what i pack as an aspiring minimalist.
August 10, 2017
In June, I was packing for a seven day trip to Illinois to visit my family. Packing to go on trips, whether they were three days or three weeks, used to be total chaos for me. When I’m at home, I will sometimes wear the same shirt for three days in a row (if I haven’t gotten too sweaty or dirty, of course). But when I would go on trips, I would imagine needing three wardrobe changes per day for some inexplicable reason. So I would pack up a huge duffel bag full of clothing, plus two large purses or backpacks of other odds and ends I thought I would absolutely have to have while I was traveling.
Oh, how times have changed.
I ended up leaving with just two bags in tow: one large purse for my clothing and a backpack for all of my other odds and ends. To some people – especially minimalists who have been at this for a while – this might still seem like a lot. To me, though, it is a major accomplishment that I wanted to celebrate with a blog post.
So, what are the items I think are necessary for traveling and how did I condense some necessities?
Clothing is, of course, a total necessity for traveling. if you’re lucky enough to have a way to wash your clothes wherever you are staying, you can downsize the amount you take along. For this trip, I packed 4-5 shirts, a hoodie for cool summer nights, two pairs of pants, sleep shorts, and a proper amount of undergarments. I keep a pair of tennis shoes in the car for spontaneous walks or hikes and I’m also taking a pair of flats with me. And that is it for clothing.
Because I work remotely, having my work essentials is also super important for me when I travel. I try to balance the vacation-versus-work scales, but some work is unavoidable, so my laptop is a must-have. Before I started my minimalist journey, I would also pack two or three (or five) books. Now I just take my iPad with me so that I can have an entire library of books when I travel. And because I’ve been studying the Bible recently, I downloaded a Bible app so that I won’t have to lug a big, heavy Bible with me – plus it reads to me out loud, and you can’t beat that.
I also take two notebooks with me, one for my morning pages and the other for business and project notes. These could be done on my tablet, but there is something about pen and paper that I just can’t give up. In addition, I take my bullet journal and a pen with me so that I can keep track of events and tasks while I’m gone.
In the past, I would take my camera with me, but this time I am leaving it at home and using my phone for all of my pictures.
Last but not least is my cosmetic and hygiene items. I take the basics: toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant. Because I’m staying with my grandpa, I’ll already have shampoo and conditioner there, so I don’t have to pack that. I also take my skin care products: a cleansing balm, black soap, and Differin gel for my acne.
Makeup used to be a major player in my packing routine. I’m still not confident enough to go super minimal – I still wear a full face of makeup when I go places, which is something I am trying to work through. But instead of using a moisturizer, SPF and a foundation, I use a moisturizing CC cream with an SPF of 50. I also take a primer, powder, highlight, and contour, as well as a mascara, eyeliner, and a small eyeshadow palette that also doubles as a brow powder.
Still a lot, but I’m trying.
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