What’s in Our Bags for a Year of Travel: Packing List

When we tell people we are traveling for a year, one of their many questions is, how are you packing for a year-long trip? And believe us, it felt a little daunting at first trying to determine what we needed to pack. 

But this post shares everything we packed for our year-long adventure with you. 

SIDE NOTE: The list also includes things we wish we had packed or purchased while traveling.

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Our Bags

We are trying to pack as light as possible, so we each have a backpack and a carry-on bag. But because we are traveling to tropical destinations, we are packing snorkeling supplies (fins, snorkels, and masks), and we had to take one checked bag for these supplies. 

We have five (5) backpacks and five (5) luggage bags for our full-time travel (we started with six but downsized to five quickly).

TIP: Every bag has an Apple AirTag that is in a waterproof tuff case, so we can track them while traveling. 

Luggage

Eric’s luggage is an Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler 60L Duffle Bag with backpack straps. We have had this bag for years, so we have an older version, but we like it. We will see how much we like it as we travel for a year and how it holds up. 

Megan’s luggage is a July Carry-On, which is the only new piece we purchased for the trip. We (mainly Megan) wanted to try using a rolling bag to see how we liked it. So far, the rolling bag has been convenient because we can stack two of the kids’ bags on top of it. We initially planned to carry on our bags, but we quickly realized that we would need to check all of them due to weight restrictions. Therefore, Megan recommends opting for the larger checked option instead.

The kid’s luggage/bag is the Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler 40L Duffle Bag with backpack straps. Again, we have had these bags for years and love how small they are for the kids. 

Our last luggage/bag is The North Face Base Camp 62L Duffle Bag with backpack straps. This bag holds all of our snorkeling gear, and our fins even fit. 

Backpacks

Eric’s backpack is the Expedition/Units Project 8020 Waterproof Backpack. Eric purchased this bag because it’s completely waterproof and can be used as a dry bag. Which is fantastic because we love tropical places. The only downside to this backpack is that it doesn’t have a water bottle holder, so Eric has to use a carabiner to attach it to his bag. 

Megan’s backpack is the Wandrd PRVKE 31L photography bundle + rain cover accessory. This bag holds all our video and camera equipment, so we wanted something with padding that could withstand the elements. So far, it’s been a great bag. The only downside is that the bag is a little heavy with the camera accessory. 

SIDE NOTE: We wonder if we would have been fine with the 21L.

The kids each have a standard school backpack. 

Fanny Pack

We are fanny pack people. We both have the Patagonia Ultralight 1L Hip Pack. We have had these for years. They are the perfect size to fit passports, money, etc.

Packing Cubes

Megan and the kids use packing cubes. These are great for keeping everything organized, especially for the kids. We have LOVED having them for these longer travel stays. Before, the boy’s clothes were everywhere…

SIDE NOTE: Laundry bags also help keep dirty and clean clothes organized with our boys. 

Clothing

These are the clothes we packed for our one-year-long trip around the world. Remember that we mainly traveled to warmer climates, but you can always change items to better suit your trip.

Toiletries

Miscellaneous

• Sunglasses
• Laundry bags – we have three altogether
• Travel beach towels – ultralight microfiber
• Water purifier water bottle – a MUST!
• Foldable tote bag – for grocery shopping or use as a beach bag
• Mini first aid kit – band-aids, gauze pads, etc
• Travel Power adapter – get an all-in-one universal adapter
• Disinfecting wipes
• Insect repellent
• Journal/Notebook
• Pens
• Headlamp
• Hand sanitizer
• CO2 detector – most places don’t have these
• Clothesline – travel size
• Collapsible measuring cups – we wish we would have purchased these before we left
• Measuring spoons 
• Kids school case
• Kids school supplies – pencils, workbooks, etc
• Fins – two Scubapro GO Sport and two Cressi Palau  
• Masks and dry snorkels – five for each of us
• Dive booties – five for each of us 
• Two drybags – one 20L and one 13L

Tech

• Cameras
• Cell Phone (unlocked)
• Computer
• iPad
• Headphones

The Travel Photography Gear Guide has a full list of all the tech and cameras we travel with in our camera bag.

Documents

• Passport
• 1 Copies of Passport – in case you lose your passport (Plus, we left a copy of our passports with our families, just in case)
• International Driver’s License – so you don’t get a ticket for driving in a foreign country
• Vaccination Records – in case you need to prove that you have been vaccinated in some countries
• Travel insurance cards/copy – I always keep a screenshot/digital copy of my travel insurance policy
• Credit & Debit cards
• Alternative I.D. – like a driver’s license

Medicine

We purchased a travel first aid kit online, but added some extra supplies to the kit.

• Any prescription medication – we were able to get a year’s supply before we left
• First aid kit
• 1oz Calendula ointment – burn relief
• 1oz Antibiotic ointment – Neosporin or Bacitracin
• 1oz Cortisone cream – itch reliever
• Stitch kit – just in case… we packed four
• Allergy meds
• Bonine – helps with motion sickness
• MotionEaze – quick motion sickness relief
• Acetaminophen – fever/pain reliever
• Kids acetaminophen – fever/pain reliever
• Stool softer pills – for constipation reliever
• Thermometer – check temperature 
• Tweezers – didn’t like the plastic ones in the kit
• Liquid bandage – waterproof bandage
• Tums – helps with heartburn
• Swimmer’s eardrops

We hope our packing list helps you pack for your year-long trip or your next adventure!