Reduce the weight of your luggage

The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), an organization of professional travel journalists and photographers, recently polled their members to come up with the top 10 tips on how to reduce the weight of luggage when traveling.

“It’s always been desirable to travel light, but never more so than today when many airlines are imposing surcharges on bags and on luggage that weighs more than 50 pounds,” says SATW president Bea Broda. As a first step, she suggests travelers lay out everything they want to pack. “People tend to take too much. Before you pack anything, look at everything and ask yourself, ‘Do I really need to bring this?’”

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AP Photo/Shiho Fukada

Use these tips from veteran travel writers to fly light, rather than incur excess baggage fees.

• Photos: Deltalina shows you how to pack

• More packing tips

Here are 10 more recommendations travel writers suggest to cut down on weight:

1. Pick one basic color that doesn’t show dirt (such as black) then brighten with lightweight accessories like scarves. Make sure each item of clothing can be worn with any other item and will match all your shoes. “If you select one base color, everything will go with everything else and you can bring less pieces overall,” says Robin Robinson, travel editor of the Toronto Sun.

2. Wear your coat and heaviest pair of shoes on the plane and always get by with just two pairs of shoes.

3. Pack clothes that can be washed in a sink and that will dry overnight. “Synthetic microfiber clothing lightens your load, can be washed – and dried – overnight and never wrinkles,” says freelance travel writer Amy S. Eckert.

4. Buy lightweight luggage. Many older bags are very heavy on their own. Advancements in plastics and materials have led to durable, strong bags that weigh a fraction of their older counterparts.

5. Pack all heavy items in a carry-on bag (so far, airlines aren’t limiting weight for carry-ons), including cameras, books, reading materials and even shoes. Also bring a change of clothes and any medications needed, just in case luggage is lost. “I actually cut up guide books before I travel, taking only the pages I’ll need,” says freelance travel writer Elaine Warner. “My vacation reading matter is magazines. When I complete them on the road, I can leave them behind,” adds Al Bonowitz of Hawaii Westways Magazine.

6. Take only small bottles of shampoo and toiletries or buy them when you get to your destination. “Instead of toting a purse on the plane, ‘wear’ its contents in the pockets of cargo pants or a travel vest with multiple pockets,” advises freelance travel writer Linda Coffman.

7. “Most people take their best underwear on a trip. I take my worst,” says Mary Ann Treger, a freelance travel writer. “I wear it and toss it along the way. Two benefits – I lighten my load as I travel and I don’t return home with a bunch of dirty laundry.”

8. Pack for the best possible conditions, not the worst.

“Leave the raincoat at home, bring a fold-up umbrella. If the weather turns foul at your destination, shop a second-hand or thrift shop for better gear – and you can leave that for your chambermaid,” says Bob Jenkins, another freelance travel writer.

9. When traveling within the U.S., ship items ahead if you can. “I can ship from New York to Seattle with FedEx ground at only $1 per pound,” says Robert Haru Fisher, columnist and contributing editor at frommers.com.

10. Use lightweight clothing such as fleece instead of wool. Many synthetic fibers provide the same warmth without the weight.