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Most people overpack for their trips. This is especially true for people who are traveling internationally. Packing too much can lead to increased travel costs and other inconveniences.
Recently, I have gone on multi-month trips to South America and Africa, while traveling with nothing more than a personal item. I am getting ready to embark on a 5-month journey across Europe and Asia with only a personal item.
In this guide, I will discuss the benefits of traveling internationally with only a personal item, as well as what to pack and what to avoid.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Travel Internationally With Only a Personal Item
There are three main reasons why I travel internationally with just a personal item: cost effectiveness, convenience, and safety.
Cost Effectiveness
Airfare is one of the biggest expenses for traveling internationally. You would be surprised by how much you can save on flights by not checking in luggage. In addition, bringing just a personal item gives you an advantage when flying with budget airlines, as these carriers will often charge for carry-on luggage. If you can pack your belongings in a backpack that fits under the seat in front of you, you won’t have to pay anything extra!
Convenience
In addition to the money you save, you will also save a ton of time at the airport by not having to check bags. If you are running a little late, you won’t have to worry about waiting in long lines to check your bags: just go through the security checkpoint! And when you arrive, you won’t have to wait for your checked baggage. This gives you more time to enjoy your travel destination.
Safety
Safety is one of the biggest benefits to traveling with only a personal item. If you are walking around with a normal-sized backpack, most people won’t look at you twice. But if you are carrying around rolling luggage, you may attract unwanted attention. You will also be much safer taking public transportation if you don’t have to worry about too much luggage. This allows you to save even more money on your trip!
What is Not Allowed in a Carry-On?
Now that you know why you should travel with only a personal item, you should also know what you can’t bring in your personal item. These rules apply to both personal items and carry-ons.
Prohibited Items in Personal Item/Carry On
- Weapons, such as knives, firearms, pepper spray
- Dangerous items, such as fireworks, safety razors, ammunition
- Liquids in containers greater than 3.4oz
- Sporting goods that can be used as a weapon, such as golf clubs, oars, etc.
- Agricultural products (I have been stopped before for bringing fruit from Colombia to Brazil)
How to Pack for an International Trip with Only a Personal item
The key to traveling internationally with just a personal item is to only pack the essentials. However, most people don’t realize that they pack much more than they need for a trip. I will show you what I take on my trips, as well as my recommendations.
1. Backpack
The backpack you take makes a big difference. You need one that is small enough to be considered a personal item, but have enough room to fit everything that you need. The Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack is 18.5 x 9.5 x 12.5 inches, and I have never had a problem using it as a personal item. Even “strict” airlines have never questioned me about it.
I like this backpack because the laptop storage is not in the largest compartment. When you are fishing it out while going through airport security, you won’t need to worry about taking out other items in the main compartment first. Also, the simple design and dark color prevents it from drawing too much attention. This bag was one of the best investments I made regarding traveling.
2. Padlock
If you are traveling internationally with only a personal item, it is likely that you are a budget traveler. Chances are, you will find yourself staying in hostels during your trip. I always recommend bringing a padlock to secure your belongings in a locker when you aren’t around. I use a Master Lock because they are small, cut-resistant, and inexpensive.
3. Vacuum Seal Bags
These Travel Space Saver Bags are a game changer. Ever since I started traveling with these bags, I have been able to pack twice as many clothes as before! This also protects your clothes and keeps them all in one place. It came in handy when my sunscreen leaked in my backpack, because the bag protected my clothes. For those who haven’t tried traveling with vacuum seal bags, I highly recommend it.
4. Laptop
I need to take a laptop with me while I travel, both for schoolwork and to work on my website. The best laptop for me is this Samsung Chromebook. It is reliable and I can work effectively on it, but my favorite part about it is its small size and light weight. It only weighs 2.5 lbs, so it is a great computer to include in your personal item. You will hardly feel it as you breeze through the airport!
5. Portable Charger
Having a portable charger is extremely helpful when traveling internationally. I like the Anker 321 Power Bank because it is very small and light. Not only can you easily fit it into your personal item, you can also fit it into your pocket! This charger is useful on travel days, or while doing a tour or safari.
There’s nothing worse than not being able to take photos of an amazing experience due to a dead phone!
6. Travel Bottles
One of the downsides of traveling with a personal item is not being able to bring more than 3.4oz of liquids. But, there is a way around this! I fill these 3.4oz Travel Bottles with my soap, shampoo, sunscreen, lotion, or whatever else I might need, and pack them in my personal item without any problem. Depending on how long your trip is, you may need to refill these containers once you run out, but that is easy to do.
Tip: Make sure to tape the tops of the lids when you pack these travel bottles. Not only does this help to prevent leaks, but it also reminds you to close them in the first place!
7. Travel Cubes
I always bring a few Travel Cubes with me when I travel. While they do not save space like the Travel Space Saver Bags, they are useful for organizing your stuff. I usually have one that holds my toiletries, one that holds medicine or similar items, and one that holds laundry detergent, sunscreen, etc. These Travel Cubes make it much easier to find what you are looking for in your bag.
Note: The Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack that I recommended comes with three Travel Cubes.
8. Dry-Fit Shirts
People always bring more clothing than they need when they travel. This is the easiest area to cut down and save space. When I travel, I pack Dry-Fit Shirts for a few different reasons. First, if you are in a hot climate and get sweaty, your shirt will dry quickly. Second, when you wash your clothes (especially if you are hanging them on a clothesline), you won’t have to wait all day for them to dry. Third, they are easy to pack in your personal item or Travel Space Saver Bags.
9. Earplugs
You’ll be surprised how often Earplugs will come in handy on international trips. Baby crying on the airplane? Accidentally booked a party hostel and can’t sleep? Your midnight bus from Kigali to Kampala is full of people arguing? If you find yourself in these scenarios, you will want to have some good earplugs to drown out the noise. I prefer the soft, foam earplugs as they are the most comfortable for sleeping.
10. Flip Flops
This might surprise some people, but I have a good reason for including Flip Flops on this list. The most important reason is to wear them in the showers at hostels. I’ve been to some hostels with nasty showers, and I’m glad I didn’t have to walk barefoot in them. Flip flops are also great for visiting a beach or lake. When I travel, I only take the shoes that I wear on the plane and flip flops. This helps to save space in my personal item.
Advice on Clothing
As I mentioned before, cutting down on clothing is the easiest way to save space in your personal item. You don’t need nearly as many clothes as you think. When I travel, I take 4 dry-fit shirts, 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of shorts, and some socks and underwear. I also usually take 1 nice shirt for going out, and I might bring 1 pair of track pants if I visit somewhere cold. I also wear the jeans while I travel, so I never have to pack them in my personal item.
By wearing your bulkiest items while you travel, you can save more room in your personal item.
Washing Clothes
If you plan on traveling internationally with just a personal item, you should be prepared to do laundry abroad. If you are staying somewhere with a washing machine, then you won’t have any problems.Â
If you don’t have a dryer or clothesline available, I recommend rolling your wet clothes in a towel, and twisting the towel as hard as you can. This will quickly dry your clothes, especially if they are dry-fit. You can then hang your clothes near a window or fan to help them dry more quickly.
Final Thoughts
Traveling internationally with only a personal item is my favorite way to travel. I save a bunch of money that I can use to extend my travels or pay for amazing experiences, such as scuba diving or going on safaris. However, traveling this way does come with sacrifices. Washing my clothes every few days isn’t much fun, for example. But the freedom and convenience it gives me makes it all worth it.
Check out my ebook for more ways to save money while traveling!
This is pretty interesting… good idea about the earplugs!
Thanks Josephina! Hope they work well for you too!