Who doesn't love travelling? No matter if you're a 'newbie' or you consider yourself a well-travelled pro, there's simply nothing quite like packing your bags and hitting the road.

Unfortunately, though, not every trip goes as smoothly as we'd like. Sometimes, it can be a tedious and nauseating experience, and you also have to face the ever-daunting problem of airport baggage handling.

Thanks to far too many instances of mishandled luggage, more and more people are finding it increasingly desirable to fly with only a carry-on – just like this traveller…

Meet Brooke Schoenman: a frequent traveller who has taken her need for seeing the world 'lightly' to the extreme.

Meet Brooke Schoenman, a nomadic American who lives in Australia and carries nothing but a 12-litre shoulder bag while travelling around the globe. Credit: Instagram/herpackinglist.

Schoenman, who has been living in Australia since 2008, is the mastermind behind Her Packing List, a website that gives advice to travellers – especially women – on how to make the most of their packing and planning experiences, and it all comes from her experiences travelling all over the globe doing backpacker trips and various adventures.

The wisdom she's imparted over the years was honed from her own overseas experiences, starting when she studied in Italy before embarking on a post-graduate round-the-world trip.

While exploring her way around Guatemala and later teaching English in Ukraine, the idea of packing light became more and more appealing to her.

Ah, but could an experienced world traveller really make do with such a small bag? Schoenman decided to take the challenge, breaking it down in a blog post and eventually teaching seminars on how to do the same.

And whittling down her luggage was essential; she has seen many environments, with her wardrobe needing to be carefully planned as a result. Having only a small bag to her name, transportation between locations was quick, comfortable and easy-breezy.

What's more, airport operators, already struggling to maintain staffing levels post-pandemic, were more than thankful for the luggage lightness!

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What was inside? Only the basics – clothes, shoes you can fold and improvise with, small containers for her toiletries, and a mini keyboard for her smartphone – all of which were to be the only items astride her shoulder for a wide variety of experiences, seasons and climates.

Schoenman sees carrying your load lightly as being so important for travelling these days, being efficient and mobile at airports, being comfortable and flexible in moving from place to place, and of course, avoiding getting too weighed down from having too many items.

And while she adds a heavy emphasis on women travellers, in particular, she notes that the most important thing is to understand and manage one's own travel needs, establish personal priorities and become comfortable with the idea of having 'less'.

'It's really about just realising what your priorities are and being comfortable with less, which is arguably the hardest part,' Schoenman explains.

She shares further advice on her website that includes the right types of packing cubes, containers, sizes of items, toiletries, and other objects that can be helpful but not entirely necessary.

Key Takeaways

• Brooke Schoenman is an American woman living in Australia who has been travelling the world with only a small 12-litre shoulder bag.
• She runs a website called Her Packing List which helps travellers, especially women, pack and plan better for their trips.
• She encourages visitors to make the most of packing cubes, travel-size toiletry containers, and other items of the right size for the trip.

Members, if you're in need of some advanced packing wisdom and ideas, take a look at Schoenman's website for more information. Who knows, you might end up crafting your own overseas adventure and taking your own steps as a super-minimalist traveller.

With a bit of creativity and the right packing accessories, you'll be surprised at just how much you can fit into just one small bag. Now you're set to jet off and see the world, no hand-trembling stress included! Happy travels!

 

[Ma-to-3]

She’s not old enough to need medications …. That would be my medicine and supplement bag

 

[poppyshero]

I have travelled the world sometimes for up to a year, i have only used a small school sized backpack that i carried on as hand luggage. buying the right lightweight outdoor clothing is the secret, they roll up really small and take up little room, plus they dry in minutes when washed. one polartek lightweight track suit covers the cold days. i wear my hiking boots. my medications, camera and toiletries all fit easily into the bag. i do not take a phone or electronics as i go for a holiday.