Packing Tips

First and foremost, get the right luggage. What's right for you will of course vary. Factors to keep in mind are the length of your trip, your destination(s), and type of activities you have planned. We tend to try to squeeze as much as possible into our trips and hop from location to location. We typically travel with one medium hard-shell (for the price, we love these from Amazon Basics) suitcase and backpacks, so we are rarely ever checking more than one bag. Just in case our checked luggage gets lost, we always have our essentials with us.

Packing cubes are a life-saver, especially when you are packing for multiple destinations. On our most recent trip to Southeast Asia, we used one cube for each location. (This is what we used for that trip) It takes a bit of planning out outfits, but it saves having to unpack your entire suitcase in each location. Some of the packing cube kits come with laundry bags too which is great for keeping clean and dirty clothes separated in your luggage.

Planning your packing list is a great idea to make sure you don't forget anything. We usually make a spreadsheet and itemize everything we will need during our travels. We also suggest packing at least a day or two in advance or doing a dry run to make sure you can fit everything.

In addition to your checked luggage, we suggest taking a backpack or overnight bag for the plane. (Here is a lightweight backpack that we love) You'll want at least one change of clothes in that bag in case anything happens to your checked luggage. Keep in mind the weather for your destination and what you have planned the first day when figuring out what clothes to put in your carry-on. For instance, as we were heading for Thailand, we knew we had a boat excursion booked the first day there and that we would want our bathing suits. In addition to a change of clothes, pack anything you may want access to on the plane in this bag. That could include medication, compression socks, travel pillows, laptop, etc. (We'll do a separate post about what to pack to make a long plane ride bearable)

So as far as what to pack, that is really up to you. Lisa: I always find that I want to pack lots of cute outfits and shoes, but we do so much walking when we travel I end up just wanting to be comfortable. So the key is be practical. You probably don't need to pack as much as you think. Choose outfits that you can layer and rework and wear again to make the most of your packing space. Try to choose clothes with light-weight fabrics that will dry quickly and also fabrics that don't wrinkle easily. Josh: I've recently become a big fan of travel/hiking shorts and pants that are waterproof, stretchy, and really comfortable. They can also easily double as swimming trunks in a pinch. (These are amazing, and have a zippered pocket that fits your passport perfectly) Aside from t-shirts, the other main staple of my wardrobe has been lightweight hoodies made of t-shirt material. They're great for layering, but don't take up much room in your daypack. (This is my favorite)

In regard to toiletries, try to take advantage of what hotels and/or AirBNBs provide for you. Unless you're picky about soap or shampoo, there's generally not a reason to bring your own. For the necessities that go beyond that, we usually fill travel size bottles (like these) with our own products.

Another thing to keep in mind is the laundry situation. If you will have the option to do laundry, you can keep your packing to a minimum. Just make sure you've fully scoped out what will be necessary in that case. For example: Will you need your own detergent? Do you have enough time to dry your clothes if a dryer is not provided? (These are both issues we've run into.) We've recently begun packing travel laundry detergent which works well for washing clothes in the sink in a pinch. (Here's the one we use)

Make sure you have all your essentials including necessary electronics and plug adapters if necessary. (This one works virtually anywhere and has been a real lifesaver). You may also want to pack an external battery (like this one), to charge phones, cameras and the like while you're on the go.

The main takeway is that like many things, less is more when it comes to packing.

* We do include Amazon affiliate links in some posts, but we link to products we've actually tried and liked an are not paid by any third parties for posting specific products.