Oh, the art of overpacking!
Have you noticed how we went from always flying with a massive checked bag, to transitioning to carry-on only, to finally trying to survive on just a “personal item”? I honestly think our current anxiety about travel preparation means we all need to learn the art of (not) overpacking – mostly to heal from our past packing choices.
Whenever I actually do have a 23kg luggage allowance, my brain goes wild. I genuinely start to believe that I can – and SHOULD – pack for every single hypothetical scenario. Oh, the famous “just-in-cases.” I bet you all know exactly what I’m talking about.
So, instead of writing yet another generic tutorial on how to ranger-roll your clothes or how to illegally cram your entire life into a tiny under-seat backpack for a week-long trip, I’m giving it to you straight how to not overpack. No sponsored BS. Here is what you definitely need, and what you absolutely do not need to pack (and I’m skipping “too many clothes” because honestly, we all know that one by now).
All based on my own hard-learned lessons.
WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED: Mastering the art of (not) overpacking
1. Extra underwear (specifically, 4 per day of travel)
Seriously, you don’t. I know the voice in your head is whispering: “But what if there’s an emergency?!” Nah. Even in the wildest emergency, that means you need one extra pair to get you through the day. NOT FIVE.
Tip ✈ In the absolute worst-case scenario, you can literally buy underwear anywhere on earth.
2. Six different lipsticks
I am so guilty of this. First of all, we do not need to buy all these lipsticks in the first place, especially when the shades are practically identical. (I know, I know, they are different, but let’s be real – that’s not why we bought that fourth tube of red). Three is already a crowd.
Plus, I’ve noticed that after flying, my lips are so parched they are practically begging for lip balm, not a matte liquid lipstick. I usually end up buying a lip balm at my destination anyway because it didn’t fit in my cosmetic bag!
3. Too much IFE (In-Flight Entertainment)
A book, a tablet, another book, a magazine, a crochet kit, a flute… you won’t even touch 80% of it.
Find one, maximum two, things you will actually use, preferably an all-in-one device. I used to pack a physical book, my e-reader, my tablet, and then I’d still buy a newspaper at the airport. Want to know what actually happened? I’d read two pages of the book and pass out on the early flight. Now, I travel with just my phone (with offline music downloaded) and my e-reader. If it’s a long-haul flight, I might grab my iPad for movies. That’s it.
5. The “Just-In-Case” tech graveyard
You do not need a cable for every device you’ve owned since 2012, three different power banks, a laptop you “might use to write,” and a massive DSLR camera you don’t even know how to use on manual mode. If you are a normal traveler, your phone is your camera, your map and your entertainment. Leave the heavy tech at home. Bring one multi-port block, the cables you actually use daily and leave the rest behind.
You are going on vacation, not setting up an IT department.
6. Full-sized toiletries & the “hotel shower fantasy”
We’ve all fallen victim to the fantasy where we get to the hotel and suddenly become a person who does a 10-step hair masking routine and uses specialty body scrubs. Spoiler: you won’t.
You will use the exact same basic skincare you use at home. Do not pack full-sized shampoo bottles that risk exploding over your entire bag, and stop packing “samples” you’ve never tried before (traveling is the worst time to find out a new lotion gives you hives). Buy travel-sized versions of your actual staples, or just trust that your accommodation will have soap.
WHAT YOU SHOULD PACK: Room for essentials
1. A proper hairbrush
This might sound obvious, but while we always remember our toothbrush, the hairbrush gets left behind way too often. Guess how I know! Depending on your hair type (curly, fragile, easily tangled), not just any cheap brush will do. And finding a specific, high-quality hairbrush in a tiny convenience store next to your accommodation is surprisingly hard.
Tip ✈ I leave my travel hairbrush always in the backpack I use for travelling, so I do not have to remember to pack it (which I would for sure forget).
2. Sunglasses (Exactly one pair!)
Just like the hairbrush, sunglasses are personal. The shape, the polarization, the fit on your face – your own shades are always the best choice. Bring them even if the weather forecast predicts clouds and rain. Sometimes that white, overcast, bright gray sky is actually more blinding than direct sunlight.
3. Ziploc bags
Yes, the humble Ziploc bag. A few months ago, I would have told you I couldn’t remember the last time I used one. But then I went through airport security where they were strictly requiring all liquids to be in a transparent bag. “Oh, you don’t have one? No problem, go use the vending machine over there.” The single bag cost almost as much as a whole box from IKEA, and the quality was absolute garbage.
Now, I always keep a sturdy Ziploc bag in my backpack. I actually use it to keep my chargers and cables organized in one spot, but if security gets strict, I can quickly dump my liquids into it. It’s a total hassle-saver.
4. Your own (curated) IFE
While I told you not to bring too much entertainment, you absolutely do need to bring some. On long-haul flights, airlines usually have great screens, but there’s always a chance your screen is broken, the audio jack is finicky or the movie selection is terrible.
On short flights, you’ll love having that one book you’ve been putting off, or a movie you downloaded to your phone. Because your phone is in airplane mode, you can actually focus without notifications interrupting you.
5. First-aid basics & prescriptions
Look, you can survive a cold flight without a hoodie or a travel pillow.
But your medications? Well, probably you may survive if your life does not depend on them, but still, have them always with you, especially the prescription ones. If you take prescription medicine, always keep it in your personal item– never check it. You don’t need to pack a hospital-grade first-aid kit (unless you’re heading deep into the wilderness), but I always carry a tiny pouch with four basic PILLs:
- Paracetamol (for fevers/headaches)
- Ibuprofen (for pain/inflammation)
- Loperamide (because traveler’s diarrhea is real, guys)
- Loratadine (for unexpected allergies) Throw in a few band-aids for blisters, and you’re set. While you can buy the basics abroad, dealing with a foreign pharmacy when you already feel terrible is a hassle you don’t need.
+ ANY prescription medications. Look, you can easily source standard painkillers at any corner store worldwide, but trying to get a prescription filled in a foreign country is a massive headache. Why subject yourself to that hassle? Just bundle them all together. My go-to method is tossing all my necessary pills into a small pouch or Ziploc bag, along with a few band-aids. Better safe than stranded (and blistered)!
What about you? What is your absolute non-negotiable travel item, and what is the dumbest thing you’ve ever overpacked? Let me know in the comments!
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