How to Pack a Minimalist Backpack Work Weekend Retreat
In my former life, I was a sales rep who traveled frequently. And, if I may say, I was not a minimalist in my packing! For a business trip to Hawaii, I’m pretty sure I had 3 suitcases!! I have since come to the conclusion that traveling light is so much easier! So, for the past several years, my family and I have become really good at packing a minimalist backpack and doing so fairly quickly!
If you’d like to learn more, I have a printable to help you out. You can grab it here!
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Why We Choose the Minimalist Backpack Route
I have several reasons that I choose to travel light, and more specifically why I choose to travel with just a backpack!
- It’s so much easier moving through the airport with only a backpack
- With less clothes to choose from, you always know what you’ll be wearing
- Less clothes brought equals less clothes to keep track of
- And, you save money by not paying for your luggage!!
Here’s How I Did It
I have a Travel Worksheet that I use to help me figure out what I actually need for whatever travel I’m doing. So, I figured out what activities we were doing over the weekend and what type of clothes were appropriate for those activities.
Regardless of where I’m going, this is always the backpack that goes with me… It is comfortable, sturdy and a good size. It will fit under the seat in front of me without too much trouble!
What I Needed Outfits For
Since this was a work weekend, my main goal was to be comfortable for the weekend. We had 9-10 hr workdays! So, comfort was the name of the game when choosing my clothing. Here’s what we did over the weekend:
- Thursday Flight
- Thursday Night Dinner
- Friday Work Day
- Friday Night Brewery & Diner
- Saturday Work Day
- Saturday Night Dinner & Drinks
- Sunday Site Seeing/Flight Home
What I Brought
So, here’s what my outfits looked like for my weekend blogger’s retreat weekend:
A. Jeans
F. Print Tunic
My Minimalist Backpack Traveler Tips
- Choose a color palate (I tend to go to earth tones or blacks)
- Wear your bulkiest items (this trip I wore my jeans on the plane)
- Outfits should be interchangeable (I had lots of options with these choices)
- Take less than you think you need
- Accessorize with jewelry and scarves (takes up less space)
Could you Travel With Only a Backpack??
So, my challenge to you ~ could you travel with only a backpack? The bottom line is that there are very few trips where anyone is paying attention to what we wear! So, bringing less is something you do for yourself!
If you’d like to give it a try, I have a handy Travel Lite Worksheet that I use each time I pack up the backpack. It helps me stay focused on what I really need and to not bring a lot of extra “what if” clothes that never get worn. Just click here to get your FREE printable!
Other Articles You Might Enjoy
My Series of Unfortunate Packing Mistakes
My ABC’s of Traveling ~ A Fun Look Back!
Travel Lite – How to Pack Your Backpack for a Weekend Wedding
Becki is the author and founder of A Book Lover’s Adventures. She has a degree in elementary education, has worked and volunteered in libraries for years, and spent several years in the travel industry. All of this has led to a love of books and travel. Becki loves to share her love by finding literary escapes to share!
