International travel is an exciting way to see new, beautiful sights, as well as learn about other countries, customs, and cultures. However, when you’re so far from home, knowing what to bring and leave behind can be challenging. It’s generally suggested that packing light is a good rule of thumb, but it’s tricky to follow this rule for cold environments or long trips. These packing tips can help you sort your priorities in terms of luggage space.
1. Include a Layered Wardrobe
When traveling to a different country, you may be surprised at how different the weather is. Even if you research the climate beforehand, the temperature can change according to many conditions. Consider packing layered clothing according to the local temperature and weather. Some desert locations can get very cold at night, and some cold, mountainous countries can work up quite a temperature in the midday sun.
2. Pack Light
It may be tempting to bring an outfit for every occasion, just-in-case items, and multiple pairs of shoes. Unfortunately, you will want to pack as light as possible when traveling far. Consider only bringing a few outfits and doing laundry when you’ve arrived at your destination. Most travelers recommend that first-timers bring only half of what they’re planning to pack to keep things lighter.
3. Reconsider Unworn Clothing
While you may be excited to try a new garment on when you’re on vacation, it may be wise to skip it. You’ll want to wear clothes you know you like in terms of fit and style. If you do not like how your new clothing looks or feels, it’s just wasted luggage space. Bring your tried and true items instead.
4. Bring Versatile Outfits
Instead of bringing several outfits for one day, consider multipurpose wardrobes like reversible clothing or anything that can be adjusted to look different. Multifunctional clothes can provide several looks with only one outfit, saving you space, energy, and time.
5. Don’t Underestimate Comfortable Shoes
Even if you don’t plan on doing any significant physical activity or hiking when you’re traveling, there is always a lot more walking than you anticipate when you travel. You need to walk through airports, to other transportation, through your lodging, and more. If you only have room for one pair of shoes, ensure they’re comfortable.
6. Keep Travel Documents Safe
It can be easy to forget to pack your essential travel documents in the middle of packing chaos. For most international travel, you’ll need boarding passes, a passport, identification, credit cards, and a visa, depending on the country. Visas and passports may be simultaneously required (it’s essential to understand the visa vs. passport differences before traveling). Make sure you plan to keep your essential documents accessible, clean, and dry during your trip. You don’t want them to get lost or stolen. Waterproof folders or folios are great for this and are usually flat for packing ease.
7. Don’t Pack Your Bulkiest Clothing
Consider wearing the bulkiest items you own to save on luggage space. It’s expected to include bulky clothing, especially if traveling to a colder country. However, you can save a lot of space by bringing your parka or giant cargo pants on a carry-on or your person instead of in your checked luggage.
8. Smart Packing Strategies
Instead of folding your clothes and stacking them on top of each other, you can utilize some neat packing strategies. Packing cubes are storage packs that allow you to stack and reduce the bulk of items in your luggage. Additionally, rolling your clothing instead of folding it traditionally can provide more room in a suitcase. Other methods, such as vacuum sealing, can work wonders as well—but make sure you can reseal them when you’re returning home, or you may have to purchase additional luggage!
9. Freshen Your Suitcase
Your luggage can get quite musty when packed full of clothes, especially when you start throwing dirty clothes in the mix. You can keep your luggage fresh by tossing a dryer sheet, potpourri, or other scented item into your suitcase.
10. Include Bags for Dirty Clothes
Many people don’t include a space for their dirty clothes when packing. Dirty clothes can be stored in a separate bag, such as a laundry bag, packing cube, or even a plastic bag, if you don’t care about appearances. Separating your dirty clothes can make laundry and outfit planning easier on your trip. This includes shoes; you don’t know how dirty your shoes will get on your journey. You don’t want your sullied shoes to mess up the rest of your clothing, so a bag for your packed shoes can also be a bright idea to protect your other clothing.
Conclusion
International travel can be exhilarating, but packing is a stressful business. To avoid wasting luggage space, consider only bringing items you’ve worn that look great. Roll your luggage instead of a traditional fold to save space. Other packing strategies, such as packing cubes or vacuum sealing, can work wonders. Consider bringing a small amount of layered, multifunctional clothing to create different looks with the same garments in any type of weather. Don’t be afraid to do laundry when overseas.
