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Packing small and traveling lightly is essential to having a low-stress trip. You don’t want to be traveling and having to worry about things like:

  • Will my bag fit in the overhead
  • Will I be able to lift my bag up a few flights of stairs
  • Will I have to pay baggage overage fees
  • Will I be able to close my bag if I buy some souvenirs?

Packing less, means you simply have less to worry about. And honestly nearly everywhere you go, you will be able to purchase any essentials you may have forgotten.

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Suitcases, Bags, and Backpacks

Inner-Bag Organization

Clothing

Shoes

Toiletries

Electronics

Camera Gear

In 13 years of travel blogging, and many more years of just plain traveling, I’ve packed and unpacked my life countless times. Whether you’re taking a week-long vacation or a year-long ’round the world trip, I’ve collected all of my advice on how and what to pack this one ultimate post.

1. Less is more

Wondering if you might need that 4th pair of pants? That skirt you’ve been meaning to wear? A rain coat and a windbreaker and a light jacket? Don’t. You won’t need them. But what exactly should you bring?

Here’s what I packed on my round the world trip in 2006 plus my thoughts on what was really useful and what I didn’t need after I’d been traveling for 6 months:

And after 3 years of round the world travel, here’s a recommended packing list:

Now that you know what to pack, you might still be wondering how, so check out:

And finally, you can start paring down your possessions at home prior to beginning a long trip. Simplifying your life feels good whether or not you’re going anywhere.

2. Bring your electronics

Gone are the days of off the grid travel, for the most part, anyway. Unless your vacation is doubling as a technological detox, you’ll probably want to bring some gadgets with you. Here are the electronics I travel with, plus some tips for how to safely pack them:

3. Pack plastic money

Some people still go to the bank and exchange money before a trip, but it’s really not worth it. You’ll get the best exchange rate by simply using the ATM once you arrive at your destination. So pack plastic money! And definitely don’t bother with traveler’s checks. Details in the following posts:

4. Don’t forget the boring stuff

You’re not fully packed until you’ve printed any paperwork — trip itinerary, travel insurance policy, passport photocopy — and been given a clean bill of health. Not every trip requires vaccinations or antibiotics, but you’ll want to have them for the ones that do. The same can be said for visas. If you’re visiting a country that requires a visa purchased in your home country, that needs to be addressed before you start worrying about how many sundresses to pack.

For a more complete breakdown of the logistics of long term travel including tickets, vaccines, and an in depth packing list, check out: