I couldn’t finish this series up without addressing one of the most commonly Googled travel topics: what to pack. And this is a really tough topic to write about because, despite what all of those articles and posts out there may say, there really is no “one size fits all” method to approach it. So instead of telling you what you MUST and MUST NOT pack, I’ll run through a few tips I’ve picked up over the years that have helped me, and that I’ll be using to help me pack for this upcoming trip.
THE CHECKED LUGGAGE:
– If you don’t wear it at home, you won’t wear it while you’re away. This is one of the most important “rules” I stick to when I pack. When you’re travelling, you want to be comfortable. So while that tight little high waisted skirt might look cute on your social media accounts, are you really going to be comfy after 5 hours walking through Rome in it?
– Stick to neutral colours for your base wardrobe, and use accessories to get some colour in. For me, I stick with clothes in black, white and denim. Then, its easy to add in a bright purple beanie, a sunshine yellow scarf, an emerald green wrap, cobalt blue gloves, etc. Much easier and makes for a much lighter bag!
– Consider the weather and pack appropriately. In the cold, layers are your friends rather than several big, bulky coats. And get yourself some thermal tops and bottoms – they’ll make all the difference.
– Socks and undies – you won’t need a pair per day. Just pack a good bar of laundry soap, and you can wash them in your hotel sink and hang them up on a shower rail or towel rack to dry.
– Let’s talk shoes…. you don’t need as many pairs as you think you do, I promise. I’ll be taking a four month trip around the world with only 4 pairs of shoes – BOGS water-proof and lined snow-friendly boots, brown leather lace up boots, a pair of ballet flats and a pair of black runners. I’ve learnt my lesson about over-packing shoes now.
– On that, remember to pack a pair of thongs/flip-flops. I always wear them to shower in.
– If you’re travelling with a companion, it’s not a bad idea to split your clothing between both suitcases. That way, just in case one gets lost in transit, you’ll at least have a few items of clothing to get by with until the other case arrives.
– Little things that are always helpful to have packed: zip lock bags, a spare phone charger, a microfiber towel, a travel clothesline and a bar of laundry soap, power adaptors, dryer sheets (pop a few in your suitcase to keep things smelling a bit fresher), a waterproof wash bag for dirty laundry until you can wash it, and a few little mementoes from home (we like to carry little MELBOURNE or AUSTRALIA magnets to leave as gifts when we’ve been treated especially well by our Airbnb or hotel hosts).
THE CARRY-ON BAG FOR FLIGHTS:
This is going to be very different depending on what your travel style is, but here are my essentials:
– Travel document wallet
– Actual wallet with cash and cards
– Book to read
– Journal and pens
– iPod & noise-cancelling headphones
– Phone/iPod charger
– Camera
– Hand cream, lip balm, small perfume bottle & make up wipes (all in a small, clear bag so I can get through security)
– Healthy snacks
– Pain killers (I’m prone to migraines)
– Spare t-shirt, leggings and undies (you never know if you’ll be delayed)
Plus I always grab a random magazine, a bottle of water & small bag of peanut M&Ms at the airport on my way to the gate. Have been doing it for years, can’t not do it anymore!
Well, that’s it from me, but every traveller has their own advice, so please add your tips in the comments section and help us all out!
(documented) by jess 
I definitely agree about the shoes…I found the most comfy, versatile boots that I wear all the time for winter trips, – saves so much space in my bag!
It can be hard to find the perfect pair, but when you do you’ll never want anything else!! Where did you find yours?
I got mine from Deichmann, wore them down after wearing them so much so went back and bought a new pair of the same shoes!
Naturally being an overpacker… this definitely helped!
Haha it’s so hard, isn’t it?! There’s always the “just in case” stuff!!