Solo Travel 101 - Part 5: Packing Smart for Your Solo Trip

_{This is part five of our 6 part “Solo Travel Planning 101: A Step-by-Step Guide”.} 

_{In this series, you’ll learn how to pick the perfect destination, apps that will help you travel easier and safer, how to pack smart, prep mentally and emotionally, and create a flexible itinerary that leaves room for adventure. Whether you're a planner or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-backpack kind of person, you’ll walk away with everything you need to feel ready—and excited—for your first solo trip.}

_{If you missed it - Part one “ Choose the Right Destination” is the best place to start.}

Pack Smart for Solo Travel

Ah, packing—the ultimate pre-trip puzzle. How do you fit your entire life into a carry-on without turning it into a black hole of tangled cords, mismatched socks, and why did I bring this? moments? The secret: pack smart, not panic. Especially when you’re travelling solo, your bag is your bestie—so treat her right. 

The most important tip I can give you is to pack LIGHT.  If you can’t easily carry your own luggage up a flight of stairs or down cobblestone streets, you are less mobile, less capable and less safe.  Travel once to Venice with a 50 pound rolling suitcase and you will never ever do it again.  Light and portable is your best friend here.

1. Essentials Women Shouldn’t Forget

Let’s talk about the stuff that might not make it onto a generic packing list, but will absolutely save your butt (and maybe your sanity) on the road:

• Travel-size toiletries you actually use. Yes, the hotel might have shampoo, but it’s always a mystery bottle that smells like sadness and dish soap. Bring what works for your skin, especially SPF and menstrual supplies (because finding tampons in some countries is like an international scavenger hunt).
  
• A lightweight scarf, shawl or turkish towel. This is the Swiss Army Knife of fashion—it doubles as a blanket on the plane, a beach cover-up, something to throw over your shoulders for temple visits, and, if needed, a towel. Honestly, magic.
  
• Hand sanitizer & wipes. You will touch something weird. You will eat street food with questionable napkin access. Come prepared.
  
• Medication & backups. Bring the basics: painkillers, allergy meds, antacids, and anything prescription. The goal is to avoid pantomiming "I have a migraine" at a foreign pharmacy.
  
• Foldable tote or daypack. Because souvenirs and snacks happen.
• Packable Duffle = Souvenir Strategy - If you're traveling carry-on only, you know the struggle: there’s barely room for toothpaste, let alone souvenirs. That’s where a packable duffle saves the day. It takes up almost no space on the way there, but on the way home? It becomes your dirty laundry bag—freeing up your carry-on for all the treasures, treats, and totally-necessary mementos you picked up along the way. Just check the duffle for the return flight and breeze through the airport with your prized finds safely in hand.
  
  

And don’t forget: if it’s important to you (haircare tools, favorite lip balm, that one weird brand of tea you can’t live without), bring it. You're solo—no one’s judging your priorities.

2. Capsule Wardrobe Tips

Repeat after me: you don’t need 18 outfits for 7 days.

Packing a capsule wardrobe is about embracing your inner minimalist fashion blogger. It’s a game of mix, match, and rewear—without looking like you’re on day six of the same shirt (even if you are).

Tips for a chic, low-stress wardrobe:

• Pick a color palette. Stick to 2–3 main colors + a couple of neutrals. That way, everything plays nice together.
  
  
• Layer, layer, layer. A light jacket or cardigan makes warm-weather tops cooler-weather appropriate. Plus, layering = instant style points.
  
  
• Choose versatile pieces. A comfy black dress? Temple-appropriate with a scarf, dinner-ready with earrings, stroll-worthy when paired with sneakers.
  
  
• Shoes: Two max. (Three if you’re wild.) One for walking, one for fancier moments.
  
  

And pro tip: no one cares if you wear the same thing twice. Or four times. Especially if you’re pairing it with a new gelato each time. 

3. Security Gear (Money Belt, Lock, Etc.)

You don’t need to turn into a paranoid spy, but a few smart safety items can make a huge difference when you’re flying solo.

Here’s what to consider:

• Money belt or hidden pouch. Not the sexiest accessory, but great for storing backup cash and your passport when you’re out and about. Bonus: also functions as a handy abdominal sweat collector.
  
  
• Anti-theft backpack or crossbody. Lockable zippers, RFID-blocking pockets, slash-resistant straps—because pickpockets are real and often very talented.
  
  
• Luggage lock. Use it for your hostel locker, suitcase, or anything you’re leaving behind at the hotel. Peace of mind for under $10? Yes, please.
  
  
• Doorstop alarm. Staying somewhere that makes you go "hmm"? A simple wedge-shaped doorstop with a built-in alarm can make you feel like James Bond in flip-flops.
  
  
• Digital backups. Scan or take photos of your important docs (passport, ID, insurance) and save them to the cloud. Because phones get lost. Or dunked in the ocean. (Not that I’m speaking from experience. Ahem.)
  
  

Packing for solo travel isn’t about bringing more—it’s about bringing better. Choose items that multitask, leave space for spontaneity (and snacks), and remember: you don’t need to impress anyone but yourself. Your perfectly curated, cleverly packed, solo-adventuring self.

Next up: Part 6 of the series is “Preparing Mentally & Emotionally for Solo Travel”

Solo travel isn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B. It’s about discovering that you’re capable, courageous, and way more adaptable than the person who panic-packed six pairs of shoes. Prepare mentally and emotionally, and you’ll realize the most important thing you’re bringing isn’t in your suitcase—it’s you.