Packing well is a skill. Here are the tips that make the biggest difference.
Write your packing list before opening the suitcase. It sounds obvious, but most overpacking happens when people browse their wardrobe and pack things they see, rather than things they planned. Use our free packing list template.
For most trips: three bottoms, five tops, seven pairs of underwear. Everything else is negotiable. Darker colours mix and match and show dirt less.
Shoes take up disproportionate space. Pack a maximum of two pairs (one versatile, one occasion-specific). Wear the heaviest pair to the airport.
Passport, visa if needed, insurance docs, hotel and flight confirmations, travel money. Keep digital copies in your email and physical copies in a travel wallet.