As much as you love traveling and the joy and thrill it brings, packing is definitely one of the most daunting parts; you simply never know whether you packed enough or you are just piling unnecessary things. Thus, in most cases you end up packing much more things than you will actually need and use on your trip. But bear in mind, carrying heavy luggage around with you is definitely not very convenient nor pleasant.

With summer being almost here, it is time to rethink your packing habits and try to make some changes in favor of making your trips more comfortable. Deciding whether to pack your entire closet in a big suitcase or buy a small travel bag, does not have to be that much difficult to determine. For that purpose, there are three main factors you need to consider before making the decision:

• The duration of your trip;
• The season and weather conditions in the place you travel to;
• The activities you plan on doing.

Furthermore, here is a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of traveling with a small travel bag or a suitcase.

Small Travel Bag

Advantages:

• Increased Comfort – Carrying a small travel bag in which you will pack only your essentials will definitely make your trip much more comfortable and worry-free.
• Ease Of Movement – Moving on crowded airports, streets and hotel reception halls is incomparably easier when you carry a small travel bag with you.
• Convenient Storage – You can fit your small travel bag everywhere, including in the smallest personal lockers in the hostels.
• Easy Navigation Through Stairs – Dragging a big suitcase over myriad of stairs can be a real hassle. Simplify your life by leaving your suitcase at home and feel free to replace it with a small bag.
• Hand-Free Travel – Choose a bag you can wear on your back and conquer your shopping destination with your hands free.

Disadvantages:

• Limited storage space which is unacceptable for over-packers;
• Lack of protection for carrying sensitive items such as laptop, digital camera, tablet computer or smartphone;
• High-quality travel bags usually come with higher price tags.

Suitcase

Advantages:

• More storage room;
• Safe for airline transcription;
• Provides better protection for valuable items and fragile souvenirs.

Disadvantages:

• Heavy weight;
• Difficult to wheel over streets and stairs;
• Harder to store in hostels’ personal lockers;
• Full and busy hands.