Tips for Traveling Light

Novice and expert nomads alike have difficulties with overpacking. You can quickly go from being adequately prepared to having too much in your suitcase, and probably won’t notice until you have you start weighing bags at the airport. Beyond paying extra costs, over packing makes it harder to keep your valuables arranged, exhausts you quicker, and often ends in losing the items that matter most. To keep such unfortunate events at bay, we have some tips to help make traveling light and simple.

Take Advantage of Technology

Smartphones are a vital part of our everyday life. We recognize this fact, and even have a smartphone app to help those searching for travel work. When you’re on the road, you most likely already know about apps like Google Maps. However, do you also know you can download maps of regions and towns off Google as a reference without wasting your data? If you want to reduce stuffed folders in your backpack, Camscanner is an app that keeps your medical licenses, certifications, and other documentation arranged electronically. Take a look at some of the other apps that we recommend for traveling healthcare workers.

Don’t Overpack on Toiletries or Laundry

Think about hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast homes; most of these spots come with their own toothbrushes and washing machines. If by some chance they don’t, chances are your room will be located somewhere that will have a local supermarket or laundromat only a couple minutes walk away. Researching where you will live for your new job can help you plan in these matters. While it is understandable you want to keep your clothes and yourself clean, sensitive toiletries can take up valuable space better saved for an extra layer of clothing or a sturdy pair of boots.

Follow the Rule of Threes

You will often only need a maximum of three pairs of each clothing items when traveling within the country. Three pairs of socks, underwear, shirts, and so on are enough for the savvy traveler. Jeans and other denim clothes are practical choices; they often don’t need washing for over a week! For clothes that are fashionable and functionable, those made from cotton fabric dry fast and fold easily while keeping your suitcase light.

Think Outside the Box

Certain items have more functions than you may originally think. A regular bathroom towel, for example, can cover you during a flash storm, keep you warm in a cold airport, turn into a satchel, and set down for a quick picnic! Look for redundancies in the items that you pack and think if the purpose of one could be covered by the other.

Looking to put some travel time in while looking for a new health career? Visit our healthcare job listings.