India, April 18 -- I used to proudly (and delusionally) call myself an "excellent packer"-until I realized my luggage was always one broken zipper away from explosion. Plus, I was constantly holding my breath at the airline check-in counter, silently praying the scale read under 50 pounds. If you care about your travel outfits as much as your itinerary, packing light can feel like an Olympic sport. The trick I've learned? Treat your suitcase like prime real estate and be ruthlessly strategic about what makes the cut. After years of overpacking, I finally landed on a system that's simple, efficient, and completely changed the way I approach travel essentials.

It starts with creating a "color bank" for every trip: choose two neutrals and ...