How to embrace minimalist packing

I’ve never been a super minimalist. At some point, you might have considered me a maximalist, especially when it came to clothing. I used to work in the fashion industry so it remains a favored outlet for creativity. Having a chronic illness also means sometimes trying to buy my way to comfort through clothing. I could accommodate an overstuffed closet at home but when I traveled it became a serious challenge.

As I’ve written about before, wanting to be carry-on only meant I needed to become a minimalist when I traveled. When I first began traveling at a more earnest past and internationally, I struggled with packing in just a carry-on. My bag was on the larger side and often bursting at the seams. Even though I was able to get my bag on the plane, I was constantly optimizing how I packed it so I could put more stuff in as a I traveled and shopped. It just wasn’t working. I changed my ways, one trip even dumping out half my bag before departing. Streamlining my bag made things so much easier to pack and to move around while traveling. Now I’m a minimalist with room in my bag.

I also curbed my shopping habit while traveling. Rather than indiscriminately buying anything I liked, I picked a few items that would remind me of my trip. When it came to clothes, I switched to independent local stores only. For home items, I drew the line at locally made items that highlighted the culture. For instance, in Morocco I brought home a pair of a sandals, spices and a brass elephant from the souks — all by local artisans. These days I shop much less — at home and while I travel — so leaving space for goodies is less important. Still, I love minimalist packing so much that I’ll never go back. Being able to be in the moment, focusing on the experience is worth it.

Here’s how I transformed myself from a maximalist to a minimalist when it comes to packing.

Pair down your beauty routine

I didn’t just simplify my wardrobe, I pared down my beauty routine. I no longer bring a blow dryer as most places have their own. On the rare occasion I don’t have access to a blow dryer, I just let my hair go au natural. Though I’ve never been much of a makeup wearer, I used to think I’d change this while traveling. I had this feeling that being out of my normal routine would make me want to put on more makeup. Maybe I was thinking of all the photos I planned to take? I’d pack a bunch of makeup, much more than my minimal at home routine. After a few trips of not using most of these items I realized that I was just a no-makeup person no matter where I was. Now I just bring my minimal makeup items. I even reduced it a bit by bringing things that have their own applicators so I can ditch the brushes. While makeup doesn’t take up a ton of space, it feels good to be less weighed down. On a totally different beauty note: jewelry. Though it doesn’t take up much space, it’s still stuff you need to manage and make decisions about so I minimize that too. These days I rarely bring more than three pieces of jewelry excluding my wedding rings which I wear all the time.

Try a capsule wardrobe

My first experiment with a capsule wardrobe

I wrote about capsule wardrobes in my series on Asia. To recap: a capsule wardrobe is essentially a collection of clothing that can mix and match easily giving you plenty of options without needing tons of closet space. Given it’s streamlined size, a capsule wardrobe can help reduce decision fatigue. For me, doing a capsule wardrobe at home made it much easier to decide what to bring to Asia.

My current capsule wardrobe isn’t the same as what I’ll bring on our trip — the fabrics aren’t suitable and there are several pants that are a bit too dressy. There are also four pairs of white or creme pants — it’s summer, what can I say — I love white! Still, paring down my wardrobe to items that all work together was good practice in doing this for a longer trip. It helped me hone my eye for picking out items that go together effortlessly.

When planning your capsule wardrobe or for your trip, laying out your clothes will help you see items that stick out, that don’t really go with anything else. Rather than bringing that yellow top that only goes with your jeans, focus on clothes that are more flexible. For me, an item has to be able to mix and match with at least two other pieces of clothing to make the cut. For optimal packing, every shirt goes with every skirt or pair of pants.

Limit yourself to one luxury item

The reality tv show Survivor is the ultimate in minimal packing. My favorite part of the show is the luxury item contestants bring with them. While they pack very minimally, it’s fascinating to see the frivolous or extra items they decide to take. While some bring something from their home state, others bring a notebook and pen and Elisabeth Hasselbeck memorably brought a handmade headdress that made her feel powerful. The ultimate purpose of this frivolous item is to provide comfort.

While I wanted to minimal in my packing, I still longed for ultimate comfort so I took a cue from Survivor. On every trip I allow myself one luxury item. For some that might be four inch heels but when you have a chronic illness it’s much more likely to be practical though bulky or one that’s limited in use. My luxury item is a often cozy sweater or fleece. The bulky nature of these items are what kicks it off the must list in minimal packing and onto the luxury list. While I could find something warm that takes up less space, these items bring me an emotional comfort those other items can’t parallel. These become lifelines when I’m feeling stressed or sick while traveling. I try to wear them on the plane or wrap them around my waist to minimize their impact on packing. Even when I can’t, they’re worth it. While being mostly practical, leave space on your packing list for one item you consider a luxury. Some people bring candles for a bit of home, others a pillow. Find one item that will bring you comfort in times of stress and sickness, it will bring you more satisfaction than those three cute dresses for dinner dates.

Figure out what minimalism looks like to you

These days I’d say I’m definitely more of a minimalist packer. While my minimal packing doesn’t mean I’m in a tiny backpack, it does mean that I’m conscious about what I bring (and purchase). It also means I’m able to get around to all my destinations with minimal hassle. Being a minimal packer means I get to focus on the experience, rather than on stuff.

Being a minimalist is different for each of us. Figure out what that looks like for you. It doesn’t matter if you pack everything into a 19 liter backpack and only have one pair of underwear. It also doesn’t matter if you want to push the boundaries of what you can bring on board to the edge. Focus on what matters the most to you and what causes you stress. Looking at these two edges will help you get clarity on what really needs to be inside your bag and what’s fluff.