Stop Overpacking For Trips With A ‘Luggage Audit’

Stop Overpacking For Trips With A ‘Luggage Audit’

Most of us tend to overpack when we travel. You might as well toss in those extra shirts, chargers and camera gadgets because you never know what you might need, right? Of course, you then end up not using half the stuff you bring. If this sounds familiar, consider a “luggage audit” next time you travel.

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It’s way too easy to just unload everything after a trip, forget all about it, then pack the same unused crap on your next holiday. To combat this, try this: When you unpack, take a minute to think about each item you’re unpacking. Ask yourself a few questions: How often did you use this? Was it worth bringing? Can you skip it for the next trip if you need to save space?

From there, create a “skip it” list. Make a note of each item you regret packing. Write them down and toss a note inside your luggage. This way, next time you pack for a trip and you want to save space, you’ll know exactly what you can and should skip.

I did this recently after a trip to Europe. Although I packed light, I realised I still packed some things I never used once throughout that week: A pair of heels (that fancy dinner never came to fruition), a few too many socks (I thought it would be colder), and a notebook (I overestimated my desire to start a travel journal). To save space on my next trip, I did a quick luggage audit when I got home. When I unpacked, I made a note to skip these unused items on the next journey.

Of course, this won’t always be possible — maybe my next journey will be cold and I’ll need those extra socks — but it serves as a good reminder of how to pare down your suitcase and stop packing the same stuff you never use.


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