Basic Travel Packing List For Any Trip

In many ways, the way you organise your travel packing list makes or breaks your trip.

Being ready once you are on travel is essential to avoid inconvenience while on the road or in an important event. One activity that provides a significant impact on how the upcoming days will progress depends on how we get ready and pack our bags and belongings.

Since our traveling bags are not magical (unlike those seen in films wherein all contents including several books and a tent can magically fit into a tiny purse), the most practical way of going to different places is by traveling lightly. Unlike bringing heavy luggage, going ‘light’ is more convenient and travel-friendly.

From the basic and sensible needs to the unnecessary things, we have this tendency of forgetting the essentials. For a better traveling experience, the basic travel packing list will be a good start to ensure that you are ready.

How to Know What to Pack For a Trip

A trip differs fine after the other. Like everything else, each experience is unique on its own.

While there are no standard packing list, there is are simple ways to know what to pack for a trip. Below are some of the factors that we consider when we start planning out our packing list:

Know Your Destination

Well, first off, you need to know where you are going. Is it in a tropical location? Is it in a city?

Your destination will help you decide on things that you need to bring. If it will be appropriate or not.

Find Out How Many Days You are Staying

Second is to find out how many days you are staying there. Will it be a week? A month perhaps? Or just a couple of days?

Knowing the number of days will help you determine the quantity of things you need to bring. Like for example, a shirt. You’ll need how many to pack to cover the number of days. You don’t need to bring 12 shirts if you’re only traveling for a 3 days, right?

Know the Weather

The next priority will be to know the weather of your destination. Is it going to be sunny? Will you expect a lot of rain? Is is snowing?

Once you know the weather, you can adjust your travel packing list to include weather-appropriate accessories and clothes.

Know your Mode of Transportation

When planning your travel packing list, check out your mode of transportation. You wouldn’t want to be lugging a luggage when your riding a tuktuk, right? Or if you are expecting rough roads.

You may also try to check your mode of transportation going to your destination. Will you be boarding on a plane? If yes, do you have baggage allowance? Or are you going light?

Knowing your mode of transportation will eliminate heavy stuff from your packing list. This is particularly applicable if you will be riding a bus the entire time. Ask yourself if it will be practical bringing along heavy stuff.

Know your Itinerary

Knowing your itinerary beforehand helps you plan out the things you’ll be using for the entire trip.

If you’ll be spending it mostly on a boat, and go on a couple of island hopping activities, then perhaps you can bring your island hopping items with you.

What Type of Travel It’s Going to Be

You may be going on a business trip or go on a backpacking adventure. Maybe a weekend trip with friends.

Knowing the type of travel you’ll be in helps you in getting prepared for your trip. Are you always be on the road most of the time? Or will you be staying on a certain location for days?

Plan Out What to Wear

If you can, plan out what to wear for everyday of your trip. This is a very effective way to minimising unwanted clothes and accessories with you. Remember, excess items will only add space to your bag and load to the weight of your backpack.

Once the above questions are answered, it’s time to focus your attention to the following item: what to bring!

What to Bring for the Trip

It’s necessary that you won’t forget anything for the trip. Missing out one piece can be annoying especially if it’s a piece of clothing you’ve been wanting to wear for a certain day.

To help you, you may want to check out the following minimalist travel packing list to make planning your bags a lot easier!

Basic Items to Pack for your Travel

Our packing list usually includes shirts, jeans, toiletries, camera, undies and cash. These are the basics of course for all types of travel.

But then again there are still important items that we usually forget, especially if we’re too excited or too preoccupied.

The following 10 Basic Items to Pack for Travelers are some basic add-ons that travelers usually forget and should be brought whenever one is traveling or going somewhere for a vacation or for business.

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Travel Essentials for your Luggage

The following list of items are for essential items to bring in your luggage. There is no need to bring them on your carry-on and can be comfortable stowed in your bags with the rest of your clothes.

Medicines (Mini First-Aid Kit)

This does not mean you need to have the standard first-aid kit.

The basic medicines for cases like unexpected headaches, body-pains, motion sickness and hyper-acidity should be packed and ready. Bandages and anti-septic may also be considered. Remember, safety and health first!

Sealable Plastics/ Large Plastic Bags

Sealable plastics may be used for stowing small liquid containers. You may also consider putting your gadgets on these especially when traveling by sea or if expecting numerous encounter with bodies of water.

The large plastic bags are useful for keeping and storing wet and used clothes that cannot be washed during the trip. It is advisable to separate them from the clean clothes to reduce the number of clothes for washing once returned back home.

Umbrella, Cap and Sunglasses

For a more comfortable trip, you may consider bringing your sunglasses, cap or your trustee umbrellas (except of course if you are traveling by plane since these are not allowed if you’re going light).

Caps or an umbrella keeps you protected from too much sun or drizzle and will give you the advantage of not getting wet or get too sun-burned when out on the streets.

Sunglasses too are essential for eye protection while on travel. It also allows you some sort of privacy while roaming the streets.

Note to check the weather first before packing these to ensure that you have packed the right item.

Slippers

When on travel, it is important to be comfortable. Bringing of slippers allows you to take a break from those stiff shoes that often makes your feet go hot while on the road.

Slippers are your best friend especially inside your accommodation, on the rest rooms to say the least.

Travel Essentials for Your Carry-On

If you are like me who loves to have a carry-on or a smaller bag for important items, the following packing list are some of the great things that you’ll need to bring with anywhere you go.

IDs (Identification Card)

Some if not most of us, due to rushing perhaps, forget to bring IDs especially if were going out-of-town only. I should know, I tend to forget them myself.

Bringing IDs are practical and very important especially for emergency case. Aside from this, there are establishments that would require IDs upon entering their premises.

Mobile Phones and Gadget Accessories

Since communication to our loved ones back home is essential, our mobile phones should be in-tact and have at least 50% of its remaining battery.

You may be asking why this is on the list, well, mobile phones are sometimes misplaced due to excessive use while preparing.

Better to secure your mobile phones by putting it on your pocket (jeans or travel bag) to avoid getting misplaced.

Also, the gadgets we bring are useless without its accessories. Since some of these are small and easy to miss, we often forget about them.

Placing these accessories into one bag or container allows you a more convenient way of retrieving and storing them.

Secure all your accessories including your trusty charger, extra batteries and headphones into your traveling bag while packing to ensure that they are not forgotten.

Flashlight

Small yet useful, having a flashlight can be handy particularly for emergency situations.

I know most of us rely on our phones as a temporary flashlight, but hey what if your phone’s battery is dead and your outside and needs some light to guide you? Flashlights will be a lifesaver!

Maps and Printout of Reservation

Before you go on your travel, ensure to bring a printout of your booking reservations. Modern technology offers paperless transactions, nevertheless, it pays if we are prepared for cases like power failures and ‘battery empty’ scenarios.

Also, when traveling to unknown places, it is best if you have a copy of the map of the area and get some directions. This will ensure that you won’t get lost and not waste your time locating certain landmarks.

I’ve often experienced getting frustrated as I cannot easily open my phone and I need information. At this point, you’ll realise that print-outs are very important!

ATM Cards/ Traveler’s Checks

ATM cards and traveler’s checks on hand will be great to secure yourself from being short on money while on the road.

Hand Sanitizer

While on travel, it is unavoidable to touch various things especially if you are on tour and roaming around.

Since it also unavoidable that you should get hungry and would want to eat, bringing your bottle of hand sanitizer is very convenient and advisable to avoid unwanted diseases.

The items included on the list are the basic or the most important things that you should pack. Some of these may also be included if you’re just out for a stroll. Being a girl or boy scout is a plus point to avoid inconvenience and hassle.

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