How to pack for a trip without overpacking (a simple test)
Most over-packed bags come from one bad habit: packing for fear instead of for the actual trip. Here's the fix.
Every seasoned traveller has the same story: a heavy bag on the way out, and on the way back a long list of things they never touched. Overpacking isn't really about quantity, it's about packing for imagined scenarios instead of the real itinerary.
The one-question test
For every item, ask: "what happens if I don't have this and need it?" If the honest answer is "I buy or rent one there for a few dollars," it doesn't need to come from home. Reserve real suitcase space for things that are expensive, hard to find, or personally fitted, not for backups of backups.
Pack the bag twice
Pack everything you think you need, then remove 20% before you zip it. Almost nobody regrets the lighter bag; plenty of people regret the heavy one dragged through three airports.