How to Pack for Travelling: Making the Most of Your Bag

Setting off a new journey is always exciting but the art of packing your bag can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Travelling with a just carry-on bag can help you to save time and money when travelling but comes with it’s own set of challenges.

When it comes to travel minimalism, we stick by 2 key principles, pack light and optimise space. In this guide we’ll help you get the most of your small carry-on bag, keeping it lightweight and meticulously organised to make sure your next trip is a stress-free and comfortable experience.

Mastering Organisation: Tips for Efficient Packing

A well organised bag is the key to stress free travel, helping you to enjoy your trip with minimal hassle. Here are the most useful tips we’ve picked up over the years:

• Keep essentials and travel documents in easily accessible or external pockets. Don’t be that person holding up the queue digging around in your bag looking for things.
• Use pockets or compartments to group items within your bag. Knowing exactly where various parts of your gear are makes travelling a breeze.
• If your bag doesn’t have much in the way of internal organisation, you can make your own using packing cubes. Group outfits or types of items together in the same cube so you always know exactly where everything is.
• Put larger and heavier items towards the bottom of your bag to keep things stable and comfortable to carry

Maximising Space: Unlocking Your Bag’s Potential

After organising, the next best thing you can do is maximise the space you have available to you within your bag. Whilst we are advocates for packing light, making sure your bag is packed in the most efficient way possible means you can carry all your essentials without compromising. Some ways to get out the most of your bag are:

• Use compression straps or compression cubes to squish items down and minimise the space they occupy within your bag
• If not using any compression devices, rolling your clothes instead of folding them will allow you to pack more into the same space and minimise wrinkling
• Fill small spaces like the inside of shoes with socks or underwear
• A simple laundry setup of a dry bag and bar soap means you can clean your clothes almost anywhere and therefore reduce the amount you need to pack. Detergent sheets are a great travel friendly product if you’re planning to use laundrettes on your travels
• If you’re visiting somewhere more remote, a small packable clothes line can be a handy addition to your laundry setup
• If heading to a colder climate, down jackets are the perfect choice for your trip. They’re warm but very lightweight and can be packed down into small spaces

Packing Smart: Strategies for Efficient Travel 

Here are some items and strategies you can take that can help you to take fewer items with you or reduce the amount of space and weight they occupy within your bag:

• Pack items and clothing that suit a variety of situations. E.g. swim shorts that can also be worn hiking or stretch trousers that are suitable for active wear but can be dressed up for more formal occasions too
• Pack clothing that can easily be mixed and matched with other items in your bag, reducing the need for multiple separate outfits
• Take a small travel charger with multiple USB ports for all your devices. This means you can carry one charger for all your devices instead of multiple bulky ones and also removes the need for a dedicated adapter. You can find USB charging cables for a surprising amount of devices including laptops and electric razors
• Invest in a quality, lightweight travel towel that takes up less weight and space than a regular beach towel

Toiletries and Cosmetics: Creative Packing Hacks

When packing for a trip, toiletries can cause more headaches than any other items in your bag. With strict rules on what you can and can’t take, it can be a minefield trying to make sure you have what you need. Here are our favourite travel hacks when it comes to toiletries:

• Unless you’re heading to somewhere super remote, the vast majority of toiletries can be purchased once you arrive at your destination, meaning you can travel light and avoid any hassle at airport security
• If there are some specialist items you need to carry or you’d rather not have to think about purchasing items at your destination. Look for solid alternatives like shampoo bars or stick deodorant that won’t be in breach of airline security regulations
• You can use small cases such as those used for contact lens for transporting small amounts of things like lotions, creams and serums. This is handy when you already have these items but the container is too large to take with you.

Wrapping Up

Remember, the key is to strike a balance between being well-prepared and not overburdening yourself with unnecessary items. Each trip and travellers’s needs are different, so take these tips as a guide but make sure to adapt them to fit your particular situation.