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Why fit it all in a carry-on?
• Freedom of movement
• Cheaper
• Timesaving
• Take up less space
Why travel with a carry-on only?
There are many good reasons for traveling light. You save money, it’s easier on your body, you save time, the list goes on and on. But my personal favorite is that it allows me to take up less space!
I travel by public transport quite a bit when I travel and the smaller the backpack the less space I need on a crowded bus or tram. No more looking down in shame as busy commuters are trying to navigate around my pile of luggage. And as a generally clumsy person, I highly decrease the risk of hitting or bumping someone in the face with a smaller backpack.
What kind of backpack or suitcase?
I like to start out as small as possible. I’m using a fjällreven kånken that my grandmother gave me back in the 90s. I might upgrade to a newer model eventually, as they have a laptop compartment, but this one works just fine for now. It’s a great one because it has a clamshell opening and a square shape, and fits way more than seems possible.
Start writing your packing list a few weeks in advance. As soon as you see that you might need an item, put it on your packing list. My memory is not great, so if I think of something I might need on the trip I have to write it down immediately, The notes app on your phone works great for this.
In this digital day and age, why not use a packing list app. I’ve used one called PackPoint for a few years. One of the greatest things about it is that it saves old packing lists so you can go back and see what you brought for each of your previous trips.
What is in my Ultra light backpack
Toiletries
• TSA-approved transparent toiletry bag
• All-in-one soap bar
• Face cream
• Coconut oil
• Deodorant
• Dental floss
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Hairbrush
• Q-tips
• Tweezers
• Nail clippers
• Nail file
• A small nail polish
• Sun protection
Make-up
• Compact powder with spf
• All in one concealer pencil
• Eyeliner
• Mascara
This part of the packing list might be one of the more individual ones, and even if I am fine with using my shampoo bar for my body, you might not be. And to be honest I don’t think it is a good idea to differ too far from what you use at home. A fun story, when I was about 15 years old and went on holiday with my family I would travel with 3 big toiletry bags! And yes I used everything in there.
This type of packing changed for me on my first time backpacking in SEA where I realized the heat would make me sweat the makeup off anyway, and the hassle of packing all that stuff every two days was just not worth it for me! However, it might be for you, and if you have toiletries or make-up you really like to use or need, I say bring it. Just bring a travel-sized version if that is available
Medical kit
• Antihistamines
• A small pack of burn gel
• Antibiotic salve
• Eye drops
• Band-aids
• Ibuprofen and paracetamol, usually you will find this everywhere, but if you are unlucky and get a headache or so on a plane, you will be really glad to have them.
You don’t need to bring all kinds of what-if medication in my opinion and a little bit of research about where you are going should help you in deciding what to bring. Suppose you are going somewhere with a high probability of food poisoning while off the beaten path, it might be advisable to bring something to aid you in this situation. However, if you are in an area with heaps of pharmacies around, you would probably not need to bring it.
This is a very generic list, consisting of basics I have found to be useful, however, it is important that you bring medication that is necessary for you. If in doubt have a chat with your doctor before you go. And don’t forget your vaccines and travel insurance
Clothes
I don’t use packing cubes for packing my clothes when packing in a suitcase or bigger backpack, I’m usually not a very organized person so packing cubes has always just seemed like an extra packing process to me and more to keep track of. I usually just travel with less. When packing as light as I’m talking about in this post I like to put my clothes separately from other items in my backpack. For this, I use the Scrubba wash bag. I love this solution as it has so many purposes. It can compress my clothes, I can use it as a dry bag if I’m somewhere wet, and obviously, I can use it to clean my clothes if needed.
• 2 Tank tops, 1 basic, and one merino wool. The merino wool one can be used both on its own and as a base l ayer.
• 5 T-shirts. 1 Training 3, in a neutral color, 1 merino wool
• 1 White shirt
• 2 shorts. 1 denim,1 linen
• 1 pair of jeans.
• 1 wide-legged black pant for dressier occasions, i will usually just mix this with a tank top and some jewelry
• 1 black merino wool sweater that goes with everything, keeps you warm, and merino is classy enough for most occasions
• 1 light down jacket that doubles as a travel pillow.
• 2 Bathing suits. one bikini, and a one-piece.
• 7 pairs of underwear, minimum.
• 2-3 sports bras, my bikini top can also be used as an extra bra
• 1 rain poncho doubles as a rain cover for my backpack as it fits under the rain poncho. If I’m going somewhere with lots of wind and rain, or I know I will be spending a lot of time outside in the rain I might bring a rain jacket.
Some last thoughts on clothes; This is one of those topics where I find it is so easy to get lost and make some proper blunders. I have made tons of them. There are so many tips out there on what is best to bring. You’ll find everything from scarves with pockets, dresses that you can wear a billion ways, sweat-wicking materials that look like sports clothes, smart wool that works for all climates, and the list goes on and on. While most of these tips are great, remember that one size does not always fit all. What works for some might not work for you. Take merino wool for example, it is a great fabric and I love wearing merino t-shirts in summer in Norway, but for me to wear merino in a tropical climate is just way too hot, and a top made with modal or linen might be better for me. I could seriously go on and on about different qualities of fabrics and different properties, but that might be for a post in the future. What I will say is, make sure you know what makes you comfortable because when traveling you will notice quite quickly what makes you uncomfortable.
It can be a good idea to start planning a few weeks before you leave and put all the clothes you use on the regular in a separate pile in your closet. And when the time comes for packing your bag this is your base for what to bring, and then you adjust to activities and weather where you are going.
At the end of the day only you know what you really like to wear and feel comfortable wearing.
Shoes
Sneakers/running shoes, if you are a runner, bring running shoes. If you just walk, bring some comfortable sneakers. If the shoes are in a neutral color, they can usually be used as semi-fancy.
A pair of flip-flops or sandals. If you bring running shoes and want something a bit nicer, consider switching flip-flops with dressier sandals or get a pair of ballerinas
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Tech
• Laptop, if I didn’t need it for work, I would skip this one
• Phone, most of use bring one these days. I also use my phone as a camera, and for travel documents.
• Headphones
• Chargers
• Universal travel adapter
All the other stuff
• Sarong.
• Umbrella
• Sunglasses
• Small packable backpack
• Black purse, use on travel days for wallet and stuff
A sarong is absolutely one of my favorite items on this list it just has so many uses. I’ve used it as a towel, curtain, skirt, beach cover-up, and makeshift bag. On hot beach days, I wring it up in cold water and cover myself with it to avoid overheating.
The packable backpack is a new addition that I am very excited about. Looking forward to having a day pack I can use without having to remove the stuff from my regular backpack when I’m out exploring.
Items I bring for colder climates
• Wool inner soles, when the ground is frozen it helps to have an extra layer in your shoes.
• Thin merino tank top, layer under the other wool
• Wool leggings or tights.
• Buff can be used as a scarf or a hat
• Thin gloves with smartphone tips.
I have tried in this post to show that it is possible to travel with very little. However, if you want to travel with a bigger backpack or a carry-on suitcase, go for it. The reason why I chose to use such a small backpack in my example is that to start out really small and then add on a couple of more items feels way easier and more luxurious than starting out big and then having to remove half of the stuff.
At the end of the day when one lives out of a suitcase, sacrifices have to be made, and I feel like what is most important is that you make the sacrifices that are best for you. I hate carrying tons of stuff so for me it’s an easy decision to leave some comforts at home and focus on the essentials. I hope these tips could help you on your way to becoming a carry-on traveler.