How to Avoid a Heavy Backpack

Co-authored by Caitlin Jaymes

Last Updated: September 13, 2024 Approved

Backpacks are a useful part of school life: they carry your books, papers and other important belongings to and from school. However, it's easy to overload a backpack, especially as forgotten books and papers pile up inside. This can lead to discomfort, fatigue and even injury. You'll need to get organized and change your habits to end up with a lighter bag.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing the Right Backpack

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While some bags may be unnecessarily overpriced, you will find that good quality backpacks with more features and strong materials will cost you a bit more. You'll want to choose quality here, because the longer the bag stays in good shape, the more of a routine you can build around it. Look at canvas bags with reinforced seams costing around the $40.00 range. ^{[1]
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Pick a bag that fits. While you may think that backpacks are one size fits all, know that there are several factors that will make the bag fit better to your frame. You'll have to pay attention to the shoulder straps and the center of gravity. ^{[2]
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- Make sure the bag has two, wide straps. There are some backpacks that double as shoulder bags: while stylish, they won't be very good for carrying heavy weight as they'll put more weight on one side of your spine. Two wide straps will distribute the weight of the bag evenly to both your shoulders, while narrow straps will dig in and cause pain.
- Make sure the straps rest comfortably on your shoulders, and aren't too wide or too close together. Too close together, and the straps may feel tight and constricting while resting too close to your neck. Too far apart and they may tend to slip off your shoulders.
- Check the center of gravity. The heaviest of your books and belongings will rest at the very bottom of the bag, so you want to make sure that that center of weight isn't too low. The bottom of the backpack should rest at your hip line, or right about the height where you'd wear a belt.
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While your first thought may be to buy the roomiest backpack so you can fit more inside, think about buying a smaller bag. The smaller it is, the less you'll be tempted to overload it. ^{[3]
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While they might not be considered to be very cool, a rolling backpack can be loaded with a more weight than a carried backpack and can prevent injury too. If you think that you're going to be carrying a lot of heavy books, look into rolling backpacks or briefcases. Make sure they're allowed at your school though, as some schools consider them tripping hazards. ^{[4]
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You'll want to make sure that the empty bag you're buying isn't too heavy by itself. While most are made from light materials like nylon or canvas, some may be heavy while empty. Pick up the bag and get a feel for what it feels like empty to make sure you're not buying too heavy of a bag. ^{[5]
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Part 2

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Getting Organized

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Whether you've bought it brand new or you need to unpack everything inside, making your bag lighter often starts with removing everything and deciding what you really need. Take out and set aside any old work or garbage, and look through your books and other belongings to see what is truly necessary.
One piece of paper is light, but thirty or forty pieces of paper are deceptively heavy. Old work piles up, whether it's kept in neatly in folders or just thrown in the back of your bag. Go through the papers and decide what you still need. File or save any old homework or tests that you'll need in the future, then recycle the rest. ^{[6]
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Receipts, fliers and other garbage tends to accumulate throughout a backpack over time. It gets stuffed in between important things and forgotten, adding to the weight of the bag over time. Go through your bag and remove any unnecessary clutter, throwing it away if it's truly unnecessary.
You may have been carrying around old library books or project binders that you completely forgot about. These add a lot of weight to your bag that you don't really need. Try to take out books as soon as you're finished with them or no longer need them for class to help keep your bag's weight down.
Carrying a week (or a month's) worth of supplies can add weight and make your bag extra heavy. Think about what you actually use on a daily basis: how much paper, how many pens, how much makeup, what kind of gym supplies. Remove extra or excess amounts of these items.
You'll want your heaviest items, like textbooks, packed closer to your spine. The further out you pack them, the more they'll pull your spine in that direction, causing bad posture or even injury. ^{[7]
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The more you can distribute the weight throughout your backpack, the lighter your bag will seem. Since the weight won't just be resting in one spot, your body will be carrying the load more evenly. Try to utilize all of the compartments and zipped pouches, especially those on the sides and near your shoulders.

Part 3

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Changing Your Habits

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Don't keep unnecessary things in your bag. If you've gone through your bag and removed all of the clutter, you'll likely have gotten rid of books or items you don't need. To tell if an item is unnecessary, think about whether you use it frequently or at all. If you use it daily, keep it in the bag. If you haven't seen it in weeks, take it out.
- Make decluttering a habit! If you know you won't need something, leave it out of your bag. Go through your bag weekly to make sure you haven't piled up more of the same old things.
If there are certain things that you know you won't need at home, leave them in your locker. This includes extra notebooks, textbooks for classes without homework that night, sports supplies, etc. ^{[8]
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Go through your class schedule and see exactly what you will need to take with you for the next day. This will ensure that you're not carrying unnecessary books, notebooks or supplies. Here, unnecessary supplies are ones that you won't specifically need tomorrow. If you have Algebra, History and Spanish, leave out your English and Biology notebooks and texts.
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Buy smaller versions of what you have. While big binders and multiple-subject notebooks are great for organization, they also add a lot of weight, especially when they contain notes for classes you don't need every day. Invest in supplies that will help you separate your carry load and lighten your pack.
- Get separate notebooks for each class. If you have one small notebook for each subject or project, you'll be able to carry only what you need for each day, leaving behind the notebooks you definitely won't need. Get notebooks in different colors if you have a hard time keeping them all straight.
- Invest in compact notebooks. A4 is the standard paper size for most notebooks, but it includes a lot of margin room. All of that extra space on the paper adds up in weight, and you may not even get to the end of the notebook! Look at smaller A5 or even A6 notepads to cut down on the size and weight of your notebooks. ^{[9]
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- Carry travel sized items. If you frequently carry hairspray, lotion or other grooming products for use after gym, buy smaller sizes. Liquids weigh a lot and that weight adds up. If your favorite products don't come in travel sizes, buy small plastic bottles and transfer your products into them. Try sites like Amazon or The Container Store for small bottles.
The less papers and books you have to carry, the lighter your backpack will be. Some textbooks come in electronic format, and you may be able to scan your homework and turn it in online. Also, consider scanning your book chapters and keeping them in digital form if an eBook is not available with the bound edition.This way, you'll only have to carry a laptop or tablet instead of books and papers. ^{[10]
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While it may be hard to remember to do this, giving your parents any notes or letters means less weight in your backpack. Letters and notices tend to pile up especially if you're forgetful about them.
The sooner you do homework, the less likely it is to get lost or be forgotten in your bag, turning into dead weight. Also, when you finish the homework, you'll no longer have to carry the corresponding textbook to and from school, saving your bag 20 or 30 pounds.
Going through your bag weekly will help cut down on the clutter and the weight of the bag. It will also give you a good time to re-organize things back into the pockets they belong in, keeping the distribution of weight correct.

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Tips

Only put lighter items in the outer pockets. If the outer pockets are too heavy, they could pull your weight to one side or the other, putting pressure on your spine.

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If you have heavy items that need to be carried for only one day (science fair, project materials, bake sale) carry them in a separate tote bag instead of your backpack.

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Check back to school sales for good deals on nicer backpacks, or look at sales online. Online sellers will also have star ratings for their packs, giving you an idea of how large, light and logical the bag's pockets are.

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Warnings

Don't purge papers you need! While it's good to clean out your backpack regularly, be careful that you don't throw away important papers and assignments!

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Extremely cheap bags won't be likely to last long or be very comfortable. While the price may seem attractive, these bags won't distribute weight well or last long enough for you to get an organizational flow.

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How to Avoid a Heavy Backpack

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Choosing the Right Backpack

Getting Organized

Changing Your Habits

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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