- Travelers often overpack their underwear even though they rarely use it.
- Amanda Parker, travel expert, recommends that you pack three pairs extra beyond the number days of travel.
- This simple rule will prevent your luggage from being overstuffed, while still allowing for any unexpected circumstances.
It’s not something I’m proud of, but it happened on a recent three day tripI have used an entire packing cube I spent about $130 on 13 pairs underwear. It was no surprise that I used only a third. I’m hardly the only person to do this—on TikTokThere are dozens and dozens of videos that discuss the very common phenomenon overpacking underwear.
The reason we do this—pack underwear as if we may never come home again or encounter a department store—is to make ourselves feel prepared for our journey. There’s also the worry that you might run into unexpected hygienic issues while on the road. It’s impossible to enjoy a vacation if you run out of clean underwear by the second day.
Amanda Parker is a travel specialist at Netflights based in the U.K. She said: “Most travelers pack too much underwear, as it gives them comfort and assurance.” Travel + Leisure. For many travelers, packing extra underwear It gives them a feeling of control, particularly if they are unsure before travelling.”
She said that most people pack too many pairs because they feel like the items of clothing are small and won’t take much space in their luggage. Even the smallest items can take up space when you pack them in two dozen.
Parker says that there is a specific number of underwear you should pack.
Parker stated that “the ultimate packing hack is to pack 3 pairs more underwear than the number days you will be on vacation.” That’s where the sweet spot is! If you are going on holiday for five days, bring eight pairs of shoes.
It’s pretty easy to calculate: add three days plus the number of travel days.
Parker explained that the extra three pairs of shoes act as a safety net to prevent overpacking. So, in case you have to go swimming, take a hike at the last moment, travel on a sweaty day, or simply want to change into new shoes before dinner, your suitcase will be prepared.
It might take a few trips for you to get off your overpacking habits. I’m working on scaling back from four pairs of underwear per day down to three—maybe in the future I can scale back to two pairs per day.
