A Personal Item For 6 Months Around The World

After moving abroad to Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to travel a lot around Europe. With each trip, I perfected my packing game. European budget airlines have started to charge for carry-ons, so I worked to fit everything into a personal item. Little by little, I’ve managed to trim down what I carry to a backpack that can fit under the seat in front of me.

After I quit my job, I decided to travel for at least 6 months through South East Asia. I used what I learned about packing light to bring only a personal item. Here is a breakdown of everything I brought and how I have fared across 5 countries and 4 months so far!

The Art Of Minimalist Packing

When first facing the daunting task of packing for such a long time, I went online and found the concept of “OneBagging”. The description on r/onebag is:

“[We are] devoted to the idea of lugging around less crap. Fewer, higher quality items, packed into a single bag for ease of transport make life simpler.”

Here are the contents of my entire one-bag set up:

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Contents

* stars are items I could likely downsize

BACKPACKS:

• 28L Cotopaxi Allpa 28L
• 15L Fjällräven Daypack
• 15L Dry bag (not pictured, purchased in Thailand)

When airlines allow two bags, I put my red Fjällräven inside the blue dry bag. However, both packs stuff into the Cotopaxi when I want to go down to one bag.

BASIC CLOTHING PACKING LIST:

• 1 Long sleeve tee
• 2 T-shirts
• 2 Tank tops
• 1 Flowy coverup*
• 1 Rain coat
• 3 Pairs of socks (2 regular, 1 hiking)
• 1 Sports bra
• 1 Pair of jeans
• 2 Jean shorts (1 purchased in Thailand)
• 3 Pair light, long trousers (one for sleeping)*
• 2 Bathing suits*
• 7 Pairs underwear

SHOES:

• 1 Pair of flip flops
• 1 Pair hiking boots
• 1 Pair Birkenstocks*

TECH:

• 1 Macbook Air
• 1 Kindle Fire*
• 1 Kindle Paperwhite
• 1 Portable Power Bank from Anker*
• 1 Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones*
• 1 Bag for all wires and chargers
• 1 Water purifier*
• 1 Adapter

HYGIENE:

• 1 Toothbrush
• 1 Toothpaste
• 2 Cleansers
• 1 Shampoo
• 1 Conditioner
• 1 Moisturizer
• 1 Toner
• 2 Sunscreens (face and body)
• 1 Mosquito Repellent
• 1 Deodorant
• 1 Tiger Balm
• 1 Necklace, 2 Earrings
• 1 Hairbrush

MISCELLANEOUS:

• 1 Sarong
• 1 Packing cube*
• 1 Phone Case
• 1 Pair of sunglasses
• 1 16oz Nalgene
• 2 Headbands*
• 4 Credit Cards

*Ways I Could Downsize My Current Set Up

While I’ve been happy with most of what I’ve packed, there are a few ways I think I could downsize even further.

1. While I love my hiking shoes, they are quite heavy and I wonder if they could be replaced with some sporty sneakers.
2. My Portable Power Bank is a tank, it works amazingly well for multiple fast charges. This gives me peace of mind that I’ll never have a dead phone mid-travel. However, it is heavy. Since I only need one extra charge a day, I could have gone with a lighter power bank.
3. Bose Noise Cancelling headphones are huge space eaters, and I only use them during transit. I didn’t want to shell out for in-ear noise cancelling headphones, but I find myself wishing I had those instead to take up less space. Still, they have served me well so far that I keep them around even though they take up so much space.
4. I brought one packing cube, but the Cotopaxi Allpa already has three sections that are divided by zippered mesh pockets. I don’t get the packing cube hype, and mine is not particularly light so I would like to get rid of it.
5. Birkenstocks are comfy and fun but they take up so much space. Worse still, they are leather and shouldn’t get wet. I plan to downsize to Xeros, a barefoot sandal that can weather the water and squish down for packing. Then I can also get rid of the flip flops!
6. Anywhere I have two things, I could probably just have one and be fine.
7. I still haven’t used the water purifier even once, much to my chagrin.

Things I’m Very Glad I Brought

There are a couple items that deserve an extra special shout out based on how much I use them:

1. My Fjällräven daypack: Just looking at it, one could be forgiven for thinking “What’s so special about that backpack besides being a fashion trend?” I didn’t get the hype either. Yet this light, boxy little backpack has served me so well. With its light lining, I can squeeze it into my main bag no problem. For the day, I take it out and fill it with everything I need. All of my tech gear fits into it nicely, including my Macbook Air!
2. Cellphone case with a crossbody string: I bought mine after seeing many tourists in Amsterdam using them. This makes it so easy to sight-see and get to my camera quickly for pictures. Best of all, it makes me feel secure, as it’s much harder to pickpocket a phone that is slung around you.
3. My Kindle: I always preferred proper paperback books, but my Kindle has been the star of the show in my solo travels. I use the Libby app to rent books from my local library, send them to my Kindle, and poof! I have something to read during the 10 hour train ride to Hokkaido, Japan. Mine is waterproof, which isn’t necessary but is nice for peace of mind while I read at the beach.
4. A Multi-Country Adapter with 4 USB Ports: I’ve used this for years and I absolutely love it. This allows me to charge multiple items, and comes with little adapters for each country I go to.
5. Most of my clothing choices. I’m happy with a capsule wardrobe that is easy to mix-and-match. There aren’t many items, but the ones I brought are some of my favorites. One of my favorites for re-wearing has been my Darn Tough socks. They were expensive, and I was worried they wouldn’t live up to the hype. Luckily they lived up to their reputation and are great for hiking. Most importantly, they don’t smell even after multiple wears.

Top Tips For Packing Light

Buy laundry detergent and do a quick soak and rinse of things as you go.

Do laundry on the go. Many hostels provide laundry services, and there are also laundromats available. My laundry in Bali and Thailand cost about $2 per load. In Japan, my hotel provided machines for free.

Try to get smaller versions of things.

For example, I recently downsized my hairbrush to a little foldable one. It might seem a little silly, but every opportunity to make space helps. This counts for shampoos, conditioners, etc. I even brought a teeny deodorant in a tin, without the extra packaging (mine is Dutch, but there are some U.S. equivalents).

Make items multi-purpose.

I packed for the warm weather of Thailand to start, but I included a raincoat which could also serve as a light layer if it ever got a bit chilly. If you are unsure and it is an inexpensive item like toiletries or rain gear, wait until you go to see if you actually need it.

My sarong (purchased in Bali) acts as a beach blanket and a towel, as well as a cover up when the sun is hot. Every item you bring should earn its keep, and sometimes that means doing multiple jobs.

Buy things at your destination.

It is easy to over prepare so remember: you can buy things at your destination. When I arrived in Vietnam, it was winter and quite chilly. Though my raincoat had served me well in Thailand, it wasn’t quite warm enough for Vietnamese winters.

I bought a light puffer jacket for $10. I’m glad to have bought it when I needed it instead of carrying around a useless jacket in the warmer months prior. If there is an urgent need for something, I assure you some tourist before you has had a similar issue, and the tourism economy will make it easy for you to procure whatever it is.

When preparing for my trip, I read about a man who didn’t pack any clothes. He only had what he wore on the plane. He bought his entire wardrobe in Thailand. That made me feel a lot better about packing less. I initially only brought 1 T-shirt, and bought a couple more in Bali. I also bought some lightweight trousers in Bali to round out my collection.

Be brutal.

Some things seem like they “won’t take any space!” but everything quickly adds up. If you are not sure, do not bring it. If you must, add everything that “won’t take any space” to a separate pile and see how much there is for your final pack. If it truly is negligible, then fine. You might be surprised by the size of the pile by the end though!

Practice with short trips.

What you can bring for a weekend can typically extend to a week or more. Pretend you are packing for a weekend instead of months. Most of what you need for a weekend is the same over a long period of time. Don’t let too many ‘what ifs’ get to you. For example, I might have been tempted to pack some fancy outfit for dinners, but I haven’t had a single opportunity to dress up so far. It’s not practical to carry around a ton of extra items for ‘what if’ scenarios.

The Times When Packing Small Saved Me

The bag can fit into the smaller storage lockers, which made it half the price!

Being able to put my entire bag in the locker is extremely convenient. In Copenhagen, the little lockers were half the price of the larger ones, so I could store my bag all day for less!

I can also usually fit my entire bag into the lockers at hostels, which are often kept small to just store your valuables. At most hostels folks with larger bags have to leave them by their bed and just lock their most valuable items. This works fine, but I appreciate the security of throwing everything into the locker.

On long travel days, I can carry the bag without getting too tired

It goes without saying that a huge bag packed to the brim will be heavier and harder to carry than a little backpack. On days when I have to traverse a city, I’m extremely thankful for a lighter load.

Along the same lines, packing small is convenient when packed into trains or walking through stores. I don’t have a clunky case to drag or a huge backpack swinging into displays. It’s much easier to move about the world, even in transit.

I can take my luggage on excursions

When I was in Khao Sok National Park, most stayed near the park before and after going on an excursion inside the park. I talked to some people who paid for a hotel room while they were gone just to keep their bags there.

Similarly, when going on a big motorcycle trip in Ha Giang, my companions had to store their luggage behind and just take daypacks. I thought about downsizing until I saw the luggage room: unlocked, unsupervised, and ultimately not to be trusted with my most important possessions. Because my backpack was quite small, it strapped to the back of the motorcycle no problem.

In addition, the bag can stay with me on buses, boats, and taxis instead of getting thrown in with the large piles of luggage. It makes me feel a lot better to have my bag with me, especially with a laptop inside. It also means that while other tourists line up to retrieve their bags, I can hop off the boat and get going.

Lastly, I’m always grateful for packing small during transit. Especially when I have to rent a scooter. In Koh Lanta, I needed to rent a scooter at the pier and drive to my Airbnb. Luckily my bag slotted between my feet. If it had been any bigger, I would have had to wear it uncomfortably or shell out for an expensive taxi. Since I am solo, the price of a single taxi ride was the same as an all-day scooter rental. During every travel leg, I was grateful that my small bag made transportation options easier.

Lessons Learned Traveling With Just A Personal Item

When we pack, we are constantly doing calculations for regret minimization. We want to save our future-selves from being caught in an uncomfortable situation, from being drenched in the rain, blistered by the wrong shoes, to being embarrassed by not having the right thing to wear. The other regret is bringing too many things and having to pay extra and lug around larger loads for the entire trip.

One thing is for certain: no matter the size of the bag, you will manage to fill it to the brim with ‘what ifs’ and ‘nice-to-haves’. So start with a small bag and see what’s possible. If you’re like me, you won’t regret it. I hope a peek into my travel pack helps you prepare for your next adventure!

What About You?

What’s your packing set up?

What are your #1 must-have items?

Are you inspired to try travel with just a personal item?