Packing light is not a foreign concept to us – we’ve been dabbling in backpacking for years. However, most of that travel was only for weekend trips – nothing on the scale of our honeymoon!

We went through several iterations on the final list. We were concerned both that we wouldn’t bring enough and that we were brining too much. So far we’ve been happy what we brought – very little hasn’t been used yet (sewing kit, umbrellas, whistle, pack towels, squishy bowls) and I don’t feel that I’m missing out (… well a corkscrew and a European phone would be nice).

Check out the video and our final packing list, which was based heavily on Rick Steve’s list.

Clothes (each)

• 4-5 Shirts (short & long sleeve)
• Sweater/lightweight fleece
• 2 Undershirts
• 2 Pants or skirts
• 5 pairs underwear
• 5 pairs of socks
• 1 pair of shoes
• Jackets (light, water-resistant with hood)
• Bandana
• Scarf
• Pack in compression bags, cubes, and Pack-It Folders
• Tie (J)
• Flip-flops (C)
• Jewelry (C)

Toiletries

• 2 Pairs eyeglasses & clip-on shades
• 2 sets of contact lenses, case, solution
• Hanging toiletries kit
• Shampoo & Conditioner
• Brush, comb, & barrettes
• Hair caps
• Travel hair foam
• Flat iron
• Camp soap (laundry)
• Face cleanser
• Deodorant
• Lotion
• Razors
• Toothpaste & travel toothbrushes
• Mouthwash
• Makeup: Powder foundation, mirror, concealer, eye tint, lipstick, chapstick
• Tweezers & nail clippers
• Tissue pack
• Earplugs
• Qtips
• First-aid kit
• Medicine
• Sunscreen
• Spot remover
• TODO: Pack in quart baggies

Utility

• Luggage with zip off daypack
• Backpack
• Bag for return trip
• Small daypack/purse
• Money belts
• Money (mix of credit, debit, and emergency cash)
• Laundry bag
• Clothesline
• Sewing kit
• Personal business cards
• 2 Inflatable pillow/neck rests
• 2 Umbrellas
• TSA luggage lock (pickpockets)
• Keys
• Whistle

Picnic

• Wine & beer journal
• Squishy bowls (2 sizes)
• 2 Light My Fires (spork)
• 2 Water bottles
• 2 Pack towels
• Sealable plastic baggies (varied sizes)
• Compressed shopping bag

Amusement

• Ebooks – travel & fiction
• 2 Journals
• 2 Sketch books
• Pens & pencils for art/writing

Tech

• Macbook Air, charger, Ethernet adapter, & Ethernet cable
• iPad, cable, & charger
• iPod & cable
• 2 Android phones (Nexus S & Incredible)
• 2 Android cables & charge cubes
• USB drive
• 2 Cameras & 4 SD cards
• 2 Camera chargers
• Gorillapod
• Y-jack
• 2 apple earphones
• 2 nice earphones
• Electric adapter
• Mini power strip
• Laptop gloves
• Cleaning cloth

Papers

• Boarding Pass/plane ticket*
• Passports*
• Health insurance card*
• Railpass*
• Driver licenses*
• Credit cards* & cash
• Trip calendar
• All hotel reservations
• Trip insurance policy
• AAA Card
• Rail map, timetable, guide
• List of US Embassies
• Packing list (for repacking on the road)

* Make copies & keep in separate place than original.