My Minimalist Travel Strategy (pack like a writer writes)
I travel, make music and juggle lots of creative projects. My whole life essentially fits into just a few bags. So this is how I do minimalist travel (like a writer does writing).
After many misadventures of dragging big bags and stuff I never used through airports and train transfers, I realized I had no packing process.
I had no planning and no intention.
So let this post be your guide, so you can skip (at least some of) those sweaty less fun parts of travel.
Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents Show
What Is Minimalist Travel? (+ why should I?)
Minimalism is all the rage these days (well, it has been for a minute now).
Probably because it looks and feels so good. Less clutter, simplicity…I like these things.
(unless of course we’re talking about a moody nostalgic library full of adventure books and travel trinkets)
I digress…
So, what is travel minimalism?
Minimalist travel is intentionally packing and traveling with only the essentials, based on your lifestyle and goals.
It’s one of those things that’s easy to say – but hard to do.
So before we get into the strategy session, let’s look at a few of the benefits of traveling light.
The Sweet Benefits of Traveling Light
More mobility
More flexibility and adaptability
A stronger focus on the experiences
Ability to be more spontaneous and adventurous
More thoughtfulness about what you do bring
Less stuff = less stress
Less security or theft concerns
Save money (with less baggage or storage fees)
My Minimalist Travel Strategy (5 steps to pack like a writer writes)
Packing light is a process, much like writing a great article.
And if you’re new to minimalist travel packing, your first attempt won’t be perfect. But this writer’s strategy should get you pretty close.
So let’s mimic the writer’s process and become minimalist travelers.
1. Research
Great writing starts with research. We can use this idea for traveling (lighter).
Of course, I’m all for spontaneity while adventuring, but when it comes to minimalism (and general sanity), a bit of prep work can go a long way.
Because every location and adventure will require a different level of minimalism.
For example, when I visited Seoul a couple years back, I didn’t pack extra deodorant. I mean, that’s a basic thing I can easily buy anywhere (...right?).
Well, I couldn’t find a stick of deodorant to save me.
This should’ve been an essential item to pack, but I didn’t do any research on Seoul toiletries.
So the moral of the story is this: spend some time getting to know your destinations. Learning about where you’re going tells you what you need to bring.
A great writer (traveler) thoroughly researches their topic (destination).
2. Outlining
All (well, most) solid articles start as an outline, which covers the main points, purpose and goals.
Turns out, this is a great strategy for minimalist packing.
To travel like a minimalist, you should:
Know your travel goals or purpose
Define your non-negotiables
Make a shortlist of travel essentials based on those things
Having a clear travel goal adds a lot of motivation and intention to your adventures. It’s actually one of my top tips for traveling solo.
And similarly, we all have preferences. These are non-negotiables and are based on personal values, habits and lifestyle (such as bringing a yoga mat).
Knowing your goals and preferences will guide your minimalist packing pursuits.
Because while there are some universally essential items for travel, everyone’s list will look slightly different.
For example, to some of my fellow minimalist travelers, my suitcase setup may look a bit excessive.
I always bring:
My guitar
My studio (mics, chords, travel-sized MIDI controller, etc.)
Camera and camera gear (gimbal, lenses, etc.)
Extra tech (power banks, external storage)
Clothing
Extra deodorant (bad experiences…)
This is a lot. But my traveling is directly tied to my personal goals and creative projects.
I want to travel, make music and create short films – and I want to blend all of these things together into unique creative projects. I need all of my gear.
So how about you, what are your goals, preferences and non-negotiables?
3. First Draft
Whenever I write a new blog post, the first draft is never final. But that doesn’t make the first draft any less important.
My first round of writing is for brain dumping everything and anything that I think is important and relevant for the post and its goals.
I’ll go back and edit out the fluff later, but this first draft is more intuitive, non-judgemental and stress-free.
So let’s adopt this same strategy in our minimalist travel packing. Here’s how:
Review your minimalist travel outline (step 2 above)
Gather everything you think you’ll need and put it into a pile
Organize the pile to separate things like clothes from electronics, etc.
Start cutting the fluff (and on to the next step we go)
4. Editing
Chances are, you’ll pack a number of things you think you need, but you’ll realize they’re actually nonessential.
It’s the same with my writing. After my first draft, I then put everything through the chopping block test.
This is the editing phase.
I end up cutting out a lot. It makes my posts easier to read and keeps things focused.
Cutting the fluff in your travel essentials is the same idea. At first, pack everything you deem potentially necessary.
Then start to slowly take things out.
It takes some practice (and sometimes hurts), but it's a skill worth honing.
A useful strategy is to step away from time to time for some objectivity and clarity. Coming back with fresh eyes always helps me.
So be warned, you may end up with a pile of clothes and stuff on your floor for a week…
Hot Tip: Don’t pack your suitcases to the brim. Leave room for souvenirs and random travel buys.
5. Publishing + Reading the Data
Publishing an article is like hopping on a plane and actually doing the whole travel thing.
But there’s another metaphor we can borrow from writers: reading the data.
Article performance is everything and data provides writers with invaluable insights for how to improve things.
It’s the same for minimalist traveling.
After your trips, you’ll realize what you did right and what you did wrong.
So this last step is taking those insights with you as you pack for your next minimalist travel trip.
I mean, what good is data and experience if we don’t use it and learn from it.
Want More? Okay. Here’s More.
