Personally, I always tend to pack more for a trip than I actually end up needing. The corny expression of “better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it” is etched in my mind, and packing for a trip is no exception. Why is this? For me, I like having several clothing options to choose from, a couple pairs of shoes and have zero risk of not having what I need on hand. Yet, my parents used to have a good laugh at my expense when my wife and I showed up with two bags on Friday evening, knowing full well that I’ll be heading out Sunday afternoon. Something needed to change! I set out to answer the big burning question of: How do you pack lightly for a weekend trip? Here’s what I’ve changed since.
Some key numbers. A weekend trip typically spans from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening. Let’s say you have Friday or Monday off, even. That means you’ll be away from home for less than three days, maybe even two.
With this in mind, it’s easy to pack lightly when you know what to look out for.
So How Do You Pack Lightly For A Weekend Trip?
Here are our 6 tips on packing lightly for a weekend trip, which we’ll elaborate on below:
- Know the weather forecast and prepare accordingly.
- Don’t bring with you what you can find where you’re going.
- Shoes take up a lot of room – be selective.
- Dress in layers – both for function and form.
- Take advantage of a washing machine, if possible.
- Start with the essentials.
Important Tip: For those of us who always like to be prepared, this will be a struggle at first. There is definitely a tug-of-war that can happen between being a minimalist vs. being prepared for anything. We’ll break down exactly how we wrestle our way around this for each tip below. Enjoy!
1. The Weather Is A Terrible Conversation Topic, But A Necessary Part Of Packing Light
So much depends on the weather. This environmental factor, coupled with what you’re planning on doing during your trip, will ultimately determine what you truly need to pack. It’s critical to at least have some idea of what you’ll be doing for this to work, or at least the type of environment you’ll be in.
Light Packing Tip: This is where process of elimination becomes valuable. I try to think of things I DON’T need first, rather than what I feel I do need.
For example, if the weather forecast shows no rain, that means the rain coat and any other water-resistant clothing can stay home – even the umbrella. These items take up a lot of space and often go unused.
Remember, we’ll only be gone for two to three days. It can be tempting to bring more in order to ‘be prepared’, but this is the very thinking that keeps us from packing light in the first place!
What if there’s a range of weather forecasted during my trip?
Versatility is #1. I learned this growing up in New England. If we don’t like the weather, just wait 30 minutes. Choose clothes that suit as many of the different weather types as possible. If cold is forecasted and rain is a possibility, choose a jacket and pants that are suitable for both and leave the warm-but-not-waterproof jacket at home.
2. Leave Extra Stuff At Home & Use What You’re Given
A lot of times, we can find the essentials wherever we go. As they say, you can’t always get what you want, but you might find…you get what you need. As catchy as the song is, it’s true.
Light packing tip: don’t bring what’s already provided.
If you’re staying at a hotel, for example, they often provide many things for you – even the basic hotels. For the 2-3 days we’re away, we should probably suck it up and use their shampoo, soap, towels/robe and hair dryer. Maybe it’s not as good as we’re used to, but we’ll be just fine. In turn, we don’t need to bring this stuff from home and we won’t need to buy travel-sized toiletries either.
Some hotels even let guests borrow umbrellas and other gear, too!
If you’re staying with friends or family, the same can be said as for hotels. They’ll probably be OK with you borrowing their hairdryer and a towel – even some toiletries. Obviously, check with them ahead of time and bring your own toothbrush!
3. Take Advantage Of A Washing Machine, If You Can
Doing a quick load of laundry takes about an hour, and is pretty hands-off as far as house chores goes.
It can be tempting to bring an extra outfit in case ‘something happens‘ to the clothes we actually plan on wearing. And often times, something does happen. A spilled meal or mud often show up on clothes at the least opportune time. Which brings us to…
Light packing tip: make a washing machine your emergency plan, rather than an extra outfit (or two).
Many well-known hotel chains like Marriot do provide some washing machines. Before choosing a hotel, you can see if they offer ‘guest laundry‘ on their list of amenities. Expedia.com let’s you filter hotel choices by ones that feature a washer and dryer.
As for staying with friends and family, I’m willing to bet they wouldn’t lose their minds if you did a small load of laundry. It can be done in the background while just hanging out in the morning or at night – the actual work required when loading the machines, etc. is only a few minutes of effort!
4. The Shoes On Your Feet…
Shoes are essential – just ask almost anyone. Other than the hippies or ultra-minimalists amongst us, most will agree. Thankfully, many shoes are versatile.
The shoes we bring depend on both the weather and what we plan on doing. There may be instances where you can’t get by with only one pair of shoes for the entire weekend. If this is the case, here’s our…
Light packing tip: bring the most versatile shoes possible, and wear the bulkiest pair during travel. Each pair of shoes should serve at least two purposes or occasions.
Personally, I like wearing a pair of leather boots in the fall, winter and spring. I’ve had the same pair for several years, and they’ve held up through thick and thin. They’re my go-to shoe preference for many months out of the year. Unfortunately, they take a up a lot of space in the bag. I’ve in turn learned to wear them during travel and I save a ton of space for other things.
My boots are versatile, too, but can’t be worn for everything. If I plan to exercise or go to a dressed-up event, they just don’t work.
This is why versatility is important. If you’ll have to dress up, but also will be hanging out or exercising, each pair of shoes you bring should work for at least two different purposes.
5. Think Like An Onion – Dress In Layers
In any type of weather, with the exception of extreme heat, dressing in layers is efficient, useful and space-saving. In the extreme heat, bringing little clothing is easy. In any other weather, we need to implement some strategy.
Light packing tip: choose clothes that can be layered, and wear layers during travel.
When chilling inside, a short sleeved shirt is usually comfortable, even during colder weather. Outside though, a pull-over, long sleeve, etc. is a must. Why not combine the two so they’re color-coordinated and versatile, too?
Simply put, taking a layer of clothing off, or throwing an extra layer on saves a lot more space than bringing two separate outfits.
Speaking of coordinating outfits and versatility, that brings us to our last point.
6. The Bare Essentials Are In Fact, Essential
Underwear, socks and undershirts are important, particularly when it comes to traveling light.
It’s time to address some gross stuff.
What are these undergarments for? Among other things, they’re often there to catch and absorb sweat so our clothes don’t bear the brunt of it.
Light packing tip: make sure you bring the right socks and underwear for the conditions at hand.
It’s not the most pleasant topic, but having sufficient underwear and socks is important for keeping our clothes fresher and cleaner. Keeping our clothes clean means we don’t need to bring as many – items can be re-worn if need be, especially more expensive clothes like sweaters, button-downs, dressier pants, etc.
They also don’t take up that much space. Even undershirts are space-savers and work well for layering (see item 5). Try wearing a shirt that shows your undershirt, such as a button-down. The same exact outfit will look completely different with a white undershirt than a grey, black or colored undershirt, giving the appearance of a different look for little extra.
If this line of defense STILL isn’t enough, you can always revert back to item 3 and throw ’em in the wash!
In Summary
We began this article with a question: How do you pack lightly for a weekend trip?
I hope this article has been informative, useful and space-saving! We’ve used plenty of corny expressions so far so here’s one more: travel light, travel right.
Before you go, here are our light packing tips summarized in a list:
- Use process of elimination to find out what you DON’T need first.
- Find out what’s already available for you where you’re heading.
- Rather than an emergency outfit, locate an ’emergency’ washing machine.
- Choose the most versatile shoes possible that can be used for at least two purposes. Wear the bulkiest while in transit.
- Dress in layers and wear layers during travel.
- Start your packing with socks, underwear and other undergarments.
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