Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?

Dear Atlas is Atlas Obscura’s travel advice column, answering the questions you won’t find in traditional guidebooks. Have a question for our experts? Submit it here.

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Dear Atlas,

I’ve been dreaming of taking a serious backpacking trip for years, and I think I’m ready to bite the bullet. The thing that I worry about, though, is the amount of stuff I’ll need to bring to travel for four-plus months. What tips do you have for keeping your baggage to a minimum?

When I first started traveling, I went on a tour and took everything they recommended on their packing list. It seemed like a lot but they were the experts, right? Who was to judge them? I had never done this before. But I didn’t even use a quarter of it. I came back home thinking about how much money I wasted on gear and clothes I never used.

Years of experience—and 100-plus countries—has taught me not to bring a lot because you just don’t need a lot. Since my first trip overseas, I only travel with a carry on and I’ve never felt I needed a lot. Because you do not need as much as you think. Repeat that mantra when you pack: “I do not need as much as I think!”

No one is watching what you are wearing so you can wear clothes over and over again. If it’s not dirty or doesn’t smell, put it back on. No one is judging your outfit. Everyone you meet is doing the same thing anyway. Plus, you can do laundry pretty much in every hostel in the world and, if not, there’s always a laundromat nearby. I’ve never ever had a problem washing my clothes when I travel.

To help you avoid overpacking, get a backpack that is only carry-on size. It will force you to be minimalist with what you take. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t go with you.

When I’m on a long-term trip, I fit everything into two bags: a large backpack or carry-on suitcase for my clothes and toiletries, and a smaller backpack for my computer, books, and other miscellaneous items. I use the smaller bag when I’m out sightseeing for the day. All told, everything I take with me weighs about 20 pounds.

To give you an idea on what to bring, here is what I take with me on a long-term trip:

Tee shirts (5)
Long-sleeve shirt (1)
Light jacket (1)
Jeans or khakis (1)
Shorts (1)
Underwear (7)
Bathing suit (1)
Flip-flops (1)
Sneakers (1)
Socks; I always seem to lose them for some reason (8)
Toothbrush (1)
Tube of toothpaste (1)
Razor (1)
Package of dental floss (1)
Small bottle of shampoo (1)
Small bar of soap (1)
Deodorant (1)
Small medical kit with band-aids, hydrocortisone cream, antibacterial cream, eyedrops, earplugs, and Tylenol (1)
Hand sanitizer (1)
Combination lock (1)
Flashlight (1)
Plastic bags for laundry and dirty clothes (2)

That’s it. That’s all I take with me. If I end up needing something, I can always buy it.

I wear things until they smell (usually a couple of days) or get too wrinkly or they get a stain on them. No one cares when you are backpacking, because they are doing it too.

Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?

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