fbpx Skip to Content

Packing a Small Suitcase: 7 Essentials to Include

It is always exciting when one has a trip coming up, but packing can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if packing a small suitcase and is limited in the things they can carry. Packing light doesn’t mean that one has to sacrifice their style or comfort. However, it does require one to think about the primary travel essentials that they will need for the trip.

Having a small suitcase is advantageous since it is unlikely that one will pay baggage fees because their bag is too heavy. While this is great, it is hard to figure out what to include in the suitcase because packing light is not easy for everyone. Let’s look at some of the essential items one should not forget to put in their suitcase.

Packing a small suitcase can be challenging but this list of essentials will help you not forget anything!

7 Essentials When Packing a Small Suitcase

Toiletries

The best option if one has a small suitcase and needs to pack light is to depend on the hotels’ toiletries and not pack any. If this is not an option, one should consider carrying travel-size items of their toiletries to ensure they don’t take up a lot of space. If a product doesn’t come in a small size, one can purchase small empty containers and put some of the product they will need during their trip to avoid carrying full-sized bottles.

Clothes

When one has a small suitcase, they need to choose lighter fabrics to pack a bit more clothes. Fabrics such as silk, nylon, and polyester should be on the top of your list when packing clothes. If one needs some warm clothes, cotton and linen pieces are a great option since they are lighter than wool or heavyweight fleece items. A heavy clothing item can be worn to the airport to avoid putting it in the suitcase.

Another great tip when packing clothes is to pack items that mix and match and easily color coordinate with everything else in one’s travel wardrobe. One should also avoid carrying more than a week’s worth of clothes. If the trip lasts more than a week, one should consider doing laundry along the way.

Electronics

While most people prefer to carry electronics in their carry-on bags, some items may have to be packed in a suitcase. One should consider using a site like ‘custom writing on EssayPro’ to get help with any assignments they may have during travels to avoid carrying too many gadgets and accessories. Things such as chargers, adapters, batteries, memory cards, and a lens cleaner for a traveling photographer shouldn’t take up space in your handbag unless you are sure you are going to need them.

Shoes

These are essential for any trip but can be bulky and difficult to carry, especially if one has limited space. Packing light can also be tricky with shoes because one needs to balance style, comfort, and weight. The best thing to do is to choose shoes that are as multifunctional as possible. If one has a bulky pair, they can wear them while on transit and reserve the suitcase for the lighter pairs of shoes.

Personal items

One can easily replace certain items once they get to their destination, but some things are impossible to replace. Some of these things include prescribed medication, vitamins, and supplements, which one has to ensure they pack before leaving for their trip. It is also advisable to carry a tiny first aid kit that can come in handy if one has an accident while traveling. Other items such as wet wipes and hand sanitizer are always a good addition to your suitcase whether or not you are traveling with kids.

Accessories

While these may not be considered essential for some people, they are great for changing up outfits, especially when one has only packed a few outfits for the trip. A belt, scarf, inexpensive jewelry, and a pair of sunglasses are useful and can mix up your look and make it appear completely new. They are also not bulky as long as one only carries a few pieces and not their entire collection. One should also consider packing a small sling bag or fanny pack to carry around when they go on adventures.

Mini-sewing kit

This is an optional item, but if one is traveling for an extended period, they should consider packing one of these. It is not uncommon to have something tear, especially if one is taking part in many outdoor activities. Having a mini sewing kit allows one to repair the item and use it for the rest of the trip.

Packing a small suitcase takes some thought. You can’t just throw it together in the last minute and expect to remember all the essentials.

The secret to packing a small suitcase is expert organization. Having a small suitcase doesn’t mean that one has to leave out some of their favorite items when traveling. Packing cubes, packing sacks, and packing folders/envelopes allow one to maximize space and carry more things if they need to. They are also helpful when one needs to find something in the suitcase since they categorize and store everything separately.

 

If one is traveling through multiple climates, they should consider layering their clothes to ensure everything they need fits the small suitcase. Pants that one can convert to shorts by zipping off the legs are a great option, and a t-shirt that is worn in a hot climate can work as a base layer in a cold environment. Heavy clothes should always be kept at a minimum since one can use one sweater or jacket for a couple of days as long as they change the t-shirt worn inside.

 

Ladies can take advantage of clothing items such as a little black dress that can be worn in many different ways by changing up the accessories. Men can take advantage of black pants that can be worn with many tops and converse shoes that work with many outfits. The task of packing light should never discourage one from traveling. You can always figure something out and make it work for you.

Packing a small suitcase can be challenging but this list of essentials will help you not forget anything!