How To Make Your Backpack Lighter For School

Whether you are a middle schooler, high schooler, or college student, one huge dilemma that you might have been in is how to make your backpack lighter for school.

If you have been that student whose shoulders are always aching under a heavy backpack, worry not as we are about to solve your issues. This article is all about minimizing the weight that you have to carry on your back so that your major concern about school is only studying.

In this article, we will not only give you some practical tips and tricks but also tell you exactly why should you lighten your backpack as much as you can. As a cherry on top, we also have some tips on buying the best kind of backpack for your shoulders and back!

Why should you lighten your backpack?

A simple study shows that students particularly children in middle school should not be carrying a backpack which is more than 15 percent of their body weight. The clear reason for that is the short- and long-term effects heavy backpacks have on the kids.

Wearing a heavy and poorly prepared backpack for long durations can have adverse effects on posture, spinal agility, and muscles. It can also lead to weakness, constant back pain, and shoulder as well as spinal compression.

The list can go on but we guess you got an idea of how a poorly managed backpack is not a good school companion no matter in which year you study. All of these problems can divert your attention from studying or getting full school experience as a student. For all these reasons, you must lighten your backpack and save yourself from all the above potential harms.

Practical methods to lighten the load:

With school season starting in full swing, here are a few things you can do to keep the backpack load to a minimum.

1. Evaluation and prioritization of items:

The most important thing you gotta do is keep an eye on that timetable and then your backpack. This is by far the easiest and most effective load-reducing strategy that you can follow. What you simply need to do is get to know your timetable and decide on the books and stationery you will need on a particular day.

Once you decide that, simply evaluate whether you have all the things you need in your backpack and then remove the items you don’t need. Yes, you’ll have to do it every day but that 5-minute inconvenience will be better than the problem you might face in the long run!

2. Regular decluttering of backpacks:

For some students, the timetable does not vary that drastically and they just need to tweak a few books here and there. But an issue that persists for those students as well is the cluttered backpack. Each one of us is aware of the ways a backpack is used.

A common practice among students is putting some unnecessary stuff in the backpack for potential later use and then forgetting about it. This leads to two basic issues, lack of space and overstuffing.

To avoid these weight problems, we recommend weekly or at least monthly decluttering where you completely take out all the items in your backpack and sort them out based on need.

3. Using digital alternatives:

We understand this is something high school and college students can opt for in a more convenient way than middle schoolers but it’s something that can drastically decrease your book and stationary weight.

Instead of having to carry heavy books for different subjects to school, you can simply opt for an iPad or a laptop. This way all of your resources will be present digitally in one place and you won’t have to carry your books along with you.

Your iPad can also be used to note down the lectures so you can say goodbye to piles of registers as well! If in case you don’t have a laptop etc., you can simply download the eBooks onto your mobile phone. This way the backpack will be free from the books and you can study without inconvenience.

4. Proper weight distribution:

Now that we have tried limiting the things you require to take to school, the next step is to arrange the stuff you do need in a way that distributes the weight evenly. This will keep the center of gravity of the backpack closer to your center of gravity thus alleviating any additional pressure or weight that you might feel with uneven backpacking.

The most important thing to consider in this is that you are keeping the heavy books and items closer to your back and the lighter things closer to the outer side of the backpack. To ensure complete distribution of weight, wearing both straps is a good idea as it takes off pressure from one shoulder.

5. Carrying extras separately:

If you are carrying any additional stuff such as a painting or a musical instrument for extracurriculars, it is better to carry them in a separate backpack or simply in your hand. The reason for this is that they can put undue pressure on your back if put inside the backpack.

Conversely, carrying them in your hand might feel inconvenient at first but is much better for your back and shoulders.

6. Using available storage:

For the students who get their lockers at school, USE THEM! Instead of cluttering them with useless things and decorations, utilize the available space to put any heavy items that you might need to use frequently at school.

This way you won’t have to carry those things with you and can significantly lighten up the load that your shoulders have to carry.

Best Backpacks For Lighter Loads:

You figured out how to prepare a backpack so that the weight is cut to a minimum, we are here to take it a step further so you can buy a backpack that will be the best for long-term comfort and weight distribution. Here are the things to look for.

1. Padded and wide shoulder straps: This is crucial to keep your shoulders protected from any unwanted strains that will prove to be highly uncomfortable. Narrow straps will dig into your shoulders and the absence of padding will allow them to sit there without any protection. This can cause long-lasting shoulder pains and discomfort.
2. Ergonomically designed cushioned back: Just the way padded shoulder straps are necessary, a padded back of the backpack allows it to sit comfortably on your back without being much of an inconvenience. Thus, it is always smart to buy a backpack with a cushioned back.
3. Multiple pockets: For school students, a backpack with multiple pockets is always a good idea over a backpack with a single compartment. This is because allotted pockets for each item allow for more organization and pre-adjusted weight distribution.  

Conclusion:

We hope that you were able to get a good idea about the ups and downs of a heavy school backpack and are now aware of how to make a backpack lighter for school.

With this guide in your hand, we can confidently ask you to say goodbye to any discomfort in your shoulders and back and focus all of that concentration solely on studying and having fun!

FAQs:

Why is my school backpack so heavy?

For many school-going kids, the reason their backpacks are heavy is the clustered timetables that require them to bring almost all the books at once to school along with some additional things for co-curriculars.

How much weight can a 12-year-old carry?

It is recommended that an average school-going kid should only carry up to 10 to 20 percent of their body weight. It is better to get an estimate of how much your 12-year-old weighs and arrange their backpack according to that.  

Can a heavy backpack hurt you?

Constantly carrying a heavy backpack can put undue strain on your shoulders and back and thus can hurt you both short and long-term.