Author: Lauren Klingman

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the traveler in your life? Look no further – we’ve found something for everyone!

Gift an Experience

An experience is often the best kind of gift! Most of us have too much stuff and for those of us who love travel, we tend to prefer trips/experiences anyway. Gifting an experience is better for the planet, less wasteful, and can be talked about for years. It’s also easy to do! Pick one or make a package bundle (like a gift card for a bar, restaurant, and activity on their trip).

• Restaurant gift card
  • We love giving this as a gift. Figure out a city that the recipient will be visiting and start looking up best restaurants (or look at our trip guides). Most restaurants offer gift cards and you can email or call them to arrange.
• Bar/winery/brewery gift card
  • Slightly less expensive than a restaurant, bars or wine bars in town often offer a situation similar to restaurants. You can also look up wineries or breweries where the traveler is headed and most of those offer gift cards as well. Another option is to pick a tour on GetYourGuide or Airbnb Experiences for a wine or brewery tour.
• Hotel voucher
  • If you know the traveler hasn’t booked a hotel yet, this can be a great gift! Just contact the hotel for a voucher which leaves the dates flexible.
• Museum tickets
  • It’s often possible to buy tickets ahead online which can be great if you know the traveler’s itinerary. You can also often print out the museum’s webpage and wrap it up, letting the traveler pick a date to have you book which is most convenient for them.
• Theatre tickets
  • Heading to NYC, London, or Vienna? A concert, opera, or play ticket is a fantastic splurge for the traveler and gives the additional benefit of a chance to experience local culture and art. You can usually book a gift card without needing to know the exact date.
• Cooking class
  • These are so much fun in other countries! Guide books often offer great suggestions or look up major cooking institutes in the country you’re visiting and see if you can snag a class.
• Walking tour
  • Depending on how you do this, it can be a very reasonable gift. Get the traveler a 1/2 day walking tour of a city you know they’re visiting or a voucher for a group tour.
• Adventure activity
  • Whitewater rafting in Oregon? Zip lining in Costa Rica? Sailing in Greece? Horseback riding in Iceland? This is often a wonderful present as it’s a splurge for the traveler and not necessarily something they’re budgeting into their original trip. An extra fun activity can really make a trip memorable. Check out Tinggly which makes it super easy to give experiences and getaways all over the world. You can search by city/area and give a “giftbox” which gives the recipient a bunch of different experience options to choose from.
• Plane tickets
  • This works especially well if you’re planning a trip with someone and know your exact dates. You can also buy a gift certificate for all major airlines.
• Language lessons
  • What better idea than to gift the language of a country you know the recipient is visiting soon or wants to visit? You can purchase rosetta stone, a gift certificate on babble, or even classes with a native speaker online. Italki is a great option for a flexible online tutor.
• Audio Book Subscription
  • Know a solo traveler or someone who has many flights and long drives ahead of them? You can gift them hours of entertainment. My favorite is Libro because it supports small independent bookstores, but Audible is also a popular option.
• Travel themed night
  • Travel can be expensive and not everyone can manage it from a financial or physical standpoint. Think about arranging a night around the idea of a trip. If you love Ireland, make stew and soda bread, pop open a Guinness, play some Irish music and watch The Quiet Man. Or if you’re planning a trip for next year and want some related fun, make a gift pack of an Ireland travel book, a mini umbrella, and a tour voucher to, say, the Bushmill distillery. If you’re heading to Italy, make some pasta, open some wine, watch A Roman Holiday, and make a gift pack of an Italy book, quick dry clothing, and Italian lessons. You get the idea.
• Finally, for pre-arranged adventures, tours, or activities try and look for local companies that benefit the surrounding communities. Lokal Travel or Tours by Locals are some of these offering some great options, but there are many out there in each city.

If you want to give something tangible, we’ve compiled a list of things we now feel we couldn’t travel without. We are firm believers in only taking 1 backpack and 1 carry on suitcase for any length of travel (be it 1 week or 4 months) – so these all fit into that criteria. We’ve arranged it into essentials vs splurges.

Travel Essentials (needed for most trips)

• Luggage – Away or Monos
  • You obviously need luggage for a trip and one that is well-made with a lifetime guarantee is the perfect forever-gift. You can’t go wrong with either of these.
• Travel Backpack – Got Bag, Fjallraven, Tumi, Patagonia, Ogio, Pacsafe
  • A good backpack with plenty of pockets will serve as your additional piece of luggage. Compartments are great.
• Travel water bottle – Hydro Flask or S’well or Que (collapsible)
  • You may want to just get one with a filter, listed below, depending where you’re headed.
• Purifying water bottle – UV water light, Lifestraw or Lifestraw Go waterbottle
  • This can help reduce plastic waste in developing countries.
• Foldable day pack
  • It’s a pain to empty your regular backpack out every night of tablets, kindles, umbrella, books, etc. It’s much nicer to simply grab a day pack and only fill it with essentials for that specific day. Away, Matador, and Sea to Summit offer good options.
• Packable tote
  • We’re in a world that needs to move away from plastic. That, and many countries will charge you for grocery bags. Save yourself some $ and bring your own. It’s also perfect for craft markets, picnic bags, and extra space if you end up with a larger souvenir. Away, Peak Design, and United by Blue offer good options.
• Travel purse/crossbody bag
  • Look for one that clasps or zips, but this is perfect to throw in your suitcase and use for walking around a city or going out to dinner.
    • Fancier – Nisolo, Zamt, Able, or Corkor
    • Smaller – Monos, Lululemon, Bellroy, or Away
    • Practical – Travelon or Pacsafe
• Money belt
  • Keep your money securely on you with a money belt. Decent options include the Hidden Travel Money Belt and Peak Gear.
• Passport wallet
  • I love traveling with a combo passport wallet. My absolute favorite are the beautiful designs by Tactile Craftwork but Bellroy makes a decent one too.
• Reusable toiletry containers
  • AirBNBs and apartment rentals often don’t supply toiletries and I hate 2-in-1 products in hotels. It’s just easier to bring your own products. To fill your own, I recommend Matador‘s products. My absolute favorite product, however, is Notice Hair Co‘s travel sets and tins. You can easily refill the tin – it’s how I traveled around Europe for 2 months!
• To-go utensils
  • It’s nice to always have a fork, spoon, and knife on you that you can throw in your bag. Life Without Plastic and United by Blue offer some good sets.
• Reusable straw
  • You don’t always know where the top of your drink has been or what it’s touched. And you look silly drinking a pina colada next to a pool without a straw.
• Sleep mask
  • I love having a quality sleep mask while traveling. Planes, trains, bright hotel rooms – you name it, it’s useful. Cozy Earth and Ettitude offer nice options.
• Portable battery
  • Having a backup portable battery is one of the most useful things to have while traveling. I cannot emphasize enough how it’s saved me when my phone is about to die and I don’t know where I am. Nimble, Anker, and Belkin all work great.
• Travel adaptor with charging station
  • Pick one with lots of USB ports and a few regular plugs. Then you can avoid fighting with your travel companion over the one plug in the room or prioritize which item needs charging the most with your single adaptor.
• Travel book
  • Pick the country and grab the book
• Travel sized umbrella
  • Is it silly to spend this much on an umbrella? No. First a tiny one is so much easier to carry around. Second, if it breaks on your travels, they replace it for you. For an active traveler this is a must. The one from Davek is perfect and comes with a lifetime warranty.
• Reusable sealable bags
  • Carry snacks, extra lunch, a half eaten pastry, really anything. They’re incredibly useful. LokSak or Stasher are decent options.
• Packing cubes
  • Some people absolutely swear by packing cubes. I’m not one of those people, but I do like them for keeping socks and underwear organized.
• Shoe bags
  • It’s gross to have the shoes you walked the streets of a city with touch the clothes you have to wear for the next few weeks. My life changed with shoe bags, and yours can too. I like Peak Design (if you don’t have very big feet) or Earthwise (if you do).
• Travel pillow
  • A good travel pillow can make all the difference. My new favorite one is a memory foam pillow from Coop that then can sit on top of a roller bag as you move around. Sea to Summit is a fantastic lightweight option. Travel Rest and Cabeau are nice traditional neck pillows. TRTL also gets great reviews.
• Travel first aid kit
  • Depending on where you’re going (or what you’re doing) this can be useful. This is an ultra-small one with basic supplies. This is a more comprehensive (and bigger) option.
• Toiletry case
  • Clear organization is key in limited packing space and Peak Design offers a great option.
• Tech organizer
  • Think cords, headphones, chargers ie all technical organization for a trip. Bellroy, Peak Design, and Away offer good options.
• Kindle or tablet
  • There’s a ton of different readers/tablets out there. Having one that lets your read and stream from your hotel is wonderful.
• Electric travel toothbrush
  • It’s really wonderful to have a travel electric toothbrush, especially if you’re travel is for more than a week. Consider Travel tooth, Suri, and Phillips.

Travel splurges – extra nice to have

• Passport holder
  • I love traveling with beautiful passport wallet. My absolute favorite are the beautiful designs by Tactile Craftwork but Bellroy makes a decent one too.
• Luggage scale
  • Make sure you won’t get charged a ton extra for an overweight bag at the gate by using a packable scale.
• Perfect walking shoes
  • Comfort is key when you’re traipsing around cities. Allbirds and Veja are my favorites.
• Hat
  • A packable wide-brimmed hat for summer travels is an excellent gift.
• Sunglasses
  • You might have your favorite brand, but Sunski is one for my favorites (and has a lifetime warranty).
• Camera bag
  • Does the person you’re shopping for love photography? A quality camera bag, like the one from Peak Design can be an excellent gift.
• Luggage tag
  • Beautiful luggage tags can be great stocking stuffers.
• Collapsible trekking poles
  • Depends where you’re going, but if trekking, these foldable poles ones can be very useful.
• Travel journal
  • It’s a nice way to record thoughts while traveling, and these gorgeous options are sure to inspire. Add in a travel pen on a carabiner so you’ll never be without a writing instrument.
• Wet bag
  • To stash wet swimsuits or clothes post-rain storm, this tiny packable wet bag is awesome and folds up tiny.
• Packable quick-dry towel
  • For beach or lake trips the towels by Matador and Nomadix are great and shockingly necessary – you don’t know the number of times we’ve found ourselves without a towel on a stop between hotels.
• Push pin Map
  • A visual map to keep track of you’ve been.
• Photo book
  • Did you take a trip with a friend or family member? A nice way to commemorate this is a book by Paper Culture filled with pictures of all of your favorite adventures. Paper culture is our favorite site because of its eco mission including using sustainable paper and planting a tree for every order.
• Travel robe
  • Definitely not a must-bring, but it can be very nice to have a travel rob if you have just a bit of extra room in your suitcase. Look for something light and short that won’t take up much room like one from Cozy Earth or Kim Ono.
• Travel slippers
  • Same as above. Do you absolutely need them? No. When are they great? When you’re visiting a cold-weather place after a long day of walking around or hiking. I often wish I brought them. Make sure they roll up whatever brand you buy. Chilote and Acorn make some good options.
• Comfy travel pants
  • Vuori makes the absolute most comfortable and cute travel clothes. I love their joggers for a long travel day.
• Collapsible cooler
  • Very useful when you’re staying in places with kitchens, planning to make your own meals. Traveling around with leftover groceries can be very annoying, but made simpler with a cooler. Make sure you buy the ice pack inserts as well if you’re planning to check a bag.
• Travel pants
  • These jeans from Aviator have an internal zipper making a money belt unnecessary and allowing you to travel without fear of pickpockets.
• Quality headphones
  • Good headphones that do noise-canceling can be a huge benefit while traveling. For over-ear headphones, Sony WH-1000XM4 are great. For earbuds we like Sony WF-1000SM5. For a more budget friendly option, Anker Soundcore Space A40 are good.

We travel a lot and we are firm believers that any travel you do can be done with carry on luggage. A week in Hawaii? Incredibly easy. 3 months in southeast Asia in the summer? Harder but very doable. 6 months spanning multiple climates, temperatures, and seasons? Yes, you can do it in a carry on! The answer of how: a capsule wardrobe of course!

Capsule wardrobes are becoming increasingly popular in mainstream life with a focus on quality pieces that you can mix and match (instead of giant closets stuffed with items you don’t even remember owning). A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create a ton of different outfits. Extrapolated to travel, a capsule wardrobe gives you the flexibility to mix and match pieces, dress things up or down, and cross climates without issue. It is absolutely one of the best ways to pack light for any trip.

By choosing the right pieces, you can create an endless number of outfits with a finite number of items. I have personally packed for all the above situations in a single carry-on bag using this method.

Read the full guide for my tips and tricks on how to create a perfect travel capsule wardrobe and watch my video for how to get it all in for a 2 month trip!

Fundamentals of a Capsule Wardrobe

The basic concept of a capsule wardrobe is that everything goes with everything. Meaning any shirt, pant, jacket will work with any other shirt, pant, or jacket. While you might be limited in number of items, you won’t be limited in pairing options. It means you’re not trying to load your closet into your suitcase – you’re packing versatile pieces that can be worn for any situation throughout your trip. For travel, this allows you to pack light yet still match, and re-purpose any outfit for a weather or season change.

There’s a concept of 5-4-3-2-1 travel capsule: meaning five tops, four bottoms, three dresses, three shoes, two bags, and one of something specific for local (swimsuit, heavy jacket, scarf). I think the basics of this idea is good, but I generally find I need to adjust it a bit (I tend to bring a button up shirt and long sleeve shirt for layering purposes along with 5 t-shirts/tanks and I find one bag to be plenty).

Why do I want a Capsule Wardrobe for Travel

It’s more efficient! Knowing your go-to pieces makes traveling a cinch.

You’ll save money – imagine never paying to check a bag again.

Your bag will be lighter! This makes it easier to move around – a smaller bag without a doubt adds ease to getting from place to place, hotel to hotel.

Quality over quantity – besides from the obvious environmental benefit of purchasing quality clothes, collecting garments that are staples and can hold up well to travel and last through all the adventures you go on (climbing the Acropolis, hiking Kilimanjaro, white-water rafting in Costa Rica, dancing in Berlin, sleeping in any and all trains/planes/buses/cars).

You’ll have more time to enjoy your trip! By spending less time deciding what to wear each day (because all the pieces go together) and less time re-packing an overstuffed bag, you can spend more time actually enjoying the reason for your travels.

What colors should I consider for a capsule wardrobe?

Think neutral, neutral, neutral! What goes with everything? Jean, white, black, grey, olive green. I usually pick a pop of color for each trip (blue, pink, yellow, red) and interweave it through my outfits for a bit of fun. I keep everything in this vein so it all mixes and matches.

What will I need to include in a Travel Capsule Wardrobe?

Tops

I start with 1-2 basic tank tops that can also work as a base layer, 2-3 basic t-shirts, 1-2 long sleeve shirts (depending on season), 1 silk blouse, and at least 1 button up that can be dressed up or down.

Bottoms

I typically start with a pair of basic jeans. Then I add a second pair of pants (often black or grey). Then I add a pair of shorts (if I’m going somewhere hot) and one skirt I can dress up or down. Finally, I plan to fly in a pair of leggings or joggers (which can double for hiking).

Dresses

I always bring 1-2 dresses with me if I’m traveling in the summer. Often this is where I’ll add my pop of color as it can work with a neutral cardigan or jacket. They tend to be light and with a t-shirt, button up, or jacket, they can help create more outfits.

Outerwear / Sweater

Most places get cold (if nothing else, the airplane does). If I’m traveling to a place that gets cold at night, I’ll bring one neutral jacket. I love a jean jacket for this purpose in warmer climates. I’ll layer this with a long sleeve shirt or light sweater. If I’m traveling in winter, a packable puffer is my go-to. In a neutral color, it works with most outfits.

Shoes

No matter where you’re going to walk (I assume). Shoes take up the most room in your bag, so pack smart and versatile – you’ll need to wear each pair with multiple outfits. While white sneakers are very “in”, I prefer black (after having tried to keep the white ones clean for multiple weeks – I just can’t do it). You want shoes that are unbelievably comfortable that you could where every day, all day, and can withstand miles. I also bring either a pair of boots or sandals (depending on winter or summer). And then typically throw in one more pair of flats to wear out to dinner. I find heels to be useless and impractical and I avoid them in traveling (even for a fancy meal out I’ll bring versatile sandals or flats instead).

Swim Suit

Depending where you go (I find most places), you’ll need one sturdy, reliable swimsuit. Rather than packing the cutest one I own, it’s often better to go with one you can do water sports in (think, snorkeling, ocean-swimming) that will also work with a pool.

Socks/Underwear

You can’t get away without packing these – I typically bring 7 pairs of my most comfy socks and underwear, add in 2 bras, and wash in a sink every 7 days as I go (I also bring a clothes line that makes drying quick and handy).

Accessories

Keep it simple. Mid-range earrings, necklaces, or bracelets can dress an outfit up or down (but don’t bring anything you’d be devastated to lose). A colorful scarf can jazz up an outfit. A belt can also help change an outfit up.

Will I Need to Do Laundry?

Probably yes. Just as you do any time you travel more than 10 days, I find you need to do at least a little bit of laundry, and the same holds true here. Look up a drop and pick up laundry facility wherever you’re headed (or consider an apartment rental with laundry) – this way you can drop your laundry in the morning and pick it up washed and folded the next day. Hotels also offer laundry services, and while it can cost more, can be an ok back up plan. Otherwise, as I said before, I sometimes wash socks and underwear in a sink with pocket laundry detergent and hang it on my packable clothes line. I just accept, similar to like I have to do at home, I’ll have to do laundry on vacation if I’m traveling for any real amount of time.

How I Build my Perfect Capsule Wardrobe

I first make a list of the number of days I’ll be gone. I then list any special activity under each day. For example: walking tour, beach lounge day, hiking, horseback riding, etc. Then I list any special outfit I’ll need for the day: bathing suit, hiking shoes, hat.

Then I pull out my matching clothes – whites, blacks, greys, and whatever color I’ve chosen to weave in (usually green, blue, or yellow).

Then I follow (generally) my modified 5-4-3-2-1 rule and put what I’ve selected in a separate pile.

Next, I make sure I can mix and match those pieces and I’ll be decently happy with outfits that can go together.

Then I pack it all in my suitcase, placing shoes at the bottom and PJs at the top (it’s the first thing you’ll need on landing anywhere)! I’m a huge fan of rolling clothes because I think it saves a ton of room. And I save the bulkiest pieces (tennis shoes and heaviest jacket) for wearing on the plane to further save room.

The Perfect 21 Piece Travel Capsule Wardrobe for (Most) any Trip

And without further ado, this is my go-to base packing for any trip, using some of my favorite brands. For summer or winter, you’ll have to modify a bit, but this should leave plenty of room in your luggage to do that. If you’re not someone who likes dresses or skirts, you can supplement with a few more shirts or another pair of pants.

The 21 pieces in this capsule collection are designed to go together and can be mixed and matched in countless different ways.  

How to Make an Outfit

Let’s use the capsule wardrobe to create a few travel outfits.  These looks can be great for sightseeing, museum trapising, having lunch, or wandering. Add on a jacket and exchange the sneakers for flats or sandals and grab some jewelry to dress up your outfit for an evening out.

Capsule Wardrobe Packing List

Looking for a simple capsule packing list?  Look no further than below. I recommend you wear the bolded options on the plane (also your bulkiest pieces).

• 3 t-shirts
• 2 tank tops
• 1 button-down shirt
• 1 sweater
• 1 nicer top for dinner (I like a silk top)
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• 1 pair jeans
• 1 pair black pants
• 1 pair “other pants” (I like gray, olive, navy, or white)
• 1 skirt
• 1 pair leggings
• 1 quilted or heavier jacket
• 1 denim jacket
• 1 pair sneakers
• 1 pair flats
• 1 pair sandals
• 1 scarf
• 1 crossbody purse
• 1 belt
• 7 pairs underwear
• 2 bras

Favorite Brand

I’ve tried on a lot of styles over the years. I also buy the vast majority of my clothes from used / consignment stores (where you can get better quality for less money I have found). But I do have go-to brands that always pack a quality punch in a neutral tones, tend to be the most comfortable, and are my go-to’s for basics.

• Prana
• Pact Organic
• Amour Vert
• Ten Tree
• Madewell
• Marine Layer
• Everlane
• Patagonia
• Boody
• Allbirds
• Veja
• Nisolo
• Brave Soles
• Bombas