Well hello to you my reader chums! As many of you know, travelling is my biggest passion and I thrive when planning new trips and visiting different countries. Due to travelling so often, I'm quite the expert in packing and packing light, effective for every trip, from city breaks, and beach holidays to backpacking. I always think packing lighter is better as one it saves money, but two, leaves you room to buy souvenirs at home with you.

If you're new to travelling or want to get better at packing lighter, here is my guide to packing effectively for a trip.

Write a packing list

The first step is planning what you're going to pack as doing it randomly can mean bringing things you don't actually need and won't wear. Take a look at your itinerary, the activities you're doing and the weather, helping you make a useful list, and aiding your packing process. If you don't know where to begin with a list, research the best packing list as you can find hundreds of templates for the best packing lists for your trip, from backpacking to a short city break.

Use packing cubes

Packing cubes is my lifesaver when it comes to travelling as it can help you squeeze all of your items into cubes, keeping each section of your clothing organised and putting it all in your case or backpack easier. Packing cubes generally come in packs of all sizes, helping you organise your dresses/t-shirt/shorts, underwear, swimwear, pyjamas and outerwear, exactly how you like.

With your packing cubes, instead of folding clothes, roll them up as it can make room for more items, especially if they're thinner, summer attire clothing items.

Plan your outfits out

It's easy to throw as many clothes in as possible when packing, however, that's not the way to go if you want to pack effectively. Spend the time and plan your outfits out, such as the beach outfits, walking around the city outfits, and dinner out outfits. Whatever you're planning to do on your trip, having outfits specifically planned for each activity can make the packing process smoother and simpler.

Don't bring too many 'just in case items'

I am probably guilty of this with clothes, toiletries and other accessories. However, it's good to have a strict mindset and know in your heart if you're not going to wear or use that item, don't pack it with you. There's no point packing an item if you won't use it as it'll just add to the weight and take up room that something more useful could fill.

Wear your heaviest items

An obvious tip, but to save space in your suitcase or backpack, wear the heaviest items to the airport. From a coat or jacket, heavy shoes to outerwear accessories, if you can throw them on, it can help you in the long run to save space.

Use mini bottles to put your liquids in

It's easy to just throw your large-size bottles and products in your case, but the mini aisle in the shops exists for a reason. If you can find your designated product in the shop then purchase it, and add it to your luggage. If you're trying to be more eco, purchase reusable mini bottles which you can fill up time and time again when you go away with your favourite products.

Look at what you've packed and remove unnecessary items

At this point, hopefully, you've packed all of your items. This is when you should review your luggage and remove any necessary items to save space and time on your holiday.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have any tips to add?

Thank you for reading <3