Amanda's Packing List
A female’s packing list for long term travel.
A miracle happened. Not the kind of miracle where the heavens opened up and the angels came down, but a miracle nonetheless. I packed for a 6 month trip around the world in a 35 liter bag, and I still had extra space. This may not seem like a miracle to you, but I remember the girl who packed a 60L bag to the brim for a ONE WEEK TRIP and still needed extra bags. Or the girl who brought a giant duffle bag along with the rolling suitcase to drag through cities and over cobblestone streets. So yes, I would say it’s a miracle.
You might ask “How is that possible?” and quite honestly I sometimes ask myself that same question. But the answer is that I have learned a few important truths:
You can do laundry. Other places have laundry facilities. And when they don’t, there is the option for hand washing. Bringing a sink stopper can be useful in cases where there isn’t one, and Dr. Bronner’s Soap is a lifesaver for sink washing.
You don’t have to pack to be prepared for every situation. Believe it or not, other cities have stores, and other people live in these cities. It’s so easy to get held up on those ‘what if I happen to get personally invited by the Queen to a ball so perhaps I should throw in a ballgown just in case’ scenarios, but if that actually happens, then you can go buy a gown.
Now, to the packing list. After careful research and traveling with several other bags, I nailed it down to the Tortuga Setout 35L bag. I opted for the version built for females instead of the one for men, as it is created with smaller frames in mind. I liked the minimalistic design, well thought out features, and the way it fit me. Read about why I chose this bag here.
Clothing
1 REI long sleeve Merino Wool shirt (turquoise)
1 Calia by Carrie sleeveless shirt (black)
1 WoolX short sleeve v-neck Merino Wool shirt (royal blue)
1 Icebreaker Siren Merino Wool tanktop (black)
1 Eddie Bauer tanktop (blue)
1 pair Prana Olivia shorts (coal)
1 pair GoRuck Simple Shorts 2.5” (black)
1 pair Prana Briann pants (coal) -Amazing! They pack up really small and are comfortable, great looking pants!
1 pair Old Navy workout leggings (black) - Can be used for layering, hiking or sleeping
1 pair Under Armor workout shorts (grey) - Can be used as bathing suit coverup, for working out or sleeping
1 Columbia PFG Freezer III Dress (black)
1 pair Darn Tough Bridge No Show Merino Wool Socks
2 pairs of Icebreaker Multisport Light Micro Merino Wool Socks
1 pair of compression socks (black) - For the long haul flights
1 bathing suit
1 Jockey Sports Bra (nude) - I picked a style that could double as a regular bra
1 regular bra (black)
5 pairs of synthetic material underwear
1 North Face zippered hoodie jacket (green)
1 Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket (black)
1 pair Clark’s Viveca Zeal Sandals (two- tone black/nude)
1 pair Nike Flex Supreme TR 6 Women’s across Training Shoes
In total, I packed 4 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of pants, and 1 dress. I picked colors that could mix and match easily and materials that were quick dry in the event that I do not have a dryer. In general, we are going to warmer countries, but for the colder ones, I will layer, layer, layer.
One thing that was quickly evident to me is the lack of fashionable, travel friendly clothes for women. Men seem have a lot more options and brands than we do, where they can still dress like they normally do at home and not look like they’re about to go on a safari at all times. I did a lot of research, buying and returning, and trial and error to get an assortment of clothes that I could feel comfortable in.
Toiletries and Cosmetics
Remington S6505 PRO Sleek & Curl Straightening Iron - This has been my absolute favorite straightening iron, and something I can’t live without. It doesn’t pull my hair, it is designed to be able to curl your hair too, and is dual voltage. I bought mine in Europe so it has a European plug, but I have seen versions have come both ways or have adaptors.
2 Matador FlatPack Soap Bar Cases - Pack flat and will get smaller as your bar gets smaller. Keeps wet bars from getting everywhere allowing them to dry. I use them with my Lush Shampoo/Conditioner Bars.
Lush Shampoo and Conditioner Bars - To help reduce liquids, these Lush bars are my go-to item. Plus, they have no packaging! They make many different kinds of bars for different hair types and needs.
Peak Design Wash Pouch - I love the organization in this, and the dental hygienist in me especially loves the thought they put into the toothbrush compartment.
Lululemon Off The Mat Pouch Neoprene 2L - I use this as my makeup bag. It stands upright and is slim for tight counters.
Wet Brush - Foldable travel version of my favorite brush.
Not Pictured:
Lush deodorant bar - This deodorant bar has no packaging and has worked well for me, even on the warmest days or during exercise.
Dr. Bronner’s Bar Soap - Great for hand washing clothes.
Diva Cup - this has been a game changer as some countries don’t sell the feminine hygiene products we are used to.
EOS Shave Cream Travel Size - I love how these tubes are TSA approved size and unlike a metal container, they get smaller and take up less space as you use them.
Cosmetics - I brought my go-to makeup items and tried to pair down on sizes of larger items (for example, instead of bringing the entire Urban Decay Naked palette, I brought individual containers of my favorite colors).
Toothbrush, travel toothpaste, razor, travel EOS shaving cream, nail clippers, nail file, tweezers, hair ties, chapstick, travel-sized bottles of hair products, face lotion, travel-sized sunscreen.
Tech
Anker Portable Charger - Fits in most purses and will charge my iPhone 8 Plus more than once.
Anker Powerport Mini Dual USB Wall Charger - Compact in size and helpful for charging more than 1 USB device at a time.
Charging Cables - Apple Watch and Lightening Cable
Various Plug Adaptors for different regions
GoRuck Wire Dopp - Great for organizing all of your wires, cables, and small tech items. Packs thin for easy access.
Miscellaneous
PacSafe Citysafe CX Anti-Theft Convertible Crossbody Purse (black) - RFID, Anti-Cut, Built in security. I feel safe with this purse thanks to the locking zippers and anti-slash materials (this can be a real issue in some countries). I love that you can dress it up or down with its convertible features.
PacSafe V250 Anti-Theft RFID Blocking Wallet (black) Small enough to be a wristlet or fit in a purse but large enough to hold passports, coins and multiple cards.
Tortuga Setout 35L - Women’s Fit
Weatherproof Cover for Tortuga Setout 35L
Tortuga Setout Daypack
2 Peak Design Packing Cubes -These are the best packing cubes I’ve owned, and I’ve had plenty… See why on Mike’s review of them here.
Kathmandu Sleep Mask
Kathmandu Inflatable Neck Pillow
Heroclip Versatile Carabiner Clip - great for hanging things as well as keeping bags off of the floor
Small pouch for jewelry
International driving license - some countries require to go have this to rent a car. It’s easy to get and just $20 at AAA.
Vaccination Record Book - some countries want to see which vaccines you’ve had, such as yellow fever.
Frío Cooling Wallet - Helps keep my medicine cold when I can’t keep it in the refrigerator .
Swarovski Crystal Ring Set - Looks real enough to make me feel like I am wearing my nice jewelry and keeps me from worrying about something happening to my real wedding rings.
Everything packed away nicely into the packing cubes, wire dopp, toiletry and cosmetics bag. I had one quart size bag for my liquids.
All of the bags fit perfectly inside of my Tortuga Setout 35L. Believe it or not, there was even a little room to spare! It really is a miracle!
And away I go! I am so pleased that I was able to fit all of my items in this 35L bag. The more you have, the more you have to carry, so I tried to make wise decisions with my materials, brands and items I packed. This is a live, working list so I will be checking back in over time to update on things I am happy with or things I could have done without.
For a male packing list, please visit Mike’s list here.
Note: These are my honest opinions and thoughts on the items in my packing list. I did not receive compensation for writing this packing list and I purchased all of these items myself.
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