The Shortest Packing List for Traveling Light

A bare essentials packing list for those who like to travel with a very light backpack, be it a weekend in Europe or a month in Asia. Pro bono, use that extra space for souvenirs.

Building Habits of Traveling Light

Over the years of traveling, writing a packing list for vacation, or any trip thereof, became a little travel ritual.

Before every journey, when travel excitement starts kicking-in, I like to channel it into drafting a packing list. It takes just a tiny bit of time as I usually travel with a small backpack. Mostly because traveling with a carry-on gives more freedom, not to mention saves time, money and energy.

Eventually, it has led to the bare essentials packing list provided below. Besides making packing more efficient, it also had an impact on the things I own and bring with me. For those learning how to pack light, here are a few points that can be helpful for building a habit of traveling light.

• Think compact and practical. Thin fabrics, lightweight gear and small yet functional accessories are your best friends for traveling light.
• Be mindful of what you pack. Take notice which of your items you genuinely use during trips, and how much/many exactly. Things that merely take up precious luggage space should stay at home.
• Collect essentials that you love. Who you are traveling with may change but travel essentials go with you on every trip. So when you find a favorite, make it a longterm travel buddy.

As with pretty much everything in life, it takes a little bit of time to perfect your packing list. Now, let’s get to what could be a good starting point for a minimalistic traveler.

The Packing List

Clearly, what to pack will vary based on your destination, intention, and who you travel with. The following carry-on packing list is a result of over a decade of traveling with a single backpack, and has core essentials for traveling very lightly. For reference, my carry-on backpack for a 3-week trip to Asia weighed roughly 9 lbs (4 kg), and 6–7 lbs (approx. 3 kg) when traveling in Europe.

Travel Essentials

1. Documents: ID and/or passport, visa, other mandatory travel documents.
2. Keys and wallet: Payment card, cash, other relevant smart cards from previous travels, e.g. an Oyster card.
3. Tech: Phone, earphones, smartwatch, chargers, plug adapters.

Note: Boarding passes, reservations, travel insurance and other itinerary documents as well as entertainment are all safe and sound on your phone.

Personal Care

1. Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, face soap, face moisturizer, eye cream, SPF, deodorant, hair brush; if needed — razor, hair shampoo and conditioner, hair elastic.
2. Health kit: Over-the-counter essentials such as bandaids, pain relievers and flu medicine, prescription medicine, other personal care/first aid essentials that you normally use.
3. Eye care items: Sunglasses; if needed — prescription glasses, daily contact lenses.
4. (Optional) Makeup essentials: lip gloss, concealer, mascara, favorite eyebrow product.

Note: Think travel size/sample not only for toiletries and cosmetics but also accessories, e.g. a small hair brush.

Travel Wardrobe

1. Bags: A lightweight backpack, small bag, toiletry bag.
2. Footwear: Max. 2 pairs of comfy shoes, e.g. sneakers and sandals.
3. Clothing: 3-4 different style tops that can be easily mixed and matched with 1-3 bottoms, sleepwear and underwear, a hat or a scarf.
4. Swimwear, if headed to the beach.
5. A light jacket/raincoat to keep you warm or protect from rain, depending on the weather forecast.

Note: All items listed above includes what you wear while traveling and bring with you altogether. As for the wardrobe, the easier you can mix and match your items, the more outfit options you can create for yourself.

The Rest

Make it your own! Be mindful about what is essential to you and start thinking in small sizes and quantities if you wish to pack ultra light for your next trip. Safe travels.