Clothes are often the bulk of packing. There are many methods for narrowing down what you need, but personally, the best strategy I’ve found is laying out the clothes you want to pack, then trying to be honest about how much you need. Once you’ve narrowed it down to what you think is the barest possible packing list, toss out one or two more items. Yep, you heard me.
If you’re prone to overpacking and could use external structure, limit yourself intentionally: Pick a small carry-on bag or carry-on travel backpack and stick with it.
And if you’re the list-making type, you could try using a template like the 5,4,3,2,1 method as a framework to get you started, which suggests the following for a weeklong trip:
- five pairs of socks and five pairs of underwear
- four tops
- three bottoms
- two pairs of shoes
- one hat and accessory
Other experts recommend a ratio method of 3:1 — three tops for every bottom you pack.
Need inspiration? A few years ago, staff software engineer Rachel Fee went on a nearly three-month trip with only a carry-on travel backpack.
