Travelling is fun, but if you have big Luggage and other small things to carry, it could end up in a nightmare. Think of those baggage checks at airports and the pain in finding them after arrival, and if any of them goes missing, you inadvertently end up having a rough tour.

Packing a light bag and travelling without any baggage hassle sounds like a dream to most of us. Master the art of travelling light and you are bound to stay stress-free closer to travel.

1. Ask Yourself – How much can you Carry

The golden question here is not how much you want to, but how much can you really carry on board? Check the flight’s luggage allowance and weigh your bags after packing them. Remember to pre-book excess luggage if you know you are going to cross the maximum limit and not to forget that you won’t find a porter everywhere to carry your luggage and if you’re in some Asian or African country, you might end up pulling your luggage to your room as a bellboy might not be around.

2. Reason for Travel

The luggage we carry gives a perception of us as an individual. Big luggage on a short business trip or luggage spread all around you in an airport and railway station could give others a reason to chirp. Make sure you never need anything more than one bag per individual.

3. Buy the Right Suitcase (prefer those with Wheels!)

Buy a suitcase or carry on bag that meets the dimensions of the cabin luggage as well as booked baggage. If you are investing, invest in the right bag. Make sure it weighs almost nothing, so that you can pack more items in it. Always prefer Rollaboard or Spinner carry-on luggage sets (yes, those with wheels at the bottom).

4. Pack Only the Essentials

You cannot carry your entire wardrobe to the destination. Thus, sketch out a day-wise plan and pack what you need for those specific days. Make a list in advance and start striking off the items of least importance. This will ensure you end up with a condensed list to follow. Just to mention, don’t pack toiletries , towels etc. that hotels usually provide.

5. Use Multi-Functional Items

Items that have multiple pockets or pouches, that can be used for more than one purpose, work the best when it comes to packing. Pack scarves that double up as an accessory and head gear, and use compartmentalized pouches that help you store your toiletries during your stay. You could also have something like BlueSmart or Fugu.

6. Decide your Outfit – Wear Bulkier Items

When you plan your travel, you end up making rough itineraries at least, which give you a fair idea of the place you are going to chill out or dine at. This should help you decide on your clothes and shoes. Pack light weighted and reversible apparels, and dress up with heavier items during transit – it is always better to carry some extra weight on your body than in the carry bag!

7. Spread the Word (Add Luggage Handlers)

If you are travelling with a bunch of people, split up the responsibility. Assign specific luggage bag, water jug etc to them, instead of carrying them all on your own. And if your husband is travelling along, give him an extra bag (most of them won’t dare complain!). Share the burden and travel light.

8. Download Relevant Apps – GPRS, Kindle

Instead of carrying bulky books, maps and journals to read during your journey, download relevant apps, e-books and organizers that store and record itineraries, as well as occupy space only in the cloud.

9. Book your Place of Stay

Decide where you are going to stay and spend the nights. If it is at a friend’s place, check the items you can use and forego packing those. If you are going to book a hotel, check all the facilities they provide at no additional cost, and pack the remaining.

10. Plan your Trip Well

Apart from having less baggage during transit, its always a great idea to have a planned trip – with advance to and fro travel tickets and cabs available for service throughout the trip. This helps if your luggage somehow exceeds your carrying limit.

In the post we tried our best to devise clever ways to travel light with minimal luggage. If you think we missed any, please mention in the comments and we’ll enlist it here. Thanks for reading.