Joanna Stich

If you haven’t heard, travel is opening up lately, however with that and effects the pandemic had on general population, major airports are having vast issues in terms of staffing and general service delays. As a result, now more than ever its probably best to travel with a carryon bag, so you don’t have to worry about your main luggage getting lost or delaying your vacay.

If you haven’t travelled since the pandemic but would like to, I encourage you to peek at my post “Top Tips for Traveling during the Pandemic” for some useful tips & information.

Packing lightly does not have to mean extreme organization and turning it into a chore. Follow these simple steps to get the most of your items without panicking:

1. Take advantage of travel size cosmetics

Many of the local retailers such as London Drugs (in Canada) and Boots (in Ireland/UK) offer a vast variety of travel size items, such as shower gel, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, sun cream – to name a few. These products are a great way to save space and weight, in your bag. They are also within the size/liquid limit policy at airport security, and they cost fraction of the full-size product.

Couple of things important to note: In Ireland – Dublin Airport specifically, you can purchase all these items in Terminal 1 (European departures) past security. This means, you don’t have to pack them ahead of time, saving you lbs, in case your luggage is weighted at check-in.

If you are environmentally friendly and/or sustainably conscious, I strongly advise purchasing reusable travel size containers. You can purchase them anywhere these days – one of the most convenient ways being Amazon and in Ireland/UK Primark offer these too. My favourite Amazon Travel Set, can be found here.

Lastly, unless you are going to the middle of nowhere on a nomad expedition, you can always buy additional products at your destination. If you fear that your products will run out, that you like to use a lot of shampoo or shower gel – wherever you’re going, there will be stores to stock up if needed. As an added bonus, if you are traveling to the likes of Spain or Portugal, these products will actually be more affordable.

2. Wear your heaviest items while traveling

I have always done this, while traveling as I must admit, I am not the best at packing lightly – I should really stick to my suggestions here and apply them in my own life. Wearing your heaviest boots, jacket, denims or hoodie/sweater can not only save you weight in the luggage but also space. The bulky items can be quite a challenge to pack, and they tend to take up a lot of room.

3. Bring your capsule wardrobe pieces

If you are a fashion enthusiast you may already know what I mean but let me explain for those who don’t: Capsule Wardrobe is a selection of key clothing items that (usually) don’t go out of style i.e., Beige Trench Coat or a Black Blazer. These pieces can be used in multiple ways and go with multiple styles and patterns to create a fresh new look.

Capsule Wardrobe is excellent, not only for traveling but for day-to-day life. These pieces can be on the pricier side (but don’t necessarily have to be), curated over time and apply to various social situations. These pieces will ensure you “always have something to wear” and can pair them with various color schemes and always look chic.

Bringing few of those pieces on vacation, will truly minimise the number of items you bring overall as they can be paired with various miscellaneous items, thus creating a brand-new look each day.

4. The items you bring, should serve more than 1 purpose

In a way this point ties in with number 3. Having clothing pieces that serve on various occasions during the day: at the beach, sightseeing and evening wear. Multipurpose doesn’t have to apply only to clothing though, some items include things like multipurpose soap, which can use as a detergent and sanitizer, my favourite – pashmina, it can serve as a beach cover up, scarf, small blanket, head covering, the possibilities are endless. Another great gadget is a phone cover with pockets, this can serve as a wallet to store your money, cards, or hotel room key.

Bringing a larger, easy to clean handbag on the trip is an advantage for many reasons: more space for items to carry onboard, can work as a day trip bag and a beach bag. If you bring a phone case with pockets, you won’t need to worry about bringing a small evening bag to complete your dinner outfit.

5. Your clothing fabric matters

Bringing items that are made of quick drying fabric, is also a great space saver. You can easily handwash them and hang them to dry overnight and reuse. This works well with items such as socks, day tops/tank tops (your ‘basics”) and beach wear. You will always feel fresh, and wont have the need to bring another pair “just in case”.

As always, feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section below & I will “see” you next week.

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