The internet abounds with articles about packing for trips. There are checklists and charts and gorgeous photos of color-coordinated everything beautifully arranged and ready to go.

A lovely luggage layout via A Pair and a Spare
I enjoy looking at these photos and daydreaming about where I’d wear these beautiful ensembles. And if I’m packing for a weekend getaway, I might even use them as inspiration for my own packing.
For longer trips, there are all kinds of comprehensive checklists available that ensure you won’t forget any of the essentials.
However, this trip around the world is like nothing I’ve ever packed for. We’ll be on all seven continents, in more than 150 countries and territories, in all kinds of weather, and doing a huge variety of activities.
And we’re only taking carry-ons.
That’s right — one backpack suitcase and one rolling underseat bag per person. For nearly a year.
For most of our international travels, I consider the following things when deciding what to take:
- Climate and season. This is the main consideration for most trips. Fur-lined snow boots work for Antartica and tank tops for Tasmania, but not vice versa.
- Culture. Are there cultural requirements that need to be taken into consideration? I might need to pack shirts and scarves for keeping my arms or head covered or shoes that are quickly and easily removed as I enter temples or homes. I also do my research to see if any colors should be avoided; for example, brightly-colored clothing might be offensive during a period of national mourning or certain religious holidays.
- Activities. Will we be doing anything that requires special clothing or gear, such as hiking, diving, biking, or yoga?
- Special occasions. Are there any fancy dinners, celebrations, or festivals where I might want to dress up?
- Transportation. Do I need anything to be more comfortable on long flights? Do I need to plan for unique transport such as hot air balloons, camels, gondolas, or the Popemobile? (Not sure what one requires for that last one, aside from a cassock.)
Once I’ve answered those questions, I have some things I do to lighten the load on every trip. We roll everything to maximize space and minimize wrinkles, and we fill every empty space, such as stuffing socks and jewelry inside shoes. We tried compression bags, but they didn’t work well for the type of luggage we use. I do, however, use packing cubes to keep things organized and separate clean clothes from dirty.
Speaking of dirty clothes, Mike is only taking three pairs of underwear on the trip. These amazing boxers from Ably are treated with Filium, and they resist moisture, stains, and odors, which means he can wear them for several days in a row before they need laundering. I’ve done the sniff test after a week of daily wearing, and they’re the real deal. (That’s also true love, friends.)
In addition to superhero shorts, we have some other carry-on packing secrets we employ for every adventure.
- Work around the airline liquids limit by switching to solids whenever possible. Over the years, I’ve found a number of terrific replacements for typical liquid, gel, and aerosol travel items, none of which have to go in your liquids bag:
- Laundry detergent sheets instead of liquid pods or bulky powder
- Bug repellent wipes instead of spray
- Sunscreen stick rather than lotions or sprays
- Pain and itch relief stick instead of gels
- Crayon concealer instead of liquid
- Dry shampoo powder rather than aerosol spray (As you swap your liquids and sprays for powders, be aware of TSA’s new regulations related to powders that were issued as of June 2018. They apply to cosmetics, powdered spices, ground coffee, drink mixes, and other items that are not medically required by travelers. Read more about the new rules here.)
- Bandages with ointment already built in
- Carry clothing that does double (or triple) duty. My favorite item in this category are kimonos that work as cardigans, swimsuit coverups, robes, scarves, head coverings, and lightweight blankets, not to mention serving as terrific packing material for delicate electronics and camera equipment. Other favorites:
- Land’s End rash guards for women and men are great for diving and are also terrific as fitted cold-weather layers under other clothing. They work well as wicking t-shirts for bug-infested hikes in tropical climates, too. And since they’re designed for swimming, they wash well in the sink and drip dry quickly.
- Mike packs Rip Curl board shorts for swimming and diving that can also pass for dress shorts. He also travels with Royal Robbins zippered pants that convert from full-length pants to shorts, giving him two items in one.
- Go digital whenever possible. I love to read when I travel, but printed books take up too much space. I use my local library card to check out free ebooks that I can read on my phone.
- Avoid security slowdowns. Some items always present a headache at airport security, such as laptops. You can avoid having to take yours out of your luggage with Global Entry when you’re in the U.S., but other countries will still make you remove computers from your bag. Our backpack suitcases have a special pocket that make this easier. Other tricks:
- Pack a poncho rather than an umbrella. Many countries will make you fish umbrellas out of your suitcase and put them in a separate screening bin, which is a hassle.
- Tape over battery contacts. If you travel with lots of camera gear and other electronics like we do, this will ensure you meet security requirements wherever you are in the world.
- Slip on shoes save lots of security headaches, particularly when your hands are already full of stuff.
- Jackets with zippered pockets are the best way to keep your phone, wallet, and passport safe so things don’t dump out in the x-ray bins.
Add to these tips an interchangeable color palette that gives you lots of mix-and-match options, and you’re set!
Have other packing recommendations? We’d love to hear them!
Previously in this series:
- How to Plan a Trip Around the World: The Route
- How to Plan a Trip Around the World: Money Matters
- How to Plan a Trip Around the World: Timing is Everything
- How to Plan a Trip Around the World: Getting Documented
Up next: How to Plan a Trip Around the World: The Home You Leave Behind
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Hi Angela and Mike
This will be great fun following you guys. You guys must be logistical geniuses. We recently relocated from Cali to Chattanooga. Over just our short 12 day trip out, we encountered bad weather that caused us to reschedule on the fly, and lose out on Airbnb fees, and lost reservations. How can you plan for 11 months with unpredictable weather and changing seasons, as you change hemispheres, without getting clobbered by lost reservations, deposits and delays. Seems like your schedule would have to be extremely fluid.
Hi, Barry! Mike is the logistical genius. He’s been planning the trip for the past year and a half, and he’s built in some cushion time to allow for the flexibility you mentioned. We’ve been lucky with the trip so far, but we know there will be some missed flights and other issues we’ll have to deal with along the way. We’ll keep you posted!
I think this would be the most challenging part of this type of a trip for me. And I definitely would need more luggage! Great tips tho.
Definitely challenging, Kasia! Mike has to keep reminding me that I can buy anything I need along the way. It’s hard not to bring a year’s worth of everything from the start, though!
Men, what do they know? 😂 but it is a good point about buying things on the road. You can always get rid of things too after you don’t need them.
Hi guys. I faced the same challenge February when I left the states with a Tortuga Outbreaker backpack as a carry on bag. I have a few goto resources like https://onebag.com which has been a traveling companion for carry on and light travel for me for years. I will say that if you are counting on buying some larger size clothing in Vietnam, it may be challenging. I cannot find t-shirts that fit after numerous shopping excursions in Hanoi and Hoi An. I packed though with a certain approach that was to carry only a week’s worth of clothing with me in carry on and plan on getting laundry done in Vietnam which has worked out quite well but I also handwashed clothes during 2 weeks in Japan. I think the planning for a week of clothing worked out well but if you are going to Asia i would pitch finding lightweight cargo type shorts. I can find replacement shorts for cheap in Hanoi by walking out my hotel door in the old quarter and turning right :-). But the week of clothing was the main thing. Carrying the TSA approved bottles of stuff was painful. Its just easier to buy soap, shampoo, toothpaste in supermarkets in Vietnam and don’t bother with the TSA bottles. At least to me.
One last thing for me is since I’ve retired and am not planning on returning to the states is i have sought out longer stay countries where the living is good and I can afford to travel. Vietnam has been a joy for that. I can live on the street food most of the days a week but I do splurge some times. Consider longer stay places if you can. I will be in Vietnam until September and then leave for Cambodia. I’ll spend at least a year home based in Phnom Penh due to cost of living there but will travel to Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
Please give a read of my blog which is about my travel experiences in Vietnam. I’m based in Hanoi now.
Great information, Michael! Thank you! Looking forward to reading your blog.
[…] Find our packing tips for traveling using only carry-on luggage here. […]
[…] and I do our best to travel with just carry-on luggage. There really is nothing more satisfying than getting off a plane, bypassing other travelers […]
I’m loving reading through your blog – so exciting! I’m here to ask how you like your TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible bag? We are heading to Scandinavia for 11 days (family of 6) and I’m hoping to pack in 3 or 4 of them.
It’s an excellent bag, Monica. It holds a lot, and the compartments keep things organized. It’s a bigger backpack, though, so I’d be sure your kids can carry them when they’re fully packed if they’re going to help you with the load. Hope you have a wonderful time on your adventure!
[…] asked us to share our packing tips for traveling light. After touring the world nonstop for a year with only a carry-on suitcase, you know we’re experts at […]
[…] We had a fun visit today with Josh and Sierra of The Daily Refresh on NewsChannel 9 (WTVC-TV, ABC) talking about packing tips. The segment just hits the highlights, but you can get more details and links at our full post on packing hacks. […]