Four Ways to Travel Lighter for the Holidays
Don’t you just love the holiday season? It’s great to spend time with your nearest and dearest, to eat seasonal food and to exchange gifts. But with weight restrictions on airlines becoming tighter and tighter any holiday traveler needs to learn how to travel light. Here are four tips on doing just that.
1. Make a list — check it twice
One of the best ways to get organized and ensure that you travel light is to make a list to see what you really need. And it’s not only Santa who should check it twice; you should too because the second time around you’re sure to find a few items that you can prune. After all, how much stuff do you really need for a holiday trip where you mainly see family? If you’re struggling to come up with a good packing list, check out these online packing list tools.
2. Go minimal
Many people have suggested ways to achieve minimalism in packing. It’s all about having items of clothing that coordinate well and that can do double duty. Depending on where you’re going it may be a little chilly so take items that layer well so you can easily achieve different looks without overloading your suitcase. For more inspiration, check out this post on achieving minimalism in business travel.
3. Weigh that case
Did you know that a suitcase can weigh around seven pounds? That’s nearly 20% of your airline weight allowance gone before you have packed a single item. It’s no wonder that luggage size and weight are among the key factors influencing the purchase of luggage. If you want to make sure that you don’t run out of space then consider buying lightweight luggage. You’ll be glad you did especially if you end up with a lot of gifts to bring back home. Find out more about luggage trends in our interview with John Ebb.
4. Ship it; don’t schlep it
These days, there’s no need to overload your luggage or your car with holiday presents. Instead, shop early so that you can take advantage of the free shipping offered by many online stores. You’ll even be able to choose gift wrapping or you can simply pick up a roll of wrapping paper when you reach your destination. This tip comes courtesy of Smarter Travel who also offer advice on winter packing.
See how easy it is to travel lighter for the holidays? Add your tips in the comments below.
(Photo: maki)
Tags: business travel tips, travel, Travel Tips
January 13th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I always make sure I have my travel adapter! I splurged a little and got a universal one. Its smaller than my wife’s tiny fist, so it doesn’t take up much room. And I don’t have to worry about having one for each country I visit, it does ‘em all!
January 17th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Yes, that’s a must, Chuck! You never know when you’re going to need one.