One of the most problematic things about travelling is deciding what to take with you and how to pack accordingly.
Men tend to do this brilliantly: they just chuck some boardies, t-shirts and a pair of jeans into a backpack.
Done. Easy.
Women, however, tend to over-do it.
Hair straighteners. Curlers. High heels. Jackets. Face serums. Lingerie. The entire MAC collection. More jackets.
Trust me, I’ve seen it all in my travels.
Deciding on which outfits to take, how much makeup you’ll need and that inevitable thought of ‘What if I need that (insert ridiculous piece of clothing here) in an emergency?’ is enough to do any normally rational female’s head in.
My advice? Just follow this easy guide to packing like a backpacker to maximise your travel experience while minimising your excess baggage charges…
1. Get Clear on Where You’re Headed.
First up, what type of travelling are you doing? Are you backpacking Europe for the summer? Going to Japan to shred some fresh powder? Or are you going to spend your trip laying on a beach in Fiji drinking cocktails and working on that tan?
Once you are crystal clear on where you’re going, and what this will entail, it’s a lot easier to pack for it. Plan to pack the things you’ll need for the exact destination and activities.
Ski trip? Think warm knits, thermals, beanies and boots.
Tropical island escape? Think bikini, shorts, tank tops, a maxi dress, sandals and sunscreen.
Trust me, there’s no need to take your best cocktail dress and Loubitans if you’re off to the Maldives…
2. Downsize, Babe.
The more space you have, the more inclined you’ll be to fill that sucker up. Do yourself a favour and invest in a smaller suitcase and a decent sized carry on.
I recommend a convertible backpack-style piece of luggage (mine is from Kathmandu) complete with wheels and a handle. That way, you can wheel it around like a suitcase, but hitch it on to your shoulders when needed. They are also generally smaller – but more space-conscious and user-friendly – than your traditional luggage sets.
This rule is especially important if you are backpacking or doing a tour; many hostels don’t have elevators so lugging a giant set of luggage up four flights of stairs is going to be a monumental pain in your ass (not to mention your back). Like most things in life, when travelling size DOES matter.
3. If in Doubt, Leave it Out.
Be prepared to ask yourself the hard questions like ‘Am I really going to need that many pairs of shoes?’ or ‘Do I really need to straighten my hair every day?’ If the answer isn’t a ‘hell yes’ then I say leave it behind.
Trust me, you’ll be able to pick up most things along the way. Shops like H&M and Topshop are a traveller’s dream and always have great things for you to buy should the need arise.
You can also hire things like hairdryers or towels for a couple of euro/dollars at most hostels so save your space for the things that really matters like your camera or laptop.
4. Keep It Simple, Stupid (The KISS Method).
When it comes to filling up my suitcase, I like to stick to my backpacking basics:
- One pair of skinny jeans
- Three plain tees or tanks – black, white and grey/stripes
- 2 pairs of shorts/cutoffs
- A pair of Havaianas
- One jacket that can go with multiple outfits
- A simple dress for special occasions
- A pair of your comfiest Converse sneakers
- Your favourite hoodie/jumper to keep you warm and cuddly when missing home, feeling sick, or painfully hung over
- Sunglasses [see above scenarios]
- PJs
- Bikini
- Heaps of plain underwear. NEVER scrimp on fresh panties, ladies
- A makeup kit consisting of the essentials only
- A small microfiber travel towel for those times when towels are not available [or are already soaking wet]
- Essential travel electronics – laptop, camera, phone, etc.
- Chargers for all of the above electronic equipment and an additional power source board [with 4 spaces for multiple charging items]
- A pillowcase. Trust me, this little sucker came in handy more times than I’d like to admit – and it reminded me of home.
The rest? Keep it to a minimum unless absolutely required. When I backpacked around Europe I left Australia with less than 10kgs of baggage. It was super liberating to travel with only the basics and I found that I picked up lots of pieces while I was away.
5. Accessorize Like a Champ.
Jazz up your simple wardrobe with accessories that are easy to pack – a scarf, a hat, your favourite necklace, a snuggly beanie, a pretty flower crown. These items are flexible, relatively small, and can also be easily stored inside shoes, wrapped up in clothes or tucked away suitcase pockets.
Remember: little pieces can have a big impact. Get creative.
6. Let Go.
Think you’re the princess type who can’t go a day without her hair curler or extensive wardrobe? Think again.
Before I went on my first solo adventure to Europe everyone asked me how on earth was I going to fit my hair straightener and all of my clothes into my tiny backpack because goodness knows I couldn’t survive without it all. Haha, funny buggers.
So I decided to challenge myself. After all, if I was going traveling to find myself then didn’t it stand to reason that I should leave the stereotypical and predictable parts of myself at home?
So I did. I left it all behind.
I became the girl who could get by on the bare minimum. I became the girl who didn’t straighten her hair every day. I became the girl who could wear a $4 tee, skinny jeans, Havaianas and minimal makeup all day, and then party all night in the same outfit (and still hook up with the hottest dudes on the dance floor). I became the girl who derived her self-confidence from her attitude, adventurous spirit and killer smile – not from this season’s must-have outfit.
So let go. Challenge yourself to strip bare (metaphorically speaking). Confidence is the best accessory and cannot be bought. Own it.
7. Remember the Reason for Travelling in the First Place.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing when you see the Eiffel Tower for the first time, stand in the Colosseum, or climb to the top of the Empire State Building.
You will not look back on your travel adventures and say ‘Damn, that Versace dress looks amazing in contrast to the Grand Canal of Venice’.
What you will remember are the days that changed you, the nights that destroyed you (in a totally good way) and all the moments in between that took your breath away.
Real travellers are those exceptional people who know that the true joy of exploring lies not in what we bring with us from home, but what we take home with us at the end.
And I’m not talking about a damn designer anything.
So remember your reason for travelling in the first place. Unless it is solely to go to Fashion Week, then I implore you to leave all the fancy frills behind and just focus on the beauty of travelling, not the beauty of your wardrobe.
Featured image by JD Hancock
