Tips for packing efficiently for winter trips and holidays

If you're planning a winter getaway and you already feel exhausted by the thought of packing, you're not alone.

How many puffer jackets should you try and shove into that suitcase? How many long pairs of pants do you really need to take?

Photographer and travel blogger Lean Timms loves cold weather and braves travelling in the cold often.

Whether you're packing for a three-day trip or planning a longer stay, Lean offers her best tips to help you pack light on your next trip.

Be pragmatic

More important than the specifics of what you pack, is how you go about thinking about packing for a trip.

According to Lean, it's less about hard and fast rules and more about general principles.

When looking to pack light, especially during winter travels, you have to be willing to be pragmatic and make some tough choices, she says.

While it can be tempting to think you need to pack a quarter of your wardrobe, especially in winter, Lean says that what you'll end up wearing on holiday is often quite a similar reflection of what you wear at home.

"If I'm really desperate for something, or all of a sudden I want to go on some crazy adventure that I haven't packed for … I'll sort it out then. I'll hire or buy something."

Streamlining your toiletries can save major space

A tip Lean offers for saving weight and space is to streamline your toiletries as much as possible.

"I'm pretty light on my toiletries," she says. That's even in winter when our skin gets dry and sometimes needs a few extra products.

For example, when Lean travels, she takes oil that acts as a face, body and hair oil, and uses a bar that doubles as a shampoo and body bar.

The general principle of being selective applies here. It might not be practical for you to carry one or two products, but thinking consciously about how you can minimise the products you use while you're away can help lighten your load.

Focus on packing winter essentials

Only packing clothing and items you'll wear and use multiple times can help reduce the likelihood that you'll over-pack.

"When you're travelling, if you're not going to wear things more than once it's probably not the best thing to pack — with the exception of a special occasion," Lean says.

As far as specific items go, she offers a general guide on the types of clothing and quantities you might want to consider packing for a week-long trip:

• A good jacket. When considering space and weight, a down jacket is often a lighter option. A jacket that comes up high can keep your neck toasty and means you don't have to pack a scarf.
• Two sets of thermal tops and bottoms to wear underneath clothing. If you have the budget for them, Lean recommends thermals made out of merino wool. However, so long as they're thick, it doesn't matter too much.
• A pair of shoes for both day and night. There's no specific rule on the type of footwear here, you can go with whatever suits the nature of the trip.
• A fresh pair of socks for each day. Lean says it's a good idea to have a couple of thicker socks if you're not going to take a pair of slippers.
• A fresh pair of underwear for each day.
• A T-shirt for every other day.
• Two to three warm jumpers.
• Two pairs of pants.
• A nice dress shirt.
• A beanie or hat.

The above guide can be adapted to the length and nature of your trip.

"There's so many dependencies," Lean adds.

"If you're going somewhere adventurous, what you pack is going to look much different to what you pack if you're staying at a hotel."

It's a simple principle, but one that's worth reiterating anyway — when travelling between locations, Lean recommends wearing your bulkier items.

As for choosing luggage, Lean usually takes a simple leather duffel bag, even for her longer stays. However, a small suitcase can also work well and is easy to transport. Lean adds that it can be worth waterproofing whatever luggage you take.