How to Pack Light
There are many holidaymakers who have mastered the art of packing and no matter what trip they are taking, packing happens to be the easiest part of the travelling process for them. For countless other people, packing brings stress with it and too much hassle. When it comes to packing your luggage light, it's all about careful planning and creativity. If you have a certain habit of packing and it isn't light, it's time to reassess your ways. Travelling light makes everything much easier. It also saves you lots of money. Dragging heavy bags doesn't make travelling a fun activity. Most people don't realize they have over-packed until they are at the check-in desk and have to pay an extra fee for overweight. The attempt to take more things often makes people choose bigger bags even for their hand luggage. The restrictions of the different airlines vary, but the average is 10 kilos per hand luggage and a bag of specific size, containing up to 100ml of liquids. Meeting these restrictions is often very daunting and leaves people no choice, but to pay for check-in luggage too. However, packing light and within the allowed sizes can be done by following a few useful guidelines. The biggest culprit of overweight luggage is packing clothes and shoes. Shoes are incredibly bulky and heavy, especially those for the colder seasons. Taking all your favorite t-shirts for a few days' trip is not sensible. The smartest way is to take one formal outfit, one outfit for a colder weather and two for daytime wear, if you are going on a one-week holiday. If you want to cut down the number of shoes take one formal pair and one comfortable pair for walking. If you are going mostly sightseeing, taking formal heavy shoes is unnecessary. If you can, fly wearing your heaviest shoes. This will save you space and weight in the luggage, as no one weighs you at the airport. Don't take all your underwear and pairs of socks - one pair for each day is alright and if you fall short you can always buy some. One of the hardest things to pack for both men and women is toiletries, since everyone is used to using certain essentials and wants to look good on holiday too. Take the absolute essentials if you are taking a check-in luggage - toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc. Avoid carrying soap or heavy liquids like shampoo, conditioner or body lotion. These can be purchased wherever you travel to, and most of them are available at hotels anyway. If you like reading on holiday you will probably have to pack a book, or a few. Most people pack more books than they have the actual time for, so don't overestimate your skills. Books are bulky and heavy and will add up to your luggage weight a lot. Choose a paperback book and if you finish it soon, you can always buy another one. If you are still unsure what to pack for holiday, make a list of your items and after you are back from holiday tick what you have actually used and needed. You will be surprised at how little one actually needs. This way you will at least know for next time what to pack in order to travel light and easily. Whether you are going to an exotic destination or just on a city break, keep your luggage to a minimum and your holiday will be much more relaxing.