The first, or perhaps the second, thing that comes to mind when thinking about traveling is carrying your luggage. No one wishes to haul heavy bags everywhere they go, especially if you’re in a place like Europe. Here are some smart tips that will help you manage your luggage while traveling to Europe.
1. Bring Only One Bag
Packing only a bag for a trip to Europe might sound ridiculous, but it is a smart move that will make your life much easier when you actually begin traveling. Not only is carrying a single bag much less exerting, but it also saves you a lot of time and money. The freedom and mobility that comes with carrying a single suitcase is insurmountable. One often largely underestimates the amount of walking that happens on a trip to Europe.
The first stop is the airport, and you don’t want to be hauling tons of bags around at a busy airport after an exhausting flight. Carrying one bag also makes it easier to identify at the luggage pick-up point. And if you’re in a European city, you will definitely have a lot of walking to do. Then from the airport to your accommodation, you’ll again have to take care of your luggage, and one is better than many. With one bag, you also have more freedom to enjoy the space around you and not have to constantly worry about misplacing your luggage.
Whether it’s an overhead compartment on a train, bus, or airplane, you won’t have a hard time fitting your bag anywhere. Another advantage is that it saves you money. Besides a carry-on, the more luggage you carry beyond the airline’s fixed limit, the more luggage charges you will have to pay. Rather just carry a single strategically packed bag and one carry-on. And just like that, the travel life is much easier.
2. Store Items in Public Lockers and Storage Units
This is a more unconventional option, but if you do end up overpacking (we’ve all been guilty of this), you can store the things you might not need in public storage space. This is especially helpful if your travel spans over a few weeks and you’ll be changing accommodation frequently. There are many spaces solely dedicated for tourists to store their items. You can consider storing luggage at King’s Cross Station if you’re on a trip to London. Another option would be public lockers at train stations. Do keep in mind though that this option only works if you’re comfortable with leaving your belongings elsewhere in a foreign country. Despite security being great, there are chances that you might lose your things.
3. Pack Lightly
You want to carry less luggage, perhaps even just one bag, but aren’t sure how to? The answer is simple, carry only what you need. The trick is to pack for the best-case scenario. This might be a little hard for those who are used to packing for every possible situation.
But doing so will leave you with quite a few heavy bags, which you won’t have fun lugging through the streets of Europe. Before packing, make a list of essentials you can’t do without, rather than picking up everything you think might be useful. If you’re not sure about a particular item, then the best way to go is to leave it behind. Depending on where you’re traveling, the list of necessities changes.
If you’re traveling to a remote place in Europe, you’d obviously have more to carry. But if it’s a trip to Paris, worry not! If ever a situation comes that you direly need something but don’t have it, then you can just buy it! Make sure to leave some space in your bags for the shopping you do on the trip.
4. Use Smart Packing Hacks
The trick to smart and strategic packing is using packing hacks. One infallible hack is to use packing containers that will compartmentalize your suitcase and enable you to pack in a more organized and efficient way. You might also want to roll your clothes into compact rolls rather than folding them, which takes up more space. You can squeeze the rolls into tight spaces, and you don’t even have to worry about them wrinkling. Another hack would be to carry multiple layers rather than one big coat if you’re traveling to a cold place.
Traveling is much more than just about packing, it’s a lifestyle, and over time you adapt yourself to become more efficient when traveling. Packing is just one aspect of this lifestyle, albeit an important one. The tips we’ve given you will make you a pro at carrying luggage while traveling to Europe, so be sure to keep them in mind for later.
