Even the most experienced travelers do it: they see a pair of shoes they can’t live without or a nice leather jacket for their 3-year old nephew, put their bargaining skills on display and add that to the rest of the 6 pairs of shoes they’ve already bought during the trip. When it’s time to go home, they can barely close their bags. And their 2-piece luggage has now morphed into 6.
Ordinary Traveler says overpacking is one of the biggest travel mistakes travelers make. No worries, though. There are ways to get around the problem and those sky-high shipping excess baggage fees. Here are some tips to help you finagle a way out of that situation:
Don’t overpack
That seems like basic advice but it’s a useful one. Overpacking doesn’t just cost you more in terms of luggage rates, it’s also quite stressful and a pain to go around with heavy bags around. You’ll travel at a slower pace and that’s not a great thing, especially if you want to see as much as you can of the country of your destination.
Pick the essentials
One way to pack light is to make a list of all the essentials for whenever you have to go on a trip and stick to it, no matter how much you want to bring along that extra jacket or pair of shoes. Use that list as a guide to help you rein in your impulse to overpack your bags to the seams.
Shop there
Another way to resolve the overpacking problem is to simply go with a nearly empty bag—just bring along a few essentials—and then shop there. This is the ideal solution if you’re a shopaholic. You can fill up your bag with new buys and purchases without worrying about overbaggage fees.
Ship it
In case you still end up with plenty of giant bags of luggage, then you might want to consider shipping your bags home. Checking that many bags into the airlines can set you back a whole lot. You can actually save more on costs when you ship your bags home instead.
Find a reliable provider
Crucial to saving on those shipping costs is finding a reliable and trustworthy shipping excess baggage service provider. Do your research until you find the best one out there. There are plenty of companies that offer excellent service at great rates. All you have to do is find them.
So don’t let oversized luggage fees and hassles get in the way of your vacation. Travel smart with these tips.
