Gone are the days when traveling lightly was done to be trendy or convenient - it's now all about being cost-effective.

The airlines have become harsher than ever before when it comes to baggage allowances, and this has meant we've had to adapt. Once upon a time, you may have been able to take an almost full-sized suitcase on board and not had to pay a penny in baggage fees. Suffice to say, those days are long gone.

Today's guide will take a look at several hard-hitting tips that can make the difference in your battle to beat the luggage scales. Let's now dive into them.

Never pack for more than a week

In short, why?

Even if you've been lucky enough to plan a 3-week around-the-world trip, you absolutely don't require clothes for more than a week. In fact, in most cases, several days' worth of clothes will usually suffice.

In the modern travel era, most hotels have laundries or basic washing facilities. As such, don't think about taking more clothes than you need to - it's not worth the hassle.

Have 'enough' space for the important documents

Nowadays, it has become even more important to be armed with the correct documentation. Whether it's travel insurance to cover covid disruptions, or even something as simple as your passport, making sure that you have easy access to these documents is key to a successful (and hiccup-free) trip.

As such, scrunching everything down into the bottom of your bag just isn't going to work. Instead, make sure, under all circumstances, that you have a spacious, easy-to-access pocket that will accommodate such belongings. Store them in a folder and do everything in your power to keep them in tip-top condition.

Sure, you might have to sacrifice a t-shirt to make such space but in the grand scheme of things, it's well worth it.

Wear what you can

Obviously, there are certain caveats with this first point. After all, there have been some hilarious stories of travelers wandering through airports wearing an obscene number of layers to bypass baggage restrictions!

However, there's certainly nothing wrong with wearing your bulkiest pair of shoes, or, in severe cases, even sticking a few pairs of socks in your pockets if you need to!

Versatility is key

Gone are the days when taking seven pairs of shoes was a 'thing'. In short, it's just not sustainable with the airlines anymore.

As such, it pays to be versatile. Sure, a pair of flip flops aren't going to tip the scales but taking several items of bulky footwear is.

Try and be as versatile as can be with your selections - and just choose those items which can serve more than one purpose. For example, if it's trainers, have you got a 'high-end' pair that could double-up to be used during the day and in the evening? It's small adjustments like this that can make the difference to your suitcase and ultimately, your final baggage costs.