How To Pack Your Life (The Psychology Of Packing & Arriving For Long Term Travel)

There are literally thousands of articles or videos out there today about how to pack for a trip or for traveling. Most of them will tell you how to ‘smartly’ squeeze as much as possible into a small bag, or ‘travel pack hacks’ checklists that you think are going to give you interesting insight but then end up being about a very generic suggested list of things to pack.

As a long-term global travel citizen, it’s actually a bit disappointing and underwhelming that people think what you pack is just about shoving a bag full of lighter clothes or smart roll bags.

Well, yeah, of course you can find resourceful ways to pack things, and I’ll add some firsthand suggestions through this article too, but I’m going to assume you have managed to pick something up and put it in a bag before, and the truth is, you know what you need anyway, it’s more a case of cutting out the stuff that you don’t.

So in this article, we take a more interesting approach to packing (and arriving at your destination). We see how what you pack can affect your trip and what you get out of it, as ‘how to pack your life’ is really about the psychology of traveling, making traveling more sustainable and meaningful, and the effects of what we pack can have on us.

Packing Is The Start Of The Journey

Packing for a vacation or long-term adventure is one of the most satisfying moments before setting foot out the door to head out on a journey afar. It’s the first signal of a change about to take place in our travel lives, whether short term for a few days to a week or longer-term to a gap year or even 10 years living abroad.

When I first set out to travel to the other side of the world in 2011 it was a memorable experience and in truth a scary one (see 35 Life Lessons From 10 Years Traveling & Living Abroad).

When packing the nerves (both good and bad) start to tingle. It suddenly feels real. It’s not until that point that the reality of your upcoming journey starts to sink in. You rush around getting all your things together, and you get a buzz of adrenaline and apprehension at the same time.

If you are anything like me then you probably over-prepped the first major solo trip you went on (or are going on).

I certainly started off with the idea that I needed this and that. My backpack was full to the brim. I hadn’t quite factored in how I would be carrying it around a whole country. Even after following online tips I still had a full backpack.

Today most people use pull cases. It’s clearly easier but they also become limited when getting off the beaten track (if you’ve ever been on an island-hopping trip and seen those poor local boatmen hauling heavy suitcases on and off each day then you’ll know what I mean).

Today even off the beaten track has easier transportation than in the past, but if you are going to be traveling for a long time, or possibly end up living abroad as I did, then you may well find your packing techniques get more refined and measured as you go along.

They just have to. You find that you only use half of what you pack initially anyway, and you more than likely pick the wrong kind of pack for the occasion. You are likely more worried about the ‘what if’ scenario than anything (we’ll find that the ‘what if’ scenario really only applies to one area of packing).

This is totally normal but having been through countless airports in the past and lived out of the same backpack for the first few years of my adventure, I can certainly say that less is more when it comes to traveling.

So Why The Title ‘How To Pack Your Life?’

Life implies everything right? Well, it’s meant to imply what matters, what will be of value.

When your life is in your backpack it’s not talking about ensuring you have enough underwear/pants. Of course, you need the basics, but you know that, surely. I’m yet to see a traveler leave without clothes accidentally.

Packing your life means that you can be versatile to different surroundings and can adapt when you need to.

You will naturally accumulate as you travel, and certainly as you live abroad, but the caveat of living a visa-to-visa life is that it never feels permanent. This can be a blessing in some ways too. You can feel free, but trust me when I say this does eventually wear off.

Instead living visa-to-visa feels like living in a consistent state of uncertainly, so you do need to develop a strong backbone to be able to deal with that.

Then again, nothing is permanent. Life isn’t permanent. So to think you are better off not having to worry about visas can just mean you are safe in one place but potentially missing out on what life could offer elsewhere.

Maybe not, but maybe so.

Coming out of a pandemic over the next year we are going to see a lot more uncertainty in people as they travel. There will also be a lot more anticipation in wanting to make life enjoyable and make it count, having people had their freedom taken away for so long.

When your freedom is taken away like that then at least the silver lining is that it wakes you up to ensure life isn’t taken for granted when you have the chance again to live it well.

That said, travel isn’t going to be the same.

There are already more air-rage incidents than before. Part of that is identity group thinking that has risen tensions between different groups (whether it be the establishment, elites, or the general public). The other side of that is a release of frustration that is coming out in the wrong way.

What is for sure is that people clearly just want to enjoy their waking moments more now, and that’s completely understandable. Life means more now. We aren’t just packing for a getaway, we are stepping out to live our lives to the full.

So, when anticipating your next (or first) trip then this just emphasizes the importance of packing your life.

The 3 Components Of Packing Your Life For Long Term Travel

If there’s any mantra to follow it would be this.

Start with three piles.

• What is essential
• What is optional for different activities
• What is valuable

In the past, when I was running a travel blog, Travelspired (which is no longer running), I was often asked how much you should pack.

I would send them a picture of a piece of string.

It is impossible to say exactly how much each person needs. So instead consider the ‘pack your life’ approach.

Start with the essentials.

You obviously need your passport, wallet, phone, universal charger, and so forth. (go to the essential checklist here).

Then think about the essentials you need if something were to go wrong.

Yes, I know you never think it will be you. Neither did I until my whole bag and contents were stolen in New Zealand and in between my insurance change over.

It’s hard enough dealing with cases like that at home, but when in a foreign country and your passport, documents, camera, iPod, laptop, and other belongings are stolen at once then it’s a hard pill to swallow and a lot more time spent chasing up required documents to prove you are who you say you are, and a lot less time spent enjoying your adventure.

It may have been a big lesson learnt but I hope you don’t have to go through the same. What ended up saving me from being completely stranded was luckily my wallet was in my pocket on me, as well as glasses and car keys, so I was able to drive to the police station and then the consulate.

I luckily had a photocopy of my passport folded up in my wallet. Without that then my own British Embassy would refuse to let me in, and starting the process of getting an emergency passport would be a lot harder thereafter.

So, other essentials. Insurance (just do it, and make sure extension dates overlap by a day or two, don’t make my mistake). Also add photocopies, any jab and vaccine receipts (I imagine essential today), plus a backup phone charger/battery.

There’s a ton of little tips and tricks you learn when living on the road about making life freer, more resourceful and practical, and adaptable.

But every life pack needs the essentials.

Think about what you’d need if your wallet was stolen. How would get in contact with someone if your phone went missing and you are in a country where no one speaks your language and there’s no WiFi around?

Things are getting supremely easier these days to live anywhere (before the pandemic anyway), but having some simple measures in place such as having a local SIM card or travel card as soon as you arrive somewhere helps, as does getting the local currency down.

Tip: Get out your phone calculator and understand the exchange rate immediately.

I always do a most basic transaction as soon as I exchange local currency in a local convenience store.

I’ve always tried to say the 3 basic introduction words ‘hello’, ‘thank you’ and ‘have a nice day’ in every foreign place I visit from day one so it becomes more automatic, but you should also automate this process of local transactions through buying a drink or packet of sweets as soon as you get there (Tip: you should do this anyway as you will have dehydrated a LOT on a long haul flight).

People rush out of the airport eager to get their trip started, or get to a resort to find the pool. Fair enough, if you are there to put your feet up on a holiday then fine, no doubt your all-inclusive will do most things for you anyway.

If you are on a journey to travel by your own means (so much more rewarding in the long run) then the last thing you want to do is panic when in a new place and hounded by eager taxi drivers trying to make a living from a lost foreigner.

Stay inside the airport for the first 30 minutes or so after arrival. Get the local phone SIM, get a travel card and do a couple of test transactions. Then use the SIM and work out where you are going.

I don’t really book places anymore and am used to spontaneous journeys but I still to this day ensure I have Day 1 sorted in a new place I’ve never been before. Knowing where to go to settle when you get there provides much more calm in unfamiliar territory.

What makes traveling so stressful rather than enjoyable is people just don’t plan well.

They think it should all be fun and therefore don’t consider doing a little bit of pre-trip prep.

From my vast experience, this is a bad idea. It’s actually a good way to ensure your trip won’t be fun and you may be spending hours lugging luggage trying to find that local hotel/hostel that’s hidden somewhere you can’t find because your wifi is patchy or you are just tired and irritable after a long journey, and now find yourself in humid heat or freezing cold.

Be easier on yourself.

Mind map where you are going and give yourself ample time if possible. That first day should never really be straight to the pool as tempting as it is.

You are in a new country and it takes a little bit (or a lot) of adjusting. Traveling is tiring not because of the journey itself but because of all the new stimuli you take in and have to deal with the first time.

This is why it’s essential to pack less where possible. You don’t want to spend even more energy pulling suitcases or carrying backpacks that weigh you down.

There’s one more smart idea, which is to have a little notepad and pen with you. Take note of flight numbers and times, shuttle bus terminals etc.

I know we all rely on phones these days but what if that phone died on you at the worse time, or was lost.

A case in point.

My fiancée just arrived in Bali for what was the most romantic trip ever but it started off pretty horrible. At the time that was only her second trip out of Korea on her own. The first one was to Mongolia where people were not a worry. Suddenly in Bali, she felt a bit rushed and lost her phone immediately on arrival.

Thankfully, I was already there and waiting at the gates for her and we solved the problem pretty quickly, but if a phone is not available then those little notes can come in very handy, and especially if you write the name of the place you are going in the local language too.

That might be a bit overkill but it’s actually a fun little challenge to write some different characters. Taxi drivers will either look at you with blank faces as to why you are showing them a squiggle or they will nod and happily understand your request, and your effort. (I even got a free taxi ride once when I did this. The guy was taken back by the effort to immerse in the culture. Note: this was a total stroke of luck and likely won’t happen ever again).

So, back to that essential list.

I could easily have just listed it as a checklist and left it like that, but it’s far more useful to know exactly why certain things are essential, and possibly more interesting to hear a story alongside.

Optional For Different Activities

So, how about the other items you bring, for activities and so on.

This is by far the section where most people simply pack way too much. This is also where the concept of ‘pack your life’ really starts coming in.

When it comes to packing I think I’ve seen it all.

From the times spent in dorm rooms hearing The Russler go through their bag 20 times with every individual thing zip-locked or plastic-bagged waking everyone up in the process (tip: don’t leave essentials at the bottom of your bag), to the guy who had three suitcases for a two-week trip (and no he wasn’t a DJ).

In the age of consumerism and overconsumption, there’s a lot of people who seemingly think they need to have every alternative packed.

‘But what if we go to white dress the only disco in the middle of farmland? I need that white waistcoat’. Ain’t gonna happen. ‘What if we have a sporadic game of football/soccer? I need those special trainers’. You most likely don’t.

Of course, if that particular waistcoat was of the utmost importance in terms of value then bring it, but there’s a limit (value items coming next).

You are unlikely to be in plus 40 and then minus 30 degrees on the same trip. If you are it’s probably pretty reckless and you will likely need to acclimatize slowly anyway so you can always grab stuff on the way.

Shoes. I know I’m a man and I probably don’t get the whole deal with shoes, but the number of times I’ve had this conversation with my fiancée. Sigh.

You might want to bring 7 pairs of shoes but you just don’t NEED 7 pairs of shoes. Especially high stilettos for that one-off party that ain’t going to happen. It takes up precious real estate.

Call me mean but I made a rule with my fiancée where if she was adamant on bringing over 5 pairs of shoes (I thought that was generous) then I would not help her carry her bag at any point. Of course, she can bring as many as she wants, but she has to take responsibility for the extra weight and carry it.

Okay, now all girls hate me. Sorry.

In my defense, she also made the same rule for me where I couldn’t take more than 2 notepads (I’m a bit notepad crazy – writers hey. Not that she was going to carry my bag anyway so felt like a bit of loss ha).

There is a point to that though. If you are traveling with someone else then challenge each other to narrow down your pack. It’s easier when you have someone else hold you accountable.

So, what is the ample amount of things to take? Do you want a picture of string too?

There’s isn’t an ideal amount, other than the less the better.

A good rule of thumb here is to pack what you think you need, then take out a third.

We almost always pack until our suitcase is full and bursting out the straps. So, if you must, do so, but then take a third out after and stick to it.

The problem with most travel checklists is that they focus on all the possible items you could include. All that does is make you think of more things you suddenly now think you need which you weren’t even thinking about before.

So, here are a few pointers to what you don’t need:

• You don’t need the same colored t-shirt twice.
• You don’t need more than 3 pairs of jeans.
• You don’t need sandals if you are barely going to the beach.
• You don’t need boots nearly anywhere unless you are climbing a mountain.
• You don’t need four pairs of sunglasses.
• You don’t need to carry real books (maybe one for that authentic feel – but book swapping is common in places along the way).
• You don’t need to have 5 different gadgets, and some people don’t even need a laptop (although that is essential to me for writing purposes).
• You don’t need 3 universal chargers (just get a good one that has a couple of USB ports too).
• You don’t need gloves in summer.
• You don’t need 10 different tops (you’ll likely only wear half anyway – think about how many times you wear that too at home, if hardly ever what makes you think it’s suddenly now the time for it unless you are off to Hawaii and it’s a Hawaiian shirt).
• You don’t need any food rations whatsoever unless you are heading out on an expedition (do bring a good water thermal bottle though, that should be added to the essential list really – even just for the purpose of saving plastic bottles where you can).
• You don’t need backup toiletries or towels (depending on where you are heading most places even in remote places now have towels and shampoo – sure bring you toothbrush and such but not much more than you really need).
• You absolutely don’t need a kitchen sink.

It’s actually easier to list what you don’t need rather than what you do. If hesitant and unsure, you probably don’t need it.

Items That Are Valuable

So, what about the third part? The value items.

This is what sets the ‘pack for life’ approach apart.

When you are away, especially for a long time, there’s one undeniable fact. Life can get lonely at times.

Even when you are not traveling solo, and you are meeting other people and having the time of your life, you will have to say goodbye at one point and likely have a cross-road transition where you are spending a bit of time on your own.

You also should be spending time on your own if you are traveling to find something more out of life, and not just on a party holiday. (I wouldn’t do this too early on, as inexperience can breed doubt and anxiety in making good decisions when you are lost in a place on your own you’ve not been before).

People tend to gravitate towards what they know at first. It’s common to see nationalities stick together at first before integrating. Even living abroad you’ll find some very seasoned expats still finding solace in having a base of familiarity around them in a foreign country.

I ran an experiment on myself (please do not copy my undertakings) to see the extent of how much we need comfort zones when we are abroad, and to see if people were able to integrate into foreign cultures better when they also had a part of their life associated with a familiar home expat group.

Now, naturally, Richly is about creating change and adapting, and on here we advocate people to challenge their comfort zone, as life is far richer and more rewarding when you do, but that doesn’t mean we should never have times in comfort or familiarity. We need times in our comfort zone, times of routine and structure to build a base. The only issue is when people get stuck in that way of living and don’t see a way out, and that’s where Richly comes in as a hub to help create change.

When I isolated myself from other foreigners I didn’t actually make more local friends, I just found that I isolated myself further from social skills completely. When I flipped the switch and decided to seek out only foreign friends I found the tendency to stick to comfort and avoid doing local things, like attempting to speak the language or accept cultural differences, also lowered. Safe to say a balance is needed, as ever.

So, what has this experiment got to do with packing value items?

It taught me a simple but valuable lesson. It showed that spending time on your own is important so long as it’s not too long, and when abroad away from familiarities you really need to balance your interactions with both foreign and local. At least that worked for me.

It also highlighted that when you are on your own abroad you need something that will keep you going. Something that reminds you of home or just brings you a bit of joy. Or something that sparks your creativity.

This is the point of ensuring you have valuable items with you. And whatever it is it will be personal to you.

It might simply be a Polaroid photo of your friends and family. It might be a visualization image that reminds you why you are doing this. It might be your wedding or engagement ring (well you’d be wearing this anyway ha). It might be some audio clips, it might be a special pillow.

For me it was two things. I take them everywhere, even in my mid-thirties.

The first one was very early on in my travel journey, and before I could say I was officially living abroad or truly location independent.

It was when I went to Cambodia and visited Battambang. I took the bamboo train to the end of the tracks where there was a small village. Regardless of the obvious tourist stop, I found myself heading to one of the souvenir shops at the end (another tip: don’t just go to the same place everyone else is going, you can find just as good deals with less hassle and friendlier interactions when you head just off center).

There was a young boy and his mother making friendship bands by hand. The boy was about 8 years old and I remember the glow in his eye.

He had very little in terms of any wealth that Westerners might be associated with (even the poorest Westerners) but he had this real spark and work ethic within him. He would use his lunch breaks coming back home to help his mum with making these bracelets and that lunch he made mine in my favorite colors, light blue, and orange.

Just as he was finishing it he was about to run off back to school but made sure his mum would sell the bracelet (as he knew a little English but his mum hardly any). It struck a nerve with me just how wonderful this boy made life look no matter the environment and I think it was my first big lesson of not taking life for granted since starting traveling.

Of course, there have been many lessons that amplify that lesson since, but at the time that was my first real exposure to a different life and world, and instead of joining all the tourists taking pictures and selfies to brag about their trips back at home, I started to see the real point of traveling for the first time. It was to learn what really mattered in life and that little boy was such a symbol of that.

To this day I still wear that friendship band. I look at it often to remind myself of that lesson when I find myself inevitably being sucked in by the mountain-top approach to life that modern comfort culture can drag us down.

The second item I always have with me is probably silly to some people, but to me it’s meaningful.

I have a tiny little bear called Oinky (that helped spark a whole different writing adventure with my fiancée and her bear, Eski, called Bearventures).

To me Oinky is a symbol too. A true value item. He’s been to more countries than most bears I imagine and he is probably a little wore the wear for it today.

So, why does a grown man carry a little bear around?

Simple. It brings me joy and releases my creativity when I struggle with a bit of a logical mental block.

When I first got together with my fiancée over 5 years ago, I was a little bit down at the time. Not because of her, she was a shining light that kept me going, but I thought of myself as a failure having not pursued a traditional career like I could’ve pre-travel life.

It’s completely natural to have low times and high times in travel, just like life at home, only a little more amplified and sped up.

I was in Seoul for my first year deciding to do a year’s design coaching and English teaching. I always wanted to spend at least a year living and working abroad in a foreign country and my journey led towards that opportunity in Seoul.
This is why I met my long-term fiancée. Yet at the time I found the work-life in Seoul, well, soul-crushing, and wondered why on earth I was putting myself through it.

I’m not a quitter so I stick to my challenges but it felt tough to stay there when at the time I didn’t really know anyone other than work colleagues, who were all Korean. I had zero time to make any friends working 7 days a week in some cases.

My fiancee brought around a little bear she found at her Mums to cheer me up. It worked. I don’t think it was the bear itself. I could’ve laughed at the idea and thought I’m too old for that, but it was the gesture and the bear became a symbol to me of not giving up and trying to have a smile even when times are tough.

Since then Oinky has become a very useful stimulus-creating machine for me.

Through creating storylines and different mannerisms Oinky became a character associated with never giving up and giving anything a go, not taking life too seriously.

If stressed people meditate. I do at times too but I’m more likely to head to Oinky and let my alter ego create something fun or energy uplifting. Through Oinky I can make life seem fun no matter what has happened in the day.

It’s a hugely effective creative stimulus, and on top of that, it’s a shared connection to my fiancée, as Oinky always reminds me of that gesture when I was particularly down.

So, value items. They are what ‘pack your life’ really means.

They are the little, meaningful things that add the most value to your day without the need to spend any money or carry around a trunk full of random shopping therapy items that just weigh you down.

When you start getting rid of a third of what you are packing when you compare the meaningless to the meaningful than getting rid of stuff that adds no value to you becomes a lot easier.

Of course, you will still a varied selection of items that suit your destination or onward journey, but what matters most when you travel, especially in a post-pandemic world, will be those little reminders of what you are traveling for and how life is not to be taken for granted.

The Essential Checklist To Pack Your Life For Long-Term Travel