Title: How to Pack Light and Avoid Extra Baggage Fees on Long Trips
Packing is often seen as the least exciting part of preparing for a journey, especially if it’s a long one that could lead to overweight luggage and extra fees. If you’re about to travel for months across different climates and worried about this, here’s how I used to pack for 4-6 months without paying a single overweight baggage fee.
First, I divide my clothes into ‘needs’ and ‘wants’. For work, I used to wear a black uniform every day. So, I packed three sets of black pants and shirts, a black belt, a sweater, and a cardigan. Add to that a pair of steel-toed boots which, with their hefty weight, I usually chose to wear during the flight.
Depending on the climatic conditions at the start of my contract, I might add some warm clothing. For example, if I were going to Alaska, I’d carry a sweatshirt, jacket, hat, and a long-sleeved tee. Plus, I’d pack two pairs of jeans for casual evenings on the ship alongside gym shorts and t-shirts that I could double as sleepwear.
As my work shifted to warm climates like the South Pacific or the Caribbean, I’d add shorts, tank tops, a swimsuit, flip flops, and sandals. And for formal occasions, I packed two formal dresses, a semi-formal dress, a pair of tights, leggings, and high heels. Alongside my clothes, I carried toiletries and enough underwear to last a week.
A handy tip here is to strive for multiple uses for each item of clothing when possible. Shorts that you can use for a workout during the day and a relaxed stroll in the city in the evening can save space in your suitcase.
After sorting out my essentials, I identified items that I’d like to bring if room allowed. These are typically extra shirts and personal entertainment items like books, my gaming console, or an extra pair of shoes.
Packing up the essentials comes next. Since jeans and shoes can add considerable weight, I packed these items in a smaller bag to avoid tipping the weight limit in a large suitcase. To make the most of the space, I tucked socks and underwear into the uneven bottom of the suitcase before layering other items on top.
Apart from clothes, I also planned for the essentials for living on a cruise ship rightly. Things like a hand soap, a water filter, a coffeemaker (though it’s forbidden on many ships), hard drives with TV shows (considered a very valuable commodity on a ship), laundry detergent, laundry basket, and a bottle of water were always on my list.
Last but not least, I’d populated my carry-on with the heaviest non-liquid items. As a rule, as long as you’re not visibly struggling under its weight, carry-on bags can take on more weight under most airlines’ rules.
So, there you have it! A simple, practical guide to avoid paying those pesky overweight baggage fees. Do share your own tips for saving money on flights!
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Tags: packing light, avoiding baggage fees, long trip packing tips, cruise ship living essentials