travel light if you must

Top 20 tips on how to pack light

by Anne Betts | Dec 23, 2023 | Luggage and Packing , home featured | 25 comments

Updated December 23, 2023

For most of us, learning how to pack light, or lighter, is an evolutionary process. Getting it right takes experimentation, practice, and refinement. To help you on your journey,  here are my top 20 tips on how to pack light .

Table of Contents

1. One size doesn’t fit all

2. benefits keep us on track, 3. develop a minimalist mindset and strategy, 4. factor the environment into your packing style, standard bag, (i) in-flight essentials, (ii) day bag essentials, (iii) type of bag, (iv) desirable features, small purse, 6. leave room in your bag (20%), (i) packing list, (ii) shopping list, (iii) pre-travel checklist, 8. size matters (think compact) and become a weight watcher, 9. think double-duty and multipurpose, 10. minimize toiletries, 11. plan to do laundry.

• (i) Love everything you pack 

(ii) Build a compact capsule wardrobe

(iii) skip the slogans, (iv) choose fabrics wisely, (v) merino is your friend, (vi) identify clothing numbers and stick to them, (vii) plan to layer up and down, (viii) use accessories, 13. limit shoes, 14. one week = one month = one year, (i) roll, fold, bundle, or stuff, (ii) use packing organizers to compress and stay organized, (iii) pack for balance and accessibility.

• (iv) Wear your stuff 

16. Evaluate gadgets

17. pack with your safety and security in mind, 18. go paperless, 19. be inventive, 20. pack as early as possible.

Packing light means different things to different people at different times to different destinations. What works for one traveller may not work for another. While some ultralight packers travel for weeks or months with a small 20-litre backpack, most light packers aim to stay within an airline’s carry-on allowance. Others need to travel with checked luggage for a variety of reasons and circumstances, while remaining committed to packing lighter.

Incorporate other travellers’ suggestions only if they’re a good fit. That includes what you’ll find in these tips on how to pack and travel light. Make your own decisions on whether or not to pack jeans or convertible trousers, or rolling is better than folding. Just because a universal sink plug, travel towel, headlamp, or duct tape are listed as indispensable items on seasoned travellers’ packing lists, they don’t have to be on yours.

In other words, identify your own definition and description of packing light, set goals for each trip, and pack according to your preferences, needs, and travel style.

Of all the reasons to pack light, which ones motivate you the most? What benefits will most likely keep you on track? Is it saving money by taking a budget carrier with hefty baggage fees and an 8-kg (18-lb) carry-on limit? Perhaps it’s the ability to walk or use public transportation to get to where you’re going. Maybe it’s never losing sight of your bag and always having it arrive with you at your destination. Or, could it be that liberating feeling of being able to change plans on a whim unencumbered by ‘stuff?’

As one Facebook user said,

Once you’ve had to lug a heavy suitcase up many stairs in buildings and stations without elevators, over cobblestoned streets, and up and down steep, narrow steps on a train during a two-minute stop, you realize you don’t need 90% of the things you bring on a trip.

Nobody cares or notices if you wear the same clothes day after day. I’ve always had to carry, lift, and look after my stuff, so through trial and error, I’ve become better at packing. However, there’s room for improvement. One day, I’ll be able to travel for three months and not take anything superfluous, or clothes that I don’t wear at least a dozen times.

Keeping benefits in mind might be just the inspiration that’s needed to eliminate that extra kilogram (or more) from your bag.

• 15 reasons to pack light and experience the benefits of carry-on travel

How do so many travellers manage with carry-on? While there’s no right way or wrong way to pack light, the secret lies in identifying the essentials — the absolute minimum, and building from there. What are your must-haves, and what can you temporarily do without? Can you forego a hairdryer and curling iron, and pare down your range of hair care products? What are your other toiletry kit essentials? If you’re not ready to go makeup free, what are your must-haves, and what’s available in travel sizes? What does your minimalist wardrobe look like, and how can you stretch it to create as many different looks as possible? What’s in your basic first-aid/health kit? Which gadgets are non-negotiable, and which ones can you do without?

Another approach is to work backwards. This involves laying everything out and evaluating each item. Everything must earn its place. There’s no room for ‘just-in-case’ items (except first-aid supplies) or anything that will be worn or used just once. Dig into each kit and remove pieces of jewellery, makeup, first-aid supplies, toiletries, clothing, and ‘stuff.’ Eliminate any item of orphan clothing that doesn’t go with several other pieces. When flying on a budget airline with a 7-kg (15-lb) carry-on allowance, I was able to use this process to purge an additional .9 kg (2 lb) of stuff that I didn’t end up missing. It consisted mostly of small items that collectively and surprisingly weighed quite a bit.

Or, picture yourself with lots of luggage and how you’ll manage. On a trip to Australia, I was surprised to see so many travellers struggling with baggage. After hoisting a huge backpack from the luggage compartment of a bus, the passenger stumbled and fell backwards from the weight of her pack. In hostels, I stepped over duffel bags and packs that were too large to secure in the lockers provided. I observed travellers wheeling huge rolling bags over uneven pavement while juggling other bags.

Travelling like that can’t be enjoyable.

Hikers who trek in and out of wilderness areas without leaving any trace of their presence pack with purpose and precision. We can learn a lot from the ‘leave-no-trace’ movement.

• There are travellers who pack old clothing to be discarded before returning home. Why not recycle or repurpose these items at home where you’re familiar with environmentally friendly disposal systems?
• Is ‘If I need something, I’ll buy it there’ a dominant feature of your packing style? If so, how can you reduce your environmental footprint when it’s time to move on? If it’s not something you want to take with you, resist the temptation to toss it in the garbage; chances are you’ll find an appreciative local or another traveller to make use of it.

Does ‘pack in and pack out’ make more sense? Here are some examples.

• You could easily purchase an umbrella from sellers who materialize at the first sign of rain. But, it’ll likely be of a quality, size, and weight you won’t want to pack when you leave. Why not invest in a small lightweight travel umbrella that can be used time and time again?
• Cheap flip-flops are available worldwide, but chances are they won’t last. Why not invest in a quality pair of Havaianas Slim , and use them as shower shoes, hotel slippers, or beachwear throughout your travels? They’ll last you for years. Mine have.
• Plastic shopping bags carry purchases, but they’re hard on the environment. Why not pack a pocket shopping bag? In fact, the ChicoBag Vita rePRTe is made of recycled materials, can carry up to 40 lb (18 kg) and weighs just 2 oz (56 g).
• If you’re a tea or coffee lover, pack a reusable cup. The Stojo 12-oz cup is collapsible and spill proof, and weighs 150 g ( 5.3 oz).
• When faced with no garbage cans (or overflowing ones), it’s handy to have a small dry bag to carry your rubbish. Dry bags have so many uses that they’re considered an essential item by many travellers.
• If you regularly enjoy street food and take-out, pack a lightweight spork and skip the plastic cutlery. Another option is a wallet-sized flatware set .

Look for products that are safer for you and the environment.

• Some hostels supply towels, sometimes for an extra fee. I’ve stayed in hostels where towels weren’t available at all. My Pangea travel towel is more effective and more sustainable than a microfibre product. It’s made of bamboo, is biodegradable, lightweight, fast drying, and weighs 80 g (2.8 oz).
• Many panty liners and wet wipes have excess packaging and contain plastics and harmful chemicals. There are better alternatives such as natracare panty liners made of organic cotton. Choose sanitizing wipes containing organic alcohol that are biodegradable. Or pick up washable panty liners, wipes, and other reusable products from the online marketplace, Etsy. 

By packing lighter, you’re contributing to reduced emissions when flying. In addition, you’re able to walk with your luggage, use public transportation, and share smaller vehicles with others. Look for other ways to consider the health of our planet in the ways you pack and travel.

• Reduce waste with these 48 alternatives to plastic and other single-use travel products
• 10 Reasons to travel with dry bags

5. Choose luggage carefully

It pays to get this one right. Experimenting with luggage is expensive. Been there, done that. Unless you’re an ultralight minimalist and dedicated ONE bagger, two or even three bags (think main bag, day bag, packable purse) might best suit your travel style.

An important consideration is how you’ll handle your luggage and remain mobile. Picture how to  comfortably manage everything at once. If you’re travelling solo, there will be no one to watch your bags while you visit the washroom so you’ll need to take your luggage into the cubicle with you.

• Do you prefer the hands-free carry-on model? If so, a convertible backpack and crossbody bag might be a complementary combination.
• Or choose a two-in-one backpack similar to the Osprey Farpoint 55 or Osprey Fairview 55 with a smaller, detachable 15-litre backpack attached. These weigh 1.92 kg / 4.23 lb and 1.89 kg / 4.16 lb respectively.
• If you prefer rolling luggage, a personal item might need a luggage sleeve to slide over the telescopic handles of your rolling bag.
• Another option is to choose rolling luggage and a backpack in the same bag. My Osprey Daylite Carry-On Wheeled 40 L Duffel has removable, packable backpack straps, and empty, the bag weighs 2.24 kg / 5 lb.

• How to travel with just one carry-on bag using the nested approach

Rolling suitcase or convertible backpack? Soft-sided or hard-shell? Lots of internal organization? Desirable weight, both empty and packed? Warranty? Capacity?

For a carry-on bag, aim for a maximum capacity of 40 to 45 litres. A bag of this size is manageable, and will undoubtedly pass for carry-on for most airlines. A bag of this size will force you to adopt a range of packing light strategies, even if you’re travelling for several months across different climatic zones. Anything larger, and you’re bound to fill it (and probably have to send it as checked luggage). Before making any decisions, list all the features you need, and start researching.

• 31 features of a perfect carry-on bag: a buying guide to choosing the right luggage
• The best ‘standard’ carry-on bags according to travel bloggers
• The best ‘personal’ carry-on bags according to travel bloggers
• Is the Osprey warranty any good? It’s so good, I’m now a customer for life .

Personal item

Making your personal item double as your day bag should result in less luggage. Many airlines have a two-bag carry-on allowance of one standard and one personal item, each with specific size and weight restrictions. The personal item needs to fit under the seat in front of you during takeoff and landing. Allowances for a personal item are usually generous enough that a personal carry-on could become your day bag at your destination. Choosing the type, size, and features of this item depends on several factors, including your activities and what your body prefers.

I suggest four steps to figure out what meets your needs.

What will you need during the flight or a long bus ride or train trip? It’ll contain items you can’t afford to lose, as well as things you need for a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable journey.

• Carry-on essentials and packing tips for long flights

What will you want to carry while exploring a destination? Phone? Refillable water bottle? Clothing for layering up or down? Rain gear? Camera? Basic first-aid kit? Comfort pack of self-care essentials? Flashlight? Guidebook?

The two previous steps will provide clues on size and capacity. Next, identify what type of bag is best suited to your daily activities and what feels most comfortable to carry. If you expect to walk several kilometres and carry it from early morning until evening, it has to be comfortable. If a larger cross-body bag or sling bag results in shoulder-and-neck stress, a small backpack might distribute the weight more evenly for you. If you like a crossbody purse and backpack in the same bag, there are convertible options such as the Pacsafe Citysafe CX Anti-Theft Convertible Backpack .

What features do you need? Internal and external zippered pockets? Front and back zippered pockets? Sternum and waist straps? Security features? Water bottle pocket? Packability?

Also, it might be helpful to identify ‘undesirable’ features. For me, open pockets, Velcro closures, and shoulder straps made of webbing come to mind.

Do you need a small purse? There may be activities or venues when it’s handy to carry a few basic items, and a day bag doesn’t fit the bill. My handmade crossbody purse and Pacsafe Daysafe Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag are small enough to wear under clothing. Both have enough space for essentials such as a passport, phone, financial cards, and cash.

• Designing the perfect travel purse

It can be tempting to fill a bag of any size. By deliberately leaving room, it means:

• a soft-sided bag with dimensions exceeding the ’45-inch rule’ can be squished to fit carry-on requirements, or stuffed into luggage sizers and smaller overhead bins.
• you’ll have room for repacking a bag quickly if you’re strapped for time.
• there’s enough room to nest a packable personal item/day bag when carrying one bag is preferable.
• placing one bag only on the conveyor belt at security screening. With packable secondary bags safely stowed in your main bag, there’s less chance of theft if there are delays passing through the walk-through scanner or if you’ve been selected for secondary screening.  
• there’s space for purchases collected along the way.

7. Lists help, a lot

I’m big on lists — in fact, three of them. One is a packing list, another is for shopping, and a pre-travel checklist contains tasks to accomplish before leaving home.

Organize your list in categories. Find ones that work for you. My current category titles are ‘Essentials’ (primarily, identity documents and finances), ‘Toiletries,’ ‘Comfort Pack,’ ‘Footwear, Clothing, and Accessories’ (divided into sub-categories), ‘Laundry,’ ‘Luggage, Packing Aids, and Accessories,’ ‘Gadgets,’ ‘Health/First-Aid,’ and ‘Miscellaneous.’ ‘Skiing,’ ‘Cycling,’ and ‘Camping’ are separate categories for additional items specific to those types of trips or activities.

I also include descriptive information about many items, such as brand names, models, and sizes. These are handy in the event of an insurance claim, or if someone asks for recommendations. They’ve been invaluable when ordering a replacement for a worn or lost item.

A notes app on a phone is handy for keeping a list of ‘Travel Purchases’ as a reminder to pick up items when out and about, and research products at your leisure.

When planning a visit to another city or country, consider an online search for the names and locations of travel and outdoor stores. Then, try to blend a shopping excursion as seamlessly as possible into other activities. This will provide you with inspiration and leads on new products, or those not available at home. I found some gems at Bever in Amsterdam, REI in New York, MEC in Toronto, and Kathmandu in Australia.

Create a list of all the tasks to be accomplished before leaving home, from the mundane to the essential. Be as detailed as possible, and include a timeline. Save an electronic version for the next trip.

• How to create a pre-travel checklist

Look for lightweight compact versions of everything on your packing list. When faced with two products of a similar quality, choose the lighter and more packable one. When purchasing online, always check the specifications for the dimensions and weight.

Here are a few other things to consider.

• For any bag, aim for an empty weight that doesn’t exceed 20% of your carry-on allowance. For example, if you typically travel on an airline with a 10-kg (22-lb) allowance, your bag should weigh no more than 2 kg (4.4 lb). Go lighter if you can, but not at the expense of quality and durability.
• A digital hand-held luggage scale takes the guesswork out of figuring out the weight of your packed bags. A combined kitchen/mailing scale can be very handy for comparing weights of individual items and making choices on what to pack.
• Avoid pre-assembled kits. Build your own first-aid, toiletries, and ‘MacGyver’ kits.
• Collect light, durable containers of various sizes and functions for your toiletries, and to use as packing organizers.

If you’re committed to carry-on travel, aim to purge every last gram or ounce of dead weight from your bag.

When choosing what to pack or purchase, think about how many uses can be gleaned from each item. Here are some examples.

• Scarf or pashmina? Both accent a travel outfit, but which one can be used as a blanket, towel, privacy screen, tablecloth, makeshift bag, skirt, swimsuit cover-up, and so much more?
• The right leggings can double as pants, sleepwear, exercise gear, loungewear, or as a layer under trousers or a dress when the temperature drops. I like the five-pocket Lululemon Pace Rival Crop that have served me well for several years.
• A skort is more versatile than shorts, and the skirt could be dressed up to transition from day wear to smart-casual evening wear.
• Anti-pickpocket underwear with secret pockets can be worn as shorts, loungewear, or swimsuit bottoms. 
• A tunic could create an outfit with leggings, or used as sleepwear or a swimsuit cover-up.
• The right long-sleeved button-up travel shirt with an adequate UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) could be as effective for dressier occasions as it is for protection from the sun. My Columbia Silver Ridge is such a shirt.
• A waterproof, windproof outer shell is useful for day-to-day use, and a rain jacket in wet weather.
• A wallet phone case  with a compartment is handy for storing a driver’s license, transit card, emergency contact card, and emergency money.
• Look for double-duty products with pockets to use as a ‘wallet.’ Need inspiration? Check out Etsy. For example, you’ll find infinity scarves, belts, bracelets, and underwear, all with hidden pockets.
• Flip-flops can be used as slippers, or wearing around water. However, by ‘glamming’ them up a notch, the right style could be used for dressier wear. Both Havaianas and Crocs offer some attractive options, such as the Crocs Sanrah Beveled Circle Wedge Sandal .
• Avoid overpacking: pack light with these 40 ideas on multipurpose travel gear
• Travel with tablet towels: a multipurpose essential every traveller should pack
• Always pack a pashmina: one of the best multipurpose items in a travel bag
• How to make a traveller’s emergency contact card in 5 easy steps
• A review of the Arc’teryx Norvan SL hoody: a breathable packable lightweight rain jacket for travellers
• Features of an ideal wallet phone case for travel
• My favourite travel shirt that doesn’t look like a travel shirt

When planning your toiletries and cosmetics, choose the smallest and lightest bag possible. A pivotal breakthrough for me was to replace my Baggallini Hanging Travel Organizer weighing 11.6 oz / 329 g in favour of a reusable 3-1-1 bag as my toiletries kit. A ‘3-1-1 bag’ is a term used in some countries to describe allowable quantities of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in a carry-on bag brought into the cabin of an aircraft.

There are several reusable TSA-approved clear toiletry bags on the market. Mine is a Tom Bihn 3D Clear Organizer Cube  with a built-in hook. It’s lightweight and durable and after many years of use as a ‘liquids bag,’ I invested in a second cube for solid toiletries. Each bag weighs 2.4 oz / 67 g.

Using a 3-1-1 bag as my toiletries kit eliminated the space and weight demands of a separate packing organizer, and motivated me to adopt new approaches to selecting and organizing what I pack. If this might appeal to you, look for a durable, see-through, zippered one-quart / one-litre bag with a hook, or the ability to add a lightweight carabiner to create a hanging kit.

Here’s what I packed for a 46-day trip to Africa.

Here are some other tips:

• Look for products where a little goes a long way. I’m always willing to try something new when the directions suggest using a pea-sized amount, or it’s possible to lather up a storm with, for example, a flimsy soap leaf.
• Decanting is better on your purse and the environment than purchasing products in travel-sized containers. However, if you find a container that meets your needs, retain it for decanting purposes.
• Decant just enough, and use a range of refillable containers of different sizes and functions. Experiment at home so you have an idea of what ‘just enough’ means given the length of your trip.
• Use double-duty products. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap can be used as body wash, shampoo, facial cleanser, or laundry soap.
• Use solid substitutes if there’s not enough space in your 3-1-1 bag for all the liquids, gels, aerosols, creams. and pastes you want to pack.
• Reduce your plastic waste, and pack toothpaste tablets. My favourite is GloBoid Toothpaste Tablets with Fluoride . One tablet foams just like toothpaste and my teeth feel clean after brushing.
• Visit your local health food store for healthier alternatives to products containing chemicals. That’s where I discovered crystal deodorant. It’s effective, doesn’t leave residue on clothing and lasts for months. Look for travel sizes such as Crystal Body Deodorant (30g).
• Don’t forget to include a packet of soap leaves for public toilets without soap, and a small travel-sized bottle of sanitizer.
• Buy it there. I prefer to pack what I need, but there have been occasions when buying sunscreen at my destination made sense, and carrying an empty container for decanting purposes. I bought sunscreen when cycling in New Zealand and decanted what was left into an empty container before flying to Australia. I like the GoToob travel tube with a handy loop lock for attaching to a bag or bike.
• 18 Tips on organizing a 3-1-1 bag for toiletries and cosmetics
• No soap? No problem travelling with soap leaves .
• Are you travelling with expired toiletries? Avoid doing so with these 14 tips .
• Go natural. But does crystal deodorant work?

Clothes you aren’t wearing are the clothes you have to schlepp around from place to place. If they’re dirty, they’re useless. Dead weight. An essential key to packing light is to bring fewer clothes and have a plan to keep them clean. Self-serve laundromat? Hotel laundry service? Drop-off and pick-up laundry service? Hand-wash in a sink or shower? Choose what works for you and pack accordingly.

• Packing list and tips for doing laundry while travelling

In the event it’s useful, here’s what works for me:

• With the exception of outerwear, if it can’t be washed, or needs to be ironed, it stays at home.
• Paying a little extra for a combination of merino and synthetics means not having to wash after one wear.
• Travel pants and leggings in darker, neutral colours can be worn day after day without washing.
• Hand washing takes a few minutes each evening, and for lightweight and quick-dry fabrics, they’re good to go the next day.
• Pack a travel clothesline, one that is lightweight and doesn’t require clothespins. Hooks at both ends are more serviceable than suction cups. They loop back into the braid, expanding your options for setting up the line. My favourite is the Go Travel Pegless Washing Line , with the suction cups left at home.

12. Identify your clothing principles

Develop a set of principles to guide your clothing choices. Here are some examples.

(i) Love everything you pack  

A limited wardrobe means wearing items over and over, and feeling comfortable and confident doing so. Choosing clothing and shoes can be a challenging part of packing. Assembling a ‘travel wardrobe’ and setting it aside for travel makes the task easier. This means not buying new clothes for a trip but relying on favourite tried-and-true pieces.

A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothing in coordinating colours where items easily mix and match. It includes tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, and shoes. When curating a capsule wardrobe, select a clothing colour palette comprising colours that are right for you. Incorporate a couple of neutrals, and two or three main colours with complementary accent shades. Avoid white and lighter colours that show scuffs and stains. Aim to mix and match every top with every bottom, and every base and mid-layer. Each dress needs to blend with other pieces such as a warm layer and leggings. Accessorizing with scarves and jewellery helps dress up and extend a capsule wardrobe. One of the best articles I’ve found on how to build a travel capsule wardrobe is at Lady Light Travel . For additional inspiration and examples, take a look at the Capsule Wardrobe Pinterest Board.

Slogans and brand names draw attention, and scream ‘tourist.’ They can be distracting in photographs, especially when the same item of clothing appears in several pictures. In a capsule wardrobe, they limit the ability of pieces to intermix. They also dress down an outfit. For example, I have a very comfortable and versatile pair of Sherpa Naulo black cargo pants that in a pinch could be dressed up with a decent top and accessories, except for the large and prominent ‘Sherpa’ label on the left thigh. Oh, how I love those pants except for that label. And it’s reflective for Pete’s sake!!

For many travellers, this means odour-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, lightweight yet durable, breathable, quick drying, and takes up as little space as possible. I tried performance fabrics found in active wear, but they came up short on the odour-resistant feature. I now lean towards a merino blend, and paying more for quality.

I love this fabric.

• It’s cool in warm weather and warm in cool weather.
• It’s soft and doesn’t itch like other woollen garments.
• It’s lightweight, and doesn’t demand a lot of space.
• It’s perfect for layering up and down. When the temperature drops, wear an extra layer. When it warms up during the day, remove a layer and stuff it into a day bag.
• Merino’s odour-resistant properties are legendary. I can pound the pavement for days in the same pair of merino socks so there’s never a need to pack more than two pairs. The same holds true for base layer shirts that can be worn several times without washing.

The downside is that it’s pricey. Sign up for Icebreaker newsletters and those of your favourite outdoor stores to stay updated on their sales. Also, check out what’s available at Costco. I’ve found Cloudveil 100% merino tops in the $20 range.

If I hadn’t tried AllBirds Wool Runners , I would never have believed how comfortable merino shoes can be. They’re lightweight, breathable, washable, and sustainable. They’re my closed-toe shoe of choice for most trips. I love them!   

This simple system keeps me on track. My numbers, stacked in a somewhat vertical order, are 2, 3, 5, 5, 3, 2. For most trips, it means 2 pairs of socks, 3 bottoms, 5 panties, 5 tops, 3 pieces of head/neck gear, and 2 bras. Add one or two pieces of outerwear depending on the season, one swimsuit, one dress, and one or two mid-layers (reduce the 5 tops to 4 or 3) and I’m good to go for most trips.

Here’s the challenging part. After trying on each top with each bottom and eight tops are likely candidates, they need to be reduced to four or five pieces. Remaining committed to clothing numbers means making tough choices but it has to be done! 

Having numbers helps maximize the use of each piece that’s packed. If each of the five tops can be worn with each of the three bottoms, there’s more than enough variety in the 15 possible outfits.

Dressing in layers translates into having clothes that allow you to cope easily with fluctuations in temperature, or when crossing climates and seasons. Thin base and mid-layers are more functional than a bulky sweater or sweatshirt. They dry faster, and take up less space. In fact, three merino base layers, one Patagonia Capilene Midweight Zip, and one merino full zip mid-layer takes up the same amount of space as one of my woollen sweaters.

For winter and cold weather travel, look for a packable puffy down jacket that stuffs into its own pocket. With insulating layers underneath, and a waterproof, windproof shell on top, it doesn’t need to do the heavy lifting required of a dedicated winter jacket. My Arc’teryx Thorium AR Hoody and Arc’teryx Norvan SL Hoody both pack into their own pouches. Weighing 402 grams and 126 grams respectively, the combined weight of 528 grams / 18.6 ounces makes for lightweight protection from wet and cold conditions. Separately or together, they’re more versatile than a heavy winter jacket.

• A review of the Arc’teryx Norvan SL hoody: a breathable packable lightweight rain jacket for travellers .

Accessories such as scarves, neck gaiters, and jewellery take up minimal space, spice up an outfit, and help create different looks. A Buff tubular neck gaiter or head sock is a versatile piece of kit performing a multitude of functions.

• Buff: a multipurpose essential for the packing light traveller

Shoes are weight and space guzzlers. Stick to a two-pair or three-pair limit. When weighing your options, choose those that best transition from day wear to smart-casual evening wear and outside to inside. If possible, steer clear of brightly coloured athletic shoes. Find something that looks at home at the gym, on the trail, or in a fancy restaurant.

For the health of your feet and your shoes, pack at least two pairs for longer trips. Alternating shoes keeps feet limber, and shoes need adequate time to air and dry out. For travel in warmer weather, choose a good pair of walking sandals and a versatile pair of closed-toe walking shoes in a neutral colour. If you haven’t yet found your perfect pair of walking sandals, check out the Teva Tirra . They have the added advantage of coping well around water.

• What are the best walking sandals for travel?

Flip-flops are useful for reasons already mentioned, but keep in mind that wearing them for long periods isn’t good for your feet . They offer no support, and make stubbed toes, cuts, and sprained ankles more likely. They can also contribute to bunions, hammertoe, heel spurs, and plantar fasciitis.

Whether packing for a week, a month, or a year, the packed weight of your bag should be similar for all trips. Your clothing inventory will reflect some slight variation by piece, and your shoes may vary according to weather and destination, but the number of items should be somewhat constant. Your basic first-aid kit, comfort pack of self-care essentials, and MacGyver fix-it kit will be much the same. Your electronics might have an extra adapter or two for additional countries. Your toiletries may reflect some variations of what ‘just enough’ looks like, but with the exception of sunscreen and insect repellent, they too will be similar for most trips.

For longer trips across different climates, you’ll still dress in layers, but perhaps rent or purchase what you need for short periods in very cold conditions. Thrift shops can be a great resource. As you enter or leave a country or climate, there will be opportunities to purchase, donate, or sell items from or to other travellers. If staying in hostels, check out the buy-and-sell section on the bulletin board.

Depending at what point in your trip you need specialized gear, another option might be to mail things home when it’s no longer needed. Assess the feasibility of this strategy by checking the weight, postage rates, and availability of an appropriate mailing box before leaving home. For example, I paid 60 AUD (44 USD) to mail a postage box of stuff from Australia to Canada. It comprised gear packed for cycling and lower temperatures in New Zealand. When I arrived in Australia, it was clear the gear was no longer needed, and the extra 2 kg (4.4 lb) was more than I wanted to carry. Replacing it back in Canada would have cost way more than what it cost to mail it home.

15. Find your packing style

Figure out what works best for you and what you’re packing. ‘Bundling’ makes for a tight compact package if you’re unpacking everything at your destination. Stuffing works for a packable down jacket, or maybe socks and underwear.

I quite like rolling. There are fewer creases, and when stored in a packing cube, it’s easy to get a quick fix on how many clean pieces remain. I follow the techniques described by Von Malegowski ( How to Pack Clothes for Traveling ) and Elektra King ( How to fold underwear quick and easy ).

Packing organizers keep things clean, protected, and organized. They compartmentalize a bag, much like a filing system. Things are easy to find and easy to put back after use. No more rummaging through a cavernous expanse looking for what you need. They compress clothing so a bag looks smaller. This is handy when travelling on a budget carrier with a 7-kg (15-lb) maximum carry-on allowance, as your bag is less likely to attract attention.

For carrying layers I’m not wearing, I love the Eagle Creek Pack-It Spectre Compression Cubes . They compress outerwear beautifully, especially when travelling in winter.

• The best compression packing cubes ever made
• Join the carry-on travel movement: pack light and tight with packing organizers
• How to pack small things in your travel bags

A backpack needs to be as comfortable as possible. This means packing the heaviest items as close to the body’s centre of gravity as possible — in the centre of a bag, and close to the body. Packing organizers allow you to densely pack both your heaviest and lightest items around each other, and keep them in place with the internal compression straps. What needs to be accessible at security checkpoints, during the journey, or as soon as you arrive? Pack these items (e.g., 3-1-1 bag, water bottle, umbrella, outerwear) in an external pocket or personal item.

(iv) Wear your stuff  

Wearing your heaviest and bulkiest gear on travel days (if possible) might mean the difference between going carry-on and needing to check a bag. If your outerwear includes a travel vest or jacket loaded with pockets, you can wear a lot of stuff. What you wear doesn’t count against your baggage allowance.

On occasions, I travel with a SCOTTeVEST travel vest . It weighs about 400 g / 14 oz. It carries an iPad mini, iPhone, wallet, passport sleeve, Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 pocket camera, Bose QC 20 noise-cancelling in-ear headphones, eye glasses, energy bar, and pen for a total weight of 3.3 kg / 7 lb 4 oz. Similarly, my Clothing Arts Cubed Travel Jacket with its eight pockets can be packed with these same items. A packable travel purse worn under a travel vest or jacket increases the options for wearing more stuff.

Taking a digital detox is impractical for today’s travellers. The electronic revolution is transforming the way we travel and internet-enabled devices offer convenience and security. They’re not only useful for what we can take, but just as handy for what can be left behind. But how do you choose which ones to take? Here are a few ideas:

• Make each one earn its place. How will it enrich your travel experience? If you decide to pack a phone or tablet, load it with apps, music, movies, books, podcasts… whatever will be useful, allow you to stay connected with family and friends, and make your travels more informed and enjoyable. Read up on what bloggers and tech sites are saying about useful travel apps.
• How might it encumber you? Might a more compact version meet your needs? Replacing a DSLR camera with a pocket-sized Panasonic LUMIX DC-ZS200 was one of the best packing-light decisions I’ve made. Its portability far outweighs the benefits of a DSLR camera.

• Unless you’re doing any serious work while away, evaluate the need for a laptop. I LOVE my MacBook Air and would undoubtedly use it while travelling. However, the extra weight and keeping it secure aren’t worth it. My iPhone and iPad mini serve most of my needs while away.   
• Is keeping it secure worth the effort? A smaller, more compact version is easier to keep tabs on. An iPad mini, compared to an iPad, is small enough, and light enough, to be slipped into a zippered internal pocket of a purse or outerwear.
• Reduce the number of charging blocks by using a charger with several USB ports for charging multiple devices off the same outlet. Instead of a universal adapter, use a kit consisting of different adapters and just take the one(s) you need.
• Choose the smallest possible power bank for your needs. My TG90 10,000 mAh charger with three built-in charging cords fits easily in a pocket or purse, and weighs 210 g / 7.4 oz. Fully charged, it has enough juice to get me through the longest of travel days, and then some.
• Consider packing a USB to AC international travel charger with interlocking adapters and USB-A and USB-C charging ports. You’ll need just one AC outlet and have the ability to charge several devices at the same time. An added bonus is that you can leave the separate charging bricks of each device at home. My Lencent 45W charger  ticks all the features needed in a USB to AC charger.
• I found over-the-head headphones to be heavy, and take up more space than the in-ear variety. If you’re like me, you’ll use in-ear headphones more often. Spend a little extra for the noise-reducing feature. There are lots on the market, both wired and Bluetooth. I adore my BOSE QuietComfort 20 .
• Pack light with a travel-friendly portable power bank
• Pack light with a USB to AC international travel charger

Staying safe and keeping your stuff secure can weigh heavily on your mind. Enter the concept of ‘travelling light,’ the mental and emotional dimensions of travel. It’s concerned with leaving home and familiar surroundings and worrying less about what was left behind or undone. It means having fewer qualms about not having the tools to deal with an emergency. It involves thinking about possible mishaps and what needs to be packed or put in place to deal with scenarios such as seeking emergency medical treatment or dealing with a stolen passport.

A few digital downloads on your devices and adding some lightweight items to your packing list can be worth their weight in gold in an emergency.  Here are some of my staples.

• A personal security alarm makes a loud noise when activated. Attach it to a purse or day bag so it’s within easy reach.
• A whistle is easily attached to a purse or sternum strap.
• Laminated cards are durable and pack well. Carry a copy of the information page of your passport, the emergency medical insurance wallet card, spread emergency contact cards throughout your luggage.
• Carry a small high-powered flashlight, and use the flashlight app on your phone as a backup.
• My wrist ID bracelet blends well with any outfit and contains a mine of useful information for first responders.
• If you don’t have a bag loaded with built-in security features, make your own bag more difficult for pickpockets to penetrate. Insert a few internal attachment points to attach tethering straps attached to more valuable items. Pack a few lightweight cables to secure external zipper pulls on bags.
• Incorporate ‘travel gear hacks’ into your clothing and gear. For example, add a small credit-card-sized pocket to the inside of a waistband, and hide an emergency cash stash in unlikely containers.
• Carry a lock that’s versatile enough for a range of applications. I use a triple cable lock . It fits all the hostel lockers I’ve encountered, and it anchors the interlocking zippers of the two compartments of my bag. A vinyl-coated cable is handy for attaching my bag to a luggage rack or belt loop, handy when snoozing on a train or while stuck in an airport.

• Place useful information on the lock screen of your phone. I use the app from RoadID . It contains my name and ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact person and phone number.
• Use a passcode lock on your devices.
• Enable the ‘find-your-device’ feature on your gadgets.
• Use bag trackers. Leave one at your accommodation or in a vehicle to help find your way back.
• Label your valuables. Consider purchasing stickers and tags from an online lost-and-found service.
• 2 5 Ideas on how to prepare an emergency preparedness toolkit for travellers
• What to pack in case of a travel medical emergency
• Six reasons to carry laminated copies of your passport
• How to make a traveller’s emergency contact card in five easy steps
• How to assemble a perfect travel first-aid kit
• Emergency ID bracelet for travellers
• Lost and found recovery services for travellers
• Tips on protection from pickpockets
• Stop pickpockets with this comprehensive assortment of anti-pickpocket gear
• My favourite travel gear hacks

I’ve travelled with people packing reams of paper… booking confirmations, language basics, pages of research on activities… OMGoodness, I’ve been that person. Guidebooks, language guides, maps, magazines, novels, address books, emergency contact information, a journal (and more) are weight and space guzzlers. In most cases, they can be replaced with digital versions. Reducing paper gathered along the way can be accomplished by scanning receipts and other printed material with a scanner app such as Scanner Pro . Before packing paper, evaluate whether or not it can be replaced with a digital version.

Travelling teaches us to be resourceful. Packing can be more satisfying when alternate or multiple uses are found for things that at first blush seem one-dimensional. Something might be designed for a specific purpose, but repurposed into something different. For example, a depleted gift card or hotel room key forms a sturdy core for duct tape, or a wrapping channel for earbuds. These and other travel gear hacks are easy on the wallet, and are functional alternatives to commercial products.

Or, design your own travel aids and accessories.

• Stop pickpockets with this comprehensive assortment of anti-pickpocket gear  

Most of us don’t plan a trip at the last minute. We book in advance and develop detailed itineraries. Take the same approach to what and how you pack.

• Packing as far in advance as possible is the companion piece to list making. It gives you the space for the mental work that comes naturally while doing other things. Keep your various lists handy for amending when an idea strikes.
• Designate one or more places for storing your ‘travel stuff.’ When you can quickly put your hands on your passport, currency from previous trips, packing organizers, travel clothing, 3-1-1 bag for toiletries and cosmetics, first-aid kit, and various packing aids, it makes packing less onerous.
• Consider accumulating duplicate items such as decanted toiletries, in-ear headphones, and charging cords to be more ravel ready. I’ve since moved from a second toiletries kit because it’s too easy to travel with expired toiletries with this strategy.  
• Break it up. Pack in segments (e.g., toiletries in one sitting, first-aid kit at another) when you’ve the time and patience to evaluate each item.
• Choose a ‘packing station’ such as a spare bed or corner of the basement. Spread out what you’re thinking of packing, organized in categories. Over several sittings, evaluate each item; remove, replace, and remove some more.
• Consider developing a capsule wardrobe of items reserved for travel. Clothes are my most challenging part of packing and having a ‘travel wardrobe’ takes the angst out of this aspect of packing. Try on every piece of clothing with others, including shoes and accessories. Assess each and every outfit. Remove those pieces that don’t combine well with several others.
• Ask for advice, preferably of someone who will help you justify each item and edit some more. 
• Weigh your bag. Walk with it — around the house, the block, or the neighbourhood. If you’re going carry-on, simulate lifting your standard carry-on bag up to the height of an overhead compartment. If you can’t do it, you’ll need to edit some more or check your bag. Helping passengers with luggage is not part of a flight attendant’s job.  A heavy bag is a liability. According to Nora Dunn, The Professional Hobo , “The weight of your luggage is equally proportionate to the level of misery you’ll experience while travelling.”

I’ll leave the final words to a couple of experts.

According to Fred Perrotta of Tortuga Backpacks , “Packing light is about more than just saving money. Packing light minimizes your physical and mental burden. Trade stuff for convenience, flexibility, and fun. Real travel is about your experiences, not your gear.”

Rick Steves , travel author and host, advises “Go casual, simple, and very light. Remember, in your travels, you’ll meet two kinds of tourists — those who pack light and those who wish they had. Say it out loud: ‘PACK LIGHT PACK LIGHT PACK LIGHT’.”

If you’re interested in more ideas and resources on packing light, sign up for my newsletter to be notified of new and updated content. You’ll find the sign-up box in the right-hand sidebar on a laptop or scroll down further on a phone or tablet. Your email address will never be shared, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you found this post helpful, please share it by selecting one or more social media buttons. Also, what are your top tips for packing light? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Thank you.

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25 Comments

I always try to pack light and your tips are so useful! Keep up the great work, Anne!

A ton of information. This article will help me to ease my next trip. Thank you Anne Betts for your nice presentation.

I’ve debated getting a rolling suitcase for a long time. I’ve never justified spending the money when I have 2 perfectly functional backpacks, but a roller sure would be easier in places with good sidewalks! And hey, if I win then it’s free so no money spent!

So much great info! I’m going to use this for a 5 day trip to Taiwan this month. Planning to look good, be eco-friendly, and travel light thanks to your advice. 🙂

I LOVED the tips about purchasing items that you’ll use more than just one time because of an impulse buy! I was in Scotland this year and it started to rain (as it always does) and I bought a compactable umbrella instead of a plastic poncho! This was so informative and helpful!

We have the same love affair with Merino! I love the tip about packing in advance. You are completely correct that I plan in advance and then pack the night before. What am I doing?! Of course I should pack/plan in advance! Thank you.

Packing for travel has always been a struggle for us. Packing as early as possible is helpful so we can make adjustments and avoid impulsive items.

Even as a seasoned traveler, I still get packing anxiety. So these are great tips and reminders on how to pack light!

We are always looking to improve our packing weight. By following your tips, we were able to shed 20 pounds of overall travel weight on our latest trip. Thank you.

Ah I definitely need to practice these tips! I’m very guilty of overpacking or ‘just in case’ packing! I love the idea of packing multi-purpose items so you can cover several eventualities with just a few items! I’m definitely going to try out these tips on my next trip! I’d love to pack lighter! I’ll let you know how it goes – thanks for the tips!

I am packing for my trip tomorrow and this is exactly what I needed, such a great list 🙂 Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks!

Packing light is something I’ve become very good at recently – I even stuff my coat sleeves with clothes and carrying it through with me! You’ve mentioned some great tips in here that will definitely help a lot of over-packers!

I like that you start this recognizing that not one size fits all for packing! I read all the tips and I still find myself packing too much. We learned about taking the local geography into account when we had to roll suitcases up and down stairs over bridges in Venice! We are big list makers so that helps to make sure we don’t forget things! But sadly there are too many “just in case”things on that list. What a comprehensive set of things to consider.

There is so much to learn on packing even for a seasoned traveler. There is always new ways of packing. I think once you create a routine it will get easier. These are great suggestions.

I try to pack as light as possible for the 3 of us. I’m getting better at it every time. It also helps that our son is 11 now and needs less and less extra stuff. Great tips! We use a few of them ourselves.

I love your tips and will incorporate many! While I always strive to pack light, I am usually a failure at it. The many toiletries and shoes torpedo my plan. I will explore some of the “liquidless” toiletries you recommended. Thanks

Thanks for these fabulous tips! Although I’m usually a light packer, I find a always need 4 pairs of shoes! I’m rethinking a bag I just packed based on your tips!

Some very valid points here ! I am a light traveller who learnt the hard way (although I was never carrying huge suitcases anyway!). The no.11 (regarding laundry) is EXTREMELY truthful, dirty clothes are dead weight! Thanks for putting all these together!

I really need to work on packing light. Usually I pack more clothes than what I need then only wearing the same few outfits over and over. Such great tips and will try to apply them on my next trip.

You pointed at very important things to consider while traveling. Like laundry.. I think this is key part of any trip and planning ahead is the best! I usually only travel with my laundry sheets. I loved that you wrote about this not only about how to fold but how to take of the environment while traveling comfortable <3

This is the most comprehensive article I’ve read on this topic! There is a lot out there but you have covered it so clearly. Thank you!!

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Travel light: How to pack light and smart for your trip

A full guide to how to travel light, with tips and hacks for efficient, minimalist packing. Learn how to pack light for any vacation or backpacking trip.

• Post date October 22, 2018
• Post categories In Trip Planning
• Tags Minimalist Packing , Packing , Packing Light , Packing Lists , Travel Accessories , Travel Gadgets , Travel Gear

What is the secret to packing light?

The secret behind packing light is… bringing less stuff!

Simple, isn’t it?

Well, not really.

Because when we’re packing for a trip, be it a weekend city break or a year long round the world trip or anything in between – we will find ourselves packing all sorts of stuff that we think we might need, but actually don’t.

That’s perfectly natural.

We’re going to unfamiliar place, we don’t know exactly what we’ll find there, and we want some kind of reassurance that we’ll have everything with us.

It gives us a sense of control over an unknown situation.

I used to do that myself in my very early days as a traveller, but quickly learnt the lesson.

After a particularly uncomfortable night train from Bulgaria to Turkey, where I hardly had space for my bags in the train carriage, I realised there was no point in carrying so much stuff.

That’s when I decided to start travelling light.

Before leaving the train station in Istanbul, I sat down and made a list of all the things  I actually used  during that trip.

I saved the list and a few months later, when I was packing for my next trip, used it as my packing list. I ended up travelling with about  half  the amount of stuff.

Light travel with a carry on bag has huge benefits

In practical terms, travelling light means you travel with one  carry-on bag  that you can take with you on the plane, plus an optional smaller bag, like a laptop bag.

why is it best to travel with a carry on bag only?

Travelling with hand luggage only has huge advantages. It saves you money, stress and time , and makes your life so much easier when you travel.

Low cost airlines are getting increasingly strict about what they allow you to board the plane with.

The fees they charge for checking even one piece of luggage can sometimes be outrageous.

By travelling light, you avoid baggage fees when you fly low cost, so that your flight can be really cheap.

When you don’t check luggage, there’s no need to worry about your bag being lost, damaged, stolen or even just not arriving on the same flight as you.

It gives you some peace of mind on the flight. The same applied to trains and buses, where you always want to keep your bag with you.

When you get off the plane, you’re free to exit the airport fairly quickly, while you watch your fellow passengers wasting their precious vacation time waiting by the luggage carousel.

And finally, moving around is so much easier when you don’t carry heavy luggage.

Imagine walking to a train station or a bus stop, or searching for your hotel on the streets of a foreign city, with a heavy suitcase. It’s not appealing. You want the flexibility and freedom of light packing.

So now that we know why we want to travel light,  how do we do that?

The life changing magic of packing light

In her best-selling, cult-creating book , Marie Condo teaches a simple decluttering technique:

Lay all your stuff on the floor, pick each item and ask yourself “if it sparks joy within you”.

You can use a similar method when packing.

This is especially useful if your reason for overpacking is that you’re too attached to your things.

Instead of asking if the item sparks joy, ask: Do I really need this, or am I packing it “just in case”?

Pack only what you really need .

Only w hat you will definitely use.

Remember you can always buy or hire other things later, so “just in case” is not an excuse for overpacking.

The rest of this guide has more hacks, tips and tricks to help you travel ligh t .

I’ve divided it into four sections: Your bag, clothing, toiletries and gadgets.

Travel light: buy a smaller bag

The first trick you need to know if you want to travel light is: buy a smaller bag. In other words, make it impossible for yourself to overpack.

With a smaller bag you will have to make those decisions as to what you really need to take and what you can leave behind or buy at your destination.

With a larger bag, you’ll most likely be tempted to take all sorts of things you don’t really need, just because there’s space for them.

How small should your bag be?

I recommend a 30-40 litre backpack as your carry on bag for the plane.

It’s usually a good size for a carry on bag, that most airlines will let you board with.

I travelled with a 40L backpack plus a laptop bag for about 9 years and it was both easy and convenient.

It’s the ideal size if you want to travel light, and at the same time have enough space for your stuff.

It doesn’t matter if you’re going on vacation for a week or on a 6 month trip… as long as you can do your laundry once a week, why would it matter?

An all-in-one travel pack

The Journey is an innovative, sophisticated bag that’s ideal for the minimalist traveller.

Its creator describes as the bag that will liberate you from the hassle of extra luggage .

It’s been designed to include 5 different bags inside one carry-on sized travel pack.

These include a detachable day pack, a detachable hip pack, a hanging toiletry bag and two drawstring bags, plus a couple of compression bags.

Watch the video to see how The Journey works and read my full review on how I use this set of bag to travel light.

Why buy a backpack instead of a suitcase

I also recommend you buy a backpack instead of a trolley suitcase. It just gives you much more flexibility .

Going up or down stairs at train stations, for example, is not an easy task when you carry a suitcase with you (and you’d be surprised how many stations don’t have elevators or escalators…).

Walking on cobblestone streets or dirt roads with wheeled luggage is not a pleasant experience either.

With a backpack on your back, it’s much easier to use stairs, you can walk faster (or even run, say if you’re about to miss a bus… ) and both your hands are free.

Having both your hands free is so useful when you need to check maps on your phone for example, or have your take-away coffee on the go.

Of course, in some cases, a suitcase is perfectly fine. For example, if you suffer from back pain, or on a short vacation where you’re getting a taxi from the airport and staying at a resort without moving around at all.

Eagle Creek make a brilliant convertible carry on bag that you can use as wheeled luggage or as a backpack .

when you choose a backpack, pay attention to a few things that will make your travels easier:

The backpack should be a panel loading or front loading bag, meaning you can open it like a suitcase (as opposed to top-loading backpacks).

Your backpack should be lightweight , not just because it’s easier to carry, but also because airlines have weight limits on luggage.

And it should have pockets . Lots of pocket. An ever so helpful feature that will help you organise your things easily.

Clothing – tips and tricks for packing light

Clothes normally take up the most space in your luggage.

Let’s see what we can do about that…

Wear heavy layers on the plane

Heavy layers might not fit in your backpack when you travel light.

Don’t expect them to – a basic trick of travelling light is wearing some of your luggage on you.

Whatever you wear doesn’t count as part of your carry on luggage . Use that 😉

When you board the plane, you can wear any jackets , or tie them around your waist.

If you’re bringing heavy shoes, like hiking boots , wear them on the plane and pack your lighter shoes.

Hats and scarves can also come on board with you. None of these need take up any space in your luggage.

This trick isn’t useful only for saving space in your bag – it’s also a lifesaver when it suddenly gets freezing cold on the flight.

Pockets! lots of them

You can put many things in your pockets when you go on the plane.

Anything small that fits and that you might need during the flight should go in your pockets, such as your phone  and earphones for example.

have taken the idea of pockets to a magnificent extreme with jackets and vests that look completely ordinary, until you realise they have about 20 hidden pockets in them!

Rolling instead of folding

This is probably the most basic tip for travelling light: When you roll your shirts, they magically take up less space and as an added advantage, crease less.

Packing cubes and compression bags

You can save more space in your bag and at the same time make sure your clothes are well organised by using  packing cubes and compression bags .

Sometimes called packing squares or packing pouches, you want to use packing cubes in different sizes to organise your clothes: One cube for t-shirts, another for socks and so on.

Packing cubes normally come in sets of 3-6 pieces and in different sizes and colours.

Use large packing cubes for your shirts and trousers, and medium sized ones for socks and underwear.

There are packing cubes that are just meant to help you organise your things, but it’s far more efficient to use packing cubes that also offer compression .

They minimise the space your clothes take, by sealing them in the bag after squeezing all the air out.

When compressed, your clothes will take up much less space. This is especially useful for any bulky garments you pack.

Eagle Creek is a brand famous for its packing cubes and compression bags. They are stylish, lightweight and durable. As an added bonus, they’re made from recycled materials.

are packing cubes and compression bags worth buying?

In my experience, yes, they are worth it.

If you’re struggling with overpacking and want to avoid it, or if you need to take some bulky winter clothes, then will definitely help you make the most of the space available in your bag.

If your main issue is staying organised , go for ordinary .

If you want the best of both worlds, buy the . Watch the video to see how they work:

Buy quick dry clothes

A lot of smart technology is invested in making travel clothing more efficient. Make sure you use it to your advantage.

quick dry, moisture-wicking t-shirts

These tees are popular for workout, and are invaluable for travel.

When you select your travel clothes, quick dry garments are always the best choice. Cotton t-shirts are not.

As you’re not taking too many clothes with you when you travel light, you want your laundry to dry fast.

Quick dry fabrics are extra useful in hot, humid places, as they don’t absorb the sweat and keep you dry for longer.

I’m a fan of IsoCool quick-dry t-shirts .

The feel great on your skin and come out of the washing machine almost dry!

Mountain Warehouse make them super affordable.

They have a range of colours for women and men .

Fleece jackets

Travel with jackets are perfect for keeping warm in colder climates or at night and at the same time lightweight and dry quickly.

There are heavy fleece jackets too, in case you need them for intense outdoor activities and colder weather.

Some leading brands for quality fleece jackets are:

No need to pack your fleece jacket in your backpack though – it will take up too much space. Wear it on the plane or tie it around your waist.

quick dry trousers

Jeans are not quick to dry and can also be quite bulky, so they are not a good choice if you want to travel light.

To find quick dry pants, look for hiking pants , even if you’re not going hiking.

They are made of the right quick dry, moisture wicking materials . They will also typically be breathable and lightweight.

quick dry underwear

You want your underwear to dry quickly as well as be odour resistant.

ExOfficio   are probably the most famous brand known for making some excellent travel underwear for both women and men.

They dry quickly and smell less, so you can take fewer pairs with you when you travel light.

Matching colours

This packing tip is simple and will help you avoid a basic packing mistake.

Make sure whatever you pack can be colour-coordinated.

In other words, avoid packing anything that isn’t compatible with any outfit you may wear on your trip.

You don’t want to waste space packing garments that you’ll only end up using once or twice.

By colour coordinating, you can easily mix-and-match them to create many different outfits without packing a lot of clothes.

Another simple but clever packing tip when it comes to clothing is to use layering.

Check the weather forecast before you travel. If you’re going to a hot and sunny place, then don’t worry about layering obviously.

However, some places may be sunny in the morning and cold in the evening, or different parts of the country may have completely different climates.

Also, in colder countries, whenever you go on a train or enter a heated up space, like a shop, you’ll immediately feel the need to take some layers off.

That’s where layering gives you great flexibility when you travel, without having to carry any unnecessary items of clothing.

On a sunny day, you can walk around in a t-shirt, but when it gets cooler after dark, that same t-shirt becomes a base layer.

You want to pick only garments you can layer easily, so ideally they would be of similar thickness, though some can be of warmer fabrics.

A fleece jacket is super handy for layering when you travel, because it’s warm but also lightweight and can fold easily (plus it dries quickly as we mentioned already).

When it’s cold I would prefer layering two fleece jackets to wearing one big coat.

If I were to take off that one big coat, I’d have to carry it around with me, while the thinner jackets can fold easily into my day bag, or I can tie them around my waist.

What to do about shoes if you want to travel light

Shoes are a huge problem if you want to pack light. They’re just too bulky.

Flip flops  are an exception – they are super useful and don’t take up too much room.

You can wear them for the beach, when you take a shower and as part of a summer outfit too.

As for other shoes, it really depends on the type of trip you’re going on.  hiking boots  may be necessary. In that case, wear them on the plane and your pack lighter walking shoes in your backpack.

Your clothes should be colour-coordinated and the same applies to shoes, so dark shoes are often a safe bet.

Also remember that you can buy shoes at your destination, so sometimes it isn’t necessary to pack extra shoes at all.

When you pack your clothing, pack for a week , no matter how long your trip is.

This classic trick is one that’s used by many savvy travellers and all it requires is that you have access to a washing machine once week.

This way you can travel forever with a small backpack.

It’s so much easier to find a washing machine along the way than to needlessly carry heavy luggage with you everywhere you go.

Find a laundromat, use the washing machine at your vacation rental or even use your hotel’s laundry service.

If you really can’t find a washing machine, there’s always the sink.

Quick dry clothes are ever so useful and you’ll be glad you bought them when you do your laundry once a week.

You can buy laundry detergent in small, travel size packets. I suggest you buy these at your destination, rather than carry them with you on the plane.

Don’t forget to bring a small  laundry bag  to keep clean and dirty clothes separate inside your backpack. You can also use a compression bag just for laundry.

Toiletries – pack less and pack solid

When it comes to packing toiletries I would advise you to first, take less than you think you need, and second, opt for solid versions.

Pack less toiletries – you can buy them later

Toiletries take up a lot of room in your bag, but they don’t have to.

If you are going to stay at a hotel, it’s likely that you’ll be provided with shampoo and body wash, so there’s no need to bring those at all.

If you wear makeup, be sure to take only what you will definitely use, not stuff that you might want to use, and definitely not anything that you might only use once.

Always remember that anything you don’t bring with you, you can buy at your destination (unless you’re travelling to the middle of nowhere).

Shampoo, body lotion, shower gel, sunblock, toothpaste, deodorant – these are things you can buy cheaply anywhere you go.

When you travel with carry on luggage, liquids and creams you take with you on board the plane cannot exceed 100ml (or 3.38 oz). This isn’t a universal rule, but it applies in many countries.

You can bring small travel size bottles of essential toiletries for the first couple of days, and then buy the rest later.

However, I recommend you replace liquids with their solid versions.

Get solid toiletries to avoid flying with liquids

This will make it easier for you to pack despite the ban on flying with liquids and creams exceeding 100ml .

Liquids might also spill inside you bag and can cause damage or just be a hassle to clean up.

Soap  is easy – no need to carry shower gel when you can bring a bar of soap.

Even if you’re used to showering with shower gel at home, make an exception for your trip and it will make your packing easier and lighter.

What about shampoo ?

I started travelling with a shampoo bar in recent years and I’m really happy with it! Wish I’d known about it earlier…

How does a shampoo bar work? It looks just like a bar of soap and it lathers up when you rub it in your hands in the shower, and then you can wash your hair with it.

Shampoo bars save space in your luggage and they last for a long time.

An added advantage is that you can use a shampoo bar as body soap too. This is useful if you want to go for super minimalist packing.

Gadgets – travel light more efficiently

Gadgets can also take up too much space in your luggage. Let’s look at ways to pack more efficiently.

Travel adaptor

You’ll probably need a  travel adaptor  and it’s best to buy a universal one that you can use in most countries with various sockets.

It should also convert electrical currencies where needed.

This way you don’t need to carry several adaptors if you’re going to multiple destinations around the world.

To save more space, instead of taking a phone charger, get a   universal adaptor with USB ports . It will let you charge your phone, tablet and power bank. You only need to bring the USB cords.

Reading when you travel light

To travel light,  make the most out of your phone .

It can replace quite a lot of things that there’s no need to carry anymore: books (both recreational reading and guidebooks), a camera, maps, a flashlight, a notebook, magazines… And obviously you can use it to listen to music and watch movies.

You don’t need to carry heavy guide books with you. Many travel guides have ebook versions.

This will save you a lot of space and weight when you’re packing.

When you pack headphones or earphones , make sure they are both compact and noise cancelling or noise reducing (useful for noisy flights or trains).

Portable chargers

is essential if you’re out and about all day and your phone runs out of battery.

If it runs out just when you need to check Google Maps to see which bus to take, or to check addresses, reviews, opening times or anything else – you’ll be so grateful you packed a backup battery.

Portable chargers are also useful for flights, so you can watch movies on your phone without worrying about the battery running out.

These chargers come in different capacities measured in milliamperes (mAh). The higher the mAh number, the more power the charger has.

I normally carry two, just for peace of mind, and charge them overnight.

Hope you find these tips helpful when you pack for your next trip!

Do share this article with any of your friends who might need packing advice.

If you have more tips on packing light, do share them in the comments.

save this guide on how to travel light on pinterest

16 Comments

Great tips on traveling light! Personally, I’ll always check a bag as my carryons are full of camera gear and laptop. But love all the ideas on how to make traveling easier and more functional!

Great tips and good reminder as well.

I definitely could work on traveling lighter. I do use packing cubes and I think they are a huge help! Great post. 🙂

Great tips on traveling light! Personally I’ll always check a bag as my carryons are full of camera gear and laptop. Lol. But love all the ideas on how to make traveling easier and more functional! 😁

I love packing light!! Great items and tips on here! I LOVE using shampoo bars when traveling.

Thank you so much for the recommendations and the jacket with all the pockets looks amazing!!

I really need to check out the shampoo bars. I keep hearing about it and it’s great for carry on luggage.

Yes, it’s so convenient 🙂

I love traveling light! I do most of these but never thought about using a smaller bag to pack leas. Genius!! I’ve recently started using packing cubes and I LOVE them! Makes everything so organized. Thanks for this posts, it was super helpful! I’ll try the smaller bag for my next trip.

We do most of these things already, and we love it! Been on the road for 4 months now with nothing but carry-on: a 46L Osprey Porter and a 28L daypack (mostly for camera gear). All solid toiletries (including a laundry bar so we can wash clothing without a machine) and merino clothing that we can wear for days 🙂

Great article 🙂 Thank you for this. I have always used Osprey when travelling but that Eagle Creek backpack looks epic and very durable.

These are great tips! I am always guilty of packing way too much and then hating my life as I have to lug my bag around. I think I’m going to invest in a 40L backpack for my next big trip and see how that goes!

Good luck! I thinks it’s the best way to travel and you’ll get used to it easily 🙂

A great and enviable post. What a detailed guide! Great information and advice.

Indeed, there are hikers who are light grasshoppers, and there are hikers who are turtles, who move their hump, or part of it, wherever they travel.

I belong to the second type .. . I have already been jealous of Henderson (“Henderson the Rain King”, Saul Bellow), who traveled to Africa with his modest luggage including the following items: a toothbrush in his pocket, a credit card and a wide-brimmed hat.

Thanks to Tal Bright

Great guide! I pack in a 40L backpack which converts to a suitcase (the straps can be hidden) which I just love. It’s perfect for my full-time travel lifestyle. But I still get jealous when I’m boarding a plane and other people have much smaller suitcases than me.

A note about solid toiletries: I recently started travelling with a deodorant crystal – a completely solid object. But the people at the airport flag it as a liquid every time I go through security. I got so tired of being pulled aside that I now just put it in with my liquids.

Thanks Jane! I know what you mean about getting jealous when you see people with smaller luggage 😉 I think that if the deodorant crystal comes in the kind of packaging that’s similar to ordinary deodorant, than yes, it’s very likely to confuse airport security…

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Packing Light; 24 Expert Tips to Travel Light (From a Fellow Traveler)

I was never any good at packing light.

My husband used to say if I packed it I’d have to carry it, and so after a couple of trips where I’d take way more than I needed and didn’t wear/use half of it, I started to pack less and less.

It was only after backpacking across India with my sister in 2019 however, did I learn the true art of packing light.

We took only one carry-on bag each, weighing 7kg for a 3 week trip from Nepal, through India and on to the Maldives.

Something about packing light for that trip and being able to travel light across a huge country like India, taking my bag on and off planes, and avoiding the long waits at the airport baggage claim was truly liberating!

Plus I realized we really don’t need as much as we think we do and it’s just about being savvy, exploring all options for how to travel light and using the best travel gear available to minimize how much we pack.

These days there are so many fantastic gadgets, tools, alternatives and tech gear to help us pack lighter.

So let’s get cracking, here are my top tips for packing light;

Table of Contents

19 Tips & Hacks for Packing Light

1. make a packing list.

Much like going to the supermarket, you’ll be far more efficient if you make a list of absolute necessities first.

Here’s an example of my packing list which rarely weighs more than 7KG;

• Swimming costume or bikini / Light Beach dress
• 2 x pairs of shorts / 2 x light summer skirts / 3 x t-shirts
• 1 x ‘going out’ dress
• 2 x night shorts & tee
• 14 x underwear (I always take a lot as I hate washing underwear in hotel sinks)
• 1 skin color plunge bra (can wear under black or white, and with posh dress or t-shirts)
• 1 x flip flops or thongs or sandals (depending where you’re from in the world)
• 1 x trainers / sneakers (which I generally wear when traveling from place to place or hang off the back of my bag
• 3 x trainer socks / 1 x leggings / 1 x light cardigan
• Travel size all in one Shampoo/Conditioner (sacrilege to some women, but hey I want to travel light) / Travel size shower gel
• Mascara / Bronzer
• Makeup wipes
• Small battery powered toothbrush / 50ml toothpaste
• Travel size sun lotion / 50SPF lip balm
• Hairbrush / Hair scrunchies
• Travel size body moisturiser / Deodorant
• Antihistamines / Paracetamol / Ibuprofen
• Tiger Balm / Plasters
• Ear Plugs / Face mask /
• Mask / Hand Sanitizer
• Adapter / Phone/ Kindle/ Computer & Fitbit chargers
• Phone – iPhone / Computer – Macbook 12” Notebook

Useful Extras

• Ziplock bags & spare plastic bag – for anything and everything!
• Travel Bags – for separating tops/shorts/underwear etc, and also great for laundry
• Combination padlock

My husbands bag usually weighs less than mine and he takes;

• 2 x shorts (Both double as swim shorts) / 2 x tees
• 7 x socks / 7 x boxers
• 1 x ‘going out’ shorts & tee
• 1 x croc flip flops / 1 x trainers/sneakers
• Travel size shampoo / 1 x razor / Deodorant / Toothbrush
• Phone / Kindle / Computer

Write down details about your trip and make a list of what you’ll need for each activity. Then work out how you can make some of your clothes dual purpose (shorts can be swim shorts for example) and lay everything you think you need out on your bed.

If it’s still too much, be strict! Do you really need that extra tee?

2. Choose a light bag

A big mistake many travelers make is by choosing a heavy suitcase or backpack.

Sure it would be great to get that back that doubles as a backpack and wheely case, but remember if you’re going carry on bags, every extra feature weighs a little more and means less stuff in your pack.

Pick a backpack or suitcase that’s ideally under 2kg (2.2lb) and around 40L capacity to fit everything neatly inside.

I personally use either my Firetrap backpack which unzips like a suitcase or the Matein gray backpack , which is sturdy, water resistant, comfortable to wear and has lots of pockets and storage areas, so I can organize my packing super efficiently!

Another recommended bag is the Fendong 40L lightweight backpack .

If you’d prefer a suitcase with wheels, your best bet is the 21 inch Travelpro Maxlite expandable case . Weighing in at 5.4lbs (2.5kg), you’ll need to be more efficient with what you pack, but if you want the luxury of wheeling rather than carrying, this case is one of the lightest around.

3. Use packing cubes/bags

Packing cubes or bags are to help you organize your clothes more efficiently.

Just because you’re packing in smaller bags, does not mean your luggage is lighter! Compression merely means smaller. I know that sounds obvious but some of the marketing language on these products can be a little misleading.

You also don’t need to pay through the nose for fancy packing bags. On my recent 3 week trip across Europe and then Dubai, I used these bags which only cost $7.99 and did a fantastic job of helping me to separate tops, shorts, underwear, dirty clothes etc.

If you’re looking for more colorful bags, I recommend this 8 cube set in multiple colors.

4. Roll, don’t fold

Rolling your clothes doesn’t necessarily save space. Your clothes will take as much space as your clothes will take, whether you roll, fold or throw in!

However, to keep your clothes crease free and to be able to maximize bag space without leaving lots of gaps, your best bet is to pack clothes by rolling them rather than folding.

I had a dress I wanted to wear in Dubai that I carried with me through Europe for 19 days rolled up in the bottom of my backpack. When I pulled it out, there was hardly a crease to be seen!

5. Take minimal toiletries in small containers

I don’t know about you, but my toiletries are always what weighs the most!

Once I’ve included my favorite body spray, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, deodorant, contact lens solution, electric toothbrush, etc, etc!

So it’s time to get strict! Almost everything you want to take can be bought along the road. Even countries in far out places will sell basic essentials and any personal item you may need these days.

Stop being a hair product snob and buy a two in one shampoo/conditioner, then transfer it to a small bottle. Take a small travel size shower gel. Leave the electric toothbrush and charger at home and buy a cheap disposable battery powered toothbrush. Ladies, wear less makeup!

Here’s what’s in my toiletry bag;

• Travel size all in one Shampoo/Conditioner / Travel size shower gel

Here is the best invention ever for those of us who like to smell nice – portable mini refillable perfume atomizers ! Easily fill with your fave perfumes and throw in your bag!

Also I regularly buy packs of travel bottles to take a variety of liquids in handy, safe for carry on, containers.

6. Only pack for a week to 10 days

No matter how long you’re going to be traveling for, the secret is to only pack for 7 – 10 days.

Take a small wash powder for washing essentials in a sink when you need to and be prepared to head to a launderette on route.

On my recent trip across Europe, my sister & I found a launderette in Venice and sat at a cafe opposite drinking wine while our clothes washed and dried. Then again in Luxembourg, where I sat in a cafe next door drinking a hot, sweet macchiato latte!

Who said washing couldn’t be fun!

7. Use a luggage scale

If you’re determined to take only hand luggage, a luggage scale is essential.

You’ll want to be sure your carry on size bag is no more than 7kg or 12kg, depending on your airline limits.

I’ve used a multitude of scales over the years for carry on and some seriously heavy bags (before I worked out how to pack light!)

It may sound silly, but it’s important to use scales which fit well in your hand and are designed to help you lift your luggage easily while being able to read the weight!

One set of scales I had, you had to be a contortionist to be able to lift a 20kg bag and see the weight on the side of the scale!

Here are the luggage scales I use and recommend . Easy to lift and easy to see the weight. Plus super lightweight themselves if you plan on doing some shopping while overseas and need to take them with you!

8. Take dryer sheets to keep everything smelling nice

Inevitably you will have to wear the same clothes several times between washes. A great way to keep your clothes smelling nice is to add in the sheets generally used for tumble dryer washes.

This keeps your clothes, bag and shoes (stuff them inside the shoe), smelling fresh and lovely!

9. Ladies! Take a skin color bra for all color clothes.

I used to pack a black bra and a white bra to cater for different color clothes. I would even take a separate plunge bra for lower cut dresses and tops.

Nowadays, a skin colored plunge bar caters for all occasions & outfits!

I also take a super light skin colored non wired t-shirt bra , which folds up to almost nothing for slouchy or low exercise days.

10. Fold underwear into a small cuff shape

A great way to save space and take as much underwear as possible, is to fold your underwear up into a small cuff like shape. This works for womens knickers/panties & mens briefs/boxers.

Simply lay your underwear flat facing up. Fold the sides into the middle, left to middle right to middle. Then starting at the bottom, roll the underwear up and tuck into the waistband.

It takes some practice, but the end result is a tight small oblong shape that can be neatly added to a packing bag or cube.

11. Use the same moisturizer for body & face

One for the ladies, if you apply moisturizer daily use the same one for your face and body.

Clearly if you tend to use ridiculously expensive face cream, this isn’t a tip for you. However, to save space and weight this is a great hack and these days there are some fantastic products which will work just as well no matter where you apply them!

12. Wear trainers, pack sandals

I spend my life in flip flops (thongs/sandals) or trainers/sneakers.

For big walk days I’ll want to wear my trainers. For more relaxed days I’ll want to wear my flip flops.

When traveling from place to place, always wear your heaviest shoes and pack your lightest!

13. Use clothes for dual purpose

On a hike last week, my good friend rocked up in some awesome hiking trousers which doubled as shorts. All she had to do was to unzip the trouser just above the knee and hey presto, shorts!

You can use your clothes for multiple purposes if you’re clever.

• Shorts can double as swim shorts.
• A sports bra can double as a bikini top.
• A sarong can be used as a skirt, a cardigan/throw or a makeshift towel.
• A day t-shirt can easily be made into an evening shirt with a necklace and belt.

As you pack, ask yourself how you might be able to use an item of clothing for a second or third purpose, rather than taking something extra.

14. Quick Drying Clothes

Ditch the jeans my friend! Not only are they heavy, bulky and actually not that comfortable to travel in, they’ll also take hours to dry if you’re caught in a rainstorm!

Your goal is to take lightweight clothes that dry fast. This helps when out and about and if you have to do a quick wash in a hotel bathroom.

15. Take a lightweight fast drying towel (optional)

To be honest this is an optional item.

Most hotels and hostels will provide small shower towels, so if you’re desperate and need a towel for the beach you can usually grab one of theirs, albeit it might be very small!

However, if you’d prefer to have your own towel on hand, something light and quick dry is preferable!

Microfibre is the way to go and here’s the towel I recommend .

16. Take a jewelry organizer (optional)

To be honest I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, and if you’re the same, then don’t even bother.

However, every now and again a nice necklace or dangly earrings adds to a plain t-shirt and turns it into evening wear!

Depending on the type of trip I’m taking sometimes I will opt to take some extra necklaces and jewelry with me, however simply throwing a necklace into a toiletry bag generally means half an hour of trying to untangle it at the other end!

A jewelry organizer is a game changer!

Here’s the one I use – Becko Jewelry Organizer – small, lightweight, stores 6 – 8 necklaces, loads of earrings, rings and bracelets, it’s easy to slip into your backpack and ensures your necklaces don’t get all tangled up.

17. Post souvenirs home

Looking to do some shopping while abroad? Consider sending souvenirs home rather than lugging them around with you.

Many shops will package up bulky items and happily send them for you, at a cost of course!

18. Take a small foldable rucksack for days out

Even as a digital nomad or long term traveler , you’ll likely be staying at a hotel or hostel, leaving your main backpack and heading out exploring for the day.

At the very least you’ll want to head out for dinner without having to take your luggage with you.

I recommend a small foldable rucksack or small bag, you can put your essentials in, such as a purse or wallet and phone, your water bottle and of course your passports or valuables you don’t want to leave anywhere.

When you’re ready to travel again, you simply fold it back up and slip it into your main backpack until the next time you need it!

19. Take a tech kit

Being a digital nomad, I always take a tech kit containing my charger cables, power bank, my adapter, extra camera battery etc.

This is the handy pouch I use to organize all my cables etc.

And this is the excellent universal adapter I use, which covers every country you can think of and includes USB ports and a USB type C port.

5 More Tips for Packing Light for the Cold!

So what happens if you’re going to a cold country, but still want to travel light?

Here’s some tips and tricks for packing light for the cold.

• Take leggings instead of jeans. Men take Chinos instead of jeans
• Wear leggings under light walking trousers
• Wear your heavy stuff like your main jumper & coat & pack your lighter clothes
• Layer clothes with multiple thin layers
• Pack light thermals !

Tips for Packing Light Summary

As you can see there are so many ways to make packing light easier and more efficient.

Even if you want to take checked baggage as opposed to carry on, packing light means less risk of excess baggage fees, less creased clothes, less space used in your hotel wardrobe, less washing and more flexibility if you want to explore different areas of the country you’re visiting.

For digital nomads or long term travelers packing light is a skill which must be mastered!

As silly as this may sound it’s also a liberating experience to travel more minimally, focusing only on the essentials.

I hope this article has given you some great ideas to pack light for your next world expedition. Happy packing!

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Home » Gear » How To Pack Light – The ULTIMATE Guide For 2024

How To Pack Light – The ULTIMATE Guide For 2024

When in doubt, leave it out! Packing light is all about cutting back on the details, and we’re here to help. Piling all your potential gear on the floor turns your trip from future plans to takeoff. As you decide which T-shirt to cram into your bag, you visualise what it will feel like to relax in your tee of choice and look forward to your impending freedom.

There are so many directions your gear can take you, making it hard to whittle everything down to the essentials. It may seem like overpacking is the only way you can stay prepared while on the road, but you’d be surprised at how little you need and at how much your pack will weigh stuffed full.

A few subtle shifts here and minute weight drops there quickly add up to a noticeably lighter pack. Packing light brings space, literally and in the itinerary, which gives you the confidence to take a step further outside your comfort zone.

Every trip has so many variables; it’s totally reasonable to panic pack a few extra pairs of underwear or carry around a set of swimming goggles, just in case.

No matter if your trip is one week or one year, you can live out of one backpack, and I’m here to push you in the right direction. We’ll walk through high tech gear that makes 40 litres feel like 400, examine some items better left at home, and throw in all the lessons learned the hard way along the ride.

So follow along and prepare to make some tough decisions, today we’re going to learn how to pack for any trip in one 40 Liter backpack.

The Best Gear To Help You Pack Light

Each of these items plays a crucial role in light packing, so follow along and see how they can fit on your next trip. 

40L Travel Bag

• > Included shoe compartment, laptop sleeve, laundry bag, and effervescent front pockets
• > Shoulder or carry it duffle style

Packing Cubes

• > Multicompartmental backpack set-up
• > See-through mesh material

Toiletry Bag 2.0

• > Guarantee easy access
• > Full of organisational pockets

Small Liquid Bottles

• > Complete with leak-proof lids
• > Varieties of dispenser options

NanoDry Packable Shower Towel (Large)

• > Weighs less than six ounces
• > Quick-drying package

VEER Packable Bag

• > Weather-resistant zippers
• > Adds shoulder straps

Navigator Sling 6L

• > Perfect aeroplane companion
• > Providing space for your passport and inflight entertainment

REI Co-op Trailmade Rain Jacket

• > Weather protection
• > Attachable hood

Step By Step Guide to Light Packing

Final thoughts on the art of packing light.

• Buy Us a Coffee!

You’ll find the key theme to packing light is breaking down your luggage into categories and lists. Last-minute panicked packing is minimalists worst nightmare, as a cluttered, rushed mind will throw caution to the wind and try to pack it all. 

Use this step-by-step guide to start your process, and give yourself plenty of time to go through your list and check it twice. 

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Tip #1 – Get The Right Bag

Step one is to know what you’re working with. Finding your perfect backpack is no easy task, but the right bag is the difference between fumbling it and flipping it and tumbling it. No other singular item on the list will define how light you can pack more than which bag you’re using. 

If you use a 65-litre backpack, you’re going to find it a lot harder to widdle your bag down. Even if you leave 25% of the bag empty, you’ll be overpacking, and nobody steps out the door with their bag a quarter empty. 

You can boil it down with some simple math: however many litres your bag can hold = the amount of stuff you will end up bringing. That’s why I highly recommend using a bag you can fit in an overhead compartment.

It probably doesn’t sound like a whole lot of space, and that’s because it isn’t. You’ll have to maximise every one of those 40 litres to get the job done correctly. To do that, you’ll need a bag that meets you in the middle. One 40 Liter opening compared to a multipocketed high-tech backpack makes all the difference in the world. 

Our team recommends nothing less than the best, and the Nomatic 40L Travel Bag is the best bag for packing light in the business. 

Nomatic’s entire company is built around getting the most out of travelling with less. They have gear suited for all sorts of travellers, and their flagship backpack is one of the best modern home bases in the market. 

This pack is full of surprises. With an included shoe compartment, laptop sleeve, laundry bag, and effervescent front pockets, you’ll find a space for everything you need for short or long term travelling. 

Throw it over your shoulder or carry it duffle style while you get through security in a breeze. Keep your clean clothes separated from your laundry and even find a dedicated space for your underwear. 

Nomatic makes it easy to travel light by giving you organisation options that make the most out of limited space. Airlines restrictions aren’t getting any more lenient, but these bags are getting a whole lot smarter. Take back your travel days and treat yourself to a fresh bevvy with all that time you saved getting through security.  

Tip #2 – Use Packing Cubes

Our favourite kit: Nomatic Packing Cubes

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There is no such thing as too many ways to store. Use packing cubes for everything from socks and shoes to your electronic cords and chargers. 

The main benefit of packing cubes is compression, as you can squish down these blocks to fill all sorts of spaces, but the benefits don’t stop once you arrive. Most affordable accommodation options are relatively short on storage spaces, and your packing cubes can function as portable shelves or shower bags in a pinch.

High-quality packing cubes can squeeze and save valuable inches. Nomatic’s packing cubes are a perfect fit for a multicompartmental backpack set-up. These three packing cubes should be more than enough space for all your clothing, and the see-through meshing makes it easy to only unpack what you need.

 You can further organise your tool shed with three cubes that range from 10L to 1.5L of storage. You won’t waste an inch as all of the bags can reduce by several litres depending on their fill. It’s never a bad idea to jump on an opportunity to fit more into less space, and the right set of packing cubes will make it look easy.  

Look for packing cubes with varied colours, remarkable features, or a see-through mesh material like Nomatic includes. Unicolored and completely sealed packing cubes can be more trouble than their worth if you constantly forget which one holds your t-shirts and which one stores the socks. 

Tip #3 – Choosing What To Bring

Now that you’ve laid out all your storage options, you should have a great idea of what kind of space you’re working with. Hint: it’s less than you think! We’ll all have to leave a few of our favourite t-shirts behind when condensing our lives.

This step is where the real fun begins. 

A few items on the universal packing list should serve as about 35% of your overall packed weight, and everyone will have plenty of personal choices to make. Your packing list will be dictated mainly by the climate you’re heading towards. These articles of clothing will always account for every itinerary’s bare minimum:

• 3 shorts 
• 3-4 pairs of travel underwear
• 3-4 pairs of socks
• 1 swim trunk
• 1 Pair pants (+1 worn on travel day if you’re headed north)
• 1 piece of rain gear
• 2-3 pairs of shoes

The hardest part of packing light is cutting down on clothing, but it has to be done with vigour. Travelling with only hand luggage means absolutely no more than one week’s worth of clothing coming along.

Keeping these tricks in mind while packing your bag will help you solve difficult questions and push you towards a lighter backpack. 

Oh, you should also know what NOT to pack too , including things like liquids, weapons and ya know, snakes too!

When in doubt, leave it out

Convincing yourself you don’t need a solution to every problem is the hardest part of packing light. Typically clothes are where we leave our guard down the most. It all starts with, “it’s just one t-shirt, it can’t weigh much” and ends with a packing cube stuffed full of tank tops.

Especially for your first attempts at packing light, leave any 50/50 items at home. You quickly realise there are very few items in your backpack you truly can’t live without. I don’t remember hearing many people living out of bags who wish they had packed more stuff, but practically every backpacker is looking for ways to reduce weight.  

Layer upon travel days

To get the most out of your space, wear your heaviest clothing items while flying. Most adventures will only require one heavier coat or even just a sweater that would take up the same space as an entire week of T-shirts. 

Not only will this save you space, but it will also keep you comfortable through climate-controlled settings. Aeroplanes and terminals stay cool, and the extra layers can quickly double as blankets or pillows if they aren’t needed.

Your largest pair of shoes, pants, and tops should make up your travel day outfit. Looking at our universal list, I like to wear my sweater, only a pair of pants, heaviest shoes and rain jacket while I’m heading through airports. 

Nobody wants to head through security looking like they just came crawling out of the woods, but wearing your hiking boots saves so much packing space I could care less. Sometimes I’m hotter than I’d like to be when I arrive at a tropical place, but it’s a small price to pay to remove my three most enormous pieces of clothing from my luggage. 

2-3 pairs of shoes will Do

Wearing your heaviest sneakers can only do so much. Shoes are just too bulky to justify bringing along a few extra pairs. You’ll have to make some hard choices and leave a few of your favourites at home, so select only your most multifunctional trainers for the mission. 

Versatility is the name of the game across your pack, but having several sets of skills is extra important when it comes to footwear. Narrow it down to two to three pairs of shoes that can all handle different scenarios. 

I like to group up one pair of waterproof hiking boots comfortable enough to wear around town with a couple of sandals when heading to the tropics. Cold weather changes those out for warm boots and a quality set of slip-on sneakers.  

The best part about packing fewer shoes is not feeling guilty at all about picking up the latest in authentic ‘Nikki’ slides at the local four-way intersection. 

Bring a pack inside your pack

One bag travel has one major flaw: no singular bag is best at fulfilling every niche. A 40L backpack is incredibly lightweight for a typical piece of luggage, but it’s way too big to work as a day pack. 

Without a packable bag , you’d have to unpack your entire suitcase every time you want to throw a few things together for a day out or haul your clothes with you on the tour. 

A Combination of bags better bet than a one-bag-fits-all solution. Everything you own could be going inside your packs and then onto your back, so we’ve got to get it right. Packable backpacks are bags that can reduce small enough to fit in your more giant backpack on travel days and come out to play once you’ve checked in. 

These bags can stretch your 40L’s into 60 once you get there, or just bring on a sweet day pack without checking bags. Some of these packable bags are just glorified gym bags, but others can haul some serious gear. 

The cream of the crop is this VEER Packable Bag . The bag redefines a breathable back panel by adding on an inflatable frame. This allows the packable pack to condense down to 6″ x 9″ and expands out to an 18L carry-all complete with an inflatable back frame. It’s the most heavy-duty packable bag on the market.

You’ll have more than enough space for groceries, a packed lunch, or a change of clothes on a pool day, and the weather-resistant zippers make the bag ready for more serious adventures. Wandrd even adds shoulder straps to ensure their pack is confident on long hikes. 

The other main perk of packing across several bags allows you to really bend the TSA rules in your direction. 

Case in point: Navigator Sling 6L , the lightweight packers perfect aeroplane companion. 

I like to take advantage of the airline industries dumb policies any chance I can get as my revenge for some companies poor customer service. It’s all about the little things, and the Navigator Sling is a little thing that sure can store some shit. 

This sling pack is a professional personal item built for travellers who know exactly what they want to keep close. This pack rounds out Nomatic’s arsenal of bags made for travel by providing space for your passport and inflight entertainment. Nomatic’s smallest bag clips over a shoulder or straps onto a larger backpack until it’s time to break out your tickets.

Suppose you are up against particularly draconian bag policies. In that case, you can keep this beauty hidden away until you reach your seat, stow your more unwieldy pack, sit back and enjoy the flight. Like every bag built for nomads, this pack’s 6 Liters has storage quirks that provide a place for everything you need to get through the flight. 

A good hip bag’s ultimate ability is activated when the plane runs out of overhead storage. If you ever feel like taking advantage of a free gate check, you can let your larger bag meet you at your destination and rely on your sling to take you across your travel day. 

Lay it all out

Once you have a rough idea of what you want to bring, lay it all out neatly so that every item is visible. 

If you start the process by throwing things into your bag without regard, you could end up halfway through the process with a full backpack, unsure if you’ve already packed underwear. And the benefits don’t stop there. 

This layout will give you much-needed perspective and get a good glimpse of how much space everything will take up. I typically start packing by laying out everything I want to take and checking that each item truly fulfils a void in my pack. 

Seeing everything stacked together helps me realise how much space it all actually takes up. Once it’s all on display, it’s time for cutbacks. 

Shop for multi-purpose clothing

At every corner, you’ll have to be brutal with your clothing selection. The sooner you can give up on having an outfit for every occasion, the better. You can reduce your closet and still smile in your fit check as long as you get creative. 

A fast way to cut back on clothing is by investing in versatile multi-purpose T-shirts made of breathable materials – as long as you don’t forget deodorant! 

High-quality materials can help the shirt last longer between washes and keep you feeling fresh. Spending a bit of extra coin on a T-shirt is absolutely a worthy cost when you could end up wearing it for a week straight. I try not to let many shirts and shorts into my pack that I can’t wash in the shower, just in case. 

Unfortunately, this also means avoiding some specialist gear wherever possible. Good ole fashioned generalists need not bog themselves down with too many details. Unless you’re travelling for a specific purpose, any one-time use items are not worth their weight.  

There is one major exception to this rule; rain gear. Luckily, A waterproof jacket doesn’t have to bring a significant burden. Many trips won’t require anything more technically advanced than the right packable rain jacket, AKA the REI Co-op Trailmade Rain Jacket . Thunderlight’s slim overcoat fits into its own large pocket and quickly rolls out and provide cover. You won’t find many rain jackets this flexible that still took the time to fully tape the seams and hems. 

This ain’t no flimsy poncho passing as weather protection, this is the real deal. Weighing in at less than a half kilo, it’s got an attachable hood that works with the same inside lining as the rest of the jacket. It pumps in a surprising splash of heat. 

And it all wraps up into a bag the size of your fist. Shove it down a deep dark corner of your larger bag on a travel day and immediately switch it into your day pack once your adventure begins. 

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Tip #4 – Toilet Talk

Banned from the dinner table and heavily regulated by TSA, packing your toiletries for carry-on travel is no simple task. 

Before we dive into the specifics, remember the golden rule of toiletry packing : most toiletries can be bought on the other side and at a much lower price, depending on where you’re headed.

Toiletry bag

Everything you’ll need for a month-long trip can fit in the Nomatic toiletry bag and slip into a corner of your larger luggage. I like to keep my toiletry bag close by during travel days, so I save packing your toiletry bag for the end to guarantee easy access.

Your toiletries can seem an obvious choice to tuck into a forgotten corner of your bag, but you’re playing a dangerous game. I think we’ve all noticed a sharp uptick of delays lately, and it’s only a matter of time before you’re spending some quality time stuck in an airport. 

Keep at least your toothbrush and deodorant in a convenient pocket. A breath of fresh air will keep your mind centred through flight delays and focused on getting your toes in the sand. 

Numatics Toiletry bag has a dedicated toothbrush pocket that keeps your teeth cleaners fresh and handy. The bag is full of organisational pockets that help you stay on top of things. Keeping make-up, medicine, and cleaning products in their respective containers instead of one giant black hole helps everything make it through the trip without spilling.

The added perk of all those extra pockets is this toiletry bag’s hanger set-up, which opens the bag up vertically and turns your travel bag into a multi-shelf toiletry cabinet. Toiletry 2.0 works perfectly alongside the best lightweight travel packs to create a formidable duo. 

Only bring the essentials

You can quickly lower your actual footprint by packing the bare essentials. This guide is geared around carry-on travel, which means you can’t bring anything over three ounces anyways. 

Your toiletry bag can start the trip incomplete and slowly fill up along the way. Most over the counter medications can be found anywhere, but do some research on your chosen destination country while formulating your toiletry bag. 

Focus your initial packing on prescription medication or speciality items that make the flight more leisurely, like melatonin and Advil. Tack on a basic first aid kit, and you’ll be good to go. 

I suppose there are specific luxury items you’d rather not travel without. You can always head to most local department stores’ sample counter or travel-size section to find a perfect travel-sized bottle before departure. 

They may not have the same brands at your final destination, but you’ll be able to find enough duct tape and WD-40 to get the job done. And if things don’t work out, remember the second golden rule. No matter where you are, you can find a pina Colada. 

Even when canals get blocked up, practically everything you need to thrive in a new community is already there. 

Another tip when it comes to packing light, forget that massive and heavy wallet and bring along the minimalist Nomatic Wallet instead.

The same mantra doesn’t apply to sunscreen. Any place you go where you will need sunscreen is aware that you will have to pay for it no matter what it costs. 

Here are the facts: sunscreen will be more expensive at the beach. Locals tend to use way less than tourists, so nobody cries afoul when a bottle of sunblock costs upwards of 30$. 

Sunscreen will be cheaper at home, so be sure to stock up before you go – and don’t forget to transfer them into carry-on approved Small Liquid Bottles . Use these toiletry wizards for everything from shampoo to bug spray to avoid any headaches. 

 Carry-on only travel disqualifies lots of liquid toiletries and beverages unless you get creative.

Anything you can’t find in your final destination can make the trip if you manage to transfer them into airline-approved sizes. Bottles like these transform your bathroom into 20 air travel certified containers, complete with leak-proof lids and varieties of dispenser options.  

My favourite feature is the unscrewable bottoms that allow you to easily refill your bottles without trying to throw together a makeshift funnel out of paper and aluminium. Don’t forget to label each bottle before you start putting your sunscreen on in the shower! 

Don’t Forget to Bring A Towel!

Carry-on travel doesn’t leave much space for a lush full-sized cotton towel, but the right travel towel is as close to essential as any part of your bathroom kit. There is no guarantee your accommodation has towels, and it’s always nice to have something to stretch out on or take to the beach. 

Your one-stop travel towel stop is the Matador NanoDry Packable Shower Towel . This legendary accessory has been in the running for the best accessory every year since its 2018 release. Its critical acclaim is thanks to the fact that this full-sized towel compacts down and fits inside its own carrying case to provide a portable towel that won’t soak everything else in your bag. 

The five-ounce towel fits into the palm of your hand and weighs less than six ounces, and expands to absorb 2.3X of its own weight in a quick-drying package. 

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

Tip #5 – What About Tech?

There’s no magic formula. Travelling with loads of tech makes it kinda hard to travel light. You’ll have to accept your tech for the burden it is or learn to live without some of your bigger gear.  

Ask yourself some tough questions

Do you need a big dslr camera, or will your phone do do you need a laptop, or will your device do.

A DSLR camera and laptops are frequently the heaviest items on my potential packing lists, and every trip, I get close to leaving one at home, but that quality is just tough to replace. I would love to sit here and tell you that everything you need to work on the road can be done with an Ipad mini, but that’s just not the case. 

Anyone working from the road may have to suck it up and carry the extra gear. Quick trips are a whole other ball game. Turn up vacation mode and leave the laptop at home. Just bring something light enough to entertain you through your travel days. 

The DSLR debate is a whole other ball game. It could be a great excuse to upgrade your phone, as some of the latest iPhone camera technology rivals anything I could capture with a heftier set-up.

Still, there is no lightweight way to shoot from a distance or capture certain high-quality shots, so decide what’s more important to you, your weight or your equipment.

Tech that works towards light packing

Not all electronics have to add on loads of weight. These items will fit into the most minimalist lists out there, and that’s because their value far exceeds their lightweight. 

• adaptable USB splitter
• NEO5R Headlamp  
• Anker Ultra High Power Bank
• USB Splitter

This handy tool turns one outlet into three USB-B ports, one USB-C connection and the international connections to plug into walls around the world. 

These days, just about everything can be charged by USB, so grabbing an adaptable USB splitter can help drop weight slightly. The right power adapters can easily be converted to work intercontinental style, so you’ll never be too far from a full charge. 

• NEO5R Headlamp

A headlamp is a camping essential and you don’t have to be heading into the woods to take advantage of some high-tech headgear. Whether it’s for some casual spelunking, reading after light’s out, or coping with surprise outages, this headlamp has far more uses than ounces. 

three AAA batteries will power this waterproof light for hours, and an optional redlight setting will help you see through the night without attracting any bugs. 

• A nker Ultra High

Amazingly enough, some airlines still haven’t found it necessary to add device charging capabilities to their aircraft. Add this to the fact that most local taxis and tuk-tuks don’t have wall outlets, and a portable power bank will pay for itself on your first travel day. 

Love it or hate it, we can’t get very far with dead cell phone batteries these days. This portable power bank is the cream of the crop, and it comes with a $25,000 connected equipment warranty to declare its prowess in powering sensitive electronics. 

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Less is more when you’re carrying your whole life on your shoulders. The final key to packing light is getting rid of your gear attachment. I don’t mean you should travel around without a sense of style, but you’ll have to let go of some hits while consolidating.

If you can’t imagine losing something, don’t bring it with you. You’ll have to get rid of something eventually. Bags don’t expand as your trip moves along; they just fill up unless you and your merry reindeer do all your travelling on Christmas Eve. 

Looking to shed weight after your trip has already started? Try out a light packing as you go system, getting rid of any parts of your kit that doesn’t prove helpful. If you’ve been carrying around something in your bag for a few months and never worn it, it’s time to say goodbye. In the right hostel bartering system, that heavy flannel for which you don’t have space becomes a free dinner.

While I was learning how to pack light the hard way, I had to ditch a green jacket in the Portland airport to get my bag closed enough for gate check. I still miss that coat, and if I had just left it in storage, it could have really helped out later. 

We all have favourite t-shirts, pallets and combos that aren’t practical enough to come with us, and if you want to travel with loads of options packing light may not be your strong suit.

That’s totally okay. Living out of an XL daypack isn’t for everyone. If you plan to stick around one place long enough to unpack for a while, you may not mind lugging an extra bag through the airport once every couple of months. Nobody knows your particular travelling style better than you do. 

What I do know, through years of lugging heavy packs across deserts, jungles, and chicken busses, is that you rarely find a traveller who doesn’t want to cut back a few pounds. Even going from three to two bags is a step in the right direction, and I guarantee you won’t ever dream of packing heavy again! 

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How to pack for a big trip - tips from experienced travelers

Sep 17, 2021 • 8 min read

When traveling, your backpack is your home © hansslegers / Getty Images

Traveling light is an essential step towards embracing the spontaneity of travel. With a small pack, you can travel on impulse, sprinting down the platform to catch that departing train, and leaping from boat to village bus without missing a beat. From the comfort of home, it might feel like you need everything but the kitchen sink, but when it comes to packing, less is definitely more.

One of the first surprises for new travelers is that things from back home are easily available in other countries. If you can pick it up when you arrive, why haul it halfway across the world? The other big first-trip packing lesson is the value of having space in your pack–you never know when you might find a Buddha statue or hand-embroidered wall hanging that you can't live without.

If your backpack is bursting at the seams when you set off, you'll soon find yourself wrestling with multiple bags while the light load travelers are grabbing the best seats on the bus. Travelers with a single bag experience less stress–they're the folk you see whistling cheerfully as they walk out of the terminal building while you're still fighting to drag your suitcases off the conveyor belt.

Of course, packing is a deeply personal process. Everyone has their own standards of comfort, and their own notions of what counts as essential. But by following some field-tested tenets of traveling light, you can shed size and weight. And as every veteran traveler knows, you regret the things you didn't bring much less than the pain of hauling around things you didn't need!

The first law of travel physics

There's one inalienable rule of travel physics: the contents of your bag will expand to fill the available space. If your bag is stuffed full at the departure gate, you're already en route to a second bag if you spot anything you want to buy when you reach your destination.

Start with a bag that fits into a plane's overhead compartment, and fill it with only as much stuff as you can fit in without shoving. Leave behind the rest. For ninja-level packing, make a second pass and remove anything you aren't 100% certain you'll use. Tough decisions on your living-room floor will pay big dividends on the road.

Pack densely

Black holes are so compact that now even light can escape their gravity. Your bag should function on a similar principle. Folded is smaller than scrunched up. Folded and rolled is smaller still. If your clothes take up more than one-third of your bag, you are probably letting sartorial decisions take precedence over practicality.

Know your destination

The streets may look different to the street you live on, but the shops sell almost everything you'll find back home, from shampoo and sunscreen to camera cards and phone charging cables. Where tourists gather, you can probably also find plug adapters, the latest movies on DVD and the candy bars you grew up with. A few things genuinely won't be available in your chosen destination, but most will, so don't fill up your bag with things you can buy as and when you need them. 

The rule of three

Three pairs of socks. Three pairs of underwear. Three T-shirts. Wear one, wash one, dry one. You can get more miles out of leg wear, so two pairs of pants and one culturally appropriate pair of shorts or skirt should suffice. Stick to light, flowing clothing made from cotton and blends that dry quickly and look good without needing an iron to remove every wrinkle.

Pack less, wash more

It turns out most cultures have figured out how to wash stuff. Whether you use the hotel laundry or the local dhobi-wallah (clothes washer), a clean shirt is usually just a few hours away. Pack fewer clothes, and wash them when they get dirty, and that onerous weight on your back will get miraculously lighter. At a pinch, most lodgings have a sink and running water–bring a length of string and you've got an instant washing line.

Travel-friendly tech

Most modern electronics (like phones and cameras) switch voltage automatically when you plug them in. If in doubt, check the plug for a note saying ‘Input: 100~240v’ or something similar. Leave voltage-specific devices that require heavy, old-fashioned adapters at home. A three-way splitter plugged into a multi-country adapter should be enough to keep all your devices juiced. If you have USB-powered devices, even better. Bring a plug with multiple USB ports and you'll just need to carry the cables.

Only bring what you need

Repeat this to yourself as you pack. The unknowns of traveling make us want to surround ourselves with familiar items but this kind of ‘what if’ thinking is a fast-track to a heavy pack. If you aren't certain you'll use it, you probably don't need it. Remember, many things can be hired, bought or borrowed as you need them. That mask and snorkel? You can probably hire one when you reach the beach. That hairdryer? Most hotels have one.

Don't go shoe crazy

Veteran travelers rarely pack more than two pairs: a comfortable pair of trainer-type shoes that are good for trekking, day-wear and running, and a pair of flip-flops (thongs) for beach wear and dubious-looking bathroom floors. Only bring smart shoes if you're definitely going somewhere you can't get away with trainers (or pick some up locally when and if you need them).

Let tech be your friend

These days, your phone can double as your music player, camera and more, weighing not much more than a sandwich. Heavy books used to the bane of travel (though a blessing during long waits for transport). Today, you can load a whole library onto an  e-Reader and a whole record collection onto an MP3 player. Carry a small portable power bank to keep your devices going when you can't get to a wall socket.

Be weight aware

Some things–paper, glass, metal, batteries–are just heavy, so try not to pack them unless you really need to. If you need battery-operated devices, look for lightweight versions; a head torch powered by a button battery weighs much less than a traditional torch powered by heavy alkaline batteries. To stay on the right side of airline weight baggage limits, carry a small, portable luggage scale.

Function over form

Prioritize useful things. A ball-gown may look great, but a crumple-friendly cotton dress that you can wear on the bus, beach and dancefloor will take you a lot further. Here are some tried and tested travel essentials:

• A quick-drying pack towel : fluffy towels are bulky and take ages to dry; synthetic towels dry quickly and pack away to nothing. 
• A sarong:  it's a changing room, it's a blanket, it's a curtain for privacy, it's a towel, it's a bag, it's a sunshade, it's quite possibly the most versatile item in your bag. Oh, and you can also use it to cover your legs.
• Compression straps: they squeeze things into your bag, fix things to your bag, and fix your bag to other things, like the roof rack on back-country buses. They'll also function is a washing line (or bring some string).
• A cotton scarf or bandanna: it's a head covering for mosques and temples, a sun hat, a dust-mask, a neck and shoulder warmer; you can even use it as a fashion accessory.
• A frisbee: in addition to its friend-making potential, strategically packing it on the outside edge of your pack provides hard-shell protection for breakables. Additional uses: cutting board, plate, bowl, bottle opener, fan, dry place to sit.

Tips for the airport

Even if you get your packing list down to the essentials, you might find there are one or two items that just won't fit, particularly on the way home. If necessary, exploit the the airline industry's three biggest luggage loopholes:

• Wearing is not carrying: stuff your pockets, don your jacket, wear your hiking boots and pack your sandals.
• ‘Carry on plus one personal item’: most airlines let you supplement your carry-on bag with a camera bag or smaller backpack, giving you some bonus storage.
• Duty-free doesn't count: if you can't fit it in your bag, most airlines let you carry on air-side purchases without penalty in a carrier bag (which also has room for more loose items).

Savvy packer's pack list

Here is a list of everything we'd suggest for a multi-week trip to most popular backpacking destinations.

• Backpack (40L max, 35L is even better)
• Bag liner (or a large, heavy-duty plastic bag)
• Passport and other documents
• Compact umbrella
• Three or four light stuff sacks for organizing
• Three shirts or T-shirts
• Two pairs of pants (trousers)
• One pair of shorts (or a skirt)
• Three pairs of socks
• Three pairs of underwear
• Fleece jacket, hoodie or long-sleeved top (for air-conditioned transport and high elevations)
• Bandanna and/or scarf
• Comfortable walking shoes (wear them when you fly)
• Comfortable sandals or flip flops
• Sleep kit: mosquito net, sleeping bag liner (or a lightweight fleece blanket), ear plugs
• Shower kit: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (or try a piece of alum), small bottle of shower gel
• Food and drink kit: snack bars, a travel mug, water purification tablets, a water bottle, a folding knife for cutting fruit
• First aid kit: mosquito repellent, clippers, tweezers, plasters, headache tablets, small tube of antiseptic and your usual meds
• Camera and accessories (if you can't get by with your phone camera)
• Laptop (if your smart phone won't cut it) wrapped in a waterproof bag
• Smart phone and headphones (plus charging cables)
• Notebook and pens
• Parachute cord (or string)
• Lightweight head torch

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This article was first published in October 2014.

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Traveling & Packing Light

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Complete Guide To Traveling Anywhere With Only A Carry On Bag Or Less

Hey! Welcome to this  ridiculously  in-depth guide about  how  to pack a suitcase!

I’m James Eagleman, a full-time traveler. Overpacking is by far the most common travel mistake I see. Here I will be providing you with your briefing on packing light and traveling light.

“The time has come to lay that baggage down and leave behind all the struggling and striving.” ― Sue Augustine

For some this guide may be a simple refresher course, for others, it will provide some useful hints and tips, and for a few, it might just be a life-changer.

This guide is descriptive, not prescriptive – I realize it’s not for everyone. You can take or leave any of the advice you read here. This is just my story of how I live my life.

I divided the guide into chapters, and each section has a list of actionable steps to help you travel light.

I hope you enjoy it.

James Eagleman, 2022

Traveling Light

It’s when we travel lightest that we most become ourselves. Underneath all your possessions you find your true self.

Nobody likes carrying heavy bags, paying checking fees, and worrying about airlines losing luggage. It’s a drag…

But we are addicted to Stuff.

And the airlines know we’re hooked. Baggage checking fees are a tax on our attachment to possessions. They’re a penalty for lack of fore-planning and imagination. Airlines lure us in with cheap flights then hit us with “extras” at every opportunity.

It’s when we travel lightest that we most become ourselves. Underneath all your possessions you find your true self. – James Eagleman

But you won’t hear me complaining…​

As a species, we’re able to travel more easily now than ever before.

The early humans took the best part of 100,000 years to travel out of Africa and populate the globe. They journeyed across Asia to North America and finally down to the southern tip of South America. 4000 generations of mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons lived and died their way westwards. Our family took a long journey, right?

Today you can fly direct from South Africa to Brazil in less than 10 hours. And all the while watching Netflix and moaning about your lack of legroom.

From this perspective, modern travel is miraculous. It ought to be thrilling… do you want to risk spoiling your awesome adventure by packing too heavy?

If your answer is no, then you’re going to need to learn to pack and travel light my friend.

5 Steps To Becoming A Lightweight Traveler

1. awaken the adventurer within.

The process of becoming a light traveler starts long before you pack a bag. It starts within yourself, with approaching travel in a spirit of adventure.

I don’t care if you are going on a dull business trip for the 100th time. If you’re flying through the sky at 550 miles per hour, there is something magical happening. Never forget that.

Light travelers don’t pack for every eventuality because that’s impossible. And finding yourself far from home without “that thing you left behind” is part of the adventure.

Embrace “what’s the worst that could happen?” thinking. Lay down your fears and feel the freedom that follows. Trust me everything will be okay, even if you run out of clean underwear.

2. (Tomorrow May Rain So) Follow The Sun

Traveling light is a whole lot easier in warmer weather. The more pleasant the climate, the fewer clothes you will need to protect you from the climate.

If you can avoid going to cold and wet places you won’t need to pack bulky sweaters, jackets, and boots. If you do go to wintry climates, make sure you wear your heavy boots and jacket on the plane.

Before you think about packing research the climate of your destinations. Think about what you’ll do there and the altitude you’ll be at. I like using  timeanddate.com  to research climate and they have a fantastic  sunrise and sunset calculator .

3. Accept the Costs

There can be costs to traveling light. I don’t deny it, but there can be savings too.

The costs are worth it and it balances out. The things you buy can be more expensive but you own fewer things. And anyway like Tyler Durden said:

“The things you own end up owning you.” – Chuck Palahniuk

Carry less stuff and get your freedom back.

4. Think Like A Traveler Not A Tourist

Is there a difference? I think so.

Travelers think differently than tourists  and packing heavy is a rookie mistake.

Tourists with huge bags are easy to spot and vulnerable to scams and thieves. You can be a target right from the moment you land. Unscrupulous taxi drivers often take visitors on an expensive detour.

And of course, you need that taxi because your bags are too huge for public transport!

With large luggage, you are less nimble and less able to escape sketchy situations.

5. Trade Things For Experiences

Light travelers carry fewer things. But they have more experiences.

For example, when was the last time you walked from the airport to your hotel?

It’s only about 7 km from Malta International Airport to the center of Valletta. That’s about a 90-minute walk and it’s a pleasant journey especially as you get closer to Valletta center. Of course, if it’s too hot you’d be better to take a taxi but by traveling light your options open up.

In fact, many airports are less than 2 hours walk to the center.

I always check the map and the street view and consider walking from the airport to the center. I can do that because my bag isn’t heavy.

And speaking of bags…​

When you travel light  your carry-on bag is your best friend.

Checking bags slows you down, puts your valuables at risk, and costs you time and money.  Carry-on only is the way to go.  You’ll save money and keep your valuables safe. It’s a no-brainer.

“It seemed like there was definitely a relationship between how much stuff a person carried and the amount of fun that they were having. The more stuff, the less fun.” – Tom Bihn Bag Designer & Maker

You can check a detailed list of airline  carry-on size restrictions  here. To prepare yourself for international travel get a carry on bag no greater than:

21 inches (53.5 cm), width of 14 inches (35.5 cm) and depth of 8 inches (20.3 cm)

Bags of this size and under will permit carry-on travel on most airlines.

Keep an eye on weight restrictions too. But if you follow this guide you won’t ever need to worry about going above carry-on weight limits .

7 Steps To Carry On Enlightenment

1. remember the 1st law of minimalist travel.

The amount of crap you pack expands to fit the available space in your bag.

Or to put it another way. If you have a big bag… you will end up filling it with a lot of crap.

“The amount of crap you pack expands to fit the available space in your bag” – James Eagleman

Just because a bag has a certain capacity, it doesn’t mean that you need to fill that capacity.

2. See Through The Illusion

We overfill our bags because we are too attached to our things.

You don’t need so many things but you are under the illusion that you need them.

You don’t need them.

This post is all about seeing through the illusion and showing you the road to a lighter life.

To beat your overpacking habit you first have to recognize that you have a problem ))

3. Acknowledge The Possibility of Traveling With Carry-On Only

You can break free from overpacking.

Accept that while it might not be easy it is possible. Many people travel the world with all their possessions in only a single carry-on bag. How do they do it? If they can do it so can you. You just need to figure out how.

4. Follow the One Bag Path

The road to carry on enlightenment is through the cunning use of a smaller bag.

If you dive in and buy a smaller carry-on bag and you will just need to make it work.

“Ahh but what about all my stuff!!” I hear you cry.

Don’t worry. By the time you’ve read this guide will have mastered the art of traveling and packing light. Chapters 3-5 deal with packing, not-packing, and planning.

But before that, you must…

5. Choose The Right Bag

The weight of your bag is important!

Rolling luggage is great if you are doing it home-taxi-airplane-taxi-hotel style. Walking longer distances away from the smooth floors of airport lobbies is rarely fun.

The best travel backpacks  are lighter and more secure than rolling suitcases. Some ultralight travelers even go without a bag altogether.

If you choose a backpack don’t choose a top-loading backpack. Your travel bag or suitcase should open completely to allow access to everything.

Make sure you can easily identify your bag. Even though you are traveling carry-on it could be stolen or switched.  In-flight theft is a thing .

6. If the shoe doesn’t fit… wear it!

When you keep your bag small you will need to wear your heavy items.

Wear your big jacket when boarding. Wear anything heavy when boarding. In fact, if you are serious you could buy a travel jacket that has lots of pockets to carry items. Scottvesttravel jackets are ideal for this sort of thing. Remember. Wearing is not carrying.

7. The personal item

I tend to not use the personal item allowance because not all airlines have the same guidelines. I don’t need the extra allowance and who wants to carry two bags anyway?

Don’t rely on the personal item allowance to carry more stuff. You can get into trouble with airlines that have less generous allowances.

CHAPTER 3

The 80/20 Rule

You might be familiar with the Pareto Principle also known as the 80—20 rule. If not, it roughly goes like this — for many events roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

So for example… 80% of the profits come from 20% of the customers

Or… 80% of the crops come from 20% of the seeds sown.

There are hundreds of examples. The Pareto Principle is a rule of thumb it’s not supposed to be exact. I think the 80/20 rule applies to packing too — 20% of what you pack meets 80% of your needs.

As light travelers,  we try to only pack the 20%  of things to meet most of our needs. This means our haul can be up to 80% lighter. Wheyhey!

To meet the rest of our needs we improvise like Macgyver on a weekend in Paris.

Yes, you don’t have 7 pairs of underwear labeled Sunday through to Saturday…

But you did pack your travel soap and a universal sink plug.

How To Pack Only The 20%

​1. use a packing list.

The internet is full of packing list templates for many different types of adventures.

2. Assemble a Travel Clothes Wardrobe

In this section, I’m going to talk a lot about clothes, because clothes take up the most space. So this is where you can make the biggest improvements to your packing method.

It can take a long time to assemble a travel clothes wardrobe. But you don’t need to do it all at once. If you start to think about travel when doing your regular clothes shopping it can pay off over time.

Good travel clothes should be  quick drying . This allows you to wash it overnight and wear it again the next day. Doing some handwashing while traveling is one of the best ways to reduce your weight.

Try to  c hoose neutral colors  for your travel clothes. This way you can mix and match to create more outfits that work together.

Use layers.  It’s better to have more pieces of clothes for the same weight. For example, the t-shirt, shirt, and light sweater combo is better than a heavy sweater. It gives you more options.

Versatility.  Items of clothing that can perform double duties are a great idea. For example, shorts that also double as swimming shorts.

Trilogy theory.  3 shirts, 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear. 2 pairs of pants and 1 pair of shorts.

Bendy Bras.  Sources tell me that bras without underwires can be rolled up.

Downsize your underwear.  This tip might not be everyone but some people are big pants people and some people wear skimpy thongs. Skimpy things are the correct packing light choice if not always the correct fashion choice.

3. Invest In Wool

Wool.  Wool has been engineered by nature for keeping sheep clean and warm. It’s durable, has a great insulation to weight ratio, and doesn’t wrinkle or get stinky. Wool and Prince make some awesome travel shirts for guys made from superfine merino wool.

Woolen clothes are more expensive than cotton, but they save you money in the long run.

If you buy wool clothing, you don’t need a lot of clothes. You can carry your entire wardrobe on your back.

Wool clothes are expensive, but they never stink even after weeks of wear. You can just hand wash them when you feel like it. And they dry quickly. You can hand wash a shirt, put it right on immediately and it will be completely dry within about 15 minutes.

I’m not talking sweaters either. You can buy woolen shirts and suits that look like business attire but behave differently.

Superfine merino wool is not itchy. It’s more comfortable to wear than cotton. It has fantastic wicking properties. It keeps you cool when it’s hot and hot when it’s cool.

By all means. If you want to spend your life pulling a wardrobe behind you or running a laundrette, then go right ahead. I buy wool.

3. Choose Travel Shoes Wisely

More specifics about wool and travel clothes in Chapter 3

4. Travel Gear

Travel Computing.  Take a tablet rather than a laptop. I work while traveling and I found that the best travel laptop in my case was a Microsoft Surface Pro. It has the power of a laptop but the size and weight of a large tablet. Avoid the inferior keyword cover and use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Pack a Foldable Day Pack.  Unless you’ve gone ultra-light your travel bag will probably be too big to use once you are at your destination.  

Compact umbrella or waterproof poncho.  If I am in hot climates I find a heavy jacket unnecessary. I like to walk in the rain and an umbrella or waterproof poncho helps with this.

Sunglasses .  Need I say more? Sunnies are essential for trips to bright sunny places. But don’t worry you can wear them on your head and they don’t take up any of your carry-on allowance.

Travel coffee maker.  I’ve written elsewhere how  travelinglight.com runs on rich black coffee.  I make sure to find room in my backpack for a travel coffee maker.

Sleep mask.  A sleep mask can really help for sleeping on the plane, jetlag or sleeping in unfamiliar rooms. It’s an essential piece of kit for your travel and lightweight too!

Earplugs.  Like a sleep mask earplugs help for sleeping during travel and in strange places. Gram for gram one of the best items you can pack in your carry on.

Fir st aid kit .  This one depends on where you are traveling to and what you will be doing.  A first aid kit  can be a handy thing to pack if you are going to be doing a lot of hikng

A Lightweight Travel Adapter.  You want to be able to charge those gadgets. Typically a travel adapter is quite chunky but  this one  is nice and small and light.

Money belt or neck wallet. RFID blocking wallet. Passport wallet.

Keep your cash and cards in different places. Keep emergency cash.

5. Travel Laundry

Doing laundry on the road is an essential part of traveling light. If you are used to doing all your laundry with a washing machine it might seem like washing clothes on the road will be a hassle.

Yes it is annoying but so is lugging around a heavy bag packed full of clothes.

In reality, to hand wash a few items will only take a few minutes and the benefits are huge.

Pack a travel sink plug. This will help because not all hotels have sink plugs.

You could also pack some travel detergent like Dr. Beckmann Travel Wash though I often just wash my clothes with shampoo.

A clothesline can help to dry things and it doesn’t take up much room.

To dry clothes fast roll them up in a towel and stand on them. I often hand wash a polo shirt, roll it in a towel, stamp on it and put it straight on slightly damp.

After about 30 mins it will be fully dry just from your body heat.

Leave It Behind

11 steps to becoming a zen carry on master, 1. use a not-packing list.

Here are some things that you might have thought about taking but probably don’t need. Do yourself a favor and leave them at home.

2. Know Your Restricted Items

Bottles can’t be more than 100ml. All your 100ml bottles need to fit in a single sealable one liter plastic bag. Nothing sharp. No scissors.

3. The Post Landing Repack

Use airport lockers. In short stays I sometimes take an airport locker and dump things that I know I won’t need.If I’m not working I pack my computer and some clothes into an airport locker.

4. Don’t Pack “What If” Items

“What if” rarely happens and when it does you will deal with it.

5. Use Local Shops

There are few wildernesses left on the planet. Most places sell toothpaste and toilet roll.

6. Air dry your way to freedom

Use a tiny microfiber towel. Buy a large towel locally and leave it behind when you leave.

7. Burn Your Books

Books are heavy. Don’t carry books.

If you are a serious reader take a kindle or even better buy audiobook editions and listen to your books

I like to take walks to explore a new area while listening to audiobooks.

I sometimes use this cable to listen to an audiobook on my phone and music on my ipod shuffle at the same time.

Download the kindle app to your phone or laptop.

Take photographs of sections of guidebooks. Apps like evernote allow you to concert photos of books to searchable text.

8. Make Your Children Carry Your Stuff Like Tiny Slaves

Okay… maybe not YOUR STUFF but at least get them to carry some of their own stuff. If you are  traveling with kids get them to carry something . Don’t make your kids the luggage, teach them to help.

9. Screw The Duct Tape

Not for the kids mouths…If you’ve seen The Martian you’ll know that simple duct tape can save your ass if you get stuck on mars. Are you going to mars?

If yes then sure take it. But if you are staying on earth then you probably don’t need it.

Duct tape can be used to make quick repairs to shoes, clothes, make rope and If your shows are so f*cked they’re held together with ductape I’m sorry but it’s time to go buy some new shoes.

10. Forget the Frisbee

Some travel bloggers recommend packing a frisbee since it’s a great way to break the ice and meet new people. Frisbes also make a half-decent cutting board, plate or fan. And with the right technique you could use one to kill an assailant in a pinch.

Sorry Frisbee! You are great n’all but that still doesn’t earn you place in my carry on! It’s not you. It’s me! I travel light!

It’s not that I think frisbees are a bad idea. I like the idea of tossing a frisbee in the park as a way to break the ice. I just don’t think you need to pack one and lug it around with you. Just buy one locally or a bat and ball or whatever.

11. Anything where “there’s an app for that”

If “there’s an app for that” then it probably shouldn’t be in your carry-on bag. Not so long ago electronic devices were huge.

Now our magical smart phones can replaces so many devices.

Unless you are a serious photography leave the DSLR behind your phone takes awesome photos now.

Packing Smart

Now that you know what to take…

And you know what not to take…

It’s time to go deep.

Mankind has long pondered the big philosophical ideas. What is the meaning of life? Who am I? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is true happiness? How do I pack a suitcase?

“How do I pack a suitcase” remains one of the most discussed ideas online.

As if there wasn’t enough written about it here are my tips of putting your stuff into your bag.

7 Packing Origami Ideas To Organize Your Load Out Of Existence

1. compress your clothes..

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to clothes compression. My fear with compression is that it just allows you to fit more stuff that you don’t need in your bag. Anyway, here they come, use them wisely.

Roll your  clothes .  This is a classic travel tip smart granddads were doing this in the seventies.

Packing cubes.  The pro travelers favorite. Compression packing cubes can gain you an extra few inches worth of space.

Z ip lock bags.  The cheapos packing cube. 

Vacuum compression bags . These can suck all the air out that sweater and get reduce the size of it but it won’t do anything to help with your weight. In fact, the danger is you will simply pack more vacuum-packed sweaters that previously.

Rubber bands.  Yes just regular rubber bands. It might not be very sophisticated but rubber bands are a simple, lightweight method to compress items in your carry-on.

Stuff sacks . A sack that you stuff things into. Can be very helpful with dirty clothes.

Garment folders.  These can help with delicate items where you want to avoid creasing. They probably will have a flat iron where you are going though.

2. Use The Inside Of Your Shoes

You can put all sort of things inside your shoes not only feet!

Pack your underwear inside your shoes.

These travel adapters  fit snugly inside my walking shoes.

Roll your socks into little balls and squeeze them in there.

That half-eaten cheese sandwich from the airplane… that could fit inside your shoe!

The possibilities are endless! You get the idea ))​

3. Pack It On Your Person

You can fill your jacket pockets with items. You can put things in your pockets.

I mainly use this method for heavy items like hiking boots or jackets.​

4. Distribute Your Weight

If you have a rolling suitcase put the heavier things at the bottom. This will stop your case from being top-heavy and tipping over.

If you have a backpack put the heaviest items in the center closest to your back. This with put more of the weight onto your hips.

5. Pack It In The Post

Travel caching.  Before putting your things into your bag. Fold them nice and neat and put them into a cardboard box. Write the name of the hotel you are staying at on the cardboard box. Take the cardboard box to your local post office and ask them to send the box to the hotel you are staying at.

Note. Contact your hotel to check they will accept the package. I have found airbnb hosts can sometimes also accommodate.

Be sure to keep your most valuable valuables in your possession. Don’t mail that Rolex to the Airbnb guy.

Memories Are Your Best Souvenirs

Is it possible to pack too light?

For physical possessions, I suggest making do with as few things as you can comfortably manage without. It’s not that complicated really. If you use it…. you need it. If you don’t use it… you don’t need it.

But I believe there are some things that are always worth carrying.

The things in this chapter are very lightweight but perhaps the most important.

Carry as much of them as you can manage!​

5 Things That Are Worth Carrying

1. memories.

Why do we travel? Just to get from A to B?

From your first baby steps to your last steps — life is made up of all the little moments.

All life is a journey of some type. Even if you are just on a boring business trip or some other travel that you can’t be bothered with. The dullest trip is always part of a bigger journey. The journey from your first day at school to graduation. The trip from first date to marriage. From new start to becoming the boss.

From your first baby steps to your  last  steps — life is made up of all the little moments.

Even on the most mundane trip, there is the possibility that a special moment in your life will happen.

Be ready for it. You will want to pick up that moment and carry it with you forever.

Pack it in your heart and take it with you.

2. Peace of Mind

Did you know that the animals with the most predators sleep the least?

They’ve got the most to worry about right?

Our waking minds exist to worry and help us avoid danger.

Consciousness itself is a kind of threat detection system, to help us avoid predators and stay safe.

And when we travel to unusual places we feel more fear than usual. Anxiety can grow and spoil our experience of travel.

It doesn’t help that the news makes the world seem like such a dangerous place with terrorists waiting around every corner.​

But here’s the thing… most of the things we worry about NEVER HAPPEN!

Take this nugget of wisdom. Pack it carefully somewhere where you won’t forget it. And carry it with you always.

3. A Friendly Smile

A smile is our species way of telling people that we don’t want any trouble and we are no threat.

If you don’t smile. People can be intimidated and scared of you. It’s just human nature.

It can really ruin a good trip if people are threatened and wary of you. They become defensive and closed.

People say that Queen Elizebeth thinks the whole world smells like fresh paint… because everywhere she goes has been freshly painted.

If you walk around with a scowl, you’ll find a world full of surly defensive people. The world has been painted black because King Grumpypants is coming.

Pack your smile with you. For the best travel adventures wear it every day to show the world that you come in peace. And wherever you go the people there will smile back at you!

4. Small Talk

I’m an introvert and social situations can be stressful and tiring for me.

It’s easy for me to shrink into my shell and spend too much alone time because this is where I am most comfortable.

This might seem like a strange choice to mention for people whose small talk comes naturally and easily.

For me, it’s hard work. Small talk is something I need to carry with me and remember to use.

Why is it necessary?

Because travel can be isolating. You can be away from friends and family and normal social contact.

And social contact is essential to human health and happiness.

All introverts need to remember to pack their small talk so they can make social connections while traveling.​

Because social connections lead to…​

5. Friendships

Travel is a great way to invite interesting experiences into your life.

And shared experiences bring people together and can end up in life-long friendships.

As I get older I find I make more acquaintances and fewer friends.

If you do meet a friend on the road make sure you take that friendship with you. Pack it on in your bag and don’t forget it.

Real solid friendships are a rare thing.

Thanks for reading our guide to traveling light and packing light. I hope this book has given you some ideas and helped you with your travel plans!

Now it would make me most happy if you  take the core message with you and leave the rest of this post behind!

Bon voyage!

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15 Best tips to packing light: How to travel light

Wondering how to travel light? Check out these practical tips to packing light that will save time, money, and from chaotic experiences while traveling.

When I had just started traveling, I had a different definition of packing light. For my trip to Egypt that was going to last for 10 days, I packed items that a light packer could use for like 2 months.

The more I traveled, the more I learned how to pack light. I’ll admit I still pack a few things that I consider essential but others might not need but I’ve generally improved my packing techniques that I can now call myself a light packer.

Yeah, my friends can testify to that, because when we travel together for a couple of days, they are always suffering with their huge backpacks as I am just rolling with a small travel daypack (you can actually shop my favorite daypack from here ) and they wonder how I have everything I need.

But before we look at the tips to packing light, let’s look at some of the endless advantages of packing light for travel.

Advantages of packing light for travel

Other than just carrying a lightweight travel backpack, packing light comes with a lot of benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked.

• It is easy to use public transportation when you travel light. Instead of hiring a private taxi to accommodate your 5 suitcases, if you have just one suitcase or backpack, you can easily sit with it while using public transportation.
• There are minimal to zero chances of paying for extra baggage when you pack light. Actually, you’re less likely to exceed the required kgs of the airline if you pack light hence saving some money.
•  Fewer chances of losing your stuff. When you travel with so many things, you’re likely to forget somethings to wherever you travel to. But if you packed light, it would be easy to remember everything you packed in the first place so the chances of losing some of your stuff are less likely.
•  If you’re traveling by plane, packing light will help you spend less time at the airport during check-in. I mean whoever wants to spend unnecessary time at the airport check-in point because you carried so many things including some that you don’t need. Yes, you don’t need a lot of stuff, you just haven’t realized it yet.
•  Not giving a huge tip out of guilt to someone who helped you carry an overly heavy bag.

I could spend the entire day telling you why you should start packing and traveling light but since you came to this post to find out how to actually pack light, let’s get to it.

Related post: Best airport tips and tricks to make your travels easier

Tips to packing light

1. Use a lightweight travel backpack

The number one tip to packing light is to actually use a light travel backpack. There will be no point in packing light if the backpack you’re using is heavy itself.

The lightweight travel back I recommend is the Osprey backpack. You can buy it from here if you don’t have it yet

2. Use one sizeable backpack/ suitcase instead of many

Using one sizeable backpack for travel will help you pack light instead of using many small bags.

And by all means, if you get a big backpack, no question about that, you will fill it up. But since the ultimate goal is to pack light, get one sizeable backpack that will just fit all that you need.

This is commonly known as one bag travel and it is great when it comes to traveling light.

3. Pack only the necessities not what you might need.

Instead of packing all the unnecessary stuff, make some research about what you’ll need in that particular place.

There is so much information on the internet, so many packing lists for almost every country and city. Read them so that you know exactly what to pack.

If you’re planning to travel to Africa, here is a list of everything you’ll need before you go for your African safari or this Egypt packing list if you’re going to Egypt.

But if you’re just packing for a hostel stay, this packing list for a hostel , has everything you need to pack and what you should leave home before you go.

And if you’re traveling for 2 weeks, here is another post on how to pack for 2 weeks in just a carry-on.

But if you’re just going away for a weekend trip, here is the best packing list for a weekend getaway to help you pack only the essentials.

Related post:  Camping tips and hacks for beginners 

4. Use packing cubes.

This is by far one of the best smart packing tips and also the most efficient way to pack light for a trip. 

Using packing cubes will not only keep your backpack organized but will also help you dictate how and what to pack.

If you get yourself these packing cubes; they come in 4 pieces, which means everything you pack should be able to fit in the 4 packing cubes.

The best packing technique here would be to allocate each category of items to a specific packing cube.

For example, one for t-shirts/tops, one for bottoms and underwear and others like that.

Don’t forget to shop those amazing packing cubes from here . Alternatively, you can buy this set of 8 packing cubes.

5. Take advantage of the travel scales

There is no way you will know that you’ve packed light unless you actually know how much your luggage weighs.

So instead of waiting to reach the airport and find out how many kgs your luggage weighs (in which case it might be too late and you’ll need to pay for extra baggage), why not use a travel scale to find out.

You don’t have to buy the most expensive travel scale on the market, buy this relatively cheap travel scale and it will just do fine.

The other technique while packing for a trip would be to dictate the maximum weight your luggage should be.

As soon as the maximum weight is reached, that should be the end of your packing.

Or try to remove the unnecessary items you might have packed first to create room for the much-needed stuff.

This will help you pack light and eventually travel light on your highly anticipated trip.

Related post: Best tips for traveling on a budget

6. Don’t pack bulky items if there is a compressible substitute

We all know there are some essential travel items that can turn out to be bulky, so instead of opting for the bulky ones, why not go for the compressible options.

The best example here is an empty bottle- it is a travel essential item that you should carry but instead of packing this bulky water botter , why not buy this collapsible one that will save you plenty of space in your travel bag.

However, as you pack light, it doesn’t mean leaving behind the essential travel essentials. So here are some of the travel essentials you should pack.

Travel Essentials you should never leave home. –  A universal travel adapter : Since different countries use different adapters, I’d advise you to buy one universal travel adapter to cater for all regions. You can  buy one from here  if you don’t have it yet. –  A power Bank : One of the things you should never leave behind while traveling is the Powerbank! Phones have now become a great deal of our lives that we need to use them for so many important things. So take a power bank with you so that you don’t run out of battery.  This power bank   is small, light, and has the capability to charge your phone and other devices multiple times. – Microfibre travel towel – I always opt for  this microfibre travel towel  because it is super lightweight, easy to wash, and dries easily. –  First Aid kit : Regardless of where you’re traveling to, you’ll need to pack a First Aid kit for emergencies that might arise while traveling. Remember it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Just make sure that the one you pack has all the essentials and that it is small and light enough to fit in any kind of suitcase/ backpack.  This first aid kit   actually fits all the qualities mentioned above plus it is really cheap for what it offers. –  Collapsible water bottle : I always prefer carrying a water bottle while traveling so that I can just refill it when I run out of water. It also helps be a responsible traveler since you won’t have to use tones of disposable plastic bottles which are not great for our environment. Any water bottle can work but I prefer  this collapsible one  as it doesn’t take a lot of space in my bag.

7. Do not pack a hundred books to read while you travel.

If you’re all about reading while you travel, buying an E-reader will save tonnes of space in your backpack.

Books are heavy and take up a great deal of space yet you can still have your favorite books on an e-reader like an Amazon Kindle.

Save all that space and travel light by shopping an  Amazon Kindle from here .

8. Pack fewer shoes! 3 types of shoes should be enough.

Shoes are items that take up most of the space in a backpack and on top of that, they are heavy making the entire backpack heavier than it should be.

On my very first trip, I packed over 5 pairs of shoes (Yes I was a terrible packer and I still wonder why I carried all those shoes that I ended up not even wearing).

Now that I know better, I carry only 3 pairs and they are always enough and much needed.

I pack my favorite Nike sneakers for general traveling and trekking (they are also the ones I wear while flying so that they don’t take up any space in my backpack).

I pack these flip flops for just an evening when I am tired of the sneakers and want my feet to get some air.

Finally, I also pack showering slippers, I only pack them when I know that I will be sleeping at a hostel because I know they don’t provide any.

But if I am to stay at a hotel, I don’t bother packing them because in most cases, the hotels provide slippers and even if they don’t, I will most likely have a private shower so that shouldn’t be a problem.

But if you don’t have sandals, I recommend buying yourself a pair of from here .

Related post: Tips for staying in a hostel for the first time

9. Don’t pack your most heavy clothes, wear them instead

This is one of the most underlooked packing tips for traveling light that you should take into consideration.

Rather than packing the fancy heavy jacket that you insisted on taking, why not wear it on your flight.

To be honest, you might sweat a bit while at the airport, but as soon as you reach the plane, you won’t even realize it since the temperatures are much cooler inside.

This will leave you plenty of space in your travel bag for other essential items.

Related post:  Step by step guide to planning a trip

10. Pack clothes that can be recycled.

Yes, there is something called “recycling clothes” if you haven’t heard about it.

Instead of packing white jeans that you wear once and they get dirty immediately, why not carry these outdoor convertible pants , that you can wear even up to 3 times in a row and will still look ok (they can as well be converted into shorts btw).

If you’re a cleanliness junkie, you can still carry these exact pants but give them a space of 1 to 2 days without wearing them.

This means 2 or 3 of those pants will be enough for you, leaving you plenty of space in your suitcase/backpack. Shop the outdoor research pants on Amazon from here. 

11. Carry a microfibre travel towel instead of the normal cotton towel.

Microfibre travel towels are lightweight and weigh 10 times less than the ordinary cotton towels.

They not only dry fast when washed but are also lightweight – this will save you a great deal of space in your bag hence traveling light. This is the microfibre travel towel I recommend to pack instead of the “ordinary ones”

12. Pack light clothes that can easily be washed from anywhere.

While traveling, you’re likely to run out of clean clothes. So instead of carrying so many clothes because you don’t want to do laundry, why not carry clothes that can easily be washed and dry easily.

If you stay at hostels or travel in African countries, you’re likely to get laundry services at a really low price but if you choose to stay in a pricey hotel where laundry services literally cost an arm, you’re most likely better off doing your own laundry and that’s when packing easy to wash clothes can be to your advantage.

Related post:  Road trips games for adults

13. Cut down on the toiletries.

I agree toiletries are some of the essential things to pack while traveling but this doesn’t mean that you need all of them.

This is most common in women – we tend to overpack toiletries. So to make sure you just carry only the essential toiletries, why not buy a toiletries kit from here with everything you’ll need while traveling or get this sizeable TSA approved toilet bag to keep in your toiletries.

14. Cut down on the beauty cosmetics and accessories.

Who doesn’t want to take Instagram perfect photos with accessories to amplify the look while traveling?

With that, you might just end up taking your full makeup kit, the entire jewelry box, your mega nail polish box just to glam up while you travel.

But the amount of space they take up in your travel bag can be filled up with items you’ll actually need. So instead, pack a few cosmetics and accessories from each category.

15. Prepare your mind to be comfortable with less

If you’re used to having access to literally everything you need at a snap of your fingers, packing light starts with preparing your mind to be comfortable even when you don’t have everything you’re used too back at home.

If you learn that you won’t need all the designer bags and shoes you own to have an amazing trip, you’ll not pack them and this will eventually result in packing light.

If you use all these travel packing tips and tricks, you will be able to travel light for your upcoming trip.

More travel tips to help you plan your trip

• Things to do at the airport on a long layover
• Useful travel tips for first-time flyers
• Must-know tips for first-time flyers
• How to survive a long flight in economy
• Things to do before traveling abroad
• Things not to do when you travel
• Best backpacking tips for beginners
• Best hiking tips for beginners

* The adventurous feet is a proud member of the  Amazon Associate AND other affiliate programs. This means that if you purchase anything through this website, i might get a small commission without any additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting The adventurous feet*

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How to Pack Right and Pack Light for Simple Travel

The Number One Rule When it Comes to Travel

Overpacking is the easiest way to stop yourself from enjoying your trip. With an overstuffed backpack that keeps you from barely stand upright, you'll be dragging yourself from hostel to hostel and wishing you were anywhere but traveling. 

The key to making your travels as easy as possible, then, is to pack light! Here's how to do it. 

How to Pack Less

Your first step it to lay out every single item you think you need to take on your trip. Next, put half of it away. Force yourself to be ruthless! Try this test: put small items in the pockets of clothes you're wearing — would you still want that stuff if you had to carry it on your body?

Another helpful way to cut down on what you're bringing with you is to do a trial pack. Fill your backpack with everything you want to take with you and go for a walk with it on. You may come home and immediately find it far easier to cut down on what you want to carry. 

Remember, you'll be able to buy practically everything you want to take with you while you're out there, so if you miss anything too much, you should be able to replace it while you're traveling without much hassle. 

Packing Space Tips

There are plenty of ways to keep your backpack free that don't involve throwing out most of the things you want to put in it. Something as simple as stuffing your shoes with your socks and underwear can free up a surprising amount of room in your backpack! 

Roll Your Clothes

• Roll clothing you don't want to wrinkle in your bag. Use packing cubes or vacuum-sealed space-saving bags to keep your bag organized and save on space.

​Keep Toiletries Tiny

• Buy sample size toothpaste tubes and deodorant  to save on space and weight.
• Stash small hotel soaps for travel use, and then carry them in a small plastic bag to stop them from getting all over your clothes.
• Pick up a solid shampoo and conditioner bar from LUSH — they last for months and take up so little space in your backpack!

Pack the Right Bag

To truly travel light, ensure you have the perfect bag or backpack with tons of compartments so you can get your camera, clothes, guidebooks, and all necessities in one bag, preferably carry-on size so you needn't wait at airports for a checked bag — it's easier to sling on buses and trains, too. If you need a bigger backpack for a long trip, either use your backpack's zip off day pack as a carry on, if it has one, or buy a daypack, both for the plane and for walking the streets at your destination. 

Bags sized for carry-on will also fit in most hostel lockers , so you'll be able to lock up all of your valuables when you head out exploring, rather than just the more expensive items.

Tip: Current carry on bag size: keep it at or under 22x9x15, or check your airline's regulations before you book your ticket if you're concerned. Sizes do vary from airline to airline.

Leave a Little Room

Lastly, leave some space in your bag for souvenirs . When it comes to clothing, you can just wear it on the flight home if you can't fit it in your backpack!

If you'd rather something else to remember your travel destination by, make sure you have a little space in your backpack, so that you won't have to regret having to leave it behind.

Edited and updated by Lauren Juliff

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Solo Traveler

Solo travel tips, destinations, stories... the source for those who travel alone.

Carry-On Packing List: This Is How to Pack Light

June 11, 2024 by Janice Waugh

Packing light, getting everything needed into a carry-on bag, takes a bit of skill and a trim packing list. But, when you've done it successfully once, it becomes easy.

I believe that it is important to pack light, especially as a solo traveler. It puts you in control. You will:

• be more mobile. Walking a few blocks or carrying your bag up a few stairs is not a problem with a carry-on.
• face fewer lineups at airports . Arrival and departure are easier and faster with a carry-on.
• save money . A carry-on makes taking buses and trains rather than taxis possible.
• evade the attention of thieves . Someone who has a large suitcase or multiple bags likely has more stuff to steal than you.
• avoid losing luggage in transit . With you in control of your bag at all times, the hassle of lost luggage doesn't exist.
• save on extra fees . This is especially true on budget flights that often save the hold for commercial revenue.

For the last 15 years, I've only owned carry-on sized luggage. I have a roller bag and a backpack. That's it. They both work for trips of a week or a month. It doesn't matter. All my travel essentials are there.

As an example, a couple of years ago, I went to Los Angeles for four days (it was hot), then to London for four days (it was cool and damp), on to Wales for a lot of walking, then north to Liverpool and Edinburgh. I traveled for 19 days in total and for the first eight I was at conferences. Needless to say, the weather and activities between LA and Edinburgh were very different, but I had everything I needed in one carry-on and a day pack.

Below is my packing list. It is tried and true, developed from 15 years of writing about solo travel. I turn to it every time I'm going on a trip. Whether it's a weekend getaway or a month-long tour, this post is my resource every time.

Use this packing list and you'll be hooked on an easier way to travel.

Table of Contents

The 3 Rules of Packing Light

Below are the three packing rules to live by if you want to travel light. This approach allows you to have all the travel essentials and a bit of fashion too.

• Everything must be pack-worthy. Pack-worthy means multi-purpose. Everything must go with many things. Nothing can have a one-time, one-purpose use.
• Your feet are of prime importance . Shoes make the outfit but they can also break a trip. Take shoes that have proven to be comfortable.
• One color palette only. To have clothes for a range of activities that work together, choose one color palette. Working with a base color like black, navy, or brown, along with a contrasting color such as gray or beige, plus an accent color makes sure that everything you're carrying works together.

One-bag packing tips:

• Follow carry-on rules according to your airline. Be really careful about the weight. Just because you can fit it into a carry-on suitcase does not mean they will let you on the plane with it.
• Watch the restrictions on the size of bottle liquids and other items you are allowed to carry on board.
• Pack the bulky items rather than wear them so that you know you'll have space in your bag when traveling around. However, if the bulky item is also heavy, wear it to beat the weight limit.
• Be considerate of other passengers and don't hog the overhead space.
• People rave about either rolling or folding. I don't think it actually makes that much difference. Do what works for you.

Clothing List for Women Wanting to Pack Light

Here is your carry-on packing list .

• Take a pair of light flip-flops if you're staying in a hostel. Best to wear them around and in the shower.
• For hiking, I'm now more inclined to take hiking shoes rather than boots. These are my Merrell Hiking Shoes . If space is a problem, wear them on the plane and tie them onto your carry-on or backpack at your destination.
• Pants . 3 pairs total or two pairs and one dress or skirt (wear your most comfortable on the plane).
• Tops . 4 tops, including 1 light sweater, and 1 camisole that works as an under layer for hiking and under a jacket for a dressier look.
• Cardigan or light jacket . Something that you can dress up or down depending on jeans/pants and accessories.
• Accessories . Belt, inexpensive jewelry, one scarf to dress up casual clothes.
• Jacket . I have my second Marmot Women’s Precip Jacket . It took me over 12 years to wear out my first one.
• Basics . Umbrella, scarf, gloves, rain pants , hat, vest, pair of sunglasses (depending on the weather of your destinations, you may not need all of these).
• Bathing suit . (Depending on your trip.)
• Fundamentals . Pajamas, 5 pairs of underwear that are breathable and quick-drying, 2 bras, 3 pairs of socks (fresh socks every day if hiking).

It sounds like a lot, but it’s not. Rinse clothes out when necessary. When you return, take note of what you didn’t use and don’t pack it next time.

Travel Essentials Packing List

• Hotel confirmations
• Flight information
• Passport and visas as necessary
• Travel insurance . I'm proof that travel insurance is essential. Read A Complete Guide to Travel Insurance for Solo Travelers .
• Cash . It's always good to have some cash with you. The US dollar is the most commonly accepted currency worldwide.
• No foreign transaction fee credit card. If you're outside your home country this will save you 2-4% on everything you put on your card compared to the typical credit card. When I travel outside Canada I prefer to use a card with no foreign transaction fees. The only no fee, no foreign transaction fee, Canadian credit card I know of is the Home Trust Visa card . In the US, Chase is known for their no foreign transaction fee cards, but check with your own financial institution.
• Backup card with no annual fee.  I have a basic free Visa card that is a backup to my backup. And yes, I have had to use it.
• Roadside assistance. If you have AAA or CAA, you'll be fine in North America. If you don’t, it may be worth considering or, if you're renting a car, you could purchase from the rental agency. However, watch the price. It could be more than an annual price from AAA and CAA.
• VPN . I have a VPN on my phone, tablet, and computer so I can safely use public Wi-Fi. I would never travel without it. For more details, read Best VPN for Travel: What, Why, How & New Recommendations .
• Universal travel adapter with USB ports
• E-reader, Kindle, iPad (whatever you use)
• Journal and pen
• Phone and charger
• Camera and charger (To be honest, I've cut this from my personal list. Phone camera images are so good now that I hardly ever pull out my DSLR.)
• Computer and ac adapter, if you're so inclined
• Prescription medication, vitamins, supplements, water bottle (whether you check luggage or not, these need to be on your carry-on packing list.)
• Small first aid kit
• Your bathroom essentials: conditioner, hair product, face cream, makeup, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, brush, razor, shave soap
• Hand sanitizer
• A few feet of duct tape
• A couple of resealable plastic bags

Carry-On Packing List for Men

A men's packing list is not a lot different from a women's except that it's easier. There is not as much nuance in a man's wardrobe. Throw a blazer onto a guy wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and he looks great. So, here's the men's packing list – all the travel essentials to cover just about any trip.

• Shoes . 2 pairs total. One pair street shoes (or sandals) and one pair of dressier shoes. If you need hiking boots, wear them on the plane and only bring shoes that have proven to be comfortable.
• Pants/shorts . 3 pairs total. You know your style but one pair of pants should be long and not denim.
• T-shirts . 4 (make sure at least one of them is white to wear under a dress shirt). If you're going someplace tropical or humid, make sure that they are very light and pack more of them.
• Collared shirt . 1 golf shirt or other casual shirt with a collar.
• Dress shirt . 1 for dressier occasions.
• Blazer . This is optional, of course, but really useful. Choose a light fabric.
• Belt and tie . (If you're into that look.)
• Basics . Umbrella, scarf, gloves, rain pants, hat, vest, pair of sunglasses (again, depending on the weather of your destinations, you may not need all of these).
• Bathing suit . (If needed.)
• Fundamentals . Pajamas, 5 pairs of underwear, 4 pairs of socks.

Rinse clothes out when necessary. When you return, take note of what you didn’t use and don’t pack it next time.

Travel Product Reviews

Luggage Trackers – Review by King

A luggage tracker has become a travel essential. AirTags  are the most widely known tracker that people use for their luggage, but they only work with iPhones. Android users have many alternatives, and in this article, I will review the  Tile Mate  which is compatible with both Android and iPhone.

No doubt you have heard about the chaos at the airports and the horror stories of lost luggage. Many travelers have turned to technology to help take some of the anxiety out of checking luggage. While I recommend only using carry-on, those who cannot avoid checking bags can use a tile luggage tracker and other electronic tracking devices.

King's review is detailed, explains how luggage trackers work, and includes his and Tracey's personal experiences using them while traveling solo. Read the full luggage trackers review here.

Messenger-style Bag from Travelon – Review by Tracey

I don't like to buy many products that are only for travel. I prefer to invest in things that I can use all the time that are also useful when I'm on the road. When looking for a new bag I settled on a messenger-style bag from Travelon , for a number of reasons, including the fact that I can (and now do) use it as much at home as away. It is an essential part of my carry-on packing list strategy.

Travelon bags have a 5-Point Anti-Theft Security System which includes:

• Lockdown Straps which help prevent grab-and-go thieves from dashing off with your bag. You can secure your bag to a stationary object or chair when seated.
• Locking Compartments help prevent pickpockets from getting into your bag. Locking zippered pulls secure your bag contents. (These are really cool.)
• Slash-resistant Body helps prevent slash-and-grab theft in busy areas with a slash-resistant mesh barrier in all 4 sides and bag bottom panel.
• Slash-resistant Straps help prevent slash-and-run theft with a stainless steel wire inside the strap.
• RFID Blocking Pockets help prevent against electronic identity theft with RFID blocking card slots and passport pockets.

I don't know how valuable the RFID technology actually is, but the pocket and slots for cards was a bit of a game-changer for me. Transferring my cards and passport to slots inside this bag, which I wore across my body meant that my hands were always free and there was no chance of me leaving my wallet behind.

The water-resistant material kept everything inside dry as I wandered around Ireland in off-and-on rain and drizzle. The messenger bag is very compact, which was really good for me and meant that I never became loaded down with extra stuff that I “might” need.

I found the quality of the materials and the utility of the organizational components to be excellent. I would not hesitate to recommend Travelon products. They offer many different styles of bags for everyone, in addition to things like packing cubes , backpacks , and a tech organizer ( I just ordered this one in lime green so it will be easy to find in the sea of black that is my suitcase).

Noise Canceling Earbuds for Travel – Review by King

If you don't have them already, you have probably considered noise canceling headphones or earbuds at some point. You may be wondering if they are worth the extra money. This is understandable as they can be double the price of regular ones, but I’m here to tell you they are worth every penny. For me, they are now a travel essential. These devices do an amazing job of completely eliminating engine noise and can reduce the sound of crying babies to barely a whisper.

After much thought and research, I chose a pair of the Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Earbuds. There's a newer model now–without the pesky cords to deal with–called Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II . These wireless, bluetooth earbuds intelligently personalize the noise cancellation and sound performance to your ears and are going on my Christmas list.

Sony also gets high praise in the marketplace for their noise cancelation headphones, and Apple’s Airpod Pro (not the entry-level model) gets the job done well if you’d like something more stylish and are willing to pay a premium for that style.

One additional benefit, if you turn on the noise cancelation feature without any music, you’ll create your own cone of silence that will muffle the voices of annoying co-workers or that person seated next to you on the plane who can’t quite understand that you don’t want to hear about how much they made on cryptocurrencies.

Sharing is caring!

Publisher Janice: info @ solotravelerworld.com

Editor Tracey: tracey @ solotravelerworld.com

Sales Simon: simon @ solotravelerworld.com

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How to Travel Light & Not Look Like a Slob: The Lazy Girl’s Guide

Last Updated: July 11, 2022

*FYI - this post may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase from them. Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Check out our Privacy Policy and Disclosure. for more info.

Wondering how to travel light?

First I have to warn you: whether you’re a backpacker or carry-on traveler, one of the downsides to traveling light is that your wardrobe is, by definition, woefully limited.

Now, don’t get me wrong – there are many things worse in this world than having only 2 bikinis on your Hawaiian beach vacation, but it seems like nowadays people are divided in two camps: the minimalist light packers who favour function, and the glam #OOTD traveler types who are inexplicably always wearing gorgeous flowing dresses.

… but my question is: what if I’m neither?! What if I’m both?! And also inhumanely lazy?!? (mostly that)

I’m by no means a stylish fashionista (I literally own 15 different grey cardigans and don’t know why), but looking presentable while travelling is still important for me.

From my experience, people are generally nicer and more willing to help you, plus on a very vain level, twirling in floral dresses is just really fun.

Genuinely, I don’t have the self-confidence to rock the stereotypical ‘backpacker’ look.

While other girls might look badass, carefree and cool in their loose tops and topknots, my attempts at this aesthetic veer more towards ‘deranged hobo’… which is a look that cannot be saved by any accessory.

… so for my fellow deranged hobos, this article is for you. The in-betweeners… who want to pack light, look decent, but not worry about looking glam at every second.

In this post, I detail how to travel light and feign that you’re put together wherever you go! Don’t worry fellow lazy girl, I gotchu.

Of course, these packing light tips are much more relevant to certain destinations than others. Most of my travels have been around Europe, where style might be more of a concern, but of course, if you’re reading this blog, I know you’re brilliant and amazing anyway… so use your common sense as to which tips make sense to where you’re headed.

How to Travel Light (and Not Look Like a Slob): Golden Packing Light Tips

1. pack a few knockout accessories – especially bold pieces like statement necklaces.

Honestly, beautiful accessories are the closest thing we have to magical ‘instant glam’ fairy dust.  People often question why “I look so dressed up” when legitimately all I’ve done is put on a sparkly necklace.

It’s a sneaky (and wonderfully lazy) way to look good, so I always try to have 2-3 nice pieces along with me, especially since they weigh close to nothing. (And cost next to nothing too… look at ALL these ridiculously pretty ones for less than $20).

Where can you find said magic dust? Well, if you’re looking for inspiration, Happiness Boutique has a wide selection of gorgeous pieces, including the sparkly gem I’m wearing in the photo above.

For other travel-inspired options, ModCloth has a bunch of beautiful necklaces I’m obsessed with at the moment!  Browse (and lose all self control) here.

2. Bring only what you wouldn’t mind being photographed in

Those wondering how to travel light should remember this: we’re living in the 21st century so odds are, at some point during your travels, you’ll be wanting photos taken.

My tip to you is to never ever bring anything that you wouldn’t want to see in photos, no matter how comfortable.

Many people tend to have a “lazy outfit” (probably giant sweatpants and hoodies, though I’m partial to this kangaroo onesie , myself). The problem with these is that they only serve one purpose: when you want to vegetate and become a human burrito.

When items only work for one certain occasion or purpose, then you’re not maximizing the space in your bag. So, even with things like sleepwear, think of items that are both comfy and decently put together (e.g. yoga pants instead of fuzzy panda bear fleece). This way you can potentially use them in other situations.

PRO TIP: Look into buying one of those dresses you can wear multiple ways. They’re so easy to find (and really cheap too! Here’s a cute one for under $20). They’re perfect for the day to night transition (and for pretending you’re not recycling the same 4 outfits over and over. lulz)

3. BUT don’t forget to prioritize comfort

This means those platform heels should probably stay at home, along with that skin tight clubbing dress.

Again, make sure the pieces you pack are multifunctional.

For instance, a nice top paired with dark jeans can be used for going out in the evening, and also for sightseeing during the day (with a pair of casual shorts).

One test I use is to think: “Would I mind sitting on a 12 hour bus with this on?”

If the answer is no, then I won’t pack it. There’s a wide variety of pretty clothes that are comfortable, so opt for those and never pack something that is *ultra cute* but uncomfortable to wear. I guarantee you won’t bother putting it on.

RECOMMENDATION: I seriously swear by my dress sandals from Clarks.  They’re the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned and one summer, I literally wore them everywhere, to the point where I got THE worst tan lines in history. Here’s a similar pair to what I have.

4. Make sure all your tops match all your bottoms

One of my favourite packing light tips.

Making sure all your tops match all your bottoms is an easy but simple trick to maximize the different outfits in your bag!

This will usually mean picking some kind of colour palette for your wardrobe, but since I have a weirdo obsession with colour palettes anyway, that’s more of a reward for me than anything else!

There are also some companies out there who now specialize in convertible travel wear that you can wear in a bunch of different ways. VacayStyle for instance has awesome collections, with pre-matched pieces that combine into over a dozen outfits . Perfect for the hopeless and uncoordinated! (aka me)

5. Pay attention to the fabrics! Pick items that don’t easily wrinkle

When I’m at hone, my favourite thing in the world is my clothing steamer, which works like magic and instantly smooths wrinkles.

Unfortunately, bringing this mammouth gizmo with me isn’t an option on the road, and as a result I’m often stuck with wrinkly clothes (which I vainly try to fix with my hair straightener).

Save yourself the grief – you want clothes that you can grab right out of the suitcase and throw back in just as easily. While irons may be available at hotels and hostels, ain’t nobody got time for that.

What fabrics are ideal? Well some travellers swear by Merino Wool ( scope out products here ) but there’s plenty of good options out there.

Of course, you know your wardrobe best (i.e. what holds up to wrinkles, what dries quickest) but for a good guide, check out this post on Best Fabrics for Travel from Her Packing List.

6. Pack a pretty scarf or two

A nice scarf is probably one of the most versatile things that you can pack.

I use mine for so many purposes (as a blanket, to wrap around fragile goods, as a makeshift pillow on buses, etc.) that I sometimes forget you’re actually supposed to wear it.

A colourful scarf can jazz up your basics immediately and is a sneaky way to make it look like you have several outfits! It’s also perfect for emergency situations where modesty is a must (e.g. visiting certain churches).

PRO TIP: Consider getting one of those secret passport scarves that let you hide your valuables like a ninja. Yes, these exist. Loads of options online for less than $20 ( see them here ).

7. Quality > quantity, pack only pieces you love (rather than more just for the sake of variety)

If you wanna know how to travel light, you should keep quality > quantity in mind, and never pack anything for the sole purpose of “just in case”. If that 1 in 1000 case pops up, there’s stores abroad where you can probably get the item you need.

8. Bring plenty of layerables

A good question is how to travel light even when it gets cold.

The answer is layers!

Even during the summer, odds are there will be some random anomaly of a day where low temps will make you feel like a human popsicle.

Bringing clothes that layer well together is crucial.

Don’t be that girl who had to wear a fancy trench coat over a casual denim jacket over an oversized sleeping T-shirt (aka me once because I’m useless).

9. Avoid lights and whites

For long-term travel, I’d stick to darker tones.

A lot of bloggers advise that you bring a plain white t-shirt because “it’s so versatile” and “effortlessly cute”.

I don’t know what kind of stainless universe these bloggers come from, but if you ask me to pack a white t-shirt, that thing will probably have chocolate on it before it even hits the suitcase (shout out to Tide to Go for being your gal’s BFF).

Pastel and lighter shades should also be avoided. One of my favourite light blue dresses started turning brown in certain spots during my 3 months abroad, which ruined the princess appeal just a bit.

Depending on the length of your trip, you’re going to want items that last through some wear and tear, so darker shades work better.

PRO TIP: Buy some travel-sized laundry detergent pockets . Tide makes these affordable ones for sink use. They could save your life between proper laundry runs.

10. Have one little black dress

LBDs are a lazy girl’s best friend (well, 2nd best friend after Netflix).

It’s an easy way to look nice and its versatility is unmatched. You can dress it down with a scarf and cardigan during the day, then quicker than the Flash, add some bling and you’re ready for a night out. Pro tip: A-line dresses like this one  are perfect for hiding any travel-induced food babies!

11. Invest in a nice purse

“But what about money belts and fanny packs” you murmur.

I’m sorry – I can’t do it. I just can’t.

Fanny packs and big clunky backpacks to me are akin to a giant sign that reads “I am a tourist. Please rob me if you can”.

To me, it doesn’t matter if you have the nicest outfit in the world, the wrong bag really shatters the whole ‘put together’ illusion that we’re attempting to create.

Luckily, there’s a lot of great bags out there that combine function and style. I would highly recommend the Lo & Sons Claremont camera bag, which is big enough to hold a camera + lens and plenty else if you get creative. There’s even a secret zipper on the back for your valuables! I bring it pretty much everywhere and it’s my go-to “look presentable” companion.

12. Pack shoes that can transition from day to night

While running shoes are practical, I argue that you can find flats, walking sandals and boots that are just as comfy, but more versatile for travel purposes.

Unless you plan on doing hikes or other sporty things, invest in some really good walking shoes that can be passable for a night out (e.g. high heeled boots, strappy sandals, etc.), again, rockin’ that dual purpose.

RECOMMENDATION (AGAIN):  One last plug for my favourite sandals ever. I promise, Clarks makes the most comfortable shoes. I’ve gone hiking in them!  Here’s a similar pair to what I have.

13. And this isn’t for everyone, but bring a friend who’s your size!

Here’s the thing: you can mix and accessorize all you want, but after a certain amount of time on the road, there’s no shaking the fact that  you  feel drab from wearing the same thing over and over.

If you’re able to travel with a friend, you have the potential luxury of sharing your wardrobe which, trust me, can work wonders on you feeling recharged and ready to take on your travels.

Even if you’re not the same size, share accessories like scarves and necklaces and you’ll feel brand new! No friends? This product makes it easy to grow one. … just kidding. *starts sobbing*

But you know, of course, I wouldn’t recommend choosing your travel partner based on their clothing size. That’s a little too  Mean Girls  for my liking.

A final note on modesty:

Depending on where you’re going, certain types of dress may be considered inappropriate, or will earn you the kind of looks you don’t want.

In Morocco for instance, I had to make sure my dresses were long and that my legs were covered because otherwise I would get stared down everywhere I went. Bring a pair of leggings/stockings and a scarf on every trip for moments like these when you need to cover up in a pinch.

So, do you have any extra tips on how to travel light?

Oh, come on guys, I’m definitely not perfect. Let me know in the comments if you have any extra tips on how to travel light and still look good!  Until next time! 🙂

Pssst… I hope you enjoyed this guide on how to travel light! Please note that this post does contain affiliate links, which means I would earn a commission from purchases made through my recommendation (but come at no extra cost to you). Feel free to email me if you have any questions!

My Go-To Travel Favourites:

🧳 Eagle Creek: My favourite packing cubes

💳 Wise: For FREE travel friendly credit cards

🍯 Airalo: My go-to eSIM

🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

📷 Sony A7IV: My (amazing) camera

✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

32 thoughts on “How to Travel Light & Not Look Like a Slob: The Lazy Girl’s Guide”

Great tips. I think the number one thing is making sure that every piece can be used and matched in different ways. The second to most important thing to me is: make sure you bring clothes that don’t get super wrinkled or in some other way need a lot of TLC. When you are traveling, the last thing you want to worry about is spending 30 minutes ironing one shirt or folding the cardigan in just the right way so that the hole doesn’t show. Bring your most effortless clothes!

Thanks, Susanna!! Yeah those are definitely key ones. You learn a lot just from trial and error I think, but hopefully this post will help a few newbies out !

I love this article! My color palette is basically grey, blue and black LOL! Great tips! May apply a few to prevent that hobo look!

Nothing wrong with that haha! Those are my go-to shades as well. Like I said in the post, I own 15 grey cardigans. #hoarderproblems

I am also very lazy so packing isn’t high on my prio list but I do want to look decent indeed, especially with all the pics happening. I always bring a scarf for fashion statements and/or comfort/warmth/pillow. I will never look like I’m in a photoshoot but as long as it is comfortable and I feel good in it, I am happy.

That’s my exact attitude as well! Sometimes I see these gorgeous photos of girls in long, flowing dresses on top of mountains and I just… I just don’t get it haha. I’m constantly pursuing that happy medium, because I know I’m not cut out for high fashion style blogging, but I still want to feel comfortable/confident.

Great tips! My last trip was the first time I properly tried to do the matching thing and it was amazing! Ive never gotten dressed so quickly in the morning as I could literally put on any clean top and any clean bottoms. I’ve even found myself thinking this way back home and now if it doesn’t match, I don’t buy it!

It’s SUCH a gamechanger, isn’t it?! And so cool that you’re doing that at home too. I just did a mass purging of all my clothes and am now trying to be more minimalist in my wardrobe. Think I’ll keep matching in mind for my next shopping trip!

Agreed, one must pack the bare minimums and repeat it in different combinations.

Heh exactly! I suppose guys are also less fussy about this kind of thing, hey? 🙂

Either I’m going for the deranged hobo look and just don’t care, or I can pull it off! Things like merino wool are my best friend! I’m actually wearing a jumper made of wool as we speak… And I’m at home! With my (somewhat still packed in boxes at my mums house) full wardrobe! It’s interesting seeing how everyone thinks about packing. I’m finding my bags are slowly getting less and less full as time goes on!

I think you just pull it off haha. So envious of that! But yeah I’m trying more these days to downsize my packing too. It’s definitely a work in progress but over time you really do learn what you need and what you don’t.

I actually never care how I look on pictures when I travel. But I have many friends that do and those will be very helpful for them 🙂

That’s so good to hear! Admittedly, I can be a little vain haha so how I look really impacts my confidence. Hope some of your friends will find this article useful!

This is such a great list! Like you, I don’t want to look like a complete slob but I’m not about checked luggage or a ton of wardrobe changes. A scarf is my best friend when traveling. I’ll have to remember the statement necklaces though. So easy and takes up very little room.

Yeah I think all travellers have their go-to ‘pretty scarf’ haha. It’s genuinely a lifesaver! And yesss so happy to have another girl join the statement necklace bandwagon. Hop on! It’s a sparkly ride 😉

Wow, great tips thanks. I always try and pack light as who wants to carry around a heavy rucksack but it is difficult to look good. I love your idea of travelling with a friend of the same size. Technically you could then travel very light and just wear her clothes 🙂

Hahah that’s brilliant. You show up to the airport with just a purse and she’s like “where are your clothes??” Then you give her a big hug, point at her backpack and whisper “OUR clothes.”

Yup to all of these tips! Although I love my pastels, so there’s always at least one piece that travels with me! But I also bring Tide to-go, just in case 😉 But you sound like my husband when it comes to white tees…lol, it’s like he attracts stains! Thanks so much for the little blurb to my blog! 😀

Great tip about the statement jewelry. I could definitely use a few pointers on that as I am awful at accessorizing. Overall great tips, and I think we have the same style on a lot of items! Thanks again for the link back 🙂

This is great, I will definitely have to keep these in mind! Keep up your wonderful work pretty gal! x

adelelydia.blogspot.com

Thank you, Adele!! <3

This is so necessary! My sister makes fun of me for buying all neutral colors but I always am glad that I have items to match pretty much everything. Thanks for the great advice. 🙂

Hehe no problem Gina! Team Neutral all the way. Like I said, I own 15 grey cardigans. How, I don’t know, but I do haha.

Great tips! Packing clothes that look good for day and night is absolutely essential for me!

Thanks, Emily!! Yess it can be tough to find those transitionable pieces at first but once you find the perfect one… best feeling ever.

This post is amazing thank you so much! I’m going travelling in South East Asia this summer and I have no clue how I’m going to pack light (I’m the kind of girl that needs a mini suitcase for one night away! But I’m also the kind of girl that then wears the one comfy outfit the whole time!) I’m terrible at packing light even though I know I won’t wear all that I do actually pack! Goodness me this post is helpful! Thank you!O

Yay Olivia – so happy you thought the post was helpful!! Pro tip for SE Asia: pack only the bare essentials because you are going to do a LOT of shopping. You can pick up super cute dresses for like $5 USD if you haggle, and the comfiest pants ever so don’t worry about packing much at all because there’s tons of opportunities to shop and pick up what you need once you’re there.

This is the answer for my upcoming one-month eurotrip this May! I’ve been thinking on and off about bringing lighter shade clothes and dress because I still want to look ‘cute’ though I only want to bring eight pieces, but now I read this… I should reconsider it again. Thank you so much!

hejnerissa.com

You’re welcome, Nerissa!! SO happy you found it helpful. Have an amazing time in Europe!

It’s 2020 so no travelling but when I do get to travel again I will incorporate some of your tips. I find these useful whether you are a backpackers or luggage hauler. Last year my daughter & I went to Costa Rica. She took a backpack. I took luggage. Both of us learned some valuable lessons from that trip. I over-packed. She under-packed. Her clothes were a wrinkled mess. I had to lug that suitcase up many, many flights of stairs. No elevators in Costa Rica. And my nice white t-shirt that I wore numerous times ended up very dirty and stained. Lessons learned. Thanks for the tips.

Just came up on Pinterest. Good advice. I usually go light, and yes avoid light colours and for me, also black. But I have to be colour coordinated or I don’t feel right, which actually makes putting a wardrobe for a trip easier. a couple of things – longer sleeves are useful for under layers, hot places (I burn) and for modesty, and shirts that roll up can be worn several ways. And your “little black dress” – the concept is excellent, but the colour can be any darkish colour that makes you look great – for me, it’s more likely to be dark green, dark brown or aubergine. Black makes many look sallow or washed out.

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How to Pack Light When You're Only Traveling With a Carry-On

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Packing for a trip always feels like a dance between art and science—and attempting to pack light complicates things even further. As a travel journalist, I often find myself on the road several times a month—sometimes for weeks at a time navigating various modes of transportation. This means being self-sufficient with my luggage is key. I also don’t want to be concerned about lost luggage when I travel, so I opt to bring only a carry-on whenever I can. My mantra while packing for any trip, whether it's a domestic weekend getaway or a weeklong international adventure, is that every piece of gear has to be multi-functional to maximize space. Below, my tried-and-true tips for packing light with only a carry-on.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Our best tips for packing light:

Choose the right luggage, don't skip the packing cubes.

• Opt for multi-functional fabrics

Pick versatile pairs of shoes

• Adjust your body care routine

Travel hacks are a game-changer

A key consideration for any trip is choosing the right luggage to fit all your essentials without weighing you down. If you're traveling with just a carry-on-sized bag, you want it to be lightweight yet roomy—expandable options are always helpful. My go-to is the Monos Carry-On Plus, a 7.8-pound hard-shell suitcase sized to fit in overhead bins. The wheels have a 360-spin, making it a breeze to maneuver in tight spaces, and the side handle makes it easy to lift into the overhead bin and in a rental car. The padded front compartment fits my 15-inch laptop, a scarf, and a book in there easily. The suitcase comes with an antimicrobial laundry bag and two shoe bags that further help with packing and organization.

Another smart carry-on option is the Cotopaxi Allpa Roller Bag. The hybrid look of a hardcover back and adjustable softcover front brings the right amount of support and expandability of a traditional carry-on suitcase. It only has two wheels but when I saw how easily the bag moved on different surfaces, I was hooked. Cotopaxi’s fun and vibrant colors also make these suitcases easily identifiable among a sea of like-looking bags at the airport.

Next up: choosing a functional personal item . I paired my suitcase with the Chelsea Backpack from Antler. As a professional photographer, I always travel with my gear and I find the Chelsea is spacious enough to pack my camera, an extra lens, and in-flight essentials: snacks, my Otterbox 3-in-1 MagSafe charging station that helped cut down on extra cords, and my insulated Camelbak water bottle . It even has a zipped, padded laptop area with a separate slip pocket for a tablet. The backpack’s trolley sleeve is a lifesaver, slipping onto my rolling suitcase and allowing me to keep one hand free. And I always pack my Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole tote as an extra bag (for souvenirs or as a daypack for a quick hike). It folds down into a small pouch, making it both packable and functional.

Anyone who struggles with optimizing space when traveling knows that packing cubes are the ultimate solution. Not only are they perfect for organization, but compression ones like these from Monos and Béis save space in your bag. I routinely use about three to five cubes and organize my essentials by category. The bigger cube is for bulky items like jeans, pants, and sweatshirts, the medium is for shirts, and the smaller one is for undergarments and socks. The clear-view window on the Monos packing cubes allows me to see what's inside at a glance, making it easier to get ready. I also carry an extra one to separate dirty laundry on my return trip home.

Opt for lightweight, multi-functional fabrics

I will admit that choosing the right clothes for a multi-week trip is the most challenging part of packing, especially when dealing with different climates. My Duer jeans are my favorite denim. With the right amount of stretch, softness, comfort, and a water-repellent fabric, I wear them on planes, around town, and even hiking. My top picks are these fleece-lined relaxed Girlfriend fit for flights, and the mid-rise performance slim straight for backup. Another new favorite is the Freeflex Roll-Up pants from Kühl. The roll-up feature quickly converts it into a capri, increasing the usability. Plus, they are quick-drying, moisture-managing, and water-resistant.

For daily wear, I pack a few classic, mix-and-match pieces from Prana in neutral colors. Foundation rib tanks and simple short-sleeve tees are versatile, comfortable, and perfect for layering. I recently discovered hemp fabric, a natural fiber that is breathable, antibacterial, and seems to get softer with every wash. Adding Jungmaven tees to my travel wardrobe was a no-brainer because it wicks moisture away from the skin keeping clothes odor free longer so you can get more wear from your tees. A few moisture-wicking UPF 50+ bras that double as sports bras, merino wool breathable natural briefs from Ibex , and Comrad compression socks complete my essentials.

As a runner from the Midwest, I can never pass up the opportunity to tackle trails wherever I go. My Hoka short-sleeved performance tee and multi-pocket jogger tights from Oiselle are ideal because of their quick-drying fabric, which means I don’t need sweatshirts to keep me warm while running outside.

Keeping up with the theme of packing multi-purpose clothing, I chose between two outerwear pieces depending on the season—the Stretchdown light vest from Mountain Hardwear or a Silent Down Jacket from Patagonia. The vest is a lightweight layering piece that packs down to a pouch for convenience. The jacket, which I wear on the plane (another tip: don't pack your bulkiest pieces; wear them in transit), is incredibly soft, warm enough for 30 to 40-degree Fahrenheit weather, thanks to the down insulation, and not too technical—the perfect outerwear for a nice dinner.

Deciding on what shoes to bring on any trip is always a bit tricky, but generally, you want to go classic and neutral. Because of space restrictions, I opted for a white walking shoe that would go with any outfit (worn on the plane) and packed my lightweight gym shoes as a backup. Clae’s white vegan leather sneakers have traveled with me across continents and continues to hold form even after hours of walking everywhere. For my running and training routines, I lean on my Agility Peak 5 running shoe from Merrell. It performs flawlessly on gravel and concrete and after getting caught unprepared in a sudden downpour one too many times, I always choose the Gore-Tex waterproof style. A cute pair of lightweight Tevas sandals that are also waterproof and breathable round out my footwear choices.

Don’t sacrifice your body care routine—just adjust it

After a lot of trial and error over years of extensive travel, I finally curated just the right selection of products for my Dopp kit . The key is to trim down your routine (and packing list) with multi-purpose products that still get the job done and leave you feeling refreshed. Everist plant-based waterless shower travel essentials are a game changer and the travel-size tins save a lot of space. I also recently switched to waterless moisturizers and lotion bars for travel after having to ditch many creams and bottles at security because of liquid restrictions. My go-tos are Glow Face Stone solid face moisturizer and Forest Sone lotion bar from Kate McLeod. And all this packs away in my carry-on-friendly Monos Metro toiletry case.

After traveling thousands of miles with just a carry-on, there are a few hacks I always rely on that make a huge difference to my overall outlook on traveling as lightly as possible. I always clip a few carabiners to my backpack or suitcase (if possible). In a pinch, these hold nicknacks like an extra jacket, a water bottle, or my sandals if I am running out of space. A buff is a must and an easy way to protect your face, neck, and head from the elements. It also acts as a neck warmer and mask on planes. And my Sea to Summit inflatable two-ounce camping pillow has been a lifesaver during many unscheduled airport overnights thanks to cancellations and delays—I never leave home without it.

Grab our free PLASTIC-FREE TRAVEL TOILETRIES CHECK LIST!

How to Pack Light for Europe (or Anywhere): the Guide You Need to Actually Make it Happen

Do you always plan to be a light packer, but then you just can’t ever seem to make it happen when you’re getting ready for vacation? Then this guide is for you.

And it isn’t just about what to pack to keep your suitcase or backpack lighter. It’s about how to think about packing light in a way that will help you to actually pack light.

This is my own personal strategy, developed over a decade of every kind of travel – from following backpacker trails through Southeast Asia and Central America , to living abroad and traveling as often as possible (with the tiniest carryon possible), to my current schedule as a full-time travel blogger – often traveling for two or three weeks in Europe with just one carryon .

But you don’t need to be on the road for weeks to make use of the packing strategy.

These tips can work for anyone . Regardless of your personal style, or even the type of trip you’re taking – a weekend getaway close to home, or a year around the world. Regardless of the weather, or your destination. And this isn’t a “packing list.” What you wear is up to you.

Instead, this is a guide for how to decide what to pack, and how to be okay with choosing to pack less.

Because I get it – packing less is hard. I’ve been there. For years, I wasn’t any good at traveling light, and I consistently packed way too much. Until I realized that more stuff usually just made travel worse.

This is a complete guide, so it’s a long read. If you want to jump around, here are the main sections:

Less stress, packing light saves you money., easier to get around (without feeling like an awkward tourist)., less baggage = more secure., less pollution., 1. outfit repeating is okay., 2. mixing and matching is mandatory., 3. you don’t have to be prepared for every situation..

• 4. Just in case you spill a plate of pasta on your pants, bring one extra pair – not three.

5. Doing laundry is easier (and less awkward) than dragging huge luggage.

6. only pack comfortable, good-looking, appropriate clothing that you enjoy wearing., 7. don’t pack last minute..

• 8. The Best Packing Test: What do you reach for in the morning when you’re getting dressed for a normal day?

9. (Almost) everything is replaceable.

10. it’s easier to buy something on the road than leave something on the road., 11. you’re not alone on the side of a mountain., 12. everything is temporary., use packing cubes., pack merino wool clothing., pack light toiletries, too., the packing strategy:, use decent luggage., want to put these packing tips to use, the why: this is what you gain by packing less.

Seriously, every time I switch hotels and have to spend more than 5 minutes getting my things back into the one configuration that makes everything fit in my bag, I swear to myself I’m going to go even lighter next time.

Bonus tip: Don’t pack your bag full . Leave some space, either for shopping, or just breathing room. (It’s no fun when it’s a struggle every time you have to zip it up.)

Never pay another checked-bag fee again. Plus, size and weight limits are often different (smaller) for European airlines. So if you’re packing for a Euro trip, as I often am, less stuff will definitely mean less stress and fewer fees.

Again, especially for trips to Europe, nothing makes me feel more like an unwanted tourist than dragging loud, heavy roller bags over cobblestones and making an absolute racket in a quiet alley. The less the better. (And when I want to really go stealth, I’ll go for a good travel backpack. My favorite is the 40L Tortuga Pro , for all the reasons I outlined in my review .)

UPDATE: In April, Tortuga released a less expensive, lighter version of their travel backpack . I’ve traveled with both, and wrote up a detailed comparison of the Pro vs Lite backpacks . In short, it’s a great budget option that reduces the weight of your luggage by 1 pound, and still uses quality materials and construction.

Good to Know: Many European destinations have ancient historic centers – where you’ll likely want to book your accommodation – where the streets are too narrow for cars. Plan on walking some distance with all your luggage.

Your luggage will be much safer from thieves if you can keep it with you for bus, train and ferry rides – stashed under the seat or in an overhead rack. (Large suitcase usually don’t fit in these places and have to be stored at the entrance to the train car, or in the bays underneath a bus.)

The more stuff you pack, the more fuel the airplane has to use to get off the ground. (Same goes for every form of transportation – more weight means more fuel.) I know it may seem like a drop in the bucket, but it adds up when everyone is checking two giant bags for two weeks in Europe.

Okay, that’s the motivation to travel lighter. Now for the mindset tips (and a few realistic packing tips, at the end) that have made packing light actually possible for me.

The Golden Rules of Packing Light

These are my 10 packing tips that can change the way you travel.

This is my number 1 tip for packing lighter, for any travel, anywhere. To be honest, I’d like you to read the entire article, but this is probably the only advice you really need. Repeat. Outfits.

And that’s coming from a woman who likes to look nice, and is aiming not to stick out as an obvious American tourist in Europe. (Believe me, it’s a look most Europeans recognize easily: Ugly running shoes. Shapeless, synthetic “travel clothes.” Athletic wear outside the gym. Big ugly logos.)

But that look isn’t required to pack light!

Don’t pack any item of clothing that only works with one other item. This is essentially the idea of a capsule wardrobe for travel – a small collection of interchangeable items that you can mix and match.  

My go-to strategy is to have one or two pairs of pants or shorts , depending on the weather, and two tops that go with both of them. I alternate between the tops every other day. That way it doesn’t quite feel entirely like repeating.

Those are the basics, then I add little bits of flair: A nice dress, a fancier top to alternate in with the t-shirts, etc.

But the flair items still have to go with multiple basics. A dressier top that only works with one pair of pants, but not the other, and not the shorts or skirt? Leave it home. Same goes for layers – one sweater, sweatshirt, coat, etc. needs to go with every outfit.

But what if we go to a really – like really, really – fancy restaurant? Well, is that something you’re likely to do? Have you ever done it before? Do you really think this trip will be the first time?

Okay, maybe you’re right. Maybe it will.

If a highly specific and unusual situation comes up on your trip, won’t you have time to go shopping? (Plus, that’s what the extra space in your suitcase leaves room for.)

4. Just in case you spill a plate of pasta on your pants, bring one extra pair – not three.

Your backup does not need a backup. Everything will be okay.

I always have a hard time convincing people of this at first, but once you try it, you get it. Moving around with heavy bags is a pain. Squeezing everything back into an overpacked bag every time you change hotels is also a pain.

But doing laundry is pretty easy, and you’ve got options:

• Utilize the laundry service at your hotel – sure, it’ll cost more than it would to do laundry at home. But it’ll probably cost less than the airline’s fee for a checked bag. What you’re paying for is the simplicity and ease.
• Wash a few key items in the sink of your hotel room and let them dry overnight. I’ve been doing this for years!
• Go to a local laundromat .

For either the sink washing or the laundromat, I always pack a few of these laundry detergent strips . They’re plastic-free, and the epitome of light-weight and packable. (They’re what I’ve used at home for years now, too.)

This is the second biggest secret to packing light: Every piece of clothing you pack for a trip should be a piece of clothing you love to wear. Be strict on this – it has to check all four boxes:

• Comfortable to wear all day.
• Looks good.
• Appropriate / Makes sense – for the local culture, the weather, and the activities you have planned.
• Joyful! If you could wear it, but you just aren’t excited about it, leave it home! (Or better yet, find a friend who wants it or donate it.)

The sweater you always want to wear, but somehow it never feels quite right with any of your outfits? NO. DO NOT PACK IT.

I’ve written before about a phenomenon called wish-cycling (throwing non-recyclable items in the recycling bin, just hoping it’ll help). Well, I think this is a similar concept: Wish-packing. Don’t take the bait.

If you’re packing in a rush, it’s almost impossible to be as strategic as you need to be to pack light.

But… I have a confession. Despite knowing the risks, I still do pack pretty last-minute sometimes. I’m literally typing this while sitting on a train to NYC, where I’ll be for 8 days.

When did I pack my suitcase?

About two hours ago.

How much did I pack?

Probably twice as much as I needed. (But yes, it still all fits in one carry-on.)

8. The Best Packing Test: What do you reach for in the morning when you’re getting dressed for a normal day?

If that sounds like a boring way to pack for a trip, then consider this: Are you “saving” the clothes you most enjoy for special occasions or big trips, thinking, “oh, I can’t wear that for just a casual dinner, it’s too dressy” ?

Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, so wear the dress today! There are no rules anymore, anyway. Wear what you enjoy.

Learning to pack lighter has really helped me think about living lighter, too. Why keep stuff around that I don’t enjoy and find useful? (Thanks, Marie Kondo.) If the clothes you reach for every morning are clothes you really love wearing, then packing them for a trip should be a no-brainer.

(For me, these top-quality merino wool t-shirts are a go-to that have simplified this a lot. More about those in the packing list section below .)

If you forget something you really need, you can almost always pick it up on the road, in almost any country.

Here’s what you really do need to pack:

Yes, there are a few items I’d rather not deal with replacing during a trip. Here they are:

• Credit and debit cards , including extras stashed in separate bags that are not my wallet. (One in a day pack/ personal item on the flight; one in the bottom of my suitcase, etc. Don’t keep all eggs in one basket.)
• Anything prescription, or any meds you take regularly , including extra contact lenses, birth control pills, or anything else you can’t pick up in a drugstore. (Ibuprofen, allergy pills, aspirin etc. can all be purchased just about anywhere in the world. If you know you’ll need them, pack them. But don’t pack the entire medicine cabinet “just in case.” )
• Camera equipment. Generally, I’d say don’t plan on buying a new camera/ iPad/ computer on your trip.
• Charging cables. Don’t forget them! (But don’t pack all the extras, either. You can replace them, if needed, just about anywhere. I’ve done it more than once.)
• Special clothes. Your super special dress for a wedding you’re attending, or date night on your vacation? Yeah, pack it if you have it. But don’t pack six of them.
• Comfortable shoes. There’s a special bond between a traveler and her good walking shoes (especially when those shoes are also good looking for fashionable European cities). Same goes for comfortable hiking boots. Don’t leave these to be replaced on the fly, if you can avoid it.
• Clothing you just love wearing. As I mentioned above, these items should be your entire packing list anyway. So when you start planning travel outfits, start with these items.
• Travel documents. Obviously. I’m not going to remind you to pack your passport.

And that’s it. Nothing else is irreplaceable, or will ruin your trip if you forget it.

If you carefully pack the items on the list above first, you can rest a little easier knowing that nothing else is truly necessary. Not for survival, and not even for comfort – since you’ve already packed your favorites.

(This one is mostly about packing for long-term travel.)

So we agree now that we can replace almost anything during a trip. But I always find it much harder to abandon unneeded things once I’ve put them in my bag.

This is a lesson I learned from several multi-month trips across Central America , Europe and Asia with just a backpack. Each time, I realized early in the trip that I’d packed too much. And each time, it was really hard for me to just give things to someone in a hostel, or donate them locally.

Once you have an item in your bag, it can just be tough to get out of the trap of thinking, “ but what if I need it for something…? ”

Let me paint a picture with a true story: A friend of mine in Montana went on a long-haul, ultra-light backpacking trip in the Canadian Rockies. The “ultra-light” part meant analyzing every ounce of her gear and cutting what you might never have thought you could actually cut – she literally cut off the handle of her toothbrush to take an ounce of weight off her back.

Creative, yes. But she ended up slicing her wrist open while chopping the toothbrush, and had to pack a whole bunch of extra first-aid supplies to keep her wound clean while it healed on the trail.

When I was thinking about this anecdote, I thought it would be a cautionary tale about trying to pack too little. And I guess it is that, but there’s another point, too:

Are you planning a backpacking trip where you’ll be alone in the wilderness for weeks at a time? If not, then remember #9. There’s very little you can’t replace on the road, if you want to.

Packing light can be scary at first. It requires rethinking habits that are very culturally ingrained, and that’s not often easy.

Feeling awkward about repeating outfits more than you normally would, or anxious about not having multiple options for every day of your trip? If you are, it’s okay, and it’s temporary. (You’ll be back to your full closet before you know it.)

And who knows, you might even get used to it, and start loving the freedom of less stuff.

Remember that learning how to pack lighter is a process. You’ll get better at it and feel better about it with practice.

Packing list: the items that will actually help you travel lighter.

That was the philosophical part. Now, let’s get to the concrete part.

Again, what you pack is up to you. I don’t need to tell you how to dress, and there isn’t much that I think you need to buy to pack lighter and better.

The items below are the only ones I really recommend and use constantly. They definitely are helpful, and they work for me.

I thought they were a waste of time and money for so long, but I’m now a total convert. Packing cubes keep your clothes organized in your suitcase, and keep them neat and un-wrinkled .

And both of those things will help you feel better about packing less.

(I used to roll my clothes carefully, which is another option. But now I find packing cubes make it easier to rearrange items in your suitcase without messing everything up.)

I usually use one small packing cube for underwear, and one larger one for my t-shirts, tank tops, and sweaters.

I rarely pack more than two pairs of pants, so I don’t usually need a separate packing cube for pants. (Unless I’m traveling to a conference, or somewhere else where I know I’ll need more pants and skirts, or dressier ones.)

The Brands to Buy:

My favorites are a previous version of these cubes from REI , which I’ve been using for years. I love that they have mesh sections for a bit of ventilation, and an extra zipper that lets you compress or expand the contents . (Which means you can keep everything snug and neatly folded, whether you’re packing less or more.)

Here are a couple more options that I’d look at if I were shopping for them now:

• New: I’ve just added one of these compression packing cubes to my collection, and I have to admit, they’re the best I’ve ever used. The construction is high quality, the shape is perfect for folded shirts, sweaters and dresses, and they fit a ton!
• These packing cubes from Cotopaxi are made of recycled fabric. (Also on Amazon .) They have colorful fabric that looks useful for organizing, but no compression.
• If I ever need to upgrade, I’ll probably go for these cubes from Peak Designs . They have lots of bells and whistles, and the brand is known for high quality. (Also on Amazon .)

In the past year, I’ve become a true believer in the value of merino wool clothing for travel.

It’s not cheap, but merino has so much going for it for travel clothing.  It doesn’t wrinkle , and it stays smelling fresh after lots and lots of wears. (I tested that pretty extensively in this merino travel clothing review , and later on a one-week summer e-bike tour in Italy .)

Plus, merino wool is versatile – it keeps you warm in cold weather, and cool in hot weather (I promise). It still insulates when it’s wet, and it’s naturally antibacterial .

I usually pack two or three merino tops (between t-shirts, tank tops, and long-sleeved tops, depending on the season) and I mostly just wear those for an entire trip.

I’ll usually wash everything once in the middle of a two or three-week trip, but it’s often not even necessary.

Even when I pack other tops, usually cotton or linen, I find they only get one or two wears because they’re so much higher maintenance. While the merino tops just keep looking and smelling good, day after day.

The Brand to Buy:

I think Unbound Merino makes the best merino wool clothing for travel, because it’s actually designed for travel. (Not for outdoor sports, as many merino clothing brands are. These pieces are instead extremely multi-use.)

There are no logos or loud designs on their clothes, so they go with everything and look elegant, not dorky. And the cuts are simple and classic . They work just as well for hiking and biking as for visiting museums and touring cities. (I regularly wear them for all of those.)

Wearing my active merino tank top in the heat of Prague in June, and my merino travel dress during my October trip tasting organic wineries in Napa Valley .

I started down this road for environmental reasons, but solid toiletry swaps are brilliant for travel, too.

(Yes, I will forever be that friend who’s trying to get you to try a new shampoo bar, solid skincare product, or anything else plastic-free. But honestly, the friends who I manage to convince tend to like my recommendations !)

Solid toiletries let you pack months’ worth of products in a fraction of the space, with no chance for leakage in your bag.

They also simplify my packing lists, as I can skip buying (or bottling) “travel size” versions of all my products. (I use these same products at home, and they’re automatically ready to travel.)

And the formulas have improved so much in the past few years that it’s hard to even find an excuse not to try them. You can now get the best available hair and skincare ingredients in solid formulas with refillable packaging – which just happens to be perfect for travel!

No more bad hair days from bad hotel shampoo, or dry skin from leaving your favorite products at home.

These are some of my favorites solid toiletries that I pack for every trip:

• More on Dew Mighty here . Read my full review of SBTRCT skincare here. Discounts: Save 10% on Dew Mighty, and 20% on SBTRCT, with the code TILTEDMAP
• Solid toothpaste and mouthwash tablets . Despite lots of comparison testing , Bite remains my favorite brand for both of these. Discount: Save 10% on any Bite order with the code TILTEDMAP10 .
• Alternative: If you really don’t want do go the bar route, these concentrated products are also excellent and nearly plastic-free. (Check out my Everist review here . Discount: TILTEDMAP10 for 10% off any order.)
• Face wash bars . My go-to from Earth Harbor lasts forever and is harder than most bars. (AKA – easier to pack without it breaking or getting squished.)

For details and the other products I use, here’s another blog post with my full plastic-free travel toiletry list .

Or, if you want to keep it short and sweet, sign up for my email list below. The first email includes a PDF checklist with just the highlights and exclusive discount codes.

I don’t think you need to get too picky about this. If you already have a suitcase or travel backpack that works for you, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

The only reason I’d even recommend replacing luggage is if you’re missing some really essential, functional features. The ones I think matter are weight, pockets/ organization, smooth-rolling wheels (or comfortable straps for a backpack), and easy access. More on those below:

Whether you’re packing carry-on only or not, if you’re flying, you’ll have a weight limit for your baggage. ( Train travel is much easier going on this.) Ideally, you don’t want to eat up too much of it with just your bag while it’s still empty.

Suitcase Example: I’ve almost never seen carry-on bags weighed in the US, but I’ve had it happen regularly on flights in Europe. Once, while flying out of Lisbon, there was apparently an 8 kg (17 lbs) weight limit for carry-on bags. The airline asked to weigh mine at the gate, even though the dimensions met their requirements.

It clocked in at a way, way overweight 23 kg (51 lbs). And the airline fined me 125 euros on the spot.

A lighter bag definitely wouldn’t have helped that time, but it’s worth paying attention to.

Organization

Packing less gets way easier when you know where everything is, and can keep your clothes neat and wrinkle-free and by making sure they don’t get scrunched into knots in your bag. Packing cubes and decent pockets are both useful for this.

Backpack Example: I’ve taken several multi-month trips with the Osprey travel backpack that you see so often in airports. (If you just automatically notice these things the way I do… occupational hazard, I suppose.) It has a detachable day pack, and it comes in multiple sizes. There’s also a men’s version .

I loved the concept, but the main bag didn’t have a single pocket to organize your stuff. And the day pack was just so tiny, I found it almost useless. (For details on this, read right here .)

Osprey has since added at least one interior pocket to the updated version, but I still went for this Tortuga backpack instead, on a recent trip to El Salvador . (As I wrote in my review , the bag definitely exceeded my expectations.)

UPDATE: Check out Tortuga’s even-lighter new Travel Backpack Lite , and their excellent, packable daypack . I’m traveling with both right now to test them, and have been impressed! (Here’s my comparison of the Tortuga Pro vs Lite backpacks .)

Comfortable Wheels or Straps

Smooth-rolling wheels are important, too, just like a comfortable strap system if you’re traveling with a backpack. Straps that make your shoulders hurt, or a roller bag that’s always flipping over behind you, or doesn’t roll straight, will get old fast.

For a suitcase, upgrading from an old two-wheel bag to a newer one with four wheels will make a huge difference.

For a backpack, make sure you have a sturdy hip belt system , which takes the weight off your shoulders and makes it much more comfortable to carry, even if only for an hour at a time. (This is one many reasons I decided the Tortuga 40L Pro backpack was worth the price for me.)

Easy Access to Your Stuff

This is mostly an issue with travel backpacks , not suitcases. I’ve never felt the need to try a clam-shell suitcase (the kind with the main zipper in the middle, dividing the storage into two equal halves). Traveling with a small carry-on, I don’t find it necessary.

Backpack example: There are a lot of good reasons not to travel with a backpacking backpack (which will likely have top-access, as opposed zipping all the way open, as a suitcase would). You don’t want to have to pull everything out of your suitcase to get to one thing, and that’s pretty much how outdoor backpacks are designed.

So the full-access zipper was one of the things that drew me to that Osprey backpack , above. But then the lack of organization made it a failure in my book.

The Brands to Buy: (Best Carry-on Luggage )

If I were to go back to backpack travel regularly, I’d stick with either the Tortuga Pro backpack or the new Lite version , both of which I’ve used on several trips lately. They’re purposefully designed for traveling light, with lots of organization and security features, plus the suitcase-like full zip.

[ Details: Here’s my full review of the original Pro Tortuga travel backpack , including my comparison with similar bags from Cotopaxi and Osprey. My thoughts on the Pro vs. Lite bags are here .]

For a light-weight and really well-made carry-on suitcase , I’ve been using an early version of this Victorinox global carry-on for years. I’d definitely say it’s a good buy, at least if you travel as much as I do, but it is an investment.

That being said, it doesn’t have any broken zippers, holes in fabric, or really any signs of wear after more than five years (and I’ve lived out of it almost half of that time).

And in the long-run, buying something good once is always better than buying cheap and having to replace it. (It’s a better experience, and it’s less of a toll on the environment.)

(My “global” carry-on is designed to pass as carry-on size on European airlines, too. So it’s slightly smaller and squarer, as opposed to rectangular, compared with larger US carry-ons . My husband has the larger version , and we can confirm from many EU flights that his often has to be checked at the gate , while mine always makes it on.)

I hope my travel tips for packing less have been helpful for you! Do you have questions? Leave them below in the comments and I’ll get back to you.  

How about in one of these gorgeous destinations:

• The Azores – a beautiful, quiet escape in the middle of the Atlantic. (Including the island of Terceira , which I wrote a more detailed guide to.)
• An Italian bike trip through a lesser-known region (and you can join me on this trip , too!)
• The Mississippi Blues Trail
• Adirondack State Park , upstate New York

Help more people find this article! Share on:

Sustainability and Sustainable Travel Writer

I’m Ketti, the founder of Tilted Map – an award-winning travel blog! – and a Sustainability Editor for the UK's most-read travel magazine. Originally from Montana, USA, I moved to China with a job teaching English, a side-hustle writing for magazines, and just one word of Mandarin. That turned into five years abroad, a Master's Degree in Sustainable Business & Energy, and a passion for finding realistic ways to travel and live more sustainably. I created Tilted Map to share what I'm learning along the way – I hope you're finding it useful!

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I just found your blog and your travel tips are the best I’ve ever read. But I have a question. My husband and I will be going on an extended trip from May to July, starting with biking in France and Germany, followed by an 11 day cruise in the Greek islands, and some stops in between to see Italy. My big dilemma is shorts! I will pack at least two pairs of bike shorts but I’ve no idea what type of shorts I should pack for southern Europe. Linen does not hold up well. Any suggestions?

Hi Kathleen,

Thank you so much! That makes my day. 🙂 And that sounds like an EXCELLENT adventure you’ve got planned!

For shorts, I usually pack pairs when I travel in the summer: One pair of board shorts , which are great for the beach but can also blend in not on the beach. And one twill pair for cities/ everything else. (Thin, summer-weight – lighter than denim, heavier than linen – so it’s not too bulky to pack. And they go with everything.) I have a cute striped pair from Carve Designs that I’ve been wearing for nearly a decade! The specific design is long discontinued, I’m afraid, but I’m still a huge fan of the brand. Almost everything I wear in summer is from them – very mix and easy, easy, casual/slightly sporty, packable but still stylish.

Also, their reversible swimwear is great!! I have two of this bikini top , which can easily double as a sports bar and is great for being both cute and not letting your boobs fall out if you’re actually planning to move.

Now you’ve got me thinking about shopping and summer weather lol. Anyway, I hope that’s helpful! You might also want to check out my sustainable clothing brands list, and – since you’re biking, too! – this story about the bike trip in Italy I did last year.

Have a good one! – Ketti

Plan, Ready, Go®

Carry-on Packing Tips: How to Pack Light

Packing light and traveling with carry-on luggage only is a great way to go. When you pack light, you never have to worry about your checked bags making it to your destination. Or waiting at the baggage claim carousel. Try it for yourself and learn how to pack light . 

I love having my luggage in my control at all times. I also love that at the end of my trip, I get to just grab my things and go.  No waiting at the luggage carousels  for me! I’m already on my way to enjoying my trip or heading home by the time you see your checked luggage. 

So, consider forgoing the ritual checking of your bags and start packing carry-on only. Keep reading for the best packing tips for carry-on luggage.

Key takeaways

• Organize your carry-on packing list into categories to maximize space and ensure you don’t forget essentials.
• Make sure to check the carry-on policies of each airline you’re traveling with.
• Use a luggage scale to make sure your carry-on is within the airline’s weight limit (if applicable). Don’t forget that the weight of your bag itself is included in that total weight, so choose a lightweight bag if you can.
• Do a carry-on packing dry run to ensure everything fits and is under the weight limit.
• Maximize your outfits by choosing coordinating separates to create multiple outfits with fewer items.  

This post includes affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  See disclaimer.

#1. Get your carry-on packing list organized 

Packing carry-on only requires discipline and organization, but it’s so worth it. 

Picture yourself flying through the airport on the way to starting your amazing vacation while all of the others on your flight are standing around waiting for their checked bags to come out on the carousel. Sounds nice, right? 

I keep myself as organized as possible when I plan my carry-on packing list so I maximize my available space and don’t forget anything I need. 

I get organized by  breaking down my packing list into four categories : 

• What I’m wearing on the plane 
• What I’m packing in my rolling carry-on bag 
• What goes in my personal item ( I love my backpack )
• TSA liquids bag

This is just a suggestion. It’s what I do. Use whatever categories or lists work best for you.

Tip: use a digital and editable packing list to stay organized and make quick adjustments to your list as you pack for your trip. Prefer pencil and paper? Grab the printable trip budget tracker sheets here .

#2. Watch your size and weight! 

I cannot overemphasize how important it is to  check the carry-on (or hand luggage) policies  of each airline you’re flying with on your trip, not just the airline through which you bought your tickets.  

European-based airlines can have especially strict weight and/or size limits for carry-on bags. 

And don’t neglect to check on any restrictions to the size of your personal item bag as well.  Some airlines, limit the personal item  to something small like a handbag or a thin laptop bag. Large, overstuffed backpacks are a no-go as a personal item sometimes. 

Some airlines also include both your larger carry-on bag and your personal item in their weight limits. Don’t get caught off guard.

#3. Use a luggage scale and take it with you 

Using a luggage scale can be a lifesaver while you’re packing to make sure you’re staying within the airline carry-on weight limits. And when possible,  give yourself a buffer of about a pound just in case . You never know when your scale and the airline’s scale might be calibrated differently. 

One time I was checking in for a Swiss Airlines flight on my way home and my bag was a little over the weight limit. They let it slide, but I was already trying to decide what items to pull out of that bag and stuff in my travel purse or jacket pockets.  

The weight buffer on the outbound trip also helps with planning for bringing souvenirs back with you. 

Which reminds me, you need to take your luggage scale with you if you plan to go carry-on only on your return trip.

#4. Don’t forget to consider the weight of your carry-on bag itself 

When thinking about what you’re going to pack it’s also crucial to remember that the weight of your luggage itself counts. 

I know, it seems self-evident, but larger rolling carry-on bags can weigh more than you think. I have an old one that weighs 9 pounds!

If you’re flying on an airline that limits you to 8 kilograms (17.64 pounds), using that bag would leave you with only 8 pounds for your actual stuff. More than half your total allowed weight would be taken up just with the weight of your suitcase. No thanks. 

A great way to cut down on your overall luggage weight is to buy the lightest bag you can afford. Hubby loves his Rick Steves rolling backpack that weighs just over 5 ½ pounds.

#5. First-timer? Do a carry-on packing dry run 

This carry-on packing tip is especially for those first-timers out there:  do a carry-on packing dry run . 

Once you’ve made your packing list, it’s time to actually pack everything to make sure it all fits and is under the weight limit (if applicable). And when I say everything, I mean everything. All of the actual things you’re taking with you. An approximation won’t cut it. 

Then weigh it. (You’ll be shocked to discover how much a simple thing like a hairbrush weighs.) Then figure out what needs to go and weigh your bag again. Do this until you’re one pound under your weight limit. 

Grab your travel partner and set aside an evening or a Saturday afternoon if you need to.  It’s totally worth it.  

#6. Maximize your outfits when packing carry-on only 

You’ve probably read about or at least heard of a  capsule wardrobe , right? Well, they work for packing light also! The idea is that you downsize the number of garments you have with you while maximizing the possible number of outfits you get from those garments by making sure that they all coordinate. 

My favorite way to do this is to pack separates and make sure I use a lot of neutrals. I introduce pops of color in cute tops that coordinate with all of (or at least the majority of) the bottoms I’m bringing with me. And it’s okay to repeat outfits. Seriously, I won’t tell if you don’t. 

#7. Minimize your toiletries 

When packing carry-on only, figuring out how to get my liquids into a one-quart plastic bag is the thing I struggle with the most. I’d love to take three lip gloss options with me in addition to every single skincare product I use regularly, but I simply don’t have room in my little plastic bag. 

At the same time that you check the carry-on luggage policies of your airlines also make sure to note airport security carry-on liquids and prohibited items policies.

While your experience may be that the domestic carrier you use to make trips to visit family doesn’t consider lip gloss or mascara to be a liquid, the international airline or airport you’re going to be using just might. 

When I pack my liquids, I go low-tech and  just use a quart Ziploc bag . I’ve read too many stories of travelers buying “TSA Approved” toiletry bags only to go through security in European airports and be told their bag was too large.

To me, it’s not worth the risk…And what’s cheaper or lighter than a Ziploc bag? 

Read my full post about packing toiletries for carry-on for all my best toiletry packing tips and tricks…plus a packing list  

#8. Look for accommodations with easy access to laundry facilities 

Booking accommodations with access to laundry facilities makes packing light a bit easier since you can  do laundry partway through your trip .

It also makes it easier to repeat outfits if perhaps you’re a little bit of a messy eater. Or maybe you’re prone to dribbling your coffee if you try to drink it while you’re walking. I’m not saying I do that…but I have friends who do. 

We frequently use Vrbo to book accommodations when we travel and make it a point to only book homes or apartments with laundry facilities to make packing light easier on ourselves. 

You might have to make a small investment in laundry detergent while you’re there, but in my experience, people frequently leave behind the leftover detergent they purchased for the next renter to use. Nice! 

If you won’t have the opportunity to do laundry wherever you’re staying, take the extra step of making sure that the clothing you pack all works well together to create several outfits. (See #6 above.) 

#9. Wear your weight on the plane with you 

Sometimes on planes, I get quite cold and then sometimes I get too hot. The same goes for me at airports.

So, for me, it works out great to wear as much of my packing weight as I can in layers that I can easily remove or put back on as needed to keep myself comfortable. 

I usually wear the only pair of jeans that I take on my trip (jeans are heavy!), my heaviest shoes, a short-sleeved T-shirt, a cardigan (again, heavy!) and the warmest (and heaviest) jacket I will need. 

Traveling to a cold-weather destination or planning to do some hiking? Wear that heavy coat and hiking boots on the plane. 

#10. Don’t forget to think about your return trip 

Planning to bring back souvenirs with you? Then make sure to account for that when you pack your carry-on. 

Some avid souvenir buyers opt to bring an empty tote bag with them to fill with souvenirs to carry on the plane with them and then check their other bag for the return home. This is a valid option. 

If you’re like me and you limit your souvenir purchases so you don’t need to check a bag on the way back, then make sure you give yourself a buffer under the carry-on weight limit for your airline or airlines. Or make sure that they’ll fit in your personal item . 

One of my favorite souvenirs I ever bought was perfume from Florence, Italy , so I had to make sure I could consume or dump items from my liquids bag to accommodate my fragrance purchase for the trip home. Totally worth it. 

#11. Don’t be ashamed to use your traveling companion to carry some of your stuff 

Traveling with a companion who doesn’t use as much of their allotted space or weight as you do? They may be willing to help you out by carrying some of your items in their luggage. 

My husband travels with me, and his liquids bag will hold his shampoo, a small tube of toothpaste, and some antibiotic ointment, rarely more.

He’s happy to take on my shampoo and toothpaste to give me a little more room for the makeup and skincare products that I really want to take with me. He also often packs our guidebooks when we travel with paper copies since they can be heavy.

Should you use packing cubes or compression bags?

While I personally don’t use either packing cubes or compression bags when I travel light, there are many who do and swear by them.

Packing cubes have some benefits:

• Keeping small items together and not just floating around your luggage
• Keeping your pairs of shoes separate from your clothing
• Keeping outfits organized for longer trips

Compression bags:

• Help bulky items take up less space in your baggage
• Help you get items that would normally take up a lot of space into a smaller bag
• Help you pack for a long trip in a bag you would normally use for a short trip

One thing you need to keep in mind if you decide to try packing cubes or compression bags is that they do add weight. Maybe not a lot, but some.

If you are traveling carry-on only with severe weight limits, fitting more into your carry-on isn’t going to help you. In fact, you will be making it easier for yourself to go over your weight limit.

If you are traveling without a carry-on suitcase weight limit and want to try packing cubes to help you stay organized, I think you ought to try them out to see if you like them.

Why pack light and travel carry-on only

I started traveling with carry-on luggage several years ago, and I can’t imagine going back. The first time I tried it, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it work. Here are my top five reasons to pack light and travel with carry-on luggage only.

Carry-on only travel means that all your luggage stays with you while you travel

I never have to worry about my bags making it with me to my destination.

And other than the occasional leg of your trip on a plane with limited or small overhead bin space requiring you to valet check your bag until you deplane, all of your luggage will be in your control at all times.

Save money on baggage fees

If your preferred airline charges for each suitcase that you check, you can save a good amount of money with each trip if you fly with carry-on luggage only.

Of course, not all airlines charge baggage fees. And if you prefer to fly basic economy, overhead bin space may not be included in your fair, so make sure to check carefully before you purchase your ticket.

No waiting in baggage claim

This is a big plus for me. I love that at the end of my trip, I get to just grab my things and go, no waiting at the luggage carousels for me! I’m already on my way to enjoying my trip or heading home by the time you see your checked luggage…I mean, assuming it’s there.

It’s easier to be mobile

Imagine rolling into Florence on the train and walking through the pedestrian-only historic city center with heavy suitcases the size of a trunk. I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you travel with a carry-on only, you can toss your bag in the overhead rack on your train and be on your way.

Packing carry-on only forces you to think about your packing list…in a good way

How many times have you packed one…or several…garments that you didn’t wear once on your trip? But you told yourself you might wear it, so you needed to take it.

Don’t! You don’t need it. You only need to pack what you definitely will wear…and, unless it’s for a special event, wear more than once. There’s nothing wrong with repeating an outfit or two on your trip.

Packing light gives you the chance to focus on your experience rather than your things

After all, that’s why we travel, right? To experience new places and people and cultures, to perhaps step out of a materialistic mindset wrapped up in the accumulation of things? There’s nothing wrong with caring about your appearance. I certainly do, but I care in the sense that I pack one favorite lipstick and 8 outfit options for a one-week trip rather than 20.

I have found that traveling with fewer clothes and fewer things takes a load off my mind as well. When my suitcase is decluttered so is everything else. Truly.

There is no downside to packing light and traveling with carry-on luggage only. Give it a try. I think you’ll find it’s a good idea and a great way to travel.

Final thoughts on tips for carry-on packing 

Though traveling with a carry-on only can be challenging, it’s well worth it to travel light. If you follow the tips laid out here, you’ll be well on your way to being a carry-on-only travel pro. 

Do you like to travel with carry-on luggage only? What are your top packing lights tips for carry-ons?

Related articles with more carry-on packing tips 

• Blank printable packing lists
• Pack Light List for a Week (in a Carry-on)
• What to take on a flight (in your carry-on)
• How to Pack Toiletries in a Carry-on Bag 
• Find the best personal item bag
• How to pack a suitcase to maximize space

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Darcy Vierow is a busy professional and travel planning expert with years of experience maximizing travel with limited time and on a less-than-average salary. Her tips have been published by Forbes, MSN.com, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, Aol, Newsbreak and GOBankingRates. Read more about Darcy Vierow .

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Nice tips for packing light while traveling. I love traveling with less luggage with only a single bag. But I don’t what to pack all will be useful when we go on a trip. Thanks for sharing tips!

Nice tips for packing light while traveling. I love traveling with less luggage with only a single bag. But I don’t what to pack all will be useful when we go on a trip. Thanks for sharing tips!

I’m so glad you found this post helpful. Thanks for reading!

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How to travel light: 12 travel hacks to travel light

By: Author Monica

Categories Packing Tips , Travel Tips

I’m always harping on about how important it is to travel light. Travelling light gives you extra freedom and flexibility that you just don’t have with heavy luggage.

You can move quickly through airports and train stations and it’s so much easier to take public transport with a small bag. You’ll save money by not having to check your bags in on a plane and you can keep your luggage close when you’re on trains and buses.

You’re also less likely to lose things when you travel light because it’s easier to keep track of your belongings.

I’ve been thinking a lot about travelling light recently because I’ll soon be travelling with a baby and I’m pretty sure that travelling light + baby is pretty much impossible. I might not be able to pack light for the baby but I’ll definitely be able to pack light for me so the travelling light challenge is about to get extreme!

I could go on all day about the benefits of travelling light but I’ll leave it at that and start sharing my top tips for travelling light.

1. Use a small, lightweight case

The oldest trick in the book and possibly the simplest way to pack light – Use a small suitcase or backpack so you can’t possibly fit too much in it. Don’t be tempted to get a case that’s slightly too big because you will fill that space with unnecessary crap.

For more inspiration and proof of the benefits of travelling with a small bag, check out this post by Chris over at Backpacker Banter: My 25L Backpack Challenge . Yep, he travelled for 3 weeks around Thailand with nothing but a 25L backpack!

I like to travel with just hand luggage and recommend my range of luggage which is all available on Amazon. There’s the Travel Hack Cabin Case, the backpack and the tote.

It’s designed to be the perfect size for cabin baggage, meaning it’s as big as it possibly can be without being too big. It has separate compartments to keep everything organised and is an absolute dream to travel with. This is a great option is you plan to travel with cabin luggage only.

Below are a couple of great luggage options if you’re trying to travel light.

The Travel Hack Cabin Case

The Travel Hack Cabin Case is my all-time favourite for travelling light. The suitcase is perfect for a carry-on case for most airlines and weighs just 2.7kg but still has a massive 45 litre capacity. It also has handy pockets so you can access your belongings easily, whether you’re on the plane, going through security or at the airport.

• Generous main compartment with packing straps and a variety of zipped pockets for everything from toiletries to straighteners.
• Top opening easy access storage for extra storage, a handbag or toiletries, featuring a fold down shelf so this space can also be utilised as main packing space. Rear padded compartment for a Macbook...
• Stylish 600D PU outer shell with faux leather inserts and rose gold detailing.

Cabin Max Metz

The Cabin Max Metz backpack is within the dimensions for most airline carry-on luggage and weighs just 0.7kg!

If you’re looking for ultra light but spacious luggage then this is the one.

• CARRY ON BAG 55x40x20 cm soft shell design to fit 94% of worldwide hand luggage gauges including: EasyJet and Ryanair, Eurowings, Vueling, Norwegian, Virgin, BA, Lufthansa, Jet2, Wizz Air, Iberia,...
• MAXIMUM CAPACITY - Large 44-litre capacity cabin bag makes it possible to fly without checking in baggage to the hold. Lightweight yet durable cabin bag 55x40x20 0.7kg (1.5lbs).
• CABIN BACKPACK - Featuring 3 main lockable zipped compartments, including document pocket, organisational accessories and tech pocket, including 2 zipped compartments. High strength durable,...

Tripp Ultra Light 4 wheel cabin case

If you’re looking for a lightweight suitcase then you can’t go wrong with the Tripp Ultra Light 4 wheel cabin case. It weighs 2.1kg, so you’re going to be left with 7.9kg for your belongings.

• 4 Wheel Carry On Suitcase
• Colour: BLACK
• 5 year guarantee

Antler Clifton Suitcase

The Antler Clifton Suitcases are great quality and so reliable. The cabin case is a little heavier at 3.5kg but if you’re looking for a really good quality case and you’re not as worried about weight then it’s a good option.

• CLIFTON LUGGAGE: Our Clifton cabin suitcase is everything you could want from a lightweight suitcase. Designed to last with its polycarbonate material, this carry on suitcase is strong, eye catching,...
• SIZE & MEASUREMENTS: Our carry on suitcase features flexible carry handles, 4 interior pockets, a zip closure & interior compartments. The cabin suitcase measures 20 x 40 x 55 (cm) with a packing...
• DOUBLE ANTI-THEFT TSA LOCKS: The Clifton cabin suitcase has anti-theft technology with its double TSA-approved locks for added security that separately secures the front pocket & the case itself. This...

Cabin Max Lightweight Backpack Trolley

If you aren’t sure if you want a backpack or a trolley then check out the Cabin Max Lightweight Backpack Trolley. It weighs just 1.7kg and has a 44 litre capacity.

• HYBRID - Cabin Max Lyon trolley backpack is a convenient wheeled carry on suitcase that coverts into a backpack for any type of travel. Just unzip the back section which covers the wheels and backpack...
• PACK TO THE MAX - Combines the maximum size allowed for hand luggage with an abundance of practical features
• DESIGNED TO FIT - At a massive 44L with dimensions 55 x 40 x 20 cm including wheels it is still extremely lightweight at 1.7KG

2. Pack 2 pairs of shoes and no more

Shoes can often be the bulkiest items in our bags so never travel with more than 2 pairs. Wear your bulkiest pair on the plane and a pack a smaller pair in your case.

I’m currently love the On Cloudnova trainers for trips where I’ll be doing lots of walking.

The Veja trainers are nice if you want some comfy white trainers that are a bit more stylish.

A comfy pair of Dr Martens are great for winter trips.

And I like a pair of Birkenstocks for daily wear in warm destinations.

Read more: What shoes should I take travelling?

3. 1 pair of trousers/jeans

Jeans or trousers are another bulky item to travel with so never travel with more than one pair and you should always wear these on the plane.

I usually opt for whichever jeans are my current favourites. You can’t go wrong with a comfy pair of black skinny jeans. My favourites at the moment are the classic Levi’s 501’s . I have them in a few different colours but black is the best for travel because they’ll match everything and no one really notices them, so you can get away with wearing the same jeans for days (don’t judge).

4. Minimise toiletries

If you’re staying in a hotel you can guarantee you’ll be provided with shampoo and shower gel so leave these at home. This means that most guys can get away with nothing more than a travel sized deodorant and toothpaste.

Most ladies will find it a little more difficult because there are some toiletries you just can’t leave home without.

I have a whole post over here about travelling with hand luggage toiletries and some nifty little products to make it easier to travel light! These tiny refillable pots are genius to help travel light with things like makeup and lotions.

How to Travel with Hand Luggage Liquids (& fit all your toiletries in that tiny bag!)

#5. Take an iPad/tablet

Cut down on tickets, books, magazines, a laptop, games, notepads, music, maps and travel guides and simply pack a tablet. My hand luggage used to be chocker with all sorts of entertainment options but now I just have my iPad and it’s made travelling so much easier.

Consider taking a portable powerbank  if you’re planning on taking long journeys. I have one that isn’t much bigger than a lipstick but it will charge my iPad for about 5 hours. It’s a good backup for emergencies too – like if you’ve got your hotel confirmation email stored on your iPad and the battery has died!

6. Pack simple clothes and lots of accessories

If you look at my Travel Style board on Pinterest you’ll see that I’m a bit obsessed with jeans and white t-shirts. It’s such a simple, easy style and so easy to pull off while you’re travelling. I’m really tempted to pack a bag full of white t-shirts next time I go away.

Team your jeans with sandals, white trainers, winter boots or heels. Then team your t-shirt with a blazer, a cardigan, a cosy jumper or a big scarf and you’ve got outfits for any situation without having to pack too much.

7. Pack ‘hard working’ clothing

No, you’re not sending your clothes to work, you’re looking out for clothes that have more than one use.

Think things like sarongs and scarves which can be used as towels, blankets and wraps.

You also can’t go wrong with black leggings. They’re easy to wash and dry and go with virtually everything.

It can be harder to pack light in colder climates. I love UNIQLO’s Ultra Light Down coats because they pack up into a tiny bag (similar to a cag in a bag) but they’re really, really warm!

8. Use packing cubes

I LOVE packing cubes. Not only do they keep your bag organised but they help make the most of your space and stop you overpacking. I tend to travel with four packing cubes. One for tops, one for bottoms, one for underwear and one for evening clothes. Once each packing cube is full you can’t possibly squish anything else in so you’re forced into packing light whether you like it or not.

Read more: Are packing cubes worth it and do they really save space?

Are packing cubes worth it and do packing cubes really save space?

9. Wash your clothes while you’re away

No matter where in the world you’re travelling, it doesn’t need to be expensive to get your clothes washed.

Fancy hotels in certain cities will charge a fortune to wash your clothes so look out for laundrettes or, cheaper still, wash your clothes in your hotel bathroom. You can’t go wrong with the Dr Beckmman Travel Wash . It’s so cheap and amazingly effective!

I usually soak my clothes in the sink and rinse them out while I’m showering. Laundrettes and apartments with washing machines will become your best friend if you’re travelling for a few weeks or more.

If you’re travelling in a developing country it costs next to nothing to get your clothes washed but be aware that if you’re paying £0.50 for a load of washing, you don’t want to be giving them your expensive designer clothes.

• Special concentrated washing gel
• Formulated to use when you are travelling or away from home
• Can be used in any type of water

10. Remember: you can buy everything out there!

No matter where you’re travelling, you’ll always be able to find the necessities. You might not find your favourite brand of shampoo but you will find something very similar.

If you’re going somewhere where you think you’ll need specialist equipment, wait until you get there to buy it. You’re not the first traveller to visit and you won’t be the last so you can guarantee you’ll find local shops selling everything you need.

When I travelled to Borneo I climbed Mount Kinabalu. I’d spent the past 18 months in Australia and didn’t have a single item of warm clothing or a decent pair of shoes. I was panicking but when I arrived to Kota Kinabalu I realised I wasn’t alone and the city was filled with hiking shops thanks to all the travellers who pass through and pick up the necessary hiking items.

11. Don’t use lots of small purses and pouches

(This doesn’t apply for packing cubes – I mean really small pouches for tiny things like jewellery or socks) The first time I went backpacking I was super organised and had a separate little pouch for everything. A pouch for medicine, one for toiletries, one for souvenirs. Yes, my bag was organised for about the first 5 days (out of about 450 days!) but I had lots of unused space in my bag. Socks and toiletries are the perfect items to squeeze in your bag and fill up the gaps. Lots of pouches lead to lots of gaps and lots of wasted space.

12. Use a bag or case that opens fully

I don’t recommend using a top-loading backpack. This means smaller items slip to the bottom and are forgotten. Use a bag that opens all the way and you have access to everything. You don’t need to be quite as organised and this reduces the needed for all those little purses and pouches.

Do you have any more travel hacks to help you pack light?

You can find even more packing tips over here.

Sunday 24th of March 2019

The last 2 hotels I stayed at offered at the most is the mini bar soaps. The first one gave the soap and had to buy travel sized shampoo, lotion, etc. I take bar soap and refill the empty bottles with everything else I neeed.

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My Travel Secret For Not Overpacking? The 10-$10 Rule

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When traveling, packing less makes it easier to experience more. When you’re not weighed down by bulky bags, you have more freedom to jump on public transit or walk long distances without tiring. You’ll have fewer worries about repacking or losing items. With carry-ons only, you’ll avoid checked bag fees , waiting at the luggage carousel and the risk of lost luggage .

If you travel backpack-only, you'll be forced me to leave even more at home than you otherwise would with a full suitcase. It means sacrificing just-in-case items.

And that’s where my 10-$10 rule comes in.

What is the 10-$10 rule?

The 10-$10 rule is a packing strategy that helps you decide what to bring and what to leave behind. The premise is straightforward: If you can acquire a just-in-case item upon arrival for less than $10 and within 10 minutes, don’t pack it.

For cheap, small items that you’ll absolutely use — say a toothbrush, deodorant or underwear — pack them regardless. But for large or just-in-case items, buy them upon arrival, granted they cost less than about $10 and are easily purchasable within 10 minutes.

Under the 10-$10 rule, items you generally shouldn’t pack include:

Books (perhaps pack one, but will you really read that second one?).

First-aid kits.

Over-the-counter medications that you only sometimes use (e.g. antacid tablets or ibuprofen).

Weather-contingent items like ponchos and umbrellas (particularly if it’s not even rainy season).

Of course, the 10 minutes is key. There probably aren't drugstores in the wilderness, in which case packing something like a first-aid kit for a camping trip can make sense.

I’ve come up with this rule over the years of traveling carry-on only , and then progressing to backpack-only. When all your possessions are on your back, overpacking is not just unnecessary weight, but it makes it especially tough to sift through the items you really need.

Make the 10-$10 rule your own

The 10-$10 is more of a guideline than a rigid, one-size-fits-all rule. Embrace its spirit, and adjust the timing and dollar figure to your liking. Factors you consider might include:

A single, able-bodied adult might easily pop into a store and make a quick purchase. Others who are less mobile, or families with kids, might find that a single convenience store run exceeds 10 minutes, in which case packing more from home makes sense.

I sometimes make exceptions for an item’s size depending on the likelihood of using it.

Antihistamine cream is small and easy to pack, but I’ll never know whether I need it for a bug bite until it happens. Though such an item might never get used, I’ll more likely use it on a lakefront vacation in Florida than a trip in downtown Denver, where high elevations make it relatively bug-free.

Meanwhile, bulky items like beach towels never make the cut.

For budget-conscious travelers who can’t afford inflated hotel gift shop prices, the $10 threshold might be too high. Adjust it according to the flexibility of your budget.

As my own savings account has grown, I’m more willing to push the $10 rule higher. But in my younger years, my $10 rule was more like a $3 rule. Back then, I was more likely to pack a just-in-case umbrella, because the thought of forking over cash amidst a downpour felt wasteful. These days, I’m usually willing to gamble that it won’t rain.

Your own flexibility

If you’re picky, realize that it might take more than 10 minutes to find the item you want, in which case the 10-$10 rule doesn’t apply. I’m generally okay using any sort of skincare products. But if you demand a specific brand, pack your own.

And in some situations, like traveling with babies, taking 10 minutes to track down something like diaper cream might not be worth it when you could have packed it from home. The 10-$10 rule isn’t for you.

Items that make the 10-$10 cut on one trip might not on another. In New York City, where there’s no shortage of retailers, I’m more willing to underpack. That’s less often the case on trips to small towns or national parks where storefronts are limited.

Don’t overpack, but don’t overshop either

It’s usually okay to spend a little more than you would to buy the same things at home. I don’t mind paying the markup for sunscreen sold on the beach versus dealing with checked luggage to pack sunscreen from home.

On the other hand, watch out for wasteful spending. Once you’ve found a cheap souvenir stall, it can be tempting to buy anything under $10 — like fanny packs, sunglasses and hats. Don’t overlook the minimalist spirit of the 10-$10 rule, which is not only packing what you absolutely need — but also only buying what you absolutely need.

Benefits of the 10-$10 rule

Packing light taught me that I often don’t even need stuff I thought I did.

Hotels often supply items you might’ve packed anyway

Many hotels these days are tightening up on the free toiletries left on your bathroom counter, presumably to mitigate waste. But often, hotels still offer those freebies — you just have to ask.

On a recent stay at the Hotel Virginia Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, Calif., the lobby attendant gave me complimentary toiletries like toothpaste and razors. I was delighted by the complimentary sunscreen at the Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani in Honolulu.

Even at Disneyland, I’ve picked up free bandages for my blistered feet at a first aid station in the park.

Most hotels and vacation rentals provide irons, hairdryers and towels, so definitely don’t pack those bulky items. Some also offer items like robes and umbrellas.

You net a great souvenir

On a trip to Thailand, I intentionally under-packed. Buying a sundress, shirts, sandals and floppy hat from vendors who lined the beach was all part of the experience. Plus, they’re functional souvenirs that I truly love.

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