clothes. As for men, don’t forget the basics! Check out Bn3th for its huge variety of performance underwear. Also, you can find awesome plain tees at Michael Stars to pair up with any trousers.
Limit Toiletries
Generally, guys are quite low maintenance. It’s the women who find hard following this tip. Train yourself not to act on impulse. You don’t have to keep every shade of lip color. Instead, go for the neutrals.
Look for the miniatures of all liquids you plan on carrying. Tuck them up in a small toiletries pouch that’s readily accessible in your backpack. Marie Kondo, the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” says: “I recommend keeping a separate toiletry kit for traveling.”
Remember, there is no need to wear makeup all over your face or keep your hair gelled all the time. Try to cut down unnecessary products. Once you do that, the whole journey is going to be a breeze. You won’t be spending hours in front of the mirror and will enjoy the wonders of nature, instead.
Fewer Shoes and Accessories
We cannot point to the kind of shoes and accessories you’ve to carry since it depends on the weather conditions of your destination.
A comfortable pair of sneakers will allow you to walk through the city and rough terrain. Meanwhile, flip-flops are a must-have for all trips so you can relax around your lodge. If there is a chance of fancy outings, don’t forget to pack a decent pair of sandals.
Choose footwear according to the place you are visiting. Multi-Purpose footwear will save you the trouble of changing over and over again.
Speaking of accessories, it has a different meaning for everyone. For most women, it is their jewelry and cosmetics.
For men, it includes their power cable, headsets, shades, etc. we cannot specify the type of accessories you should pack. It depends on what holds importance for you. Choose them wisely. The whole point of minimalism goes down the drain if you put in every accessory that you use at home.
Ditch your Gadgets
Traveling without your tech toys is a nightmare for the digital nomads out there. DSLR, laptop, camera, and lenses are the essentials they cannot think of leaving behind.
If you’re one of those, we recommend taking it easy. You can cut back on your gear and still keep your virtual game strong. For example, don’t take your laptop as you can upload your photos on the cloud-based server and edit the photos when you’re back.
It is upon you to evaluate all gadgets and how useful they are for you. Ditch some items if you find a plausible alternative.
Final Word
Traveling is not a hassle. It should help you move about freely, not stuck you due to luggage restrictions. The tips we mentioned are doable for men and women, both. We hope you spotted the ones you were missing on.
So, are you ready to book your tickets for the next destination on your bucket list?
Don’t forget to share your experiences on our portal.
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
