Minimalist packing list

I’ve been on a travel kick lately. So following on the heels of my last travel-related post, I wanted to share my packing list. This is usually what I bring for a long trip (up to 4 weeks). Overnight trips are a lot easier to pack for.

When I travel I only take carry on. I’m pretty low maintenance and it helps reduce my stress. I usually create a capsule wardrobe for each trip. This means that everything I bring matches and gives me several outfit options. It also allows me to pack for a specific climate.

Bringing only carry on does mean I’ll be doing laundry a few times during the trip but I’m okay with this. I wanted to share my packing list for my Philippines and Japan trip. Feel free to adjust as necessary. Helpful hint: rolling your clothes will help you to reduce wrinkling and saves on space.

Travel outfit
-Dressy shirt
-Comfortable pullover sweater
-Maxi skirt
-Scarf – becomes a great makeshift blanket or pillow.
-Money belt
-Comfy boots
-Watch
*I try to wear things that don’t wrinkle. I’ve noticed that dressing nicely does impact how the gate and flight attendants treat you. And I’ve been upgraded to business class a couple of times randomly (while wearing a dressier outfit). But sometimes you have to be comfortable. So it’s up to you.

Carry-on
-A week’s worth of socks, underwear, and bras – rolling the socks and underwear and stuffing them into your packed shoes will save on space.
-T-shirt and athletic shorts – perfect for a casual day or workout.
-Five short sleeved or sleeveless tops
-A dark grey cardigan
-Pair of pants
-Pair of jean shorts
-Pajamas
-Running shoes
-Dressy flats – must be comfortable enough to walk in for a couple of hours.
-Adapter/converter
-Camera and charger
-Lots of protein bars

Toiletries (tucked into my carry on)
-Shampoo bar in a tin (mine’s from Lush) – I use this for both shampoo and body wash. It also doubles as laundry soap if I need to wash anything in the sink.
-Toothbrush and floss
-Face scrub
-Brush
-Deodorant
-Jewelry – I’ll usually bring a ring, necklace, and pair of earrings.
-Extra hair elastics and bobby pins
-Band-aids – great for random injuries and blisters.
-Kleenex pocket pack – in case the bathroom doesn’t have toilet paper.
-Sanitary products
*I purchased a disposable razor once I got there.

Liquids/gels (in a plastic Ziploc bag)
-Hand sanitizer
-Travel size toothpaste – you can buy a larger one when you arrive.
-Contacts and solution
-Cream concealer
-Face and hand lotion
-Essential oils roll-ons – great for helping with upset stomachs and headaches.
*I’ll keep these in my purse while going through the security screening and will tuck them into my carry on suitcase afterwards.

Purse
-Snacks – lots of trail mix, dried fruit, and protein bars.
-Phone and charger – I loaded helpful travel apps on here.
-Wallet with ID, cards, and foreign currency
-Passport and visas
-Power bank and charger
-Ipod and noise cancelling headphones
-Eye mask
-Glasses
-Lip balm
-Itinerary printouts and information- I keep these in a waterproof folder.
-Medications and/or vitamins – keep them in their original packaging and check that you can take them into the country ahead of time.

What’s on your packing list?

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