This is the basic packing list I keep in my laptop notes to help us pack for every trip. We make changes depending on how long we’re traveling, the weather, and what activities we have planned like swimming, hiking, or rock climbing. But this is a great jumping off point.
Our travel style tends to lean toward backpacking with a minimal amount of stuff. We like being able to carry everything we need without bringing our entire house with us or checking bags if we can avoid it.
- His: Nomatic Travel Bag 40L
- Hers: Osprey Fairview 55L
To help keep everything organized, we use Nomatic Compression Cubes. We both have one of each size: small, medium, and large. We have a few additional compression cubes to use if we need more.
| Clothes:👕 5 T-Shirts 2 Sleeveless 1 Long Sleeve 1 Sweatshirt 1 Rain Jacket 1 Dress 5 Shorts 1 Pants 1 Sunglasses 1 Hat | Specific Clothes:🧗♀️ Swimsuit Cover Up Dress UPF Long Sleeve Towel Dry Bag Water Shoes Rock Climbing Shoes, Harness, Chalk First Aid Kit Head Torch | Tech Bag:🔌 Phone Charger+Cord Power Bank Toothbrush Charger Fitbit Charger Adapter Cameras: extra batteries, charger, cord Go Pro+accessories |
| Undergarments:🩲 5 Bras 5 Underwear 1 Biker Shorts 5 Socks 1 Compression Socks 1 Pjs: T-shirt and Shorts | Toiletries:🧻 Shampoo/Conditioner Hair Brush Toothbrush/Paste Soap Deodorant Lotion Q-tips Razor Sunscreen/Bug Spray | Carry On Bag:🎒 Travel Pillow Headphones Loop Ear Buds Hyrdo Flask Journal – Pen Gum Chapstick |
| Footwear:👟 2 Sneakers 1 Flip Flop 1 House Slippers | Reusable Bags:🛍️ Silicone Sandwich Grocery Tote Packable Laundry Plastic Bag | Emergency Stash:🚨 Advil, Aleeve, Melatonin Sinus Medication Cough Drops Emergen-C Electrolyties |
Why I Use This List:
This list has been modified quite a bit over time and organized into categories that make sense in my head. Having everything separated this way makes packing feel much less overwhelming. I think it’s a good starting point and a helpful checklist to make sure we pack a little bit of everything we’ll need.
That said, don’t feel like you need to pack every single thing on this list. The list changes depending on the trip, duration, weather, and activities.
On our most recent trip, I realized we probably could have left one pair of shorts, one shirt, and one pair of pants at home. I remember packing them and saying out loud, “Just in case.”
Well, it turns out I didn’t really need them.
That extra piece of clothing you’ve convinced yourself you’ll need? Leave it at home. Sometimes less really is more.
Tips and Tricks:
Underwear and socks that you are planning on throwing out, save them for your trip. Wear them on your trip and then just throw them away. It’s an easy way to slowly lighten your luggage and make room for souvenirs.
Every trip we bring different reusable bags. We tend to go grocery shopping when we travel, especially to pick up food for breakfast and lunch. Having a reusable grocery tote is fantastic for carrying everything back to where we’re staying.
We also make sandwiches for the day, so we love having reusable silicone bags. They’re easy to pack, don’t take up much room, and help us avoid creating unnecessary waste.
We do still keep a traditional plastic bag with us. It’s useful for things like trash, wet swimsuits, or anything else that is wet or, well…stinky.
Recommendations Coming Soon:
This packing list is really just our starting point. Over time, we’ve figured out what we actually use and what we don’t want to forget.
Eventually, I plan on putting together a post with our favorite travel equipment and brand recommendations. When I do, I’ll make sure to add links here as well!
Until then, hopefully this list gives you a good starting point for your next trip!
Capsule Customs Travel 