How To Stress Less Before Trips and Enjoy Them More [Simplicity]
Have you ever spent the last few hours before a trip stressed out and harassed, packing frantically and snapping at anyone who got in your way? What about realizing after you came home from a trip that you might as well have stayed home, for all that you took in while on the trip?
Here is the secret I discovered during my last trip that made all the difference:
Pack Less Stuff
When it gets down to it, you really don’t need more than the essentials. By trimming down what you bring on a trip, you will pack less, haul around less, and be engaged less during the trip with your stuff.
How To Determine the Essentials
Essentials are things that cannot be replaced without phone calls/faxes/multiple trips to the store. For me, that is only my glasses, my identification and my medication. Everything else can either be survived without or replaced with a single trip to a store.
Once you determine the bare essentials, pack them. Then add the next level: the nice-to-haves.
How To Determine the Nice-To-Haves vs. Comfort Items
Nice-to-haves are things that you would replace if you were on a trip. This includes clothing and possibly some toiletries. Comfort items include those things that are provided for you, but you prefer to bring your own. This means favorite soaps and shampoos, things you take “in case”, as well as most entertainment items.
For me, this means I packed my clothing, taking enough outfits for half the time away, because I knew we would be washing mid-week. I also packed my cell phone (it was required on my trip), my cosmetics and my contact lens equipment. Since I was staying on a college campus and knew that soap would not be provided, I also packed soap and shampoo.
Eliminate the Comfort Items
As far as you are able, eliminate your comfort items. This will force you to engage with your surroundings on your trip. I usually travel with several books, my MP3, my PDA and my computer. I purposefully left the books at home, knowing I would be purchasing books on the trip. I did take the electronics but found I didn’t use them. By purposefully choosing not to use them, I spent more time in conversation with people at my conference. Next time the electronics will stay home.
Less Stuff, Less Stress
The end result was amazing. I wasn’t panicky the night before the trip. Not only were we able to move our supplies into the dorm room with one trip, but I also found myself taking in more of what was around me. It was a good lesson to have.
Photo by Garrulus
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