I’ve travelled the world with just a tiny bag – here’s how I pack so lightly
A WOMAN who has travelled the world with just a tiny backpack has revealed her top tips for packing lightly.
Brooke Schoenman, who lives in Australia, has travelled with a tiny 12l backpack – which is small enough to be considered a personal item on airlines.
She explained that she decided to downsize her bag over the years after being frustrated with how heavy her previous luggage was.
She told CNN Travel how her original 55l backpack – which is around the side of a carry-on bag for airlines – was too heavy when carrying it between hotels and airports.
She said: “I didn’t use all those extra things that I packed.”
It was during a three-week trip in 2016, when she travelled across the US, that she just took her 12l bag – and hasn’t looked back since.
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It has led to some very weird looks, especially from taxi drivers who are often very confused when dropping her off at the airport, she added.
She said her mum was also stunned, and “laughed at the size of her bag”.
Often sharing her own tricks on her website The Packing List which she started in 2010, she reveals how to make the most of the space.
Her handbag consists of one packing cube full of clothing, which can be worn more than once.
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She also revealed her fold-up shoes, as well as her mini essential toiletries, along with a keyboard for her smartphone so she can work on the go.
She added that even travel-sized toiletries can be “way bigger” than you actually need so it is all about finding the right size you need for the length of the trip.
Brooke said making use of layers can help when it comes to packing for all kinds of temperatures, having enough clothes for breaks that are above 20C as well as cooler climates.
While she said she sometimes travels with a larger 26l bag – a standard backpack size – she swears by her tiny bag as she never has to “worry about her luggage or what she was going to wear”.
She explained: “It’s nice to be able to leave the airport or the train and head straight out with all your luggage and not feel weighed down in the process.”
“A lot of it is just realizing what are your priorities and being comfortable with less, which is really hard for some people to deal with.”
Her tips have even become so popular she conducts seminars on how to pack lightly, with many calling her tips “empowering” and have changed the way they travel.
A £10 bag has been praised by travellers for being a game-changer when travelling with just hand luggage.
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Or this £29 bag is ideal for passengers trying to fit their bag under their seat when travelling with Ryanair.
Here are some other packing hacks to keep your suitcase light on your next holiday.
