Nobody likes packing. Some people might be able to tolerate it but no one truly likes it. When going on a budget trip, the trick is to only bring a carry-on. This will cut down on plane ticket costs and make the trip run smoother. There is no waiting for your bag to arrive at the carousel, less weight to carry around, and less time making a decision on what to wear out to dinner that night. Once you travel with only a carry-on, you’ll never go back. Making the decisions on what you perceive as necessary can be difficult and then having to fit it all in a backpack. Below are some tips for backpackers that I wish I knew on my first trip. If you are looking for that extra motivation to travel, check out my top reasons to travel in 2022 here.

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Wear Hiking Boots on the Plane

If you love hiking in the new areas that you go and visit, then wearing your hiking boots instead of sneakers can save a ton of room. It is much easier to fit a pair of regular shoes at the top of your backpack than to try and fit large hiking boots. They may not be your first choice of airplane shoes but trust me, the extra room is worth it. The outfits are even better.

Pre-pack Outfits

When visiting new areas of the world, the last thing you want to do is spend hours trying to figure out what to wear. I’m a guy, so this might be easier but think about what outfit you will wear for 6-7 days of the week and that’s it. Only bring that many and do laundry if you have to. There will always be somewhere you can wash your clothes. You should want to focus on being present and enjoying the moments of travel instead of figuring out what to wear.

Roll Up Your Clothes

If you don’t mind your clothes being a little bit wrinkled, then this can save you so much space. All you have to do is throw them in the dryer or find an ironer when you get to your destination. This can help if you have a lot you wanna bring but are having trouble fitting everything. I have tried packing my clothes in a way that doesn’t wrinkle them but it always ends up taking up too much space.

Lay Out Your Items First

It’s never a good feeling to be on your way to the airport and all of a sudden you remember that you forgot something. There is very little room for error on the day of travel and you want to try to make it a smooth process as much as possible. Laying out your items when packing can help you not commit these mistakes. Create a list, look at your items that are laid out, and double-check before packing it all. I have yet to forget anything essential when doing this. It can also make for a pretty cool pre-trip photo if you set it up nicely.

Bring Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Pure-Castile Soap

Saving a room is vital when the room is at a premium. Bringing soap, shampoo, detergent, and face wash all together can take up a lot of room. You should look into bringing Dr. Bronners 18-in-1. This little guy can do all the above and more. With 18 uses, it is your all-purpose cleaner that takes up minimal space. This is super cheap and comes in travel sizes. Make sure you grab the size 4 ounces or below so you can bring it on the plane still.

Set Up Your Backpack for Convience

When packing your clothes, set up it in a strategic way that what you need faster will be at the top. I normally put my undergarments at the bottom because I could care less if those are super wrinkled. In the middle section of my backup, I normally put normal clothes/bathing suits. At the top are nicer clothes like a button-up and pants. If I bring electronics, like a laptop, those are most likely somewhere near the top as well. It is nice to have easy access to my laptop when I go through security and have to run it through separately.