How to Pack Light
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Travelling should be about the sights, the experiences and the people you meet. One experience you don't ever want to have more than once is packing too much, having to carry it around Europe, Asia or the Middle East and suffering the consequences.
Learning to pack light is not hard and it'll save you a lot of backaches and headaches while on vacation. Once you go light, you'll never go back, I promise.
The Essentials
Pack for each trip; don't pack the same thing for every trip. A vacation on a Mexican beach doesn't require a parka and a trip white-water rafting in Costa Rica will ruin your high-heeled shoes! Keep your activity in mind and eliminate anything that you're bringing “just in case.”
Remember to pack a photocopy of your passport, plane tickets, credit card cancellation numbers, insurance claim information and contact numbers in case of emergency. These are worth their weight in gold.
Toiletries
Keep toiletries to a minimum: in most destinations, you can buy what you need if you've forgotten anything. Things like the hairdryer can be left behind. If you're staying in hotels, they're probably included and if you're backpacking, well, you'd be crazy to drag your hair dryer along for the ride.
Travel-sized products are great. If you don't want to lose money on these mini-sized bottles, go to Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) or another outdoor retailer and buy a few small bottles to refill with your favourite bottle of shampoo.
Clothing
Clothing is a must, but you don't have to bring everything in your wardrobe. Remember, you can do laundry. Pack a bottle of biodegradable laundry suds, like Campsuds, for washing your clothing in the sink. Pack a few outfits suited to your activity and wash them. You'll be happy that you don't have to decide what to wear each morning.
Bring clothing that will dry quickly and that is travel-friendly. You want fabrics that won't need an iron and can be scrunched up in a suitcase or backpack. Look for synthetic fibres that will dry quicker than cotton. A little stretch, such as Lyrca, will help your clothes look good even after three days of wear. Roll your clothing to save on space and help keep wrinkles at bay.
Shoes take up a lot of space, so look for shoes that will serve more than one function. Sandals that you can wear on the beach and in the shared hotel shower combine two necessities into one. A pair of good walking shoes should find their way into your pack, but remember that you can wear them on the plane to save room in your bag.
Make a List
Write out your packing list before you start adding things to your bag. That way, you'll know what's in your bag and where everything is, which is important when going through customs.
Don't put anything in your bag that didn't make it onto your list. That way, you'll stick to your guns. If you decided you didn't need three different jackets when you made your list, you probably don't need the jackets. Keep this in mind when you pack: if it's not on your list, you're not putting it in your suitcase. Your back will thank you later.
Weigh Your Pack
These days there are strict restrictions on how much luggage you can bring on your trip and you'll be charged high fees for every pound over the limit. While Air Canada's 50 pound limit sounds like a whole lot of gear, remember that most suitcases weigh around ten pounds alone.
If your bag is over the limit, Air Canada charges a $50 fee for overweight luggage within Canada and $75 for international destinations. On top of these fees, you can be charged for cases that are oversized or for any extra bags over the limit.
Grab your pack and get onto your bathroom scale. Then do the math: subtract your weight from the total to find your pack weight. Check online for your airline to see where they draw the line. Remember to leave room for souvenirs or anything you might pick up while you're on your trek.
If your gear is over weight or close to the limit, take your list and pare it down. There's almost nothing you can't buy where you're going if you need it.
Keep it light
Vacations should be about relaxing or seeing the world, not about achy shoulders and sore legs. Learning to pack light is something that will help you over and over again, for weekend getaways or a trip around the world. After all, what will one more pair of shoes do for you when your feet are too tired to carry your 90-pound backpack down another cobblestone street?
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