Last-minute cram session

What's an extra suitcase in the grand scheme of things? Ditch the minimalism and pack what you want

- Tanisha Saxena [e-mail]

Don't listen to the minimalists. To overpack is not to overdo. It is to prepare for being fully yourself on a holiday. Packing a spare kurta, a just-in-case ensemble for a night at the opera, your trusted ionic hair dryer, that second pair of statement earrings, midnight munchies from home — these are not signs of excess, but of intention.

The travel industry is obsessed with hacks: Lipsticks that double up as eye-shadow, collapsible mugs, crease-resistant shorts, reversible hats, inflatable this, multi-use that ... Seasoned travellers know that they rarely improve a vacation. What they do instead is make travellers feel virtuous when they should really be feeling comfortable.

Cutting back works for the budget, for the tight squeeze of air travel, for easier backpacking. But if you live too large (and if you can shoulder the cost and the effort), why cut corners? Carry five paperbacks, take along the emotional-support water bottle, add more wristwatches to the carry-on. Three longtime travellers make the case for bringing your best self on a trip, and why it’s worth the weight.

Orientation zone. Smart packing starts with who you are, not where you're going. Actor Karishma Tanna takes stock even before she pulls her bags out from storage. “My suitcase is a map of my personality,” she says. “I don’t pack just for weather or events, I pack for moods.” Rather than fitting in, she cares about feeling like herself when she’s far from home.