Packing for a month in asia (in a carry on)
When it comes to travel, these days I’m a minimalist and devout carry-on only kind of person. I’m not the person with multiple bags or even a larger checked bag. I hate checking bags. Though I’ve been lucky with lost luggage, we were in danger of missing our wedding because our checked bag didn’t make it out of New York. (That’s a story for another day. I’ll have to tell it sometime.) Being carry-on only makes travel easier: no waiting for bags, tracking down lost ones and less stuff to cart around and re-pack throughout the trip. This greatly reduces my stress and supports my health so I’m never going back.
We’re going to Asia early this fall. This trip has felt a bit daunting from a packing perspective as we’ll be in 4 - 5 countries in five weeks. We’ve never been there so we don’t really know what to expect. We’ll also be traveling at a time of year where the seasons are changing. Still, there was never any doubt that we’d be doing this trip carry-on style only. Clothing is my Achilles heel when it comes to packing (and in life) so this post is focusing on that. I’ll do another post on electronics, reading material, etc.
Trip Essentials
Destination: Southeast Asia
Where I’m staying: Multiple locations
Trip length: 36 days
Season: End of the rainy season, warm weather that’s turning cooler
While I usually wear pretty much everything I bring on a trip, for Asia space really matters so I need to make sure I do. Packing with a color theme is a often-cited tip to optimize your packing. I’ve also learned to become more of a minimalist packer by starting early so I’m strategic about what I’m taking. For this trip, one of the ways I’m ensuring I take only what I need is by by doing a capsule wardrobe at home. A capsule wardrobe is limited in number and to be worn for a full season. Most adherents also only make clothing purchase once a season, which helps curb shopping habits. This reduces decision fatigue by streamlining getting ready in the morning and helps you be more thoughtful about what you by.
I first heard about capsule wardrobes four years ago from Carolyn Joy Rector. She has a fab guide on creating a capsule wardrobe. I’ve resisted them thinking it would be too hard but honestly it took me less than a hour to plan. My summer capsule wardrobe includes: 7 bottoms (two skirts, fives pants), 3 long-sleeve shirts, 4 tank tops, 5 shirts and 3 dresses). I tend to wear the same shoes over and over so I focused on paring down my clothing for this capsule. My capsule wardrobe has made my mornings much easier. I just pick out a pair of pants and a shirt knowing they all pretty much go together and I’m good to go. I really wish I’d done this sooner.
Doing a capsule wardrobe made planning for the Asia trip much easier. We’re two months out and I already have a solid idea of what I’ll be bringing. I’d say my clothes are 80% packed, at least in my head though I do have a checklist created in Notion, the app I used to keep my work and life organized. While planning this far in advance might be stressful to some, for me it allows me to optimize for both space and for comfort which is essential for my health. I often do a last minute shopping spree for the items I need, spending way more than I need. Planning far in advance means I’m just shopping for a couple of items: a small pack-able raincoat and a pair of sport sandals. My budget (and my husband) are thankful for my this fore thought. Though I did purchase a few items for this trip, they were all items that were missing in my wardrobe and will get plenty of love long after we return.
What I’m planning to wear in Asia
3 pairs linen pants
1 pair vegan leather pants
2 sleeveless linen shirts
7 tank tops/t-shirts
Long sleeve button-down
Linen jacket
Fleece top
Hoodie
Dress
Yoga pants
Sleep pants
Nightgown
Swimsuit
Scarf
Raincoat
For footwear I’m planning to bring three: sandals (the sportier type like Tevas), AllBirds tree sneakers, and a cuter pair of slip-on shoes for nights out. I don’t have suitable sandals for outdoor activities or ones that can get wet so that will be going on my shopping list. All of these relatively light and have a smaller profile to minimize the room they occupy in my bag.
I picked materials that are easy to wash in the sink of our hotel and air dry. I also picked items that would dry easily if we got caught in a downpour suddenly. That’s why you see lots of linen. I’m also bringing some cotton because it’s so soft on my sensitive skin and easy to care for. Though the weather is supposed to be pretty warm, we’re traveling during a season change so I’m planning to bring a few items to keep me warm. My black vegan leather pants which are indestructible and warm during the cold but still work in warmer weather. I’m also bringing a nice fleece top for the airplane and for cooler nights.
Most of my linen items are from the delightful notPerfectLinen store on Etsy. Her items are handmade, come in lots of colors, practical while still being stylish and affordable. You can pretty much create your summer wardrobe from her items which is what I’ve done. The only drawback is that orders take 4 - 6 weeks so you need to plan in advance, which is part of why I’m even more organized than usual when it comes to packing for this trip. I’m actually happy because I now have a succinct shopping list which means I won’t be running around at the last minute. It also gives me more time to focus on planning our itinerary so we have those once-in-a-lifetime experiences we’re looking for on this trip.
We’re still a couple of months out so this list might change but for now I’m feeling pretty good. Now on to the fun part: planning all the things we want to experience while in Southeast Asia!
This is part of a series about a month-long trip to Southeast Asia. The first post: Going to Asia for the first time.