Overpacking: 20+ Ways To End Your Meaningless Suffering

Overpacking is a problem that can can turn a dream trip into a logistical nightmare. When people enjoy their trip and save their strength by carrying a convenient daysack, you are stucked with a  bulky luggage, stuffing things you won’t even use. So how can you end this misery to travel light and happy? Let’s find out why you tend to overpack and  20+ tips to avoid the problem in this article!

What Does Overpacking Mean?

Overpacking means packing more than you need. Photo by Татьяна Волкова - stock.adobe.com

Overpacking can be understood simply as packing more than you need on a trip. This is a common mistake for both first-time travellers and experienced ones. 

Not only will it take unnecessary effort to bring along, but overpacking will also create many problems throughout the trip. From the very first moment you decide to bring lots of luggage, you have committed to suffer the weight everywhere you go, unable to purchase many souvenirs as there might not be enough space, pay extra fees, etc.

Why Do I Always End Up Overpacking?

“Everyone knows that overpacking isn’t good. But why do I keep on making this mistake?”

The answer is quite simple: you are worried.

What if I need this one? What if something happens? Will I be able to get this there? Will I have to spend money to buy this one there? These are all common questions when packing for your upcoming trip. When you aren’t sure whether you’ll need them or not, the safest way is to bring them all along.

The worry that leads to overpacking usually happens because you haven’t researched your destination and planned your trip carefully beforehand. If you understand the status of the destination, the surrounding locations, the lifestyle, etc., you won’t be wondering whether you will need something or not all the time.

For example, if you know that your destination is a developed modern city, you probably won’t bother to bring things like flashlights, multi-tools, etc. Or if you know that the place you visit will be very hot when you arrive, bringing a coat is obviously a meaningless decision.

How Do I Stop Overpacking?

Telling you to stop overthinking everything while packing might not be able to solve the problem at all. So, here are 25 tips that we think are helpful to stop you from over packing when travelling. Keep in mind that these tips are not arranged in any order.

1. Pick The Right Backpack

Picking the right backpack from the beginning can be more helpful than you think, as it will limit your luggage size and stop you from bringing so many things. Take into account where you go, how many days you will travel and how you like to travel. If you only travel for a few days and already have a big suitcase, bringing a huge backpack along will be unnecessary.

Tip: If you don’t usually have specific needs for an equipment backpack, go for one that will cover most of your basic needs like