Packing light requires a lot of planning, but the advantages may be worth the extra effort: you will reduce the amount you have to carry, and by fitting everything into a carry-on bag, you’ll also avoid the risk that the airlines will misplace your luggage. By following a few guidelines, you can make sure you take no more than what you really need.

Keep toiletries to a minimum. Makeup, hair care products, and other toiletries can take up an inordinate amount of space. Remember that hotels and friends’ houses will often provide certain items, such as shampoo and lotion, and pack only what will not be available at your destination. For the products you must carry with you, travel-size containers will take up less space than your daily-use bottles.

Mix and match. One or two outfits each day can quickly consume space. Try to coordinate your outfits – shoes especially! – to reduce the amount you have to carry. Choose tops and bottoms that can be mixed and matched to make several different outfits, and try to coordinate everything so that you need only one or two pairs of shoes, as shoes especially add a lot of weight.

Take only what you need. Although the mere thought of traveling may inspire you to pack books, video games, CDs, your laptop, and anything else you think you might need to avert boredom, the chances of using all of these devices are slim. Pack only what you are sure you will use.

Leave a little room. Don’t pack your bags so full that you can barely shut them, for two reasons: if you buy something on your trip, you’ll want room to pack it, and even if you don’t, you may not be able to pack everything in as tightly as you did the first time.

Although the fear of leaving the comfort of home may induce to you to pack as much “comfort” as you can carry, don’t give in to the urge – you’ll be much happier without all that luggage weighing you down!