What Three Months in Asia Taught Us About Packing
When we left Australia for three months back in 2018, we pretty much jumped into it with no plan. We had no address, I had no income and we had no idea of where we were even going to live when we got out of the accommodation that we had booked for that first week of the trip. Becoming comfortable with putting everything we owned in storage or selling it and choosing to dive out of our comfort zone and make that our normal is definitely a leap of faith. There were so many different moving pieces that it was challenging to know how to best navigate each of them ahead of the trip actually starting. One of the biggest things that we struggled with was our packing. We wanted to be conscious of the nomadic approach that we were taking and we did not know where to even begin.
It can be overwhelming to know what to pack when you are going away for any trip and this is especially true for longer adventures. Given the fact that this was our first trip overseas for such a prolonged period of time, it stands to reason there were of course going to be some lessons that we learnt along the way and some information that in hindsight would have been really handy to know when we were preparing for that trip. When it comes to packing and the gear that we wanted to take with us, we admittedly got carried away. While we had our trusty Tortuga backpacks, we also took a massive suitcase and a medium sized suitcase as well. We packed for any circumstance and any type of weather (and looking back, we packed in excess).
We learnt a lot during that trip (isn't one of the most intriguing parts of travel the lessons that you learn along the way?). One of the most valuable lessons, however, is what three months in Asia taught us about packing and how we could improve our approach moving forward for future adventures. This blog will break down the different lessons that we learnt during that period and how you can utilise them ahead of your next trip so that you can maximise your packing without maximising the amount of luggage that you have to haul around with you (because let's be honest, nobody wants to have to pull multiple suitcases and backpacks up and down streets between destinations).
You don’t need to pack your entire wardrobe
We all know the temptation to pack every one of your favourite outfits so that you have as many options as possible. It can be tough to narrow down your outfits of choice. Obviously, first and foremost you need to try to pack for the kind of trip you are going on. Are you travelling through Asia for three months? Guys, that climate is hot. If you want to, sure, pack one hoodie. But the majority of your packing should be clothes that are going to be realistic for the climate that you are spending time in. I totally understand wanting to take some cute outfits and some practical outfits (and sometimes every option in between and beyond!). Take the time to plan your outfits and start from there. Think about it - are you packing all of this stuff to actually wear it? Or are you going to just rotate the same few outfits the entire time?
Relax, there will be a laundromat or washing machine
One of the most common thing that travellers do is pack an outfit for every day that they are going to be away. On this first big trip, I definitely did it myself. I know the feeling of packing twice, or even three times as much, so that you have backups if you get caught in a downpour or something rips mid-trip and is unwearable. But trust me, relax. There is always going to be a laundromat, a washing machine or a laundry business (I know, it sounds bougie, but in Asia it cost us $5 AUD to get all of our clothes washed every week by the loveliest families!). If you pack for a week and a half (ten to eleven days, to be exact), you can rotate through a few of your favourite pieces the entire time! Taadaa, look at all of your spare packing space! The beauty of this approach is that it is about progress over perfection. And little by little, you will slowly start to realise that packing with this at the forefront of your mind becomes second nature.
Maximise efficiency by focusing on organisation
Doing what you can to maximise the efficiency in how and what you pack genuinely does make a world of difference. Believe it or not, the way that you organise your packing makes you think harder about everything that you are including in your bags and ultimately means that you are kickstarting your adventure in the most organised way possible. There are quite a few options you can utilise. We organise our packing into essentials, toiletries, tech, and apparel. We find that we can generally pack a lot better by rolling our clothes up and putting socks, undies, essentials and even tech into packing cubes (our go-to brand for our bags when we travel, Tortuga, has some fantastic ones!). The more organised your packing is, the easier it is for you to know exactly what you are including (which is also a great way to double check your packing).
The next time that I went overseas on my own for work, I went from two suitcases and a backpack to my carry-on Tortuga and my little backpack. And believe it or not, regardless of the length of the adventure, we have been able to do this for every trip since. I hope that this makes the packing process a little easier for you, too. Happy packing!