Packing 8 months into a Carry On: How I Did it, and Why.

“...is that everything? The airline didn’t lose your luggage, did they?!”
“Nope, this is it!”

This is usually one of the first things my hosts will say to me when I arrive, and if it’s not the first thing they say, it’s always the first thing they think.

I decided to do this trip in a very minimalistic way, with just a backpack and a standard sized carry on bag.

“So, you packed 8 months into just those two bags??”
“I sure did! And it’s all I need.”

I had gone back and forth between deciding to bring a just a carry on, or if I wanted to expand to a larger sized suitcase, and there were pros and cons to each:
Large, checked bag:

Pros:
- I can fit more items, prepare for more weather conditions (with extra jackets), bring more clothing, etc.,

- If I buy items along the way, I shouldn’t have any problem fitting them into my big bag (assuming I didn’t pack it to the brim when I left).

- If this bag was always going to be checked, then I wouldn’t have to worry about carry on restrictions, such as liquids (therefore, I wouldn’t have to worry about restocking my shampoo supply, and deciding if I need hand sanitizer or lotion more, and which one to leave behind).

Cons:

- I would always have to check this bag, which means a few things:

    - Additional checked baggage fees would add up quickly, costing me extra money. (Many long international flights will allow you one or two checked bags for free, but I knew I would be making quite a few short distance flights where that wouldn’t be the case).

    - I would always be worried that the airline would lose my bag along the way, leaving me without the majority of my belongings (which is why when/if you check a bag, put all of your valuables in your carry-on/personal item, and always pack a few extra clothes, just in case).

- The bag would be heavier and more of a hassle to tote around (especially when walking from terminal to terminal, or from the airport to a bus stop, etc).

- The large size would be inconvenient, and perhaps not allowed on some busses.

- It’s big and takes up extra room.

Small, carry-on bag:

Pros:

- It can (almost) always be a carry-on, so you never have to worry about your bags being lost during a flight. (Although, most airlines will determine a carry-on by size, but some airlines, particularly budget airlines, like Jetstar, will determine carry-ons by weight, so my plan didn’t always work and I needed to check my bag once in a while).

- My bag never got too heavy, and therefore was never difficult or a hassle for me to carry around when walking or traveling from place to place.

- It’s reassuring to know that you can make it with just a suitcase and backpack, and that a lot of items are not necessary, but nice luxuries.

- I didn’t take up a lot of room.

- I didn’t have problems taking my luggage onto busses/public transport.

- Packing everything up to move on to the next spot is always easy, because there wasn’t a lot to re-pack!

Cons:

- I had to be choosy about what I brought with me on this trip. I did a lot of thinking about where I was going, what the weather would be like (I wanted to travel with the seasons - to stay warm and to avoid needing to bring bulky winter clothes).

- I had to be mindful about space and that if I wanted to bring anything back with me, I would need to leave some extra room in my tiny bag.

- I had to limit the liquids I brought, so no more than 3oz. for everything, but I still needed to leave some items behind, because not all of the small containers would happily fit into a quart sized bag.

Now that I’ve been traveling around for a while with just my two small bags (which actually do have plenty of extra room in them, somehow!) I am 100% satisfied and happy that I chose to use a small suitcase. It’s much easier and I can get by fine with just a little. This all being said, I will be very happy to return back home to my full wardrobe, all of my knick-knacks and hobby type things, and the luxury of not living out of a tiny bag, but having a full room in a house with all of my belongings.

If you’re curious about what I brought to be able to successfully make this trip, I’ll do a break down of it below.

What I brought:

Clothes:

• 3 pairs of regular pants (including a khaki pair for formal/professional settings).
• 1 pair of zip off work pants/shorts.
• 2 pairs of running shorts
• 2 pairs of regular shorts
• 1 skirt
• 1 pair of spandex (only because I needed to wear them under the skirt).
• 1 pair of leggings - to be used as a base layer if it was cold, for comfort, or under the skirt.
• 1 pair of comfortable, but light weight pants.
• 1 pair pajama shorts.
• 2 nice tank-tops.
• 2 undershirt tank-tops (great for layering).
• 2 running short sleeve shirts.
• 1 running tank top.
• 1 quarter length sleeve shirt.
• 1 long sleeve shirt.
• 1 short sleeve shirt.
• 2 comfortable T-shirts (at least one for pajamas).
• 9 pairs of underwear.
• 8 pairs of socks (some tall, some wool, some short/ankle)
• 2 regular bras (one skin toned).
• 2 sports bras.
• 1 fleece.
• 1 cardigan.
• 1 heavier (but still lightweight) zip up jacket.
• Sunglasses.

Toiletries:

• Toiletries case.

• 3oz shampoo.
• 3oz conditioner.
• 2oz hand sanitizer.
• 2oz plant based (safe on hair, skin, face, etc.) soap.
• Dr. Bronner's bar soap.
• 3oz toothpaste.
• Foldable toothbrush.
• Floss.
• 3oz sunscreen.
• Shower mits (smaller than a poof).
• Tiny hairbrush (a small comb also would have saved space too).
• Tweezers and nail clippers.
• Hair Ties.
• Hair clip.
• Spf chapstick(s).
• Menstrual cup (saves so much space than disposable feminine hygiene products, saves money, and can be left in for much longer periods of time, making it easier to relax during long bus rides or flights).

Electronics:

• Camera (which could just be your phone if you like the quality).
• Phone.
• Tablet.
• Wireless keyboard.
• Headphones.
• 2 phone/tablet chargers (with usb port in addition to wall adapters)
• 1 camera battery charger.
• Outlet adapters for different countries.
• Headlamp.

Misc:

• Inflatable travel pillow (saves on space and weight).
• Journal.
• Smaller journal for reminders/notes.
• Pens.
• Pack towel.
• Water bottle.
• Watch.
• Small plush tiger toy for comfort from home.
• Folder with printed out airline tickets/itineraries, some maps, insurance papers (just in case), etc.

Logistics:

• Small RFID protected purse.

• 2 Credit cards (just in case one didn’t work).
• 2 Debit cards (just in case I was really having trouble getting something to work).
• USD and some local currency (when necessary).
• Passport.
• A paper copy of my passport photo and information (another one was left at home with my family, just in case.)
• Insurance card.
• ID (driver’s license and college ID).    
• Copies of addresses of where I was planning to stay.