Logistically speaking, just like with flights, visas, and accommodation, planning ahead and being realistic can go a long way when you pack for a vacation. Part of the reason packing seems like the most tedious chore when preparing for travel is because of the concerted effort we feel is required to pack everything we need. The most common method of packing — gathering the necessary items for each trip individually — is actually counterintuitive, since we always end up packing the standard items we always need, regardless of the destination or duration of our trips. It’s therefore far more efficient to have a perpetual “travel drawer” in which you can place all the things you’ll always need, Abigail King writes for Travel Hack. Chargers, toiletries, mosquito spray, your passport and other travel documents… if it’s always on your “to pack” list, your permanent travel drawer should have it.

We all know, though, that the smartest way to pack is light. Though we understand the urge to pack clothes you haven’t worn in months in the hopes that your three-day trip to the beach will encourage you to wear them, let your practical side take the wheel here. Self-improvement guru James Clear has three rules to help you: Carry less (self-explanatory), opt for the lightest or best-designed products but never sacrifice utility, and don’t go too crazy trying to be a “minimalist traveler.” Although he suggests specific products that are particularly space- and weight-efficient, the basic principles are the real takeaways here.