How to become a minimalist traveller

Are you an over packer?

Is the first thing you think about when you open your suitcase is “What if?” What if it rains? What if it’s cold? By the time you’re done, the suitcase is bulging.

That same piece of luggage (or multiple pieces) has to be dragged to the car or through a crowded airport. Is your bag overweight? Open your wallet for extra fees. Too big for the plane’s cabin? You’ll have to check it and pay.

Travelling is expensive enough so why add to the cost? That’s why many are opting to go the single bag route and embrace minimalist travel. By bringing less you can go more places without being exhausted from lugging around suitcases and keep more of your money.

Lots of choices

The Internet is full of bags that meet the needs of the minimalist traveller. Everything from compartmentalized duffle bags to backpacks to slim carry-on suitcases. But you have to embrace the philosophy of minimalism first to make it work.

James Clear, author of No. 1 New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits has travelled to more than 25 countries and, along the way, improved his travel strategy.

“You need less than you think you do,” Clear writes. “That’s true for travel, and it’s probably true in life as well. As a general rule, I believe we are better off packing less.”

Clear’s goal is not to pack the least amount but the optimal amount. He travels the globe with one ultralight bag – more like a backpack. It’s small enough for the overhead bin on the plane, always within reach and he doesn’t have to wait to pick it up at the luggage carrousel after a flight.

Here’s his travel philosophy:

3 Rules of Packing Light

1. Carry less stuff. Strive to ruthlessly eliminate items that are not essential. Packing light will allow you to spend more time focusing on things that make travel great – the people, the places and food – and less time worrying about what you’re carrying.
2. Reduce weight, not usefulness. Don’t carry things that aren’t useful. When faced with two useful options, pick the one that’s lighter or better designed. Choose things that have multiple uses. Carry items and clothes that are flexible enough to cover a variety of situations.
3. Optimize for comfort and design. After following the first two rules, optimize each item for comfort and design. Love the look and feel of each item you carry.

RELATED READING: See Clear’s detailed recommendations for packing here.

Indie Traveller, meanwhile, offers these tips:

• Pack the must-haves, not the nice-to-haves
• Bring versatile instead of specialty items
• Pack at most one week’s worth of clothing. Mix and match a simple colour palette.
• Use your own packing list. Follow any such lists on the Internet, you’ll overpack!
• Don’t pack in a panic. In other words, don’t leave it to the last minute.

Be mindful of airline restrictions

When flying, it’s important to remember that every airline has its own luggage restrictions. That goes for carry-on bags too. Don’t assume it will be OK. Domestic airlines have different rules than international ones, which tend to be stricter. Know ahead of time.

Invest in a luggage scale. They’re inexpensive and prevent surprises at check-in.

Wired blogger Adrienne So says if you’re walking a fine line when it comes to airlines enforcing size requirements, it’s better to pick a soft bag “so you can just stomp it into whatever box the gate agents are pointing to when you get to the front of the line.” She also recommends putting a smaller bag inside your bag with essentials, so you don’t have to carry the bigger one everywhere you go once you arrive at your destination.

Among her other minimalist recommendations:

• Wear your bulkiest items on the plane. It’s OK to throw fashion rules out the window.
• Bring only a few pairs of socks and underwear. Wash the dirty ones at night with packets of unscented soap wash in the sink.
• Use packing cubes to keep things organized.

When it comes to travelling with one bag, there’s no secret sauce, she says.

Just bring less stuff!