10 Must-Know Tips to Stop Overpacking For Trips

Overpacking is one of the cardinal sins when it comes to travel. The more you take, the more you have to carry or even pay for if you are checking bags for your flight. In my book, the fewer bags you have to bring, and still have everything you need, the better.

Here are my 10 tips to prevent overpacking for your next trip!

1. Pack Early to Pack Light

Last minute, panicked packing will almost always lead to just jamming clothes and other items in your bag. If you do the majority of your packing the day before, you have time to slow down and think through what you actually need to bring.

In addition, packing early gives you a chance to get the things you find that you are out of, or wash that one shirt that you really want to bring. Packing early means less stress and a lighter suitcase.

2. Bring Multi-Use Clothes

Whenever possible try and pack clothes that can be layered and will be good for different types of events. Personally, I have a couple of button up casual shirts that work well for both wandering around a town exploring, but also look nice enough to wear to a nicer restaurant.

3. How Many Pairs Of Shoes Do You Really Need?

Of all the things to pack for a trip, shoes are by far the heaviest and bulkiest. One rule is to bring no more than 3 pairs, counting the pair you walk out the door in. For me, I wear one pair of my sandals, and pack one nicer pair of shoes if I’m planning on having to attend a dress dinner. You are traveling, 1-2 pairs of comfortable shoes is all you need.

4. Make A List – Check It Twice

Before you start packing, go through your trip and think through everything you are doing, and what you might need. Make a list of the clothes, toiletries, and other things to bring like cell phone chargers, day packs, and so on. Having clarity on what you will be doing will give you clarity on what you actually need to bring, and prevent “just in case” over-packing.

5. Use Packing Organizers

Packing organizers or packing cubes are a must-have for me on trips. In my weekender bag, I have one permanently packed that has a travel towel, a swimsuit, and an extra t-shirt. All three have come in handy over the years.

If you haven’t used these before, they are fabric bags with zippers that organize your clothes. The good ones have two sets, one to close the bag, and another that lets you compress everything in them to take up less space. Those are the ones to get.

The only real downside to packing cubes is that they let you put too much weight in your bag if you are flying. Plus, your clothes need to be wrinkle resistant to go in them. Other than that, they are fantastic.

6. More Shirts Less Pants

The reality is that unless you are a really messy person, you don’t need a fresh pair of pants or shorts every day. My rule is one pair of bottoms for every two days, and one shirt per day.

The key is to make sure that all your clothes follow rule #2 and are multi-purpose and versatile. For example, if you know you will be out doing a lot of walking, bring comfortable pants/shorts that you can wear all day, and that work for dinner too, or bring one pair of pants that you wear to dinner every night. Trust me, no one will notice or care.

7. Skip The “Just In Case” Items

If you hear yourself wanting to throw something into your bag “just in case” you need it, go back to your list and really consider if you do. Most likely you don’t really need extra dress, or formal suit.

The reality is that if you absolutely find yourself needing something on vacation, you can get it while you are there.

8. Pick A Limit And Stick To It

If you are flying, the airlines set a pretty firm limit on what you can bring, but if you are road tripping, you need to do that yourself. I suggest picking the smallest reasonable bag possible to put everything and then if it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t go.

Most carry on size bags are more than sufficient for 3-4 days on the road if you pack carefully.

9. Pack For The Actual Weather

The sort of falls under the “just in case” category, but bringing coats/clothes for just in case it rains when you are visiting someplace warm is generally a waste of space. If you are visiting warm locations, don’t pack anything heavier than a light rain coat for example.

If you are headed someplace cold, the odds that you will need shorts (unless you are me) is pretty low.

10. Keep Your Toiletries Small And Organized

There is no need to bring full sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner, hair spray and all that on virtually any trips. My suggestion for any traveler is to have a dedicated travel organizer, with travel size versions of all the normal things you may need, and keep it packed and ready to go.

This prevents throwing full size bottles of things into your suitcase, while at the same time minimizes the chances that you will forget some key item.

Bonus Tip: Bring A Stain Remover Pen

If you are one of those people that just seems to get get things on your shirt no matter how hard you try, then consider bringing alone a stain removing pen on your trip. These small detergent filled pens are perfect for getting out that one drip of mustard from the hot dog you ate while exploring the town.

A quick treatment with one of these, a quick rinse, and then let it dry is typically enough to make most clothes good as new!

Bonus-Bonus Packing Tip: Have A Toiletry Kit

One packing tip that I try and really get people to follow is to build a toiletry kit that is always ready to go. Make this a redundant copy of your bathroom kit. If you have all your basic toiletries always ready to go, you won’t ever forget anything and wind up missing your toothbrush or some other vital bit of your bathroom routine.

My general recommendation is to get a toiletry bag that both hangs and will stand up on its own. That way you can hang it in your hotel room or set it on the counter to get things out of it.