Packing light is less about willpower and more about having a repeatable system.
The capsule approach
Pick one or two color families so every top pairs with every bottom — it multiplies outfit combinations without multiplying luggage.
Laundry changes everything
Planning to hand-wash a few items every few days means packing for one week, not three — the math changes completely once laundry is part of the plan.
What actually gets left behind
The “just in case” items — the extra shoes, the backup charger, the outfit for an event that may not happen — are almost always the ones that come home unused.