Long-term travel is different from a quick week away, yet many of the essential things to bring are the same. Regardless of where we are going, we share our secrets and tips for packing light.
For us, the real keys to successful travel are only to take what we need and to be prepared. The difficulty is finding the balance between the two.
For us, we have summarized into a simple list of 10 essential things to bring. We share more details on each of these below.
Tips for packing light: 10 essential things to bring
- Breathable weather-proof jacket
- Health/safety gear
- A first-aid kit
- Smartphone
- Toilet paper
- Sleeping bag liners
- A laundry line
- Documentation
- Electronics
- Clothes
Our number one travel tip:
ALWAYS PACK LIGHT
Our tips for packing light have improved over time
We initially wrote this page about 10 years ago, when our girls were young teenagers. Now they are young adults and rarely travel with us.
I don’t believe teens need more, but I do notice that we carry considerably less these days.
Our longest family trip was just shy of a year, and we visited 48 countries on four continents. It was a diverse collection of destinations, yet we still managed to pack light, returning at the end of the time with a collective total of just 55kg, including checked and carry-on luggage, jackets, and all our souvenirs.
This is an average of 13.75kg per person. As a point of reference, airlines typically allow one checked bag up to 23kg and one carry-on up to 7kg, or 30 kg per person. We had less than half of that.
On a more recent long-term trip, we spent nine weeks touring four countries in South America with only carry-on bags.
Importantly, we had everything we needed.
“There are two kinds of travellers in the world: those who packed light and those who wish they had.”
Our tips for packing light include these essential things to bring
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This is our generic list for most travel; however, if your travel includes a cruise, this may be the better list for you.
1. A breathable rain jacket
I never travel without my all-weather jacket. It’s useful to help me stay dry in a hot tropical monsoon-type rain or as an outer layer when it’s cold.
Also, be sure your backpack and camera bag have “raincoats.”
2. Health and safety items
Our list here used to include insect repellent, sunscreen, and a Steripen to purify water. However, in today’s world conditions, we have added hand sanitiser and an N95 mask to this list.
3. Fully stocked first aid kit
How stocked it actually is would depend on where you are travelling to. We are always prepared for an emergency in our most remote destination. Our basic first aid kit includes paracetamol, ibuprofen, Imodium, sore throat lozenges, antibiotics, band-aids, first aid ointment, and hydrocortisone cream. We also bring a written prescription for any medications we take.
We always make our own first aid kit, but if you prefer a premade one, this small first aid kit from Amazon.com looks complete for injuries.
4. Smartphone
We used to have a flashlight on our list, but then we realised we don’t need one if we have our smartphone. And the phone can also be our alarm clock, GPS, timer, camera, internet connection and, of course, phone.
5. A roll of emergency toilet paper
I don’t think this one needs much explaining, except that we also recommend that you keep a single-use supply in your pocket at all times. You can choose to heed our warning or regret your decision one day.
6. Silk sleeping bag liners
Just to clarify, we always stay in hotels or other indoor accommodations, mostly at a 4-star or higher level. However, sometimes they are just not up to my standard, and I don’t want to sleep touching the linens. The silk sleeping bag liner lets me have my own first layer next to my skin for almost no additional weight to my bag.
7. A twisted bungy laundry line
I’ll admit, the downside of packing light is washing more often. However, there isn’t always somewhere to hang. The twisted bungy-style laundry line doesn’t require clips and is easy to pack. Plus, it can double up if I need to secure a bag shut.
8. Documentation
Obvious and essential, we need our passports, immunization cards, insurance cards, tickets and credit cards. Plus, I used to bring an empty book for journaling, but now I just use the notes app on my smartphone.
9. Electronics
This includes my camera and laptop, plus all the chargers that we need for them and the phones.
10. Clothing
We each bring the following clothing items:
- Shirts – 5 including 1 tank, 3 short sleeves and 1 long sleeve*
- Pants – 2 short, 1 long (opposite ratio if headed to colder temps)*
- Dress for women, nicer shirt for men
- Multi-use sleepwear
- Cardigan
- Fleece jacket that is a bit big for layering
- Sun hat
- Warm hat
- Shoes: 1 athletic/walking, 1 sandals that can be worn in a shower
- Socks and underwear – a four-day supply
*at least one from quick-dry fabric
Note: I prefer summer to winter and generally make every effort to avoid extreme cold. If your travel plans are different, then a down coat should be added to the essential things to bring list.
One more tip for packing light
Possibly our best the tip for packing light is to use. Packing cubes keep everything tidy and reduce the space needed. They allow us to keep organized and find what we need quickly.
I have been hooked on them since the first time I tried them. If you are ready to give them a try, we love these packing cubes.
And if you are shopping for another traveller, don’t miss these lightweight and useful travel gifts.
Bonus Tip: Bring a Sense of humour. Don’t go anywhere in the world without it.
Read next: 4 Best Ways to Manage Your Money While Travelling
Save on your trip with these resources
We use these aggregator companies to save time and money. They do the work for us by providing a list of options, prices, and reviews for anywhere we are travelling worldwide. Plus, we have personally had positive customer service experiences with all of them:
- Flights: we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
- Hotels: we use Booking.com as they consistently return the best rates and their reviews are from actual guests. However, for self-contained lodging, use VRBO
- Cars: we use RentalCars to find the best deals and dealer ratings.
- Private guides: we often hire private guides from Tours by Locals
- Travel Insurance: we start at InsureMyTrip as they are the best option to compare plans and find the right coverage for you.
Before you book the rest of your trip: Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel.
We believe this list to be the best in each category. You can’t go wrong using them on your trip too.
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How does this match your list of essential things to bring? Do you have any additional tips for packing light?
Photo credit: all stock photos on this page from Depositphotos
san
Great Post, These tips will definitely make our trip comfortable. Thanks for sharing.
Gudrun
Really cool tips, your post has reminded me on my golden student years when we have backpacked through Europe with my friends. It was so much fun!
Julie
These are all great tips, and you could never have too much toilet paper! I loved your quote, and would be wise to abide by it!
Joyce
If I ever get out of Memphis, I’ll look this up.
Hannah @ Getting Stamped
Great list! We leave for our upcoming RTW in 4 months. We are still in the planning stage! We have most of the items on your list! We are just debating on the clothes situation! Thanks again for sharing!
Elyn
Great list. I love those silk sleeping sheets. I got bit by some sort of bugs in the tatami mats that were on the floor in Japan because my leg stuck out from under the covers when we were sleeping (on futons on the floor). Bugs love me. Now I have silk sheets for the next trip. Pinned to pinterest!
Rhonda Albom
We bought them for tent sleeping in Jordan (which we still have yet to do), but also use them in questionable hotels, where we wonder how clean things really are.
stevebethere
LOL very good although I do tend to take most of that in your list when I go shopping …you know, just in case
Have a traveltastic weekend Rhonda and don’t do anything I would
tara tyler
ewwww! all excellent reasons not to be on survivor!
i love where i live. you are a brave family!
thanks for the tips!
Rhonda Albom
It’s the insect repellent and first aid kit I would miss most if I were ever on Survivor.
Comedy Plus
Great list, but after your posts here I wouldn’t travel where you did. Ever. I’ll just stay home and not worry about all those things.
Have a terrific day. 🙂