Summary

The author shares their approach to packing lightly for trips, emphasizing the benefits of using a backpack and listing items they typically bring and exclude.

Abstract

The author, an experienced traveler, reveals their minimalist packing strategy, which involves using a backpack instead of a traditional suitcase. They discuss the financial advantages of this approach, citing an example of a cheap flight to Paris that only allowed a carry-on bag. The author provides a list of items they usually pack, such as clothing, toiletries, and accessories, as well as a separate list of things they don't bring, like shampoo and towels. They also mention what they carry in their personal item, such as books, electronics, and travel documents. The article concludes with two packing tips: storing items in a pillowcase and rolling clothes instead of folding them.

Opinions

The author believes that packing lightly is essential for practical and cheap travel.
They argue that people often bring unnecessary items and should reconsider their packing habits.
The author suggests that hostels, hotels, and Airbnb accommodations provide essential toiletries, eliminating the need to pack them.
They emphasize the importance of maximizing space and minimizing wrinkles by rolling clothes instead of folding them.
The author encourages readers to share their packing strategies and expresses gratitude for their readership.

How I Choose To Pack For My Travels

I’m going on a small little trip this weekend, and I haven’t worried about packing yet because I’ve done this so many times that I know exactly what to bring. I’ve realized that for so many people, packing is such a big deal and a pain in their ass, but for me, honestly, it is the easiest thing in the world.

Last month, one of my best friends went on a week-long trip, and he asked me for tips on how to pack for that trip. So, after sharing how I choose to pack for my trips with him, I decided to write a little about it. Maybe it can be useful to you!

I choose to pack extremely lightly above all

It doesn’t matter if I’m traveling by car, by bus, by train, or by plane, I don’t like big and conventional suitcases. I have a backpack that is big enough to store all I’m about to share with you. It’s not only practical and easy to carry, but it also makes my trips so cheap.

In 2019, I paid $120 for a flight from New York City to Paris, France. Yes, it was that cheap. But the policy was: I was only allowed to take a smaller personal item onboard along with my overhead carry-on bag. And trust me, this was all I needed. Why would I have felt the need to pack so much stuff? I wasn’t moving to France. I was only going to spend a few days there, so a carry-on bag was just enough for me. And trust me, it is enough for you too. You have subconsciously convinced yourself that you need to bring unnecessary stuff. So, deconstruct that idea.

The flights that allow you to check in your first bag are normally more expensive than those flights that don’t allow you to check in any bags. If no checked bag is included in your flight, the airline is most likely to let you bring a carry-on plus a personal item. This can help you save so much money.

What will I put in my carry-on/backpack?

Of course, it all depends on what the weather will be like when I’m in a certain place, and what I’ll be doing when I get there. Will I be going to a water park? Will I be going skiing? Will it be cold there? These questions can also help you pack for your trips.

But overall, the rule I have for me is that I should mostly bring:

2 shirts and one pair of shorts per day. One shirt for the morning and afternoon, and a better-looking shirt for the evening and night
One pair of pants
One “fancy” outfit for a party or a special night
2 underwear per day
Pijamas
One pair of socks per day
One sweatshirt (or a jacket/coat if the place I’m traveling to is going to be cold)
Toothpaste and toothbrush
A perfume
Body lotion/Sunscreen
Deodorant
A pair of shoes
Flip-flops
A purse/small bag so I can carry my phone, documents, portable charger throughout the day
Hairbrush
An umbrella or a raincoat
A hat

What I don’t bring:

Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Hostels/Hotels/Airbnb are always going to offer some for free, and even if they don’t, I can always buy one travel size when I get where I’m going to.
A towel (hostels/hotels/Airbnb are always going to have towels for their guests)

Personal item

A book
Headphones
My iPad
My phone (of course)
Sometimes my semi-professional camera
Extra masks (Covid is still here, unfortunately)
My chargers and extra plugs
Passport/ID/Driver’s License
Adapters
Medicine/Painkillers
A portable phone charger
Sunglasses
Padlocks
A water bottle

Two tips and tricks:

1- If I’m staying for a little too long and I still want things to fit in my backpack, what I normally like to do is to store and hide my socks, underwear, and a few shirts inside a pillowcase and pretend it’s a real pillow. It has worked perfectly fine for me, and it has made me save so much money.

2- Remember that sometimes it’s not about what to bring, but how to store everything. What I love to do with my clothes is to roll them instead of folding them. This helps maximize space and minimize wrinkles.

I think that’s it! It’s that simple. I don’t bring too much stuff and it works just fine. I’ve traveled the world this way, and I don’t recall a moment where I felt like I had forgotten to bring something.

How about you? How do you choose to pack for your trips?

I’d love to hear from you!

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