Decluttering Tip Newsletter – Travel Clutter
Volume 2, Issue 22
June 17, 2009
When we travel, especially for vacation, we encounter two forms of clutter. The first is what we pack to take on our trip and the second is what we buy to remind us of the trip.
How many times have you thrown extra clothing into the suitcase just in case you may need it. If you pack this pair of pants then you have to pack that pair of shoes. After all, the other pair of shoes that are packed for the other pair of pants won’t look as good with this pair of pants. On and on it goes until before you know it you need another suitcase to carry all the extra clothes. Traveling on vacation shouldn’t be a fashion show. It should be about comfort, convenience, and simplicity. Less really is more when it comes to packing for vacation. Less time spent worrying and dressing just right means more time site seeing or relaxing.
A simple way to pack what you need and only what you need is to write out what you plan to wear each day. You will have day clothes and evening clothes. There should be plenty of overlapping. One pair of shoes should be worn with multiple outfits. Shorts or pants can be worn more than one time. Just wear a different top.
Once you have written down what you plan to wear for the whole trip you can create a master list of clothes and other items. This master list will help you pack only what you need. It’s like going to the grocery store with a list so you don’t forget anything or buy too much that is not on the list. Make a list for each person in you family to help everyone to pack light.
The second form of travel clutter comes when we start buying or collecting souvenirs to remind us of the good times we had on the trip. The coffee mugs, wall plaques, sea shells from the beach, and T-shirts, all have a tendency to end up in a drawer or storage closet. If you use them and they remind you of the fun, that’s great. If not, then they become clutter. Take pictures instead and put them in a scrapbook (digital or hard copy) to be enjoyed later. Those are less likely to become clutter.
Keep your suitcases packed lightly going and coming back home. Focus on the sites and sounds and fun times of your trip, not your wardrobe or souvenirs.
How do you travel lightly? Please share your ideas and suggestions in the comment section.
Feel free to forward this tip to family and friends who might benefit from it.
To a lighter load along the way.
Janice Scissors
https://cutclutterwithscissors.com
http://twitter.com/jlscissors
http://cutoutthebreastcancer.wordpress.com
Hey, nice post, very well written. You should blog more about this.