A guest post by Efi, owner of the blog Minimal Ima.
Planning a trip soon? I have gathered here five tips for minimalist packing that will help you pack lightly without hauling your entire home with you.
But First, What Is Minimalism Anyway?
Minimalism is an approach to life that allows us to achieve peace and calm and to advance the goals that truly matter to us. We make room for all the things that are important to us by removing everything that is not really important to us. The idea is to give up the excessive abundance that creates an illusion of options, when in practice it only confuses us and distracts us.
Minimalism touches every area of life. Take the closet, for example: many times we have a closet full of clothes, yet we simply cannot find anything to wear. When we part with the clothing overload and keep only the very best pieces, the ones that flatter us most, feel most comfortable and make us feel our best, we discover that it is much easier to get dressed in the morning, and that we have time and energy left to deal with other, more important tasks.
And Why Is Minimalist Packing Worth It?
So many reasons!
First of all, if the idea of minimalism appeals to you, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed and unsure where to start. A trip is an excellent time to experiment with the idea! On a trip we are freer, released from the load of everyday life and open to new ideas and habits.
In addition, since minimalism helps us make room for the important things, there is no better approach to take with you on a trip in order to free yourself up completely for what matters: the experiences, the landscapes and the culture you are about to encounter. Your mind will be much more available to take it all in when your suitcase is less crammed.
And no less important: nothing beats the light feeling of getting off a flight with your trolley and bursting through the airport doors straight into the taxi that will take you to the hotel, while skipping past all the passengers waiting for their suitcases… And if it is not a carry-on trolley, at least this way you will avoid overweight fees 😉
If I have convinced you that a trip is the time to start, here are 5 tips that will help you pack in a minimalist way for your trip:
5 Tips for Minimalist Packing for a Trip
1. Clothes, clothes, clothes:
For most of us this is the real challenge. Instead of bringing everything we might wear, we want to pack only what we definitely need. No one likes coming home with a suitcase full of clean clothes that just traveled along with us and came back as they were.
Make a list, and be honest with yourself: cut down brutally. If I am traveling for three days, I pack clothes for four and that is it. But that does not mean you need four complete sets of clothes; jeans, for example, can definitely be worn more than once (and it is also better for them). Make sure to bring neutral colors that go together. Planning to go out in the evenings too? One beautiful dress is enough.
To save space, I like packing the clothes in packing cubes, which keep the clothes protected. (A tip for families: we have packing cubes in four colors, so each family member gets their own color and we can easily identify what belongs to whom.) The downside of packing cubes is that sometimes there is extra room in them and it is tempting to fill them with additional clothes for no reason.
2. Limit the shoes:
Shoes can take up a huge amount of space and weight, and that is a shame. Choose one everyday pair that is both comfortable and pretty, and off you go! If you insist, you can also take one nice pair for the evening, and if the trip includes any body of water then flip flops are of course a must, and they do not take up much room either. If it is not a trip with a lot of walking, flip flops might even cover your everyday needs on the trip.
3. Air out your wallet and bag:
Do not take what you do not need. Leave at home the club cards, health fund card, store credits and the other surprises living in your wallet (and yes, this is also an excellent time to check whether you even need them day to day). And if your wallet is suddenly huge and empty, maybe you have something smaller that can replace it for the trip?
If you have a regular everyday bag, downsize it too. All those things you carry around “just in case”? That case probably does not come up often enough. Keep only what is truly essential!
4. Cut down on makeup and skincare:
I know, there are looks that call for a nude lipstick and others that need a pinkish or reddish one. And we have not even gotten to the different types of highlighter. But this time, just this once, I invite you to avoid duplicates. Pack one of each. Yes, one basic look that will accompany you throughout the whole trip! Preferably a relatively natural one, so you will feel comfortable with it in any situation.
There is room to cut down on the skincare routine too. We are all aware women and of course taking care of our facial skin is a must. But on a trip of a few days, nothing will happen if we go with a good basic routine: face wash, face cream, eye cream for those who insist, and that is it. On trips I take a cream without SPF that works for me both day and night, and during the day I apply a serious sunscreen over it.
5. Letting go of the “what if?” thoughts
Most of us have a tendency to overpack out of “what if?” thinking. What if I need exactly this, what if something is missing, and what if and what if… It is important to remember: as long as we are not traveling to a desert island or camping in the wilderness, chances are we will be able to find everything we want at the destination too. There is no need to arm ourselves with all the things we may be keeping at home just for the chance that we might or might not use them. If something is missing, you can always find it there.
🌟 Bonus tip: the packing expands to fill the suitcase:
I could not resist. A post about minimalist packing would not be complete without this little tip:
Our natural tendency is to fill up our bags. If you choose a large suitcase in advance, you will probably find yourself filling it. So it is worth starting the packing with a smaller suitcase than the one you are used to.
The same principle applies to toiletry bags and makeup bags: choose a smaller bag, and that way you will not be tempted to fill it with extra products.
I hope you try these tips, or at least some of them, before your next trip. And you might also discover that when you have fewer options, you are less distracted and more free to enjoy what matters.
Do you have more packing and minimalist-packing tips? Tell me in the comments! I always love finding more tips.
Efi / Minimal Ima
I am Efi. I am a minimalist, a mom of two little ones, and I write a blog about minimalism.
Since I started applying minimalism in my home and family, all of our lives have improved in every area. I found a great deal of peace and calm, time opened up for new interests, and I even saved money.
On the blog I share our journey, how we apply minimalism in our lives as a family, and many more ideas and thoughts on the subject.
The blog is still new, so it is still growing. You are welcome to join me on the journey. ❤️
