I’ve shared that growing up, my father was an airline pilot. He would typically fly for three or four days and be home for three or four days between trips. What that meant was that he never really unpacked – he just took out the dirty clothes, put the clean ones in and was ready for his next trip.
“Civilians” like us don’t have it nearly as easy. We’re traveling every so often, obsess about what we’re going to need and usually end up over-packing in the process. Unless you’re heading on a cold weather adventure, the good news is that warm weather clothing usually takes up a lot less space than parkas and winter boots.
Here’s my list for guys (we’ll publish a separate post for the ladies). These items will usually fit in a standard roller bag, which gives you much more flexibility at the airport. It will also reduce your chances of needing a visit to the Chiropractor when you’re all done. It’s also based on a trip of about a week. If you’re staying longer, you may need a few more things, but you’ll also likely find some options for laundering your clothes while you’re there, rather than doubling up on the quantity of items you pack.
Ideally, you want colors and patterns that will allow you to wear any item in your suitcase with any other one – for me that’s generally blues, greys and khakis. Maybe that one-off outfit looks killer in the latest issue of Men’s Journal, but if it doubles your packing needs, I would skip it.
Start with one dressy outfit that you’ll wear on the plane. For me that’s most often a sport coat, slacks and dressy shoes but it could also be a suit. I realize it’s not the 1950’s where everyone dressed in suits to fly places, but this is practical, from the standpoint that a sport coat has at least four pockets to put your tickets, passport, a pen and maybe some business cards to keep everything you need close at hand. You don’t need to look like you’re ready to close an investment banking deal in London but you want options to mix and match when you arrive at your destination.
When Jen and I travel, we usually have a few different kinds of meals – a casual breakfast, maybe tacos or other street food at some roadside stand, and usually one or two nicer meals at a restaurant that I’d feel uncomfortable wearing flip flops to. By wearing this dressier outfit while traveling, you save room in your bag for less bulky items and make more efficient use of space. You’ll also find that if you’re traveling in much of the world that things are just a touch dressier than folks are used to in the United States. Having a nicer outfit will allow you to blend in a bit more and look a little less like the stereotypical tourist.
In general, I like performance fabrics that wrinkle less. You don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe, but you also don’t want to look like a wrinkled mess when you get to your destination or have to iron or pay to have stuff dry cleaned on arrival.
On to some other clothing items:
- A mix of five or six t-shirts or collared golf shirts
- One or two long sleeve shirts for chilly nights
- Five or six pairs of underwear
- Eight pairs of socks
- One pair of dressier shorts
- One pair of sport shorts (if you’re into running or athletic pursuits)
- Swimsuit
- Flip flops or sandals (preferably waterproof)
- One pair of chinos or denim pants/jeans
- One pair of sneakers
- Hat (baseball cap or something to give you a little sun protection)
- Sunglasses
- A zippered sweatshirt. Pull overs are either on or off, zippers give you options and allow you to regulate your temperature much better.
Toiletries – remember that the TSA won’t let you carry on liquid containers of more than 3.5 oz. so leave that giant Costco sized bottle of shampoo at home.
- Toothbrush, toothpaste & floss
- Deodorant
- Razor & shaving cream
- Hair gel or products if that’s your thing
- Comb or brush
- I wear glasses, but if you wear contacts, bring a spare pair, a case and some solution.
- Nail clipper/file
Most hotels have shampoo, conditioner towels and soap, so unless you have a particular brand you can’t live without, or are staying at a hostel I would leave these at home.
Medical Supplies
I’m not an EMT heading out on a call, but I do usually carry a few things that may help while on the road. Unless you’re climbing Mount Everest together, chances are good that there’s a drug store where you’re heading. If you forget something, you can grab it there.
- Bandaids and Antibiotic Ointment
- Pain Reliever – I’m an Ibuprofen kind of guy
- Antacid Tablets – Tums help if that spicy dinner was a little too much
- Pepto Bismol or Imodium Tablets – if you have an upset stomach, nothing is worse than needing it and not having it, let’s leave it at that.
- Hand sanitizer
- Sunscreen and insect repellent – I don’t like bugs and my Irish heritage leads to bad sunburns without plenty of sunscreen. Sunburn = misery, need I say more?
- Lip balm – doesn’t take up much space, grab the kind with sunscreen built in.
- Hydrocortisone cream for itches
- Allergy medicine (I’m a mess in the spring without Claritin, so bring whatever will keep you feeling good).
- Birth control, if that’s a factor for you. If not, it’s one less thing to pack.
- Prescription medication – keep them in the original bottles and be aware of local regulations on what you’re taking.
- Motion sickness medications – I don’t usually get seasick, but if you do or you’re not sure, bring some along to make that afternoon outing more enjoyable.
Gear/Miscellaneous
- Mobile phone & charger
- Laptop if you need to do work, but if that doesn’t apply or you’re going to worry about it for the whole week, just leave it at home.
- Headphones – I like earbuds for running and casual use, but if you’ve got a long plane ride, a set of noise-cancelling over the ear headphones are hard to beat.
- Small flashlight (AA battery size). These are pretty handy in a variety of situations when you’re traveling and don’t take up much room at all. We like the Mini Mag Light since they’re nearly indestructible and made in the USA.
- Book to read – leave your hulking set of Encyclopedia Britannicas at home. A paperback or two that you can leave when you’re done is ideal.
- Travel documents like your passport, tickets, and hotel confirmations.
- Foreign currency for where you’re heading and credit cards to pay for your trip.
- Plastic bags – good for dirty laundry, wet clothing or any number of things. I usually bring a couple smaller zip lock bags and a couple of supermarket/drug store size bags. They don’t take up any space and have a lot of uses on the road.
Optional
- A collapsible duffel bag you can use to haul souvenirs or shopping purchases back home with.
- Umbrella/rain gear – depending on where you’re heading and the forecast, this may be helpful or not.
- Heavier jacket. If where you’re heading is a little chillier than a zip front sweatshirt will bear, having a top layer that you wear on the plane may make sense. Ditto for gloves, a scarf and winter hat.
- Camera – smartphones have gotten so much better for pictures in the past few years, that bringing a separate camera isn’t really a necessity. That said, if you’re a shutterbug or want high quality photos or video from your trip, bring it along. Don’t forget extra memory cards and whatever chargers/cords are needed.
- Stain stick/stain remover. Some people swear by them, some people not so much. I usually skip them, but it does help to use one in a pinch.
- Refillable water bottle – good for avoiding over priced water at the airport or at a touristy destination. Just, be sure you are aware of the water quality in the place you’re filling it from.
- Eye mask/ear plugs. Some people can fall asleep anywhere. Others are more bothered by their surroundings. If you need a bit more seclusion, these can help.
- Power adapters/converters. Only necessary if you’re traveling to a location operating with different plugs or voltage than your home country.
- Maps, guidebooks, phrasebook – this depends on where you’re going. If it’s a week at an all-inclusive resort, you probably aren’t going to need this. If you’re traveling to a foreign city and want to see the sights, these are likely must haves, although many tourism bureaus in-country have free maps and guides available for the asking.
- Snacks – I don’t mean you need to clean out the junk food section of your supermarket. I usually just pack a couple of protein/granola bars – if your next meal is too far away it takes the edge off and makes you much less grouchy.
