Tips for packing list
Europe, North America, Travel Tips

Tips for Packing Light

Amy French the Roaming Historian

**For the newest edition of my packing blogs, see my Travel Tips page: https://roaminghistorian.com/travel-tips/

I doubt anyone has ever said, “my luggage isn’t heavy enough. I should have packed more.” Who wants to feel like a pack mule while on vacation? Not this woman. Over the years, I’ve learned tricks that have allowed me to pack less. These tips have saved me a lot of unnecessary back pain and inconvenience, so I thought I would share several of them with my readers.

  1. Consider what’s already available. People tend to be creatures of habit and we want all the comforts of home, like the hairdryer we use or the iron. I’ve yet to see a hotel or even Airbnb for that matter that didn’t offer a hairdryer for lodgers. Irons are often available, too. Those appliances may not be as nice as yours, but do you love yours enough to carry it everywhere? If I’m staying in a hotel, I don’t pack shampoo, conditioner, or soap either. My hair and body can handle not having their regular products for a couple of weeks. Conversely, I evaluate which products I can purchase at my destination for the same price. If I really want a certain product, I may just buy it there and then leave it behind.
  2. Don’t pack for worst-case scenarios. A few bandages aren’t going to take up too much room, but a full emergency kit just isn’t necessary unless you’re traveling to a remote area of the world where pharmacies aren’t available.
  3. Minimize the size of your toiletries. This can be done by purchasing travel-size items or buying travel-size containers. I like the squishy, silicone containers that allow you to squeeze out every last drop of shampoo, conditioner, or cream. I also keep little trial-size containers for my facial moisturizers, eye cream, and serums.
  4. Make sure travel gadgets make sense and will be used. Those bulky travel pillows, coffee mugs, and water bottles can take up unnecessary space. I just buy a disposable water bottle when I get to my destination and reuse it. Same goes for coffee mugs. As for pillows, when I need one for a long-haul flight I use the kind that are inflatable so I don’t have to worry about carrying an awkward ring around.
  5. Ziploc bags are awesome. I use snack-size bags for vitamins, medicines, and jewelry. They take up hardly any room making them much less bulky than a bottle of aspirin or a container of one-a-day vitamins. The little bags keep my jewelry from getting tangled, too. All my liquids go in a quart-size Ziploc bag making getting through security points quite easy. They do the double-duty of protecting the rest of my luggage from unnecessary spills. Anything that I think could leak goes in a plastic bag. I bring a few extras, too, for wet clothes.
  6. Pack a foldable bag. I have a 35-liter packable backpack that weighs .7 pounds and folds into a package that is approximately 8″x8″x1″. I use it for day trips and then to have a separate carry-on bag in case I buy too many souvenirs. And I often buy too many souvenirs.
  7. Clothes should mix and match. This probably goes without saying since every packing article mentions it, but it’s important. Make sure clothes are in the same color palette. Choose items where you won’t need a bunch of different undergarments. Select darker-colored, light-weight clothes for versatility. I recommend having only two pairs of shoes total–one comfy pair that you wear and one dressier (but still comfortable) pair that you pack. Shoes can be heavy, so pick the two pairs that will make you feel footloose and fancy free.
  8. Buy cloth, zippered eyeglass cases from a dollar store. These are awesome for storing earbuds, chargers, and cords.
  9. Start with lightweight luggage. My hard-sided polymer bag weighs only eight pounds, but can withstand being thrown around better than a cloth bag. Even when fully loaded I can easily lift it into an overhead bin.

Most importantly, and I can’t underscore this enough, make a packing list. Think about each item you pack. Evaluate the likelihood of using it. Try on all your clothes and make sure they look good together and make you feel good when you’re wearing them. I make sure I can wear tops with multiple bottoms. I bring one cardigan that goes with every shirt, so my short-sleeve and sleeveless tops can become long-sleeved. If there isn’t a 90% chance I’ll wear it, I don’t pack it. I itemize each piece of clothing on my packing list too, which helps curb excess. Seeing a list of every toiletry, clothing article, and gadget helps me determine where I need to pare back. Pack your list in the bag when you’re done so that you can make sure everything you left with comes home with you. Buon viaggio!

Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

Looking for an Easy Way to Book Transportation in Europe?

Omio is a convenient option for travelers who want to compare and book trains, buses, and flights across Europe in one place. Instead of navigating multiple transportation websites, you can compare routes, schedules, prices, and travel options through one platform and book with a credit card in a familiar currency, including U.S. and Canadian dollars. For North American travelers, Omio can also be a useful alternative if booking directly with a European transportation provider proves difficult because of payment or website issues. Your Omio booking also gives you access to customer support in English, booking management, and updates about disruptions such as delays, cancellations, and strikes. Omio does charge a service fee, so booking directly with a transportation provider may cost less, but the convenience of having transportation options across multiple countries, familiar payment options, customer support, and travel updates in one place may be worth a small additional cost. Compare transportation options with Omio: https://omio.sjv.io/PzgOVY

A Favorite European Tour Partner: LivTours

LivTours is a boutique, family-owned company specializing in high-quality, semi-private (maximum 6 people) and private tours, primarily in Italy, as well as Spain, France, England, Austria, and other parts of Europe. They are highly regarded for skip-the-line access to major sites, expert, English-speaking guides, and curated, immersive experiences designed to avoid “cookie-cutter” travel. We’ve had amazing experiences with them and enjoy that they hire local guides exclusively. LivTours offers Roaming Historian readers 10% off two or more tours! Save on your next favorite European memory by using our coupon code “AMYRH10.” Book with LivTours here: https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61

Tours, Tickets, & Experiences: Viator and Get Your Guide

If you’re planning tours, attraction tickets, or local experiences during your trip, Viator and Get Your Guide are two of the most widely used platforms for discovering and booking activities around the world. Both allow travelers to compare itineraries, prices, reviews, and ratings for thousands of experiences ranging from guided historical tours and museum tickets to day trips and unique local activities. Many listings on both platforms include free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, which adds flexibility when travel plans change. Pro tip: because these platforms host experiences from many different tour operators, always check recent reviews and overall ratings before booking to ensure a high-quality experience.

Browse tours and experiences here:
Viator: https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
GetYourGuide: https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher

Our Favorite Travel Insurance Site

Protect your vacation with Travel Insurance dot com. This awesome travel site provides quotes from numerous travel insurance agencies and allows you to purchase them with no added increase to you: https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Travel Insurance dot com, affordable travel insurance

Going on a Cruise? Try Shore Excursions Group

If you’re visiting ports during a cruise, Shore Excursions Group is a reliable alternative to booking excursions through the cruise line. Their tours are often smaller, more affordable (sometimes up to 40% less than ship excursions), and led by knowledgeable local guides. They offer carefully designed shore excursions in ports around the world. Even better, they provide a guaranteed on-time return to the ship, giving cruisers peace of mind when exploring independently. Just plug in your cruise ship and sail date and your ports will automatically populate, so you can browse excursions for your cruise ports here:
https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com

Traveling Soon? Trusted Tour & Travel Partners

Planning your trip? Here are our trusted travel partners — thoughtfully chosen for quality, reliability, and exceptional experiences.

Affiliate Disclosure Roaming Historian may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support the research and storytelling that go into every article. All opinions are always our own.

2 thoughts on “Tips for Packing Light”

Leave a Reply