Advantages of Packing Light

Today we are fortunate enough to have a guest post from blogger, Alannah of www.itchyfeetravel.com 

Copy and photos by itchyfeetravel

Alannah has a serious case of itchy feet and incurable wanderlust! Originally from Canada, Alannah went on her first international trip at the age of fifteen to Paris France. Since then, her passion for travel and adventure has continued to grow. She has currently been to over 30 countries and lived in 3. She writes a travel blog where she shares her adventures and tips for travelling solo and travelling on a budget. 

11 Times I Seriously Regretted Packing Too Much Luggage

Before starting any trip, you must first complete the daunting task of packing. Whether packing is something you love to do, or it’s your least favourite part of travelling, it’s something that needs to be done.

Packing for me would always start out as something fun and then end in stress, and sometimes tears, when I realised that I couldn't possible fit everything I ‘needed’ into one suitcase.

If you’re like I used to be, packing light seems like an oxymoron. Every time you walk by your open suitcase you throw something else in. I used to pack way more than I needed to. The results were that I only ever wore or used about 40% of what I had packed.

During my last trip, I had the smallest suitcase out of everyone on the tour, whereas five years ago I would have had one of the biggest. What made me downsize and learn the importance of packing light (and that these two words actually can be used together) was the following 11 times I seriously regretted bringing too much luggage.

1) When you think you have around 20 lbs and the scale at the airport disagrees

You’re certain you are underweight but somehow, from the living room to the car you find that sweater you thought you had already packed. Running shoes that you haven’t used in a year but you just might need them because the urge to go for a run might hit you while you are on vacation. That magazine because what if the three you already packed are  not enough. That winter coat in the back of your car because there could be a freak snow storm. You arrive at the airport check in and are filled with dread as you lift your suitcase onto the scale. You stare at the red numbers that flash up, heart pumping just a little bit faster, praying that it will be under the weight limit.

2) When that extra couple of pounds ends up costing you a lot more than it’s worth

Your prayers go unheard and your suitcase is over the weight limit. This is not a good way to start a trip, you have not even checked into the airport and you are already faced with an extra cost. Airlines can be very strict when it comes to their baggage policies and even being one pound over can lead to an extra charge.

3) When you buy stuff that ends up putting you over the weight limit

A trinket here, a gift there. You don’t realise how much crap you've actually bought until you’re desperately trying to shove it all into your suitcase before your flight. If you manage to be underweight when you leave, but only by a little, you might not be so lucky on your way back home. Anything you buy on your trip will add weight to your suitcase and so you need to factor that in when you’re packing. Otherwise you might end up at the airport having to quickly decide what you are going to have to sacrifice and leave behind, or pay the surcharge for the extra weight.

4) When the underground station does not have a lift

Stairs might be an over packer’s worse nightmare. Sometimes the technology we rely on to make our life easier either does not exist or is not working. I have been to underground stations where there is no working lift and therefore the only option was to drag my suitcase up the staircase one step at a time. This is particularly difficult if there is a lot of people and particularly stressful if you are in a rush. The more stuff you packed, the heavier your suitcase, and a couple flights of stairs quickly turns into an intense workout.

5) When the handle or wheel on your suitcase decides to break

Both of these things have happened to me on separate occasions. I seemed to be cursed when it come to suitcases as they always seem to break on me at the worse time. It’s hard enough to haul around a big ass suitcase without some part of it breaking and making it even harder to pull.

6) When you’re trying to get on crowded public transport

If you have to take public transport to get to the airport, back home, or to your accommodation, then you face the struggle of trying to drag your huge suitcase into undergrounds, trains, and buses. This is made even more frustrating when public transport is packed and everyone is giving you dirty looks as you try to cram yourself and your suitcase into what little space is available, mumbling apologies as you try not to run over people’s feet. Once you've manage to cram yourself into the transport prepare for more dirty looks as people try to climb over and push past your suitcase, to get in and out, as you are unable to move the suitcase because there is no free space to move it to.

7) When you’re trying to walk down the streets of a crowded city

Trying to drag around a big suitcase in and around a lot of people is inconvenient and uncomfortable for them and you. This happened to me in Hong Kong as I was trying to navigate myself through the packed streets to find my accommodation.

8) When your accommodation is at the top of a hill

This happened to me in Monaco. I was already tired from travelling and wandering around for almost half an hour trying to find the hotel (was trying to save on money and therefore didn’t want to get a taxi).  Turns out my accommodation was on top of a huge hill. I was cursing my luggage the whole way up that hill. By the time I arrived to my accommodation I was grumpy, sweaty, out of breath, and ready to murder my suitcase.

9) No elevator or broken elevator

So you've finally managed to haul all your crap to your accommodation and now you’re feeling like the worse is over. Not so fast. It sometimes happens that your room is on the top floor of a building where the elevator is either broken or non existent and the only way to get your stuff to your room is to carry it up flight after flight of stairs. There are a lot of old buildings, for example in Europe, where there are no elevators and when your huffing and puffing up the fifth flight of stairs dragging an overstuffed suitcase you’ll be wishing you hadn't packed that 10th pair of pants.

10) Pulling out everything from your suitcase to find something then having to put it all back in.

The bigger your suitcase is, and the more stuff that you have, the more likely that you’ll have a hard time finding whatever it is you’re looking for. Having to pull all the contents out and then stuff them back in time and time again can get real old real fast.

11) When you’re at the end of your trip and realise you haven’t worn half the stuff you brought with you.

For me the worst part, after having to endure all these other things, is realising once the trip is over that half the stuff I had been dragging across the world I didn't even use. Packing light has always been a challenge for me, but after personally going through all the above during years of travel I decided something had to change.  When you’re packing for a trip, you really need to think about everything you put in your luggage and if it's really something you need.

Just remember, sometimes less is more!