Shrinking your apartment into a backpack. It can't be that hard, I'd thought. After all, I already successfully Marie-Kondo-ed (translation: halved) my belongings after having moved house four times in the past four years thanks to a break-up followed by a string of bad luck brought on by Frankfurt's climbing rental prices. Though when it came time to actually pack for my trip, a wave of anxiety washed over me. What on earth do I need!!? For a year! In places I've never even been!
Everything I brought with me fits in these bags. Sunglasses for scale, as I had no banana.
Shrinking your apartment into a backpack. It can't be that hard, I'd thought. After all, I already successfully Marie-Kondo-ed (translation: halved) my belongings after having moved house four times in the past four years thanks to a break-up followed by a string of bad luck brought on by Frankfurt's climbing rental prices. Though when it came time to actually pack for my trip, a wave of anxiety washed over me. What on earth do I need!!? For a year! In places I've never even been!
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| Everything I brought with me fits in these bags. Sunglasses for scale, as I had no banana. |
The Truth About Packing
To calm my nerves and out of sheer curiosity, I scoured countless blogs and Youtube videos for examples of what other backpackers, digital nomads, and thru-hikers were bringing on their adventures. It was a truly fascinating study. Everyone had a slightly different take on well... just about everything, from the amount of underwear to bring (some professed that two pairs!!! were enough) to the size of their backpack. A few things did become clear though:
- No one is going on the same journey (same places at the same time of year, length of trip, planned activities, mode of travel, etc.). I don't intend to be in the wilderness for weeks at a time--at least not on this trip--so I probably don't need a camp stove.
- Zip-off cargo pants are not for me. OK, not exactly that, but no one shares my exact preferences and values. Convertible cargo pants, while practical, just aren't my style. And although a full-time travel vlogger can justify carrying a drone and a DSLR camera with four lenses, I cannot (knowing how to use them unfortunately seemed paramount to their justification). I do, however, love food and coffee, so I decided to pack a few spices and a fine-meshed strainer to make a rustic brew. I can imagine other people find this ridiculous.
- You don't have to get it right the first time. While the planner and list-marker in me really had a hard time getting this through my head, it's true. Literally everyone whose blog or video I reviewed mentions adapting their pack. They either purchased new things along the way, sent items home, or traded possessions with other travelers. Knowing you can shed and acquired as you go really takes the pressure off.
In short, there is no magic formula for the perfect backpack, and that's OK. With that in mind, here are the contents of my totally not perfect backpack the night before leaving. Admittedly, a few things were still missing (my multi-plug extension chord is noticeably absent) and a few items were taken out to get my liquids under 1 liter for airport control. I hope seeing what I brought provides some entertainment for those at home, or maybe encouragement to anyone else trying to pack for an extended journey.
How I look carrying everything (decidely turtle-esque).
To calm my nerves and out of sheer curiosity, I scoured countless blogs and Youtube videos for examples of what other backpackers, digital nomads, and thru-hikers were bringing on their adventures. It was a truly fascinating study. Everyone had a slightly different take on well... just about everything, from the amount of underwear to bring (some professed that two pairs!!! were enough) to the size of their backpack. A few things did become clear though:
- No one is going on the same journey (same places at the same time of year, length of trip, planned activities, mode of travel, etc.). I don't intend to be in the wilderness for weeks at a time--at least not on this trip--so I probably don't need a camp stove.
- Zip-off cargo pants are not for me. OK, not exactly that, but no one shares my exact preferences and values. Convertible cargo pants, while practical, just aren't my style. And although a full-time travel vlogger can justify carrying a drone and a DSLR camera with four lenses, I cannot (knowing how to use them unfortunately seemed paramount to their justification). I do, however, love food and coffee, so I decided to pack a few spices and a fine-meshed strainer to make a rustic brew. I can imagine other people find this ridiculous.
- You don't have to get it right the first time. While the planner and list-marker in me really had a hard time getting this through my head, it's true. Literally everyone whose blog or video I reviewed mentions adapting their pack. They either purchased new things along the way, sent items home, or traded possessions with other travelers. Knowing you can shed and acquired as you go really takes the pressure off.
In short, there is no magic formula for the perfect backpack, and that's OK. With that in mind, here are the contents of my totally not perfect backpack the night before leaving. Admittedly, a few things were still missing (my multi-plug extension chord is noticeably absent) and a few items were taken out to get my liquids under 1 liter for airport control. I hope seeing what I brought provides some entertainment for those at home, or maybe encouragement to anyone else trying to pack for an extended journey.
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| How I look carrying everything (decidely turtle-esque). |
What's In My Backpack
The backpack itself is an Osprey Fairview, a 55-liter front-loading pack for women. This includes a daypack that zips off. The zippers can be locked, and you can zip up the backpack straps when in transport to make it more compact.
Supposedly, it's just small enough to sneak on planes as a carry-on, and I've successfully brought it on two budget airlines with not so much as a concerning glance from the cabin crew. Fully packed it weighs around 13kg.
In the main pack, I keep clothes, toiletries, cables, my fitness bands, and the first-aid kit.
Eagle Creek compression cubes helped compact all this very nicely.
Clothes: Flowy pants (2), leggings (2), shorts (3), sarong/dress (1), long-sleeved shirt (1), chambray button-down shirt (1), thin sweater (1), t-shirts (4), tank tops (4), sports bras (2), regular bras (2), underwear (10), socks (3), thin scarves (2), bikinis (2.5, more tops than bottoms), and a compatible puffy jacket (1, packed elsewhere due to rare use).
Realized just how girly I am when I couldn't part with brow gel and highlighter.
Toiletries: Electric toothbrush + charger + extra toothbrush head, toothpaste (brought a travel size in the end), shampoo, conditioner, brush, deodorant, Aquaphor, nail clippers, nail buffer, cuticle remover, tweezers, interdental brushes, razor, shaver, and exfoliating mitten.
Skincare: Face wash, facial sunscreen, exfoliating pads, and retinol cream.
Make-up: Concealer, face powder, bronzer, eyebrow pomade and gel, highlighter, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, eyelash curler, makeup brushes (3), perfume sample.
This is how all of the above looks packed into cubes.
Medicine: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cold and sinus relief pills, antihistamine, malaria pills, motion sickness gum, anti-itch cream, anti-diarrhea tablets (loperamide), cramp relief (buscopan), antibacterial ointment, electrolyte packets, zinc + vitamin c supplement, eyedrops, cough drops, thermometer, bandages, and medical tape, extra-strength bug spray, and sunscreen (as a starting point, I used "How to Pack A First Aid Kit for Extended International Travel," from the New York Times).
Shoes: Flip-flops, and trail running shoes.
What's In My Backpack
The backpack itself is an Osprey Fairview, a 55-liter front-loading pack for women. This includes a daypack that zips off. The zippers can be locked, and you can zip up the backpack straps when in transport to make it more compact.
Supposedly, it's just small enough to sneak on planes as a carry-on, and I've successfully brought it on two budget airlines with not so much as a concerning glance from the cabin crew. Fully packed it weighs around 13kg.
In the main pack, I keep clothes, toiletries, cables, my fitness bands, and the first-aid kit.
 |
| Eagle Creek compression cubes helped compact all this very nicely. |
Clothes: Flowy pants (2), leggings (2), shorts (3), sarong/dress (1), long-sleeved shirt (1), chambray button-down shirt (1), thin sweater (1), t-shirts (4), tank tops (4), sports bras (2), regular bras (2), underwear (10), socks (3), thin scarves (2), bikinis (2.5, more tops than bottoms), and a compatible puffy jacket (1, packed elsewhere due to rare use).
 |
| Realized just how girly I am when I couldn't part with brow gel and highlighter. |
Toiletries: Electric toothbrush + charger + extra toothbrush head, toothpaste (brought a travel size in the end), shampoo, conditioner, brush, deodorant, Aquaphor, nail clippers, nail buffer, cuticle remover, tweezers, interdental brushes, razor, shaver, and exfoliating mitten.
Skincare: Face wash, facial sunscreen, exfoliating pads, and retinol cream.
Make-up: Concealer, face powder, bronzer, eyebrow pomade and gel, highlighter, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, eyelash curler, makeup brushes (3), perfume sample.
 |
| This is how all of the above looks packed into cubes. |
Medicine: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cold and sinus relief pills, antihistamine, malaria pills, motion sickness gum, anti-itch cream, anti-diarrhea tablets (loperamide), cramp relief (buscopan), antibacterial ointment, electrolyte packets, zinc + vitamin c supplement, eyedrops, cough drops, thermometer, bandages, and medical tape, extra-strength bug spray, and sunscreen (as a starting point, I used "How to Pack A First Aid Kit for Extended International Travel," from the New York Times).
Shoes: Flip-flops, and trail running shoes.
The contents below largely went into my zip-off daypack. This way I could keep my valuables with me at all times.
Electronics: MacBook Air + protective sleeve, Google Pixel 3 + extra tempered glass screen covers (2), Kindle, power bank, headphones, chargers for devices, multi-plug extension chord, and converter.
Gear: Sleeping bag liner, compressible packing cubes (2), regular packing cubes (2), hangable bathroom bag, inflatable neck pillow, hidden money belt, water-filtration bottle + replacement filter, tin cup, metal spork, collapsible tupperware, locks (2), travel towels (2), retractable washing line, laundry soap sheets (2 packets in toiletries bag), malleable wax earplugs (4 packs of 8, excessive, I know), heavy-duty waterproof ziplock bags (5), regular ziplock bags (5), hand sanitizer, baby-wipes, fitness bands, sunglasses + soft case, playing cards, laundry bag, foldable shopping bag, rubber bands, pen, tissue, and tampons and pads.
Important documents: Passport, vaccination booklet, international drivers license, copy of travel health insurance, and credit cards.
Food pack: Protein bars, granola bars, throat-coat tea, pepper, salt, seasoning mix, a strainer to make coffee.
Preparation Costs
This is what it cost me to acquire the items listed above.
A disclaimer: I had a fair amount to start with, and I don't think everything I bought was at all necessary. I requested the shoes and backpack from my parents for Christmas and my birthday, and I received the sleeping bag liner and money belt as gifts, so I didn't look up the prices. Malaria pills are also rather expensive, but I managed to avoid purchasing any as a friend just returned from Africa with extra unused boxes.
There were a few additional costs that I didn't include above, namely the cost of buying plastic boxes to store my clothes (€45), forwarding my mail (€35), and purchasing a phone with a better camera (€605).
The contents below largely went into my zip-off daypack. This way I could keep my valuables with me at all times.
 |
Electronics: MacBook Air + protective sleeve, Google Pixel 3 + extra tempered glass screen covers (2), Kindle, power bank, headphones, chargers for devices, multi-plug extension chord, and converter.
Gear: Sleeping bag liner, compressible packing cubes (2), regular packing cubes (2), hangable bathroom bag, inflatable neck pillow, hidden money belt, water-filtration bottle + replacement filter, tin cup, metal spork, collapsible tupperware, locks (2), travel towels (2), retractable washing line, laundry soap sheets (2 packets in toiletries bag), malleable wax earplugs (4 packs of 8, excessive, I know), heavy-duty waterproof ziplock bags (5), regular ziplock bags (5), hand sanitizer, baby-wipes, fitness bands, sunglasses + soft case, playing cards, laundry bag, foldable shopping bag, rubber bands, pen, tissue, and tampons and pads.
Important documents: Passport, vaccination booklet, international drivers license, copy of travel health insurance, and credit cards.
Food pack: Protein bars, granola bars, throat-coat tea, pepper, salt, seasoning mix, a strainer to make coffee.
Preparation Costs
This is what it cost me to acquire the items listed above.
A disclaimer: I had a fair amount to start with, and I don't think everything I bought was at all necessary. I requested the shoes and backpack from my parents for Christmas and my birthday, and I received the sleeping bag liner and money belt as gifts, so I didn't look up the prices. Malaria pills are also rather expensive, but I managed to avoid purchasing any as a friend just returned from Africa with extra unused boxes.
There were a few additional costs that I didn't include above, namely the cost of buying plastic boxes to store my clothes (€45), forwarding my mail (€35), and purchasing a phone with a better camera (€605).
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