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You pack up suitcase because traveling can often be a stressful process – you want to take enough stuff with you so that you have everything you need… but you have to stick to the weight and size limits.
It’s easy to fall into the trap overpacking your suitcases with things you don’t need.
In one Reddit threadone person asked frequent travelers to delve into the topic “What’s the first thing you leave behind when you need more space in your luggage?”
The most overwhelming answer among respondents is that they throw away “nice clothes” when they need space in their suitcase.
More often than not, these garments simply don’t get worn out.
“I packed ‘nice’ clothes in case I wanted to go somewhere fancy or a nightclub or something,” reads the top comment in the thread.
“But the thing is, I NEVER go to nightclubs or fancy places! So I stopped packing makeup, nice clothes, extra handbags, high heels, etc. I pack the clothes I wear over and over again, and I just plan on doing laundry.”
Another weighed in, adding that even when they go to nicer places, the dress code is usually pretty relaxed.
“Even in Europe, people in the tourist areas are more casual, especially in the summer. I always leave the jeans and collared shirts in the suitcase when I take them with me.”
One person added that they always traveled with a curling iron and a full makeup bag, but were often too busy or tired to spend hours getting ready. Now they only pack basic makeup and a hairbrush.
Another tip from the thread that was well received by the commenters was to avoid all the “But maybe I need it!” extras in the house.
If you travel to a big city, you can buy all those excess things that you rarely use but still pack: painkillers, band-aids, umbrellas, etc.
“It was really liberating when I realized that the only absolutely essential items are my passport and a major credit card,” the commenter wrote. “I mean, I bring significantly more than that, but the anxiety about ‘Did I forget something?’ all but disappeared.”
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