Everyone has different ways they like to enjoy travel, some people like to have very fun-filled exhausting schedules, while others like to relax and play by ear. No matter how you enjoy travel being adaptable and prepared will always let you focus more on what you enjoy more. In other words, pack lighter to travel happier!

The best way I have found to increase my happiness traveling is to pack efficiently. I focus on only what I really need and this differs from person to person. We all have different levels of comfort we want to travel, not everyone will want to live out of a backpack for a few weeks, but the key is to not over pack and be weighed down (both physically and mentally) by the stuff you bring.

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Step 1: How many days will you be there?

This is usually the first question I ask myself, how many days of clothing will I need, how many shirts, pants, underwear, etc. The follow up question to this would be, will there be laundry where I'm staying.

Even for longer trips, I try not have too much clothing with me, just because I don't want to carry around dirty laundry clothes with me while I travel. I'd rather have few clothing but find ways to clean it (In-suite laundry, coin-op laundry centre, hand wash, etc.)

This really lightens up your packing, as clothing is usually the bulk of what most people bring.

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Step 2: Packing for multiple scenario use

One of the ways you can pack less is to not have items that have only "one scenario use", for example, shorts for men can also be used for swimming trunks, you can always wear the shorts even if you don't take them swimming and only need to bring one instead of two things. Sometimes when I come back from my travels, I think about all the excess things I brought that I didn't use or only used once. This is really hard to avoid but it can greatly increase your packing efficiency.

Will it be rainy? (Pack a light rain jacket that can double as a jacket for a night out). Will it be warm? (Pack shorts and tank tops that can be used to sleep in or light exercise). Will it be cold? (Bring a heavier jacket and a sweater that can rollup as a travel pillow).

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Step 3: It's not just what you bring, it's also how you bring it

Packing light and efficient clothing is great and all, but once you have all your things picked out, don't just shove it into your bag!

Part of what makes traveling so frustrating is find the things you need when you need it, wether it's that sock that stuck at the bottom of your pack, or all your electronic's cables that tangle up everywhere in the front pocket.

There are a lot of guides online about how to roll and fold your clothing into packing cubes that make managing clothes a lot easier. And the same go for electronics and toiletries. Make sure to compartmentalize and separate things inside your bag. You'll thank yourself later when you are looking for a clean shirt don't have to dig through sunscreen and charging cables.

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Step 4: Break the rules sometimes

Sometimes you can't help but pack a few things that are only single scenario use and that's ok. Achieving some level of efficient and smart packing is already a pretty good start. Something that I've learnt over the years is to have what are "luxury" items. These are items that break the rules in some way but are there to help you enjoy your trip more. For example maybe you want to bring a bigger camera with multiple lenses even though your smartphone takes great photos, or a long flowy dress that you would only wear once for a special dinner with friends, I even read about a guy who's luxury item was a electronic head massager to help him on long haul flights.

These are important because traveling is for you, and having one or two things that break the packing rules but can make your trip that much more personal and enjoyable are highly recommended. Just don't go overboard!

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Over all, I found that as I took more care and effort to pack lighter and more efficiently, the easier traveling became. I stopped bring check-in baggage and now only bring carry-on and breeze through the airport. I stopped having so much clothing I didn't need and losing socks and smaller things that were shoved into my bag last minute. There's a certain mental clarity that comes with knowing that you are prepared and are more focused on enjoying the trip. So remember to pack lighter and travel happier :)