HOW TO PACK LIGHT FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL?
If you want to travel light for your next trip but don’t know where to start, this article might be helpful for you.
No one wants to forget something when going on an international trip. The result of this fear is bringing too much unnecessary stuff and making the luggage heavier than needed.
Our simple goal is to travel light with only the essentials.
So you will find in this article, all the travel light tips from our experience and we will update this page as we continue to travel and learn new useful tips or gadgets to add to the list.
This article is not an exhaustive list of all the items you need to bring but is more meant to be used as a guideline helping you to think about what to bring.
In this article, we will talk about these topics :
– Backpacks or luggage?
– How many bags do you need?
– How many cloth items do you need to travel?
– What gadget you should buy?
– Optional gear. It can be useful to have but you can travel without
Backpack or luggage?
The answer really depends on you. Both are good options. But how do you want to travel? Are you walking a lot? Are you always on the move? Are you willing to carry the weight on your back?
If yes, the backpack can be really handy. Just make sure to choose the right one. Depending on if you are a female or male. You should take a bag that suits you well.
I used to use Dan’s bag for a long time and it was too heavy for my body. As I was looking for my own bag, I noticed some differences from a woman’s bag. This is because our morphology is different. If you chose the right bag, chances are you optimize the weight and balance of it.
Otherwise, the luggage might be a better option. Just make sure to choose one of great quality that will not let you down on the road. You don’t want to be in the position where the troller broke and you have to carry your luggage with your hands. In that situation, it’s going to be heavier than with a backpack.
How many backpacks/luggage do you need?
One backpack/luggage per person is perfect, two is the maximum.
More than two, it will be very challenging to manage all and you risk forgetting one as you go.
We have 2 bags (one big and one small) and one body cross bag each. We keep it clean and tidy so we know where are all the stuff. And when we have to carry everything, we have one bag in the front and one in the back with the body cross bag in the front bag.
We will definitely be happier with fewer bags but we have computers, a camera, and chargers.
If you don’t bring gear, you might be able to travel lighter than us and one big backpack/luggage should be enough.
How many clothing items do you need to travel?
If you are traveling for 2 weeks, 3 weeks, a month, a whole year, or even more, you don’t want to bring your closet.
The easiest way to think of how many clothes you need to bring is to think of all the clothes you need in 1 week, 2 weeks max.
Just don’t bring more, your back will thank you. You can go to a laundry shop every week or 2 weeks. Or like us, you can do hand wash every day. That way your clothes are always clean 😉
Put everything you think you will wear and select just enough for one week. Think also about all the weather that you might meet (cold, hot or rainy day)
Note: bringing nice cloth can also be useful if you want to go out and have a drink or for a special occasion.
What gadget you should buy?
These are our favorites and we think they make our travel way easier
Packing cubes
So easy to organize all your stuff and you know exactly where to look for if you need one t-shirt or else.
We have 3 packing cubes each
Multi-function pocket
There is always a use for it. For make-up, brush, toiletries, or chargers.
We have 2 for chargers (so many gears), 1 for hygienic products, 1 for laundry, and 1 for medicines
Water bottle
We found it very useful and refill it at the water station in the hotel or outside. It cost 10 times cheaper than a bottle of water bought in a supermarket and ecologic
Optional gears
It can be useful to have but you can travel without or find alternative
Multi-port USB adapter
I have to say I was so into it but we travel with 2 adapters and 1 multi-plug. It works for the moment
Cable pouch and cable rings
You can use any pocket and elastic band to keep it clean. It works for other purposes also
Water filter bottle
I was into it but unless you are traveling somewhere with no access to water. A simple water bottle will do
Don’t stress about forgetting something
Traveling light is a mindset. If you think you should bring something just in case, just don’t bring it. Unless you are traveling in the middle of a jungle, you can almost buy anything anywhere.
So, if you forgot to bring something, just go to the first shop you see. I am sure you will find pleasure to buy a new object in the country too and it can be a form of souvenir.
More importantly, learn progressively how to optimize your bag. Your bag is unique. You may have the same bag as ours but yours will be totally different.
Our personal recommendation to travel light is to think twice before buying anything. I was so impressed by all the travel gadgets we can buy and I wanted to buy them all!
But sometimes it’s better to start imperfect and reuse the things you already have.
You can always buy new stuff if you really need it.
Dan and I wanted to buy new sneakers but we ended up using our old ones. We will buy new ones when needed. And guess what… I wear my sneakers less than I thought… And I wear sandals more than I thought…
Good luck with your light packing. The future you will be so happy to travel lightly