I traveled the world for a year with just two backpacks. This is what I packed.

Article Summary: 

• I traveled for one year around Oceania, Asia, and Europe and took two backpacks: one checked bag and one carry-on. I also took a small personal item that doubled as a day pack. 
• I’m a chronic overpacker and I love clothes, so narrowing down my list was hard. I broke my packing list up into clothes, jackets, shoes, toiletries, and miscellaneous items. 
• The golden rule of packing: if you can only wear an item of clothing for one specific occasion, don’t bring it. 
• You will get tired of your clothes after wearing the same things for months on end — so bring clothes you can ditch along the way! 

In 2023, I quit my day job and embarked on a one-year trip around the world. 

It’s a trip I’ve been saving up for my whole life, and I wanted to do it right. My itinerary looked something like this: 6 months in Australia, 2 months in New Zealand, 2 months in Southeast Asia, and 2 months in Europe. 

I needed to account for vastly different climates — like cold, alpine weather in New Zealand, and hot, humid temperatures in Southeast Asia. And I had to consider different cultural customs, like fashionable outfits for European cities and conservative wear for Muslim countries. 

I also needed gear for different activities I wanted to participate in. I wanted work boots for farm jobs, hiking gear for backpacking treks, swimsuits for snorkeling and diving, and more. 

One thing to know about me — I am a chronic overpacker. I love clothes. While some people may be able to throw 5 shirts in a bag and call it a day, that is not who I am. Narrowing down the list of what I wanted to wear for one whole year was super daunting. 

However, once I decided I needed to prioritize comfort and quality over quantity, the packing went a lot easier than I anticipated. 

If you’re contemplating a one-year trip or even just a 2-month trip, and you have no idea what to bring — read on! I’ll let you know what I packed, what I ditched along the way, some packing tips that saved my life, and what I wish I did differently. 

How I Made My Packing List

Deciding what to bring was no easy task. First, I made lists of all the activities I wanted to do. 

I knew I would be doing some farm work in Australia because I was staying with host families through the platform Workaway. Therefore, I’d need some work boots and comfy clothes that can get dirty. 

I wanted to do multi-day backpacking trips in New Zealand, so I’d need several different hiking outfits. 

I also wanted to have the ability to look somewhat decent and not have to dress like a grimy backpacker every single day. So I packed some cute skirts and shirts that were good for dressing up on a night out.

Here is one of the most important things I decided to do to help lighten my load — I followed the seasons. 

I made sure to visit cold places, like the South Island of New Zealand, in the summertime. This meant I didn’t need to pack any snow clothes or heavy gear. I only packed enough layers for a light winter or chilly spring. This helped make my pack lighter. 

Bags I Used

I decided to take this 56L Osprey backpack and this 35L Cotopaxi backpack.  

I loved having the Osprey backpack because it was a perfect size for doing multi-day camping trips. It also had all the bells and whistles I wanted from a backpack — mainly, tons of pockets. You’ll see my snorkel gear tucked into the front large pocket in the photo! 

I loved my Cotopaxi bag because it was a perfect carry-on size. It came with packing cubes already in the bag and had a padded laptop pocket. 

The Cotopaxi also came in handy when I wanted to do smaller side trips. For example, when I went to Tasmania for a week, I left my Osprey bag at a hostel in Melbourne. I brought my Cotopaxi carry-on with only what I would need for the week, which made my flight cheaper (no extra fee for a checked bag). 

I also brought a small green Jansport backpack that I could use as my personal item on the plane. Inside the backpack, I had… more bags! I brought a large purse and a small purse with me, and I just put them both in the green backpack when I traveled. 

Whenever I had to walk a long distance with my bags, I folded the green backpack into the top pocket of the Osprey bag (like in the above picture). This trick saved me from having to carry a third backpack on top of the two I was already carrying. But I kept the green backpack with me on planes, trains, or buses, so it could act as my personal item. 

Having lots of day bags was absolutely essential. I used the backpack for hiking. I used the large purse for full days of sightseeing, because it could fit my water bottle, sunglasses, and sunscreen. I used my small purse when I just needed my phone, wallet, and keys. 

What I Packed

I divided my packing list into several sections: clothes, jackets, shoes, toiletries, and miscellaneous items. 

The clothes all went into my packing cubes, which went into the main section of my Osprey bag. The shoes, toiletries, and jackets went into my Cotopaxi bag. The miscellaneous items went into the small pockets of each backpack or into my large purse. 

Clothes

• Shirts
  • 6 t-shirts. I used these for farm work days, hanging out, or as pajama tops. 
  • 1 long-sleeve linen button-up shirt. I used this as a cover-up for beach days or when visiting sacred sites like temples or mosques. 
  • 7 tank tops. Comfy, casual tops that could be worn during the day or for a night out. 
• Pants
  • 1 pair of jeans. I wore these everywhere except Southeast Asia. 
  • 1 pair of flowy pants. I chose white linen pants because they went with everything. 
  • 2 pairs of shorts. One jean short and one loose boxer short. 
  • Leggings. I ultimately ditched these because I didn’t wear them as much as I thought. 
  • Black Mini Skort. My favorite thing I brought. Great for casual day wear or for a cute night out. Wore a lot in hot weather like Australia or Southeast Asia.
  • Long White Skirt. I wore this for nicer occasions or for beach days. Ditched it halfway into the trip, but I think it would have been helpful to keep it. 
  • Sundress. I didn’t bring one originally, but ended up buying one in Australia. I’ve worn it a lot since. 
• Socks & Underwear
  • 10 pairs socks
  • 10 pairs underwear
• Athletic Clothes
  • 3 pairs of running shorts. For walking, hiking, or hanging out. 
  • 1 pair of hiking pants. I also used these as my travel pants on travel days. 
  • 1 pair of bike shorts. I also used these as my yoga shorts. 
  • 2 dri-fit long sleeves. Mainly for hiking, but I also used these to layer under my t-shirts in cold weather. 
  • 2 dri-fit shirts. I brought 1 tank top and 1 short sleeve. 
• Pajamas
  • 1 big t-shirt. 
  • 1 pair of pj shorts.   
  • 1 pair of sweatpants. These took up a lot of space and I constantly questioned if I really needed them. But when camping at alpine temperatures in New Zealand, I absolutely did need them. 
• Other
  • 2 bathing suits.
  • 2 hats. 1 beanie and 1 baseball cap. 

Jackets

• Sweater 
  • I used this as a light layer any time I got a bit chilly. Wore it everywhere, especially in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. 
• Sweatshirt
  • Another light layer, but one I could also use as pajamas on a cold night. 
• Zip-Up Fleece
  • This was a perfect medium-warmth layer. 
• Puffer Jacket
  • I brought an insulated down jacket that squished down super small and was easy to stuff into my bag. It was so much warmer than my fleece. Surprisingly, I even wore it in Southeast Asia — hiking at high altitudes can get chilly! 
• Rain Jacket
  • I ended up buying this in New Zealand when it rained literally every. single. day. And it was absolutely necessary for Southeast Asia. 

Shoes

• Hiking Boots
  • I only wore these for a few occasions, but I’m still glad I brought them anyway. I did some incredible multi-day trekking in Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without hiking boots! 
• Blundstones
  • I used these as my work boots, walking shoes, and muddy/dirty shoes. I wore them almost every day. 
• Running Shoes
  • I used these for long walking days, like a heavy sightseeing day. I also used them for shorter hikes that I wouldn’t wear my hiking boots for. 
• Sneakers
  • I wore these any time we went out to restaurants, bars, or other institutions where I wanted to look cute. I mostly wore these in big cities, mainly in Australia and Europe. 
• Tevas
  • I wore these almost every day in Southeast Asia. I also used them as water shoes. I also wore them around cities! Truly a versatile sandal. Can’t recommend enough. 
• Flip Flops
  • These were great for the beach and for hanging out at hostels. 
• Shower Shoes
  • A must, especially for staying in hostels with communal bathrooms. 

Toiletries

I brought two bags, one for shower stuff and one for normal toiletries. 

I brought all the essentials, like a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, and deodorant. I also brought digestive bitters, which is what I swear by any time I’m having tummy troubles. 

For my shower stuff, I brought travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and face wash. I bought new shower liquids when they ran out, usually about once every two months. 

My favorite thing I brought was a bunch of jewelry and hair accessories, which took up barely any room in my bag. It helped so much when I wanted to feel a bit more dressed up. 

Miscellaneous

• Phone, Wallet, Passport, ID, and any travel Visas.
  • The essentials. Don’t forget a phone charger! 
• Laptop and chargers
  • Travel planning for a year is so much easier on a laptop than on a phone. 
• Universal adapter
  • I used this TESSAN adapter, which let me use the outlets in every new country I was in. 
• Beach towel
  • Having my own beach towel was great. Most hostels give you a towel to use, but I didn’t want my bath towel to be my beach towel too. 
• Sunglasses
  • I brought two pairs, one cute pair for normal wear and one grubby pair for hiking or water-based activities. 
• Carabiners
  • When I was taking buses, trains, boats, or any form of transportation that didn’t involve having to check a bag, I clipped so many things onto my bags using carabiners. Shoes, water bottle, snorkel gear… you name it, I clipped it. 
• Journal
  • I always bring a journal to document my life. I can paste postcards, stickers, tickets, or other mementos into the pages. 
• Books
  • I brought 3 books to start my trip. When I finished them, I left them at hostels. Then I’d either find a used bookstore or take a new book from a hostel. 
• Water bottles
  • I brought one large water bottle and one small one. The large one I used for hiking, and the small one I always had in my purse when I walked around. 
• Headphones
  • I brought my AirPods and wired headphones. Having wired headphones proved to be essential for the times when I forgot to charge my AirPods before a long flight (it happens more than I’d like to admit). 
• Travel pillow 
  • I use the Sea to Summit travel and camping pillow, which is great for both camping trips and long train rides. 
• Card games
  • Never underestimate the importance of having a non-wifi-dependent hobby. 
• Headlamp
  • This was helpful for camping trips or any occasion when I needed a flashlight. 
• First aid kit
  • I always bring a first aid kit that has medication, band-aids, painkillers, and antiseptic cream with me anytime I travel. Some types of Western medicine aren’t widely available in certain countries, so bringing some from home is helpful. I also carry this with me every time I hike or camp. 

Packing Tips that Saved my Life

Use packing cubes.

Using packing cubes to organize my backpack was the #1 most helpful thing I did on this trip. It kept my clothes from getting too wrinkly, and it compressed my clothes down into the smallest size to save space. I used these BAGSMART packing cubes — they were surprisingly durable and I really liked them! 

Pack two bags for toiletries.

I always like to keep my shampoo, conditioner, face cream, and body wash in a separate bag. I’ve found that they tend to leak or accidentally burst open on long travel journeys. Keeping them in a separate bag ensures that they don’t get the rest of my toiletries wet. 

Only take enough clothes for 10 days.

Then do laundry. 

Take a laundry bag.

It’s so much nicer to have a designated spot for your dirty clothes rather than stuffing it all back into your backpack. I used this one, and it held about 2 weeks worth of laundry. Plus it could fold down super small when I wasn’t using it. 

Prioritize comfort and multipurpose clothes.

I quickly got rid of the clothes that I could only wear for one very specific occasion. Instead, you’ll want clothes that are comfortable to walk around in during the day, but could also be worn to a nice dinner at night. Or, clothes that you can go hiking in, but also that you could wear around a city. 

Leave room for new clothes.

I made sure to have some space in my bag for souvenirs or any clothes that I wanted to pick up along the way. 

What I Would Do Differently

Take clothes you feel fine ditching halfway through the trip.

This was the #1 thing I regret about the way I packed — I took all of my favorite clothes with me. It was nice to wear clothes that I loved, felt comfortable in, and never got tired of, but there came a time when I knew I needed to start getting rid of things. 

The changes in climate and activities made some of my clothes unwearable for long portions of my trip. It would have been nice to be able to leave these behind. I also just got tired of wearing the same clothes day after day. 

By taking clothes that have sentimental value to me, it’s been harder to leave things behind, even when I know I need to make room for new clothes that I’ll wear more. 

Take a larger checked bag.

The backpack that I chose also came in a slightly larger size, but I chose the smaller size in an attempt to avoid paying more bag fees. 

Most budget airlines charge you for the weight of your checked bag. However, my bag consistently weighed in around 13 kg. I found that most airlines give you a 20 kg checked bag allowance before they start charging extra for the next weight class. 

I could have chosen the next size up, gotten more room in my pack, and still avoided paying extra fees. 

Bring a Kindle instead of hardcover books.

It will help save space, weight, and money. The Kindle’s light-up screen is also super helpful when reading in a hostel dorm room after the lights have been turned off. 

***

This year-long trip across the world has been nothing short of amazing. It’s taken a lot of super careful planning in advance, including making sure I had the perfect packing list! 

But here’s the thing — the packing list will never be perfect. I packed things that I didn’t use and needed to leave behind, and I also bought a lot of new things when I realized there was something I was missing. Leaving room for trial and error is one of the freeing things about traveling. 

Will I miss carrying my life around in my two backpacks? Sure. But at the same time… I’m realllyyyy excited to have my old clothes back. 

Want to hear more about my trip? Next, read the story of the time I worked aboard a sailboat in Indonesia for a week.