Due to the enormity of baggage fees, knowing how to pack light is essential. If you can take nothing but a carry-on bag on your vacation, you save plenty of money. But when you’re trying to look your best for the trip of a lifetime, it is hard to fight the urge to stuff your bags full! Here are a few tips for packing lighter, so you can still dress well on vacation but without paying those pesky baggage fees.

Make a List and Pack without a Suitcase

Over packing begins with over thinking. Nip that problem in the bud by making a packing list. Write down every single item that you need to pack, from underwear to the number of shoes. Eliminating extra items is easier to do when they are on paper, and not sitting in front of you. When you actually start pulling your clothes from your closet, fold them in stacks on your bed first. Seeing the clothes without the visual hindrance of a suitcase will allow you to get a better idea of how much you are actually bringing. Try to select a few more items that you might not need to bring.

Choose a Color Palette

The seeming need to pack more grows when you are trying to create perfectly coordinated outfits for every day. Rather than dealing with your favorite bright vacation clothes, choose one color palette and stick to it. This makes it much easier to mix and match clothes. With one palette, you should more easily be able to reduce the number of shoes you pack.

Cut down on shoes

Shoes can be a real issue when traveling. Not only are they cumbersome and heavy for packing, but they also can cause discomfort when you’re walking on more than you do on a daily basis at home. Think seriously about what you need shoes for; likely, you need a study, comfortable pair for walking during the day, and a nice pair for going to dinner in the evenings. Leave the larger pair out of your bag and plan to wear those during your flight, and pack the smaller pair.

Leave Toiletries at Home

Of course, if you plan to not check bags, you will not be bringing regular sized toiletries. However, even packing the 3 oz. bottles that are allowed on planes can take up room. Plus, they are unnecessary. Call your hotel in advance and see what toiletries are provided in your room or see if they have a courtesy desk where you can purchase toiletries on site. Since you would probably have to purchase the travel-sized bottles before your vacation anyway, you save room by simply waiting! You also won’t have to worry about the toiletries exploding during the flight.

Pack Small Laundry Packs

To make it easier to re-wear clothes and mix and match to create different outfits, you may need to do laundry on your trip. A couple of common detergent companies make small, travel-sized laundry packs so that you can easily hand wash your clothes in your hotel room. Hang them up to dry on your curtain rod, and they will be ready for a fresh wearing the next morning!

Terry Carter is a chronic over-packer. Through experience, she has learned that it saves a few headaches to take at least one-third of your clothes out of the suitcase! She is a freelance blogger who covers topics like finding a good birdhouse, camping tent, or Boker knife.