Overpacking is a fear problem, not a space problem

Nobody packs a fourth pair of shoes because they love shoes. They pack it because of a small, specific worry: what if it rains, what if there is a nice dinner, what if the first pair gives me blisters.

That is the real reason bags get heavy. Every item is a tiny insurance policy against a situation that probably will not happen.

Name the worry

Try this the next time you hesitate over something. Say what the item is for, out loud, in one sentence. "This is in case there is a formal dinner." Then ask how likely that dinner is, and whether you could solve it on the spot.

Most worries fall into three groups:

• Weather. Solved by one layer that works for cold and rain, not three jackets.
• Social. Solved by one outfit that is a step dressier than the rest, not four.
• Body. Solved by a small pack of the medicines you actually use, plus the knowledge that pharmacies exist in most places you will go.

The "can I buy it there" test

For nearly everything, the answer is yes. Toothpaste, a phone cable, an umbrella, sunscreen, a plain T-shirt. The cost of buying a replacement is almost always smaller than the cost of carrying the original everywhere.

The exceptions are the items that are hard to replace quickly:

• Prescription medication, in its original packaging, in your carry-on
• Passport, ID, bank cards
• Anything made to fit you, such as glasses or a brace

Everything outside that list is a convenience. It can stay at home.

The bag should have a bottom

Most people fill whatever bag they own. A big suitcase gets a full suitcase. That is why a smaller bag is not a punishment. It is a rule you set before the worries start talking.

If you want to see how little a trip can take, start with the five-day carry-on list and then add only what you can justify in one sentence.

What carrying it teaches you

A bag you can lift easily changes how you travel. You walk to the station rather than wait for a taxi. You skip the baggage belt. You take the earlier train because you are not hauling anything up the stairs.

The strongest argument against over-packing has nothing to do with the airline's weight limit. It is that a heavy bag shrinks your options once you are there.

A rule to keep

Pack the bag, then take out one outfit's worth of clothes and one pair of shoes. Close it. If you reach the destination and miss what you took out, you have learned something about yourself. If you do not, which is more likely, you carried less for nothing.