Basically awarding myself with the metal of honour here, deserved or not, because after years and years of trying, I feel like I have perfected packing light for any trip and can now be an authority on the topic. Maybe it comes from the trauma of being a girl still made fun of for packing a whole suitcase of books to move to France, or maybe just the nightmare of having to drag a full sized suitcase up and down staircases of many metros, either way, the metal is deserved even if it’s only for participation in the sport. Either way, I think I have learned a few things over a lot of trips and gatekeeping isn’t cool.

1) Buy the travel containers:

Those little travel bottles you see in drugstores or in the travel sections of department stores are totally worth it. It took me years of traveling to get on board and start using them, but now, especially with liquid restrictions this really is the easiest way. I bought a pack that has bottles and jars of different sizes inside it’s own sturdy one litre bag, and if you want to go a step further: I buy silicone ones for the largest volumes I have to carry, like shampoo and conditioner, because they are malleable, you can easily push the air out of them as you go and get them even smaller as you use them, and nobody needs a litre of shampoo for a two week vacation. But on that note, if you are going somewhere longer than two weeks, it might be worth just buying some toiletries when you arrive,especially if it’s to a place that has beautiful skincare products like France, or Brazil. Take it from someone who consistently arrives at the airport while the plane is boarding, to make getting through security a breeze, I keep my litre bag in my handbag/personal item until I go through security, after that, I pop it back in my carryon and forget about it until I unpack.

2) Packing Cubes:

When I first drafted this blog I was all about the packing cube and convinced it was a new necessary for travel,now however, I would say that it really depends. I’ve tested a few different kinds now, some that were flimsy with a cute pattern from Winners, some sturdier and well reviewed ones I bought off Amazon and most recently, I splurged when they were on sale, a set to match my suitcase from Canadian company Monos. My conclusions are that none of them save you any space, and I will leave this open for comments because I would love to know others' thoughts on this. If anything, I would say the flimsiest ones do the best of saving you space, for the same reason I like my silicone bottles- they are malleable, you can squish them to fit them and the others that are supposed to be compactable end up creating hard squares that don’t move really well around a suitcase and create a lot of negative space that goes to waste, so I tend not to use that feature, leave them without the extra zip up and just use them for organizing. Organizing would be the main reason to use packing cubes. I don’t know how anyone just wings it in a suitcase. Keeping things separate, which for me means, underwear and socks in one pack, shirts and dresses in another, and pants in another makes finding what I’m looking smoother and less stressful, and I would recommend them even more for people who are traveling by backpack, for those late nights, when you need to find something in the dark, it’s much easier to feel around for a bag containing an item than a singular item. So, do I still think packing cubes are a necessary item for travel? Yes, but don’t expect them to save you space.

3) A water bottle

Simply because if you have your own you can refill it and leave less plastic in our oceans. As travelers we need to be aware of our consumption, it’s already a huge privilege to get on a plane to another country and spew literal tons of CO2 into the atmosphere just so we can have a vacation. And if I can’t convince you to do it for the planet, do it for your health, water is important when you are traveling, well, it’s important all the time but even more so when traveling. Because if you’re anything like me, you will be walking a lot more than usual, the climate likely is different, and you won’t always have easy access to clean drinking water, so having your own is always a good idea. I find keeping my water always in the same bottle whether I am at home or on the road is always a good reminder to drink it. But hot tip: don’t forget to empty it before going to through security at an airport or you will have to drink it all in one go. I learned this the hard way after a 24 hour stint in Dublin, and way too many Guinnesses, so please learn from my mistake.

4) Keep electronic things in a separate bag:

For me, this is a must. And I mean the things like headphones, chargers, power blocks, things you usually want on you when you are moving from place to place or beside where you will be sleeping. It’s easy to keep track of them this way, and you can move them around together easily from place to place as you need them. The bag I use is waterproof, so that’s usually where I store my passport too. And though it’s no in the heading I’ll take the time now to warn you: I highly recommend keeping your passport somewhere waterproof, because of that water bottle you are now carrying around with you everywhere, you just never know when it might leak- spoken from experience and a damaged passport.

5) Pack a few weeks in Advance:

Everyone thinks I’m a little crazy for this, but I guess they didn’t see the guy with his Excel Sheet planner, and though it may seem like overkill, it will keep you from doing exactly that overkilll on your packing. If you pack a few weeks before your trip you’ll have time to refine and edit your wardrobe. You’re probably going to overpack on the first go, and we all know no matter what you bring there will definitely be a few items you will never use. The more times you go through what you’ve packed and try things on the more you’ll get a feel for what you’ll actually use and you might find new combinations of the items you packed that will surprise you. I always try to pack that one item I love but never wear, because maybe just maybe I will find the right opportunity in Mexico. PUT IT DOWN, if you don’t wear it at home, you probably won’t wear it elsewhere.Travel isn’t the time for experimenting.

6) Bring Two pairs of shoes:

This is probably hard for a lot of people, in fact I have no idea what a normal amount of shoes would be. Ideally, I would have 3, and maybe for a longer trip I would plan to buy or bring a third pair, but I usually only bring two. A pair of leather ankle boots, and either a sneaker or sandal depending where I’m going. If it’s going to be warmer, I need a pair of sandals, usually the tried and tested Birkenstock and if it’s going to be colder I’ll go for a sneaker. A fly sneaker of course. Usually the shoe that is missing is one for a dressed up occasion that just might happen. For all those times I’ve carted around another shoe in my bag for just that occasion, and most times it never comes. I realized it’s worth buying something if that occasion arises, either find one amazing shoe that you can add to your wardrobe at home or thrift something, borrow, or worse case scenario fast fashion. You can find a shoe if you need it. But on the occasion you won’t, a third pair takes up a lot of wasted real estate in that suitcase. Now, for my last trip I happened to find the perfect shoe, a wedge sandal that was super comfortable for walking that could be worn casually or a little more dressy and packed very nicely. But it’s rare to find such a perfect shoe. I wish you the same luck.

7) Layers!

Layers. Layers. Layers. I can’t say this enough. It works whether you are going to a warm or cold climate. If you’re like me, you might end up in a place you never thought you would and be terribly underprepared. If you dress in layers, usually if you’ve got them all on, you’ll be prepared for the coldest part of your trip. This is also usually my travel outfit, so I can wear the most things possible, and keep the bulkiest things out of my bag. I like silk. It allows you to have the most choice and take up the least amount of space. There is almost always room for another silk tank top to be stuffed in your bag to add some variety.

8) A container that can be used to store food:

This one really depends on what sort of traveler you are. If you are someone who eats out every meal when they travel, you can probably skip this one. But if you are someone who likes to cook, or pick up fruits and snacks, this is something you might not have thought of. Everyone will have a different idea of what kind or size of container you want to bring, but I usually bring a stainless steal sandwich box. In your suitcase you can fill it with things so it’s not just holding air. Those reusable silicone bags would also be a good option here. Everyone has different habits, but I stole this one from an old travel fríend of mine and haven’t left one behind since. You’ll be grateful you did this the first time you make a meal at a hostel and want to save leftovers for the next day's lunch. Or if you’ve been eating a lot of hand food and really just want to chop up some carrots to brings along for some vitamins.

Ear plugs and Eye mask:

Okay, this has absolutely nothing to do with packing light and being organized, but they are two things I never travel without. You can pick the bougiest of hotel rooms in the most remote place, expecting peace and quiet, and then maybe your window that overlooks the ocean doesn’t have curtains, so you are unable to sleep with the light of the moon spilling on to your bed. Or you are in the middle of the city and they have decided to install a new sidewalk outside your window. I’m not someone who needs to use these things at home, but have needed them in many scenarios while traveling. On a budget in a hostel room? Bunk bed buddies having too good of a time- ear plugs. A street light right outside the window above your bed- eye mask. You can’t go wrong by throwing these in your bag, you will thank me.

And on that note, we have reached the end of my advice, for now. Sometimes, I fall backwards in my packing journey, and slip up and throw something I didn’t need in my bag “just in case,” and though there is rarely a case, I do it any way, and you probably will too. But with every trip I hope to learn something. It’s fun to take an inventory when you return from a trip of the things you didn’t use. You will surprise yourself . We are creatures of habit who tend to reach for what makes us feel most comfortable when we travel. And it’s always good to leave a little room on your way out for those souvenirs you want to take back. But I’ll let you in on my biggest travel light secret, and how I’m always able to travel with just a carry on- I send boxes home. Now you know. To me the money it costs to send souvenirs and gifts home, is worth the burden of having to drag them through airports and train stations.

And just for good measure, and in the nature of full disclosure here is a list of what I wore on the plane for a trip to New Orleans followed by Mexico.

What I wore on the plane:

A hoody
One crew neck sweater
One turtle neck sweater
T-shirt
Jeans
Tights
Socks
Doc Marten Boots

(yes, I really did wear all of this on the plane, both sweaters were cashmere, so light enough to go under the hoodie. It was January and freezing in Canada and I was flying south).

Tips for packing light and staying organized on the road