The Minimalist Packing List: How to Travel the World with One Bag

Every experienced traveler eventually arrives at the same conclusion: check-in luggage is the enemy of good travel. It binds you to airports, adds hours to every transit, and forces you to haul things you never use across thousands of kilometers.

The Core Principle

You wear one outfit per day, wash it, wear the next. You need 4–5 outfits. Not 14. Five.

The Bag

Under 40 liters for carry-on that fits every airline globally. The Osprey Farpoint 40 or Tom Bihn Synik 30 are the most tested options. Don't buy a roller carry-on — useless on cobblestones and stairs.

Clothing (warm weather)

• 3 merino wool t-shirts — don't smell after one wear, dry in 3–4 hours
• 2 pairs of quick-dry pants or shorts
• 1 light packable jacket
• 4 pairs of merino underwear
• 1 pair of shoes that works for walking and dinner
• 1 pair of sandals
• 1 swimsuit

Toiletries

Buy shampoo, conditioner, and body wash at your destination. Bring from home: your medications, sunscreen (hard to find high-SPF in some countries), and a small first aid kit (blister pads, antihistamine, rehydration salts, imodium).

Money

One debit card with no foreign transaction fees (Charles Schwab, Wise). One backup credit card kept separately. Inform your bank before you go.

The Things People Always Wish They'd Packed

A small padlock. A sarong (beach towel, blanket, privacy curtain, temple cover-up). A refillable water bottle with filter. A microfiber travel towel.