Last year I was able to visit Hong Kong (and Thailand) and it seriously the most amazing trip. But trying to figure out how to pack for a trip to Asia for a week using only a carryon was a little stressful. So here are a few of the tips I used when packing for my trip abroad to Asia so I wouldn’t overpack:

1. Plan your days:

My number one tip to getting ready for a trip is to have a general itinerary of what you’re going to do each day so you can pack just one outfit for each day you’ll be there. I’ll repeat this, DECIDE ON JUST ONE OUTFIT PER DAY. In order to do this you’ll need to know more or less what you’ll be doing. Will you be walking a lot? Wear comfy shoes. Will you be going somewhere cold? Bring a jacket you can layer with plenty of outfits. Is it going to possibly rain? Don’t forget a light rain jacket. Checking the weather is very important before you start packing. Don’t assume it’s warm where you’re going just because it’s summertime where you are from!

2. Buy packing cubes:

These little organizers have seriously saved my life. I like to have one for each pair of shoes, one for my undergarments, socks and swimsuits, one for activewear, and one for my regular clothes and dressier outfits. Not only do packing cubes keep things organized but they also help keep things less wrinkled and clean. Put some drier sheets in there and it’ll smell amazing!  I bought mine from eBags but you can find them at plenty of department stores now.

3. Only bring the necessities:

If you think it’s impossible to travel with only a carry on, then you’re packing too much! Try to bring clothes that you can mix and match to create different outfits out of. Black leggings (or shorts if you’re a guy) are my go to item that I ALWAYS have in my bag. I wear them on hikes, or I can dress it up with a cute top to wear around a city. When it comes to toiletries, only bring carry on size items. You don’t need a huge shampoo bottle and a full sized lotion. Just bring what you need!! Nowadays there are a ton of options that are available to you that not only are travel sized but liquid alternatives as well! Lush has an amazing shampoo bar and conditioner bar that will last you well over 60 washes. It looks like a bar of soap and will fit perfectly in your carry on without breaking any liquid rules at the airport.

4. Invest in good luggage:

There’s nothing worse than having your luggage break mid trip. If you’re going to Asia specifically I highly suggest investing in a good backpack because chances are you’re going to want to stop at a few places, and you’ll be taking public transportation such as a bus, train or ferry to get to where you need to go. Having a rollaboard is convenient for carrying around on a good smooth road, but when I went to Asia I found that having a back to carry everything in made the travel so much easier than rolling a suitcase around.

So those are my top 4 tips for traveling light and traveling far! I hope these suggestions help you pack for your trip to Asia, or wherever you may be going soon!!