The more I travel, the more I am obsessed with creating the perfect minimalist packing list. I started travelling solo with a 75-litre backpack that literally broke my back. But I thought I needed everything! Then I graduated to a 55-litre backpack which I thought was a huge feat. Then I downsized even more and put all my belongings into a 33-litre backpack. 

And for the last five years, I’ve been travelling with a 24-litre backpack which is actually advertised as a daypack. I can manage one bag living with that backpack and can live for a few weeks and even up to 5 months.  So after travelling solo for more than 19 years, I can honestly say I am closer to creating the perfect minimalist travel packing list and I am going to share it with you in this post.

Tips for making your own minimalist vacation packing list.

After years of traveling and changing my minimalist packing list, I can honestly state that I am satisfied with my current minimalist travel packing list.

As a solitary female traveler who works remotely, I prioritize a minimalist packing list that allows me to fit all my stuff in a carry-on weighing less than 7kg. I prefer a compact backpack for convenience and cost-effectiveness while traveling.

For virtually all of my travels, I employ the minimalist travel packing list shown below. However, I often go to warmer countries like Singapore and Bali without specific activities like multi-day trekking or snorkeling. And the trip packing list is designed for women (I am not sure what toiletries or other items guys should carry).

Please use this minimalist packing list as a reference when creating your own. Everyone has different preferences and dislikes, and your vacation may need you to carry goods that are not on our list. Use this list as a foundation for creating your own minimalist packing list that works for you.

Minimalist Packing List for Females

• Whether I'm gone for two weeks or a few months, here's how I begin packing:
• I travel with two bags: a travel backpack and a travel daypack.
• And I have four sets of goods.
• Travel capsule wardrobe includes both dry and wet toiletries.
  Other necessities
  Items for Travel Daypack

I've detailed each of these four groupings of travel things below, along with photos of the real stuff in my bag. Continue reading to find out precisely what I pack for each trip.

1. Travel Capsule Wardrobe.

When traveling, I usually pack my mix-and-match minimalist capsule outfit as a top priority. I organize my clothing into two little packing cubes and shoes in a shoe bag.

Here are all the components of my trip capsule outfit (see list and picture above):

• T-shirt Two tank tops
• Two pairs of shorts
• Jeans
• Dress Sweater
• Set of clothes for sleeping and working out
• 4 Underwear
• 2 Bras
• One pair of socks.
• Swimsuit
• Sarong
• Nike Free RN Flyknit Sneakers
• Birkenstock Mayari sandals
• Havaianas Slim Flip Flop Sandals.

2. Dry and wet toiletries.

I keep my basic toiletries in two distinct bags: one for dry and one for damp. Dry toiletries I use a Muji hanging toiletry bag to store my dry products. Toothbrush, floss, comb, Lush Seanik Shampoo Bar*, deodorant, eyeliner, two chapsticks, tweezers, and a nail clipper Diva Cup *Cotton pads *Qtips* Bobby pins Safety pins Wet toiletries

I store my wet toiletries in the Muji transparent case, which is ideal for travel-sized toiletries. Airport security now uses transparent toiletry bags instead of resealable plastic bags for screening purposes.

I keep my dry and wet toiletries separate due to airport security procedures. Passengers must remove any liquids, gels, and aerosols (in bottles 100ml or less) and place them in a clear bag. And you have to remove it from your carry-on baggage for x-ray screening. So having a separate translucent toiletry bag is quite useful.

Here are the toiletries in my clear toiletry case:

3. Other necessities

Other basics do not fall within the mix-and-match clothes and toiletry category. These are little gadgets and knickknacks that I can't live without and always include on my limited packing list.

See the main image of this blog to see these items:

• Universal Travel Adapter
• Xiaomi selfie stick / folding tripod with Bluetooth remote
• First aid kit and medication
• Canvas bag for shopping and laundry.
• Laptop charger
• Mobile phone charger
• Set of utensils: fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks, and metal straw.
• 5 medium-sized ziplock bags (not illustrated).

4. Items for the Travel Daypack

Finally, I keep important items safe in my Fjallraven Re-Kanken travel daypack. Even if I lose my travel bag (unlikely considering I don't check it in, but *knock on wood*), I'll still have these vital stuff with me. It is more difficult to replace certain travel things, thus I like to have them with me at all times.

Plus, I prefer to have these necessities near to me while on the aircraft so that I can access my laptop, book, travel documents, and so on. The things are:

• MacBook Notebook 12″ with laptop bag
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Headphones
• Muji Blank Notebook
• Two Muji pens.
• Coach wallet or wristlet includes cash, two credit cards, and two ATM cards.
• Small bag containing passport, backup cash ($100USD), two headshot pictures, and a paperclip (to change SIM cards).
• Squeeze your water bottle
• Prescription spectacles with case
• Sunglasses