There are people who always take a huge suitcase and a couple of bags on trips. And there are those who even travel long distances with one small backpack. What factors influence our own “luggage” style?
Often we notice people at the airport or train station who carry a huge amount of belongings with them: a suitcase, a bag and a couple of bags to boot. And, as if in contrast to this picture, we also see those who travel light: one backpack that you can take with you on board, and that’s it. Why do so many of us go to extremes, and how does our previous experience affect the amount of things we take with us on a trip?
Yes, of course, these people can leave the city for different purposes, in different companies and for different amounts of time. However, the fact remains: more often than not, we tend to either stuff our suitcases to capacity, or take a severe minimum of the most necessary items. And this is our own unique style.
“When we go on a trip, the stress level rises: we leave our comfort zone, and there are now strangers around us,” says clinical psychologist Lara Fielding. That is why the preparation for the trip gives us additional stress, and everyone copes with it in their own ways.
ON THE SHELF OF STEREOTYPES
Of course, there are all sorts of clichés associated with luggage wrapping styles. So, it is believed that women often take a lot of extra things with them. Lara Fielding believes that this idea originated about a century ago: then women’s outfits were really much more bulky, because ladies needed more bags to travel. Plus, Fielding points out, women’s clothing rarely has roomy pockets—hence our fondness for carrying a separate small bag.
The psychologist is sure that our choice of luggage is also influenced by the experience of previous trips.
BACKPACK OR SUITCASE?
What “container” and why do we choose when we plan a trip? And can it really help us enjoy our trip more? Luggage bag manufacturers are constantly researching this issue and have come up with some unexpected findings.
It turns out that suitcases and bags equipped with wheels rather limit us on the road: it’s far from convenient to travel everywhere, dragging them along. For example, in public transport in an unfamiliar city, it will be much easier for us to manage with a backpack.
Backpacks give us more opportunities to be spontaneous and take less obvious routes. In addition, when we choose a luggage bag with wheels, it seems to us that our things weigh less than they actually do, and as a result, things often end up being overweight.
I BRING EVERYTHING WITH ME
Why do we bring a lot of things with us if we go to exotic countries, from where God himself ordered to bring more interesting souvenirs? Lara Fielding is sure that we do this to feel more comfortable in a new situation for us (and any trip, even the most pleasant one, is stressful). Surrounding yourself with familiar objects means lowering the level of anxiety and quickly settling in the space. The expert believes that a heavy suitcase is “an attempt to cope with the fact that we are at a great distance from home.”
So do we need to take with us the maximum of things that theoretically we could need? Or is it better to travel light to ensure you stay off the beaten paths of tourists? It’s up to us to decide, because the trip is different. But to know what exactly affects how we are going on a trip is at least useful.
Perhaps, understanding that we take with us too much under the influence of stress, we will learn to cope with stress in other, less difficult and labor-intensive ways. Moreover, airlines are increasingly encouraging us to travel light, because it is not for nothing that tickets without luggage are cheaper, and there are a limited number of places for hand luggage on airplanes.
About the author: Lara Fielding is a clinical psychologist.