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Whether you’re traveling to a beach destination, a place with loads of hikes, a city, or just nature, there’s a way to pack carry-on only having all your necessities for any of these locations. It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling for just a weekend or heading out for six months of backpacking, these are the clothes to pack for traveling abroad!
Trust us here! When we did our first “backpacking” and moving abroad stunt in 2011, where Jay moved to Finland for school and I (Heather) to Zanzibar for an internship, we waaaayy, waaaaayyy overpacked! Now, when we travel abroad, we pack the same clothes everytime… the clothes from this traveling abroad checklist.. all fitting into one small carry-on backpack each!
Overpacking Is Expensive And Flipping Embarrassing Too
Our first time abroad by ourselves, we spent two weeks backpacking in Europe before we each went our respective ways for school and we were totally the people that had backpacks bigger than ourselves and front “smaller” backpacks with our “important things” too.
Huge rookie backpacking mistake!
There were clothes in my bag that I literally didn’t even use the entire four months I was away! Needless to say, on our next trip we learned our lesson!
Packing Hand Luggage Only For Six Months In South America
When we were planning our next backpacking trip abroad, we were certain to pack less. We didn’t want to experience the extra fees for our bags or have to deal with lugging around so much stuff!
We were looking to have smaller hand luggage size bags – even with our camping gear included!
And we did it….
We read that we should pack and then “half the stuff three different times”.. to our surprise, this was easier than it seemed and it sure was liberating!
Now It’s Easier Than Every To Travel Carry On Only
With more and more companies coming out with travel style or lightweight packable clothing it’s easy to travel with just hand luggage. It all comes down to the fabric of your clothes and packing things that have more than one use.
And yes, you can travel with hand luggage only without having to compromise your fashion! It’s really much easier than it seems.
What To Pack For Traveling Abroad | No Matter The Destination
3 pairs of underwear | clean one, wear one, washing one
2 bras | Your most comfy and one like this – stay away from the padded bras with wires here!
2 bottoms | depending on destination, two pairs of shorts, or one pair of shorts and one lightweight (not jean) pants
3 shirts | two short sleeve/tank top and one long sleeve for a layer at night
1 swimsuit | You never know when you’ll need this
2 pairs of socks | We love our Darn Tough socks
1 rain jacket | Packable and good for wind protection
1 down jacket | Great for cold nights and early morning .. also doubles as a great pillow
2 pairs of shoes | One sandal and one tennis shoe to walk in
1 “buff” | These are good for so many things!
Find the Best Travel Clothes For Your Next Vacation
2 bottoms
Please, oh please.. never travel with jeans! It’s not worth the weight, the lengthy drying time, or the amount of space they take up! But don’t worry, gone are the days of zip-off travel pants too!!! If you’re traveling in the colder months, think about packing leggings or for a dressier look, check out these Kuhl pants to get an idea of travel pants. They have so many colors and styles and even water resistant pants too.
Traveler’s Tip… You don’t actually have to buy the Kuhl brand clothing. Old Navy sells something rather similar, or your local shop like Ross or TJ Maxx might carry them too! And shoot, even Amazon will surprise you with their selection of travel pants.
Outside of the cooler months, we suggest still packing one kind of pant or capris and one pair of shorts… you could get away with two pairs of shorts here if you know it’s going to be hot most days! Again.. don’t pack jean shorts! You want shorts that are quick-drying and pack small. Jay has a couple like these that are great and Heather like these here.
3 shirts
Pretty simple here.. you’ll want two short sleeves (tank tops for the warmer months) and one long sleeve. The long sleeve works as a layer or just one to wear during the day!
We suggest button-up long sleeves because then you can wear it over a short sleeve and it appears as a new outfit!
1 rain jacket
Rain jackets work well not just for the unexpected wet weather, but also as a layer when going out in the evenings. They’re great for protecting you from cold breezes!
1 down jacket
This is an absolute must pack! Even if you think you don’t need it! You never want to go somewhere and let being cold be the reason you’re not out exploring! Down jackets pack down really small, are lightweight and are complete lifesavers!
Bonus points here..Patagonia down jackets have zippered pockets the jackets pack in to. When it’s all packed up, it makes a fantastic pillow! Great for camping or when you want to sneak in a nap on a bus, train, or plane!
1 set of pajamas
Pajamas are a must, but they also must double as something else! For the men, look for pajama shorts that can easily double as swim trunks or just another pair of everyday shorts! For the ladies, find a dress that could be worn as a swimsuit cover and for an evening out! If you’re sure you won’t be wearing a dress, then pack athletic shorts and a t-shirt that work as clothes you can wear out too!
3 pairs of underwear
Underwear seems like something that doesn’t take up much space.. and honestly it doesn’t. But every ounce, every centimeter, counts when packing carry on only. And trust us, cycling through just three pairs is easy when you get quick drying material
READ MORE | What Fabric Your Clothes Should Be
2 pairs of socks
Darn Tough is by far the best way to go with socks! They’re merino wool, meaning quick drying and less stink so you can wear them multiple days without washing!
Don’t get too grossed out, they’re made to wear more than once! They also have a lifetime warranty, so you literally will never have to buy more pairs!
2 bras
If you haven’t been on the market for a new bra lately, you’ll be surprised how cute bras are these days – without all the extra padding and wiring! Pack two bras, both can be like this one here, or if you’ll be working out or hiking on your trip abroad, do one like this and another sports bra like this (that still doubles as an everyday bra too!).
1 swimsuit
Trust us when we say just pack one! You’ll never know when you stumble across a place you’ll need it and don’t want to be left without! Better if you can find a reversible swimsuit too, as it will work for more than one!
1 “buff”
Buffs or knock-off buffs are one of the best multipurpose small things to pack! They work great for keeping your ears warm at night, can be used as a headband changing up an outfit completely. They hold back your hair on windy occasions, and even work as eye masks for napping when it’s light out or napping on the plane! Be sure to throw one of these into your carry-on luggage!
2 pairs of shoes
Two pairs of shoes are all you need. We’ll say it again.. only pack two pairs of shoes! Pack one waterproof sandal to wear that’s comfortable for walking and one pair of tennis shoes/sneakers. That’s legit all you need!
Traveler’s Tip…Make sure the sandals are water-resistant, as you’ll want to use them in public showers!
Traveler’s Tip…Even if you’re hiking just pack tennis shoes! Big bulky boots aren’t worth the weight and space! And if you’re worried about getting your feet wet while hiking.. just think, if they get wet in your boots, boots will still be wet the next day. Whereas, if you get wet in tennis shoes, they can dry overnight!
Extra Packing Tips For Your Trip Abroad
- Wear your tennis shoes on the plane. They’ll take up too much space if they’re in your carry-on bag.. and that way you can wear a pair of socks too, freeing up just a bit more space!
- Likewise, if it’s not too hot, wear your pants too.. and we’d even go as far as to say, if it’s comfy layer up your shirts! Wear both the short sleeve and long sleeve on the plane! You’ll be amazed how much space this all saves!
- Use a carry-on backpack, not a rolling bag… read more about why here.
- Look for fabrics like merino wool or polyester. They dry quick, and keep away the stench longer!
- Steer clear of cotton!! It takes far too long to dry, and it’s the easiest fabric to wash!
- Pack some Dr. Bronner’s Soap. This can be used for body soap, shampoo, and even toothpaste, though we don’t recommend that! It also makes for great laundry detergent!! You can get away with just a 3 oz bottle of it for more than a month because it’s super concentrated soap!
- Keep your liquids to a 3 oz or less size! That way your bag meets the flying regulations. If you’re worried about shampoo or conditioner, check out some bar shampoo + conditioner products!
- Use your clothes to wrap fragile items like camera lenses!
- Stay away from bold patterns and stick to a color scheme where every top can be worn with every bottom!
- Roll your clothes! They fit better in a carry-on this way and tend to stay more wrinkle-free!
More Travel Tips
READ MORE | 11 things not to do on your trip abroad
These are tried and true mistakes we’ve made over the past five years.. avoid these mistakes and save money and frustration!
READ MORE | 9 things to do before traveling abroad
Pay the bills, sort out your banking, arrange backup plans.. these nine things will help make your travels abroad smoother!
LEARN MORE | all our travel advice on one big ol’ page
From budget travel to money-saving hacks, where to find the best flights, and how to get free rental cars… we’re sharing it all on our travel advice page!
LEARN MORE | earn money while you travel
Our best piece of travel advice.. get this before you start planning your trip abroad!
Booking Flights For Your Trip Abroad
Search and Compare Cheap Flights Here
- We love using Momondo for checking on flights as their flexible pricing grid is easy to read. However, we always recommend checking multiple sites (in incognito browsers) to find the best deals. Search for your flights on Expedia here.
