Stress Free Travel Tips: Packing Light

When traveling, many people end up brining a lot more luggage than they need. This makes the transit a lot more stressful than it needs to be, but it also can have a negative impact on your vacation after you get to where you have to go.

First of all, dragging a suitcase around is no fun, dragging two is torture. If you're ever planning for a trip, of any length, and find that you think you need to pack a second suitcase, it's time to stop and think. Chances are you are brining with you stuff that just doesn't need to be brought on your trip.

If you are a serial over-packer, follow these tips to enjoy the stress free travel with as little luggage as possible.

Pack at most three outfits, one casual shorts and t-shirt, one pair of jeans and an optional long sleeve shirt if you are traveling somewhere cool, and one set of semi formal pants and shirt. That's all you need. Packing 14 t-shirts for a two week trip is a sure sign of over packing. Cut the amount of clothes you bring to a minimum.

One week worth of socks and underwear, you want to be able to put on clean socks and underwear every day, so cut yourself some slack here and bring enough for a whole week. If you won't have convenient access to a washing machine and are staying longer than 7 days, buy the extra socks and underwear you need at your location. It's not that expensive, and the room you save in your bag is well worth that money.

Toiletries, just don't bring any. For long travel you might want to bring a travel toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste in your carry on luggage, but chances are that during long distance air travel you won't feel too fresh anyways, and a pack of gum could do the job just as nicely. For all the deodorants, shampoos, soaps etc. you think you need. You don't. These items are freely available on the open market in any country you are traveling to. Don't waste your energy hauling your shampoo all over the world.

If you want to spend your time on your flight reading, then pack a paperback in your carry on, no matter how much you love reading on vacation, do not pack any books! Books are super heavy and are completely unnecessary. Leave the books at home, and buy the books you want to read after you get where you're going. Buy cheap paperbacks so you won't feel compelled to bring your library back home with you. Books are just as heavy going home. Give the books away or donate them before you leave.

At the most, pack 2 pair of shoes, one pair of good walking shoes, and if absolutely necessary one pair for dining and dancing. In most cases, one pair of shoes will be enough, the pair you're wearing on the flight in fact. If you find yourself stuffing your luggage with all manners of flip flops and the likes, throw them all out and start over. Your goal should be to not have to pack shoes at all.

These very simple steps allows you to travel carrying just a small bag, or if you are traveling with a party, you should be able to cut down the luggage to just one or two suitcases for the entire party. If you are equally stringent when it comes to reducing the stuff in your carry on bag, you will find that traveling becomes a lot less stressful when your luggage is small and manageable.