About two months ago on a trip, I heard someone say, “I can’t grasp packing light.” It’s true, some people have difficulty packing light. But for me, packing light tends to be my MO. Even on long trips, but especially on short ones I can’t think of much that I need to bring. Recently I went on a weekend trip where I didn’t even pack in my suitcase—I packed into one of my cotton shopping bags. When I came in, the guestmaster didn’t immediately realize I was staying there because of how little I had packed!
On my trips, I either pack in this bag (which I have used for a long time and has served me well) or in my suitcase, a fairly small suitcase but I love it. My suitcase fits FAA regulations, which means that it is small enough that I can take it on a plane without needing to check it (but it’s large enough that it sometimes doesn’t fit into the overhead bins on the plane, so then I would need to “check it at the gate”).
Whenever you’re about to leave on a trip, one of the first things on your mind will be “what to pack.” This can sometimes make you feel anxious, because you don’t want to forget anything important. What I have included here is a basic packing list that covers most of the types of things I bring with me on short trips. This can get you started, and then you can add things that aren’t on this list as you’re thinking about it. Creating a list or inventory of your items can be good for ensuring you have packed everything, and then you can refer to the list as your trip is ending to not leave anything behind.
This list includes things I either pack in my luggage or carry on my person. I curated this list from the items I brought on my weekend trip.
Packing List
- Winter clothes: Coat, gloves, scarf
- Footwear: Boots, socks
- Clothes: Shirts, jeans, jacket, underwear, hats
- Nightgown and eye mask for sleeping
- Accessories: Sunglasses, belt, bra, jewelry, makeup
- Personal care items: dental hygiene, sunscreen (in summer), feminine hygiene, brush/comb
- Debit cards, health insurance card, ID card, cash
- Phone, charger, earbuds
- Books
- Stimming toys
- Medication, including daily and less frequent (such as ibuprofen for headaches)
- House keys
- Postage stamps for sending postcards
- Pen/pencil
The primary items I use for autism-related coping are: my earbuds to pipe in music or ambient noise from my phone, and stimming toys. I don’t use noise-cancelling headphones, as my earbuds work better for me. If you use noise-cancelling headphones, you probably know to take them on your trip. Sometimes I have also used scented lotions or body scrubs when I want to smell something good, but I haven’t regularly carried that around in a while. Also consider if you need to bring dietary supplements, snacks, or additional food if you have dietary limitations due to autism (I don’t, so I don’t have that on my own packing list).
One packing tip to remember: consider how much you might acquire on your trip and bring back with you! When I went to Switzerland for three weeks, I packed light, and at the time I had an even smaller suitcase than I do now. I wasn’t prepared for just how much stuff I brought back. There was no way it would fit in my suitcase, and the only reason I didn’t need to leave most of it behind was because one of the gifts to me was a carrying bag, and I simply used that to carry all the papers and trinkets I got. Still, it was a pain to lug around when I went to the UK afterward, and that might also be another topic on deciding what you really want as souvenirs.
Also note that packing light is made easier when you fold clothes the right way. If you throw clothes into suitcase like you would on the floor, they’ll take up more space. Folding clothes neatly and tightly keeps it organized and takes up less space.