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This is Part 2 of the post: Cost of Travelling the World for 1 Year. Click here for Part 1.
Wanderer grunted as he emerged from the basement lugging 2 large empty suitcases. “Okay, I got them. Let’s start packing!”
“Nope.” I shook my head. “Too easy. Instead, we’re going to fit everything into these,” I said, pulling out 2 small backpacks from the closet.
“WHAT?!” Wanderer yelled, throwing up his hands. “WHY DO YOU KEEP DOING THIS?”
I ignored him.
“WHY?” Wanderer demanded again.
“Because I don’t like waiting in line and paying for check-in luggage,” I said, crossing my arms.
Long intense glare, followed by a loud sigh. “Fine. I guess that makes sense.”
Back when we packed for 2-week vacations, we always brought 2 giant luggages overflowing with crap—80% of which never got used.
What we didn’t realize at the time is this:
The more space you have, the more useless stuff you’ll end up bringing.
So this time, instead of figuring out what we think we need, we only brought what we could fit into 2 carry-on bags:
(note, we originally had Marmot and Mountain co-op bags but we’ve since upgraded to Osprey’s that have lifetime warrantees).
By keeping it at 40L or less, we made sure that we’d be under 7kg and 56cm x 36cm x 23cm, which is within the carry-on limit for most airlines, including RyanAir and EasyJet.
Full Disclosure: The links in this post are affiliate links so I will get a small commission if you buy the items. But if you find a better deal in an outlet or buy used, feel free to do that instead.
Luggage:
Here’s what we ended up bringing:
Gadgets
- 2 Macbook Airs
- 1 Bestek International Travel Converter/Power Bar
- 2 smartphones
- 1 Anker power bank
- 2 usb keys
- 2 headphones
The power bar and power bank were lifesavers. Our smartphone ran out of battery A LOT. And when you’re trying to navigate your way around Asia, you’re pretty screwed without GPS (we also used the offline Maps.Me app when we didn’t have data and it worked like a charm). The power bar has a voltage converter and surge protector, which kept our Macbooks from getting fried.
Clothing
- 7 pairs of underwear/person (enough to last 1 week without doing laundry)
- 7 pairs of socks/person
- 2 bathing suits each (Wanderer’s swim trunks also doubles as board shorts)
- 4 T-shirts, 3 shorts, 1 dress shirt, 1 long pants, 1 light jacket for Wanderer
- 4 T-shirts, 1 shorts, 1 dress, 6 tank tops, 3 skirts, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 long pants (also doubles as workout pants), 1 light jacket for me
- 2 hats (Wanderer’s baseball cap also happens to be a bottle opener!)
Since we ditched Europe and flew to Southeast Asia the second the first wind chill hit our jackets (early November), we didn’t need to pack any winter clothes at all. One pair of long pants, a long sleeve shirt, a windbreaker, and a scarf was just right for slightly chilly days/rainy days.
To save space, I tried to only bring clothes that serve more than one purpose. Like Wanderer’s shorts/swim trunk, baseball cap/bottle opener, and my scarf/shawl/beach wrap/picnic towel/back cushion. Who knew a shawl could have so many purposes? I also discovered that men’s clothes take up SO much more space than women’s clothes. Apparently I was able to stuff in 3 tank tops in the same space as 1 of Wanderer’s T-shirts. Why is it that my girlfriends need so much more luggage space than their hubbies? I just don’t get it.
Shoes:
- 4 pair of shoes
- 1 pair of sandals/person
- 1 pair of running shoes/person
I thought about bringing hiking boots, but in the end decided “nah”. As it turns out, exactly 2 pairs of shoes each were all we needed. I even wore my running shoes to a mossy forest hike in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia and all I had to do was rinse off the mud. No biggy.
A lot of female travellers say to bring a pair of flip-flops. But I decided to buy a pair of Teva Verra sandals instead, which are comfortable enough to walk long distances in (unlike flip-flops which shred the skin between your toes) AND doesn’t look too butch with a dress. Luckily these sandals ended being super durable because I was using them as shower shoes, walking shoes, AND beach sandals. 3 purposes in 1! Triple-win!
Meds
- Allergy meds, Tylenol, nausea meds (all packaged into 1 medium-sized pencil case)
I’m glad I didn’t over-pack on meds. As it turns out most off the shelf meds were easy to find and pretty inexpensive in most countries.
Toiletries
- Contact lens solution + contact lenses (1 year supply)
- Moisturizer
- Mosquito spray
- Sunscreen
- Aloe Vera
- Hand sanitizer
- Deva Cup (DO NOT click on this if you’re a guy. I’m serious. If you end up going “ew ew ew why did I click that”, don’t blame me)
- GIRLS, this is seriously the BEST thing ever for travel. You will save SO much space (AND money, AND the environment!!!) by not having to bringing all that monthly “you-know-what” crap. I was originally worried about the Deva Cup being hard to use. I got used to it pretty quickly. Now I can’t leave home without it.
- Toothbrushes
- Travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste
Misc
- 3 books (we mailed them back after we read them to save space)
- makeup (1 eyeliner, 2 eye-shadows, 1 eye-shadow brush, 1 lip gloss)
- 1 pair of glasses
- 1 pair of sunglasses
- 2 mouth guards (to prevent teeth grinding at night)
- 1 electric shaver
- 1 hair brush
- 1 umbrella
- 2 sets of earplugs
- 1 sewing kit
- 1 travel-sized first-aid kit
- 1 nail clipper
- 1 money belt
- 2 swimming goggles
- 2 Packtowl travel towels
- One of the most useful things we brought. Takes up little space, absorbs 4 times its weight, and dries fast.
- 1 small notebook + pen
After stupidly bringing 2 suitcases on vacations, let me tell you, living out of 2 backpacks is life changing! No waiting in line to check in luggages, no need to pay extra (we saved at least $750 on carry-on fees in total), and absolutely no need to worry about having your stuff stolen on bus rides. Carry-on rocks. Seriously.
I also found out that I have an obsession with travel squares . Not only do they help you save space, they also help you organize your stuff into categories, making things SO much easier to find. And if you don’t want to bother buying travel squares, you can also use cloth bags and pencil cases. As long as you compartmentalize your stuff it makes life SO much easier when packing/unpacking.
So here is everything we brought for 1 year all in 1 photo.
Packing everything we needed for 1 year into 2 backpacks was actually a really good exercise because it proved that we needed WAY less stuff than we thought. And not only that, we ended up saving at least $750CAD and countless hours awaiting in line by not having to check-in our luggage.
So here’s my challenge of the week for you guys. Can you pack everything you need for 1 year into 1 backpack? Try it. It does wonders for de-cluttering your life.
Click here for Part 3 of Cost of Traveling the World for 1 Year for tips on how to save money on flights, accommodations, and transportation!
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Fully agree. In fact, we use the same MEC bag. My spouse doesn’t always agree about the external minibag, but it is useful for compartmentalizing stuff, which is better than having it all in the main bag. Keeping sub-containers helps a lot too, but it’s still a lot of stuff in one pocket, and hard to get stuff out for quick access.
We’re down to one computer and maybe a tablet between the two of us. Better phones help with that. But I couldn’t actually travel without a computer, since sometimes I need to write papers or code, so I do need the screen.
Lightweight mountaineers also try to make things serve multiple purposes. Helps a lot in reducing weight. Speaking of which, any water bottles? I tried the foldable ones but they seem to leak once in a while.
Checklists are super useful.
Usually the issue when I travel is that I’m bringing along some sort of gear for some sort of activity. Basically you can’t rent a rope, for instance. Specialized skiing gear that you need for going up the mountain is also pretty pricey. If no gear, then carry-on works great, and you can get to the airport really at the last minute, too.
Sweet! Backpack twins 🙂 Go MEC!
We used to bring an aluminum water bottle but it added bulk and was a bit of a hassle, so we ditched it and stuck to buying water bottles and refiling them instead.
As for the gear, if you’re going on a short trip, then it makes sense to spend a bit extra to check it in, but for our long term travel, the amount we save in check-in bags over the year is WAY more than equipment rental so we don’t bother.
Is definitely a good bag.
The metal bottles are too heavy and you’re stuck with the amount of volume that they contain, so they’re a minus that way. You can, however, attach reusable bottles to other things more easily using carabiners. Having said that, I don’t usually actually use them.
The mountaineering wisdom I referred to above is actually in a book, where the author suggests that Gatorade bottles are good in a weight vs capacity sense and also come prefilled with sugar water.
Even for a long trip, if you want a rope, you basically need to bring it with you. People just are not willing to rent a rope to you.
Holy crap that’s some efficient packing! I’m not sure how big our travel bookbags are but probably about 32L (they fit in most carryons, though it might be pushing it with Ryanair’s most narrow dimension of 20 cm or 8 inches – have to pull out a few items maybe). I weighed mine and it was 18 lb with my 15″ laptop (should be 16 lbs now that I upgraded to a 13″ laptop). But we only had 4 days worth of clothes last time around.
Fun stuff!
16 lbs should be fine. And when you’re in Europe and staying in Airbnbs, 4 days of clothes should be enough. In Asia, I like to have at least 7 days because we mostly stay in hotels and some cities do not like laundromat for some reason (mostly in Vietnam) so we have to get them washed by weight. Also it’s hot and sticky so we end up going through clothes faster.
What was your experience with laundromat availability in Europe (southern and central Europe mainly)?
I’m debating between 3 days of clothes and 4. 4 worked perfectly well in Mexico but we were in airbnbs 90% of the time with full washer and dryer (and ended up in a hotel with free washer and dryer – Aloft Cancun if you’re ever down that way!). I don’t particularly like the idea of sink-washing and air drying clothes (x5) but understand that can work in a pinch. Or turn those stinky T’s inside out and rock em again (ew gross we’re not *that* kind of backpackers). I’m thinking 3 days of clothes could work if laundry service was widely available (and especially if wash/dry/fold was dirt cheap!).
Only had to use a laundromat in Belgium (it was pretty easy to find, just down the street). The rest of the time, AirBnBs had laundry. Oh and the Ios island in Greece, we had a hard time finding a laundromat, but luckily we had a balcony, so I just washed stuff by hand every 2 days or so.
You actually found a hotel with free washer and dryer? Never seen one in my life 😛 They always charge ridiculous amounts for dry cleaning by item or weight.
I’d say for Europe, 3 days of clothes is fine. As long as you pick the AirBnBs that check off “laundry” in the amenities, you’re good to go! Just a heads up that, unlike North America, most places will NOT have dryers (due to lack of space). They generally provide a drying rack or balcony to dry your stuff.
In Japan, they have the same space restrictions as Europe but their bathrooms also double as dryers! You hang your clothes over the bathtub and there’s a giant heater/vent in the ceiling that dryers everything. It’s also so high-tech that you can also set the bath water to be exactly the temperature you want every time and most bathrooms have mini-TV screens. Man, I’m so IMPRESSED but also TERRIFIED of the ruthless efficiency of the Japanese. They rock but I’m glad they don’t have an army anymore.
We randomly stumbled upon that hotel in Cancun with the free washer and dryer. I just wish I knew about it before I cleaned two pairs of the little guy’s poop pants (bad tacos??) by hand (actually by foot, in the shower) and hung them up to dry from the AC vent.
As for Japan, yes, very glad they don’t have a standing army any more. 75 years ago they bombed the crap out of the US. Didn’t end well for either side but it was certainly a lot better for us than them.
Having a power bank is super key when traveling. Snagged on on a Cyber Monday deal last year and it’s been a lifesaver every time I’m walking around or at the airport. Admittedly, I probably use up more power compared to a lot of people, but I still think it’s something that everyone should get. Just makes things so much easier.
Nice! Yeah, we would be lost without the power bank. One time I forgot it at the hotel, our phone ran out of power, and it was a pain trying to find our way around with a map. I have no idea how people travelled before smartphones 😛
So cool! We also pack about a week’s worth of stuff when traveling, with laundry just assumed to be needed. We rock larger backpacks, but can still sneak them on as carryons sometimes. 🙂
And packing cubes are lifesavers. Makes pulling things out of the backpack way more civilized. 🙂
Packing cubes definitely rock! Reduces my packing time considerably.
Backpacks are a great way to go…I’m actually surprised you managed to fit all that stuff in two backpacks!
When you have kids, there’s additional ‘secret’ options that open up when it comes to luggage. Like the free stroller/car seat gate check…those things often have storage compartments!
The key is to a) roll your clothes instead of fold them–keeps them from getting wrinkled and takes up less space b) use packing cubes to compress the clothes c) in addition to the 2 backpacks, we’re also allowed 1 purse and 1 laptop bag. We used the laptop bag to carry the jackets and books
I didn’t realize that with kids you get these extra “secret” options. Good to know!
After two weeks AirBNB’ing around Europe in July, I’ll agree with everyone else that a powerbank is KEY. A fun side benefit is that when our train from Amsterdam to Brussels got cancelled (due to closed tracks) and we were all hanging out on a platform for an hour waiting for another train to Leuven to circumvent, I could help a stranger charge up his dead phone so he could let his pregnant wife back home in Mexico know he’d be a half day late returning. Nothing like doing my part to negate the Ugly American Tourist stereotype and make new friends!
Nice work, Adam! It’s always good to help out a fellow traveler 🙂
I was planning to ask you how y’all packed so efficiently and then I see this post in my inbox. Mind reading! This is amazing. I thought I was a light packer, but you put me to shame. Thanks so much for the detail. I’m going to see if I can pack everything for 2 weeks of winter holiday in my small backpack.
Awesome! Happy packing!
Thanks for the traveling tips. I and my son are flying to Mexico next week and I have been thinking about what items I need to take on my trip. This is text is a lifesaver! I am happy that I don’t have to buy anything major! I might get small things like the shaving cream, bottle of sanitizer, razors, lotion, etc. Thanks for the help!
Glad it was helpful! Yeah, we realized very quickly that you can buy toiletries, meds, clothes…basically anything you forgot…cheaply and easily. So no need to lug around too much stuff.
Enjoy Mexico!
The best packing exercise I ever did was for a seven week cyclo-touring trip through France. I realized while I was training for the trip just how critical each ounce was, particularly when climbing hills. With only four small panniers and a handlebar bag, I packed 12lbs of stuff plus some tools and bike lube – the experience transformed me forever. This was in the pre-smartphone era so I didn’t take any electronics other than a small digital camera.
My rule for laundry was packing three of everything: one dirty, one to be worn and one clean. There was much doing-of-the-laundry-in-the-bidet, I confess!
Wow! That is some ruthless efficiency! And you saved yourself a ton of back pain in the process. Nice.
Hmm. I’m going to look into an external powerbank that works for a MacBook.
Potentially stupid question: so when you come home and it’s snowing, you buy a jacket? Or you ask your family to meet you at the airport with a jacket? Enquiring minds want to know!
So generally, if they’re not busy, a family member meets us at the airport with our coats. If not, we can go on public transit or take an Uber. Even if we have to be outside with our spring jackets, it’s just a 1 day, so no biggy 🙂
Great, great book selection in that last photo! 😉
I know right? I have impeccable taste when it comes to books 😉
Btw, your book is the only book we didn’t ship back because we need to flip through it every now and then as as reference for our posts!
Wholeheartedly agree! We spent a month this summer traveling around the UK visiting family, with a quick vacation by public transport over to Paris and Amsterdam – so not a trip that’s easy to do with suitcases! One week of stuff, recycled, is plenty.
Clothes had two packing cubes, a green one full at the start, a same-sized black one empty. As we wore them, they moved down into the bottom packing cube – so the overall cubic space remained the same, it kept clean/ dirty separate, and for washing, all we had to do was pull out the black cubes and know it was all there. We were wrangling 12 and 16 year olds, but this system kept everything straight.
You guys are SO organized! And you managed to STAY organized while wrangling 2 kids/teens. I’m impressed.
Holy moly!! That’s efficient!! I thought I was efficient. My husband and I went on a 2 week European trip with one suitcase and 2 backpacks between the 2 of us, and our friends were shocked that we packed so little!! But 2 backpacks for a year?? That’s something else!
That’s amazing. Now I gotta to add power banks to my Christmas list. And packing cubes. Never tried them before since we’ve never traveled more than 2 weeks.
I love this post!! And all your posts, actually. Just found you yesterday thanks to MadFIentist podcast. I’m ready to quit everything and go travel the world. Sadly, my husband, 3 children, and military commitment say otherwise. In the meantime, I’ll keep living vicariously through you.
Love your writing style and content. Keep up the good work and living the dream 🙂
Minimalism!
Now I have absolutely no excuse to pack more than a backpack for a week long japan trip later this month.
I love these kinds of posts.
I brought an Osperey Daylite pack (13L) through Europe and West Asia only to find I didn’t need a pair of jeans and slacks, just slacks, or 2 dress shirts. I overpacked.
Looking back, was there anything you packed that you didn’t need?
Also, I’m surprised 1 light jacket was enough for Europe. You guys are tough.
*ps-I think it’s Diva not Deva cup.
I love the shrawl too! Another 2 uses for it – head scarf when visiting mosques and makeshift curtins on public mini buses to block out the sun.
I love you guys and what you are doing…you rock! After my last two week break about 6 months ago I decided that I was terminally sick and tired of dragging loads of stuff around the world that I was never going to use…it just becomes an almighty burden.
I sold my 60L backpack (Yeah I know!) and got a 40L backpack, and three different daypacks for shorter trips (25L, 20L and 15L). I set myself a challenge starting this weekend just gone. I took the 15L backpack to Berlin for 3 nights and it worked a treat! I am a real fan of travel cubes and I gave one to my boyfriend to use, and he loves them too!!! My next challenge is two weeks in Boston and New York City for my birthday in October with the 40L backpack and one of the smaller daypacks. I am looking forward to a break without the added anxiety of dragging heavy luggage around the New York City subways!
I will be FI in three years and I want to do much more travelling then I am doing now. I want to be a traveler, not a pack horse, so I am now aiming to only check in luggage for specialist trips like skiing etc.
Nice work, Fifi! So happy for you that you’ll be FI in 3 years! The world awaits 🙂
People are always so shocked that we live out of just 2 backpacks but it really makes our whole lives easier. I’m so glad you’ve been able to downsize your backpack. Best of luck with the 40L backpack challenge and let me know how it goes!
Here is my ultralight manifesto—
I have transcended to the 3rd plane of travel nirvana. The first includes check-in, the second only carry-on, and the third no overhead. The fourth plane of ultralight-ness is traveling with only the stuff in your pockets, which a few people on this planet actually do. I’m not there yet.
I already tested my obsession successfully on three trips, each lasting one to two weeks. The advantages gave me such mind-boggling release from the literal burdens of travel that I’ll never go back to the drudge.
Here’s my packing list for my last two-week trip. I am confident it will work for even a month of travel.
1 t-shirt
1 pair underwear
1 pair socks
2 button-down shirts (for fashion; not really needed)
hat
hoodie
1 pair trousers
running shorts (didn’t use these so next time I might leave them out)
small rain jacket (also didn’t use, but who knows about weather)
toiletries (toothbrush, floss, razor, deodorant stone, toothpaste)
phone charger and cord
collapsible umbrella
two card games (taken for my partner; she ran out of space)
All of that was in addition to what I wore, and fit into a very small backpack that could easily stow under the seat, no need to find overhead storage. total weight was about 10 lbs. I could have fit more in the bag (laptop, more trousers, socks, etc.) but in all honesty, after my trip I realized that I didn’t miss a thing, and that I could have pared it down further. I’ll probably delete a t-shirt, button down shirt, and the umbrella from the list for my next trip.
The thought of simply walking on and off the airplane now fills me with great joy. No extra aggravation or cost for checking luggage or finding an overhead bin, or finding my luggage on the other end. No lugging stuff or having friends watch my stuff while I go to a restroom. My method involves using new tech, and learning a few disciplines of simplicity and minimalism (mixed with a little bravery at first). The side effects are feelings of peace and fulfillment, a smaller wardrobe, and an impetus to get rid of junk.
The smart phone with internet is a great asset. It includes limitless maps, books, games, translators, etc., all in a teensy computer. I love living in the future.
Another space-saving technology I use is soft, thin, non-smelly, quick cleaning, quick drying merino wool. I’ve tried a few brands; my favorites are Woolx, Wool & Prince, and Unbound Merino, but there are plenty others to choose from. The only downsides that I see in merino wool are that it is expensive, and not exactly vegan (for the vegans out there). But I haven’t yet found a better way to travel, clothes-wise.
For my last trip, merino clothes included my t-shirts, underwear, socks, hoodie, and one button-down shirt. I wear a t-shirt for a week or two before hand washing in cold water with available soap or shampoo. The socks last a few days to a week, and the underwear lasts a couple days, but can be easily worn one day, washed at night, hung up, and dried by morning. The hoodie and button-down shirt last for more than a month unless I get mustard on them.
Because of merino wool, I’ve also massively reduced my wardrobe at home. All of my clothes easily fit in a small dresser (2 drawers) and a tiny closet, with room to spare. I haven’t finished getting rid of extra clothes.
Viddee this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFKxV0g9Y3A
Also here’s a fun article:
https://thedeepdish.org/ultralight-backpacking-one-year-asia/
After reading the recent post about Mr. NomadNumbers and traveling/packing… made me curious if you guys had any updates to your traveling/packing lists? Any items that you didn’t need so much… or have had to replace a lot… what’s your tried and true tech gear, clothing pieces/fabrics, etc? I like the idea of capsule wardrobes too, and living out of a carryon pretty much forces a capsule wardrobe. Do you have any go-to outfits for plane travel vs exploring a city? Questions are for both FC & W… it’s nice to have both perspectives. Would love any updates here 🙂
You spelled Diva Cup incorrectly.
Hi, you may never see this this late in the game, but what size packtowl are you talking about?
Cool packing. Something I’ve always been curious about though: how do you get those liquid items past airport security?
Yes. I traveled for a month with 2 kiddos under 5 with just a handcarry luggage for me and them and a backpack. I bought what I needed. Even now we go for a month with a handcarry for each of us now that the kiddos are 11 and 9 and can finally pull their own. Just returned from hawaii and key is to buy what you need from the dollar store when you are flying. Then toss when done.
DH and I moved cross country across the US and Canada with 2 kids, dog, and ourselves in a subaru outback with camping gear and 4 chairs and our stuff to move. NOT a problem. We even camped 10 days in a row packing our tent daily before we used a hotel just to use the washing machine. We had like 7 changes of underwear, 7 shirts, 5 pants and 1 jacket, hats, etc. When the kids were that small their clothes were tiny. Washing and packing detergent pods is key.
Also we had 1 cooler with ice to carry milk, cheese, luncheon meat to eat sandwiches in the car on the fly. Considering we had quit and moved without working we were “budget” conscious.