How To Embrace Minimalism When Traveling

Summer travel has made headlines for airport havoc, flight cancellations and plenty of frustration all around. But, for the traveler that embraces minimalism and mindfulness, these woes can be pushed into the background as they seek a simpler form of experiencing the world and their place in it.

Minimalism in travel is not about sleeping in tents, reciting chants or seeking a Zen atmosphere from morning to night. It is about lightening the load, both physically and emotionally, to place the main focus back on the destinations visited and the people with whom you share those experiences. That is the best benefit of minimalist travel, and for many people, this mindset becomes something they follow at home, too. Purging the unnecessary things we tend to hoard and enjoying the belongings that have the most significance can be freeing.

So what does a minimalist traveler look like? Probably like your every-day traveler, but perhaps with less luggage and a more positive outlook on situations, even when things do not go as planned. Apple Air Tags aside, lost luggage can throw travel plans awry, especially when a trip involves visiting multiple places in a short time span (like on a cruise where retrieving a lost bag can be a challenge).

Seeing the world with just a carry-on bag or backpack makes it easier to take public transportation, and it helps to remove the stress about overpacking since you are forced to negotiate only the must-need items into your bag. Some people can travel for months at a time this way with just the clothes on their back and a few essential items that can easily be restocked or replaced along the way.

Recent data from American Express Travel found that flexible itineraries are all the rage among Millennial and Gen Z travelers. Research found that 68% of respondents prefer to leave unplanned time in their trip to experience local culture or activities that they decide are worthwhile with short notice.

How You Can Embrace Minimalism While Packing

“For travelers who are heading to a new destination for the first time, the fear of the unknown often leads to overpacking,” says Dean Hayter, travel relations manager, Scenset. “They are unsure about what to expect, how the weather might change, or what they might need on the spot. This is especially true for nervous travelers or those who have trouble relinquishing control, as being unprepared can be very stressful. We’ve noticed that the farther people travel from home, the more pronounced this fear can become.”

It may seem scary at first to pack a bag and realize this is all you have with you when in an unfamiliar place. But, once past those first few days, it becomes freeing. After all, you can always seek out things you need when traveling. There is no need to bring large bottles of toiletries, for example, when you can simply acquire refills for small containers along the way. The same thought process applies to clothes, shoes, outerwear like jackets and even books.

Visit a library when traveling instead of carrying a heavy book, or if you still do, consider donating it to a library in your destination. Instead of subscribing to magazines that pile up at home, buy the ones you want on the trip and share them with someone else when you are finished. Even better, download PressReader for access to thousands of newspapers and magazines via its app. Free access is available via hotels, airlines and cruise ships around the world for guests and passengers.

Consider a smaller camera or even just a smartphone with editing apps instead of bulky models. Bring one pair of shoes that works with something dressed up or dressed down. Bring darker colors that show fewer stains and leave behind a bulky jacket opting for something you can wear rather than pack. You can always layer with an undershirt if cold or tie a light jacket around your waist if warm.

And be sure to weigh a carry-on bag before you put anything inside. Some brands use materials that make an empty bag heavy, even before you add contents. Look for lightweight packing cubes to stay organized or use sealable bags that allow you to compress items and remove air to pack more into a small space. You are also doing your part for the environment because traveling lightener leaves a lower carbon footprint along the journey.

If you want to skip checking a bag altogether, there are many luggage shipping services that can eliminate the hassle of lugging bags through the airport. Hotels offer these. Six Senses properties partner with Luggage Free for VIP luggage, door-to-door handling. While the service is not free, it does include real-time tracking, insurance, customs handling and an on-time guarantee.

How Travel Companies Are Helping Travelers To Lighten The Load

Not everyone can embrace minimalism on every trip, but the concept seems to catch on the most with those on long journeys looking to make decisions on the go without worrying about dragging piles of luggage. While looking fashionable is often a priority, it can become a burden to carry things you only plan to use once or twice on a trip. Create your own capsule wardrobe where each item serves at least three purposes (a t-shirt becomes a pajama and also a protective cover for your camera when in your bag, for example).

Hayter says, “travelers tend to overpack due to a combination of psychological factors like anxiety and a desire for control in unfamiliar environments, as well as practical reasons such as multi-purpose trips and social expectations.”

Hotels are helping travelers to avoid packing things they only will use a few times. The Himalayan wellness retreat Ananda provides white cotton kurta pajamas, a nod to local culture, for guests to wear on the property. In outdoors-focused destinations like The Cotswolds or Ireland, properties loan boots and outerwear to help travelers lighten the load. The Lygon Arms in England has a partnership with Le Chameau, a premier rainboot brand, to keep travelers from packing bulky boots.

And Relais & Chateaux member Ballyfin in Ireland loans out boots and jackets for exploring the estate during the day and rents period evening attire for guests to wear in the evening should they truly want to live like the former owners once did.

Traveling with kids? Curator Hotel and Resort Collection works with BabyQuip, the world’s largest baby gear rental and delivery service, that allows travelers to leave behind big strollers, car seats, cribs or other toys behind. Use what you need at the destination, and then return it when you’re done.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott has a “Something Borrowed” program that offers everything from board games to rice cookers and blenders for guests to use during their stay.

Several Kimpton properties partner with 4moms, which offers complimentary use of items like baby tubs, car seats and pack and play sets. The Kimpton brand is part of IHG’s lifestyle collection of hotels and also has a partnership with Anthropologie. Its Anthropologie Accessories Collection offers free use of a stylist-tailored wardrobe of accessories like purses, sunglasses and jewelry accessories that guests can borrow during their stay. It is the perfect offering for those wanting to travel minimally with just a small bag, but don’t want to sacrifice style on a trip.

The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles offers a poolside wellness cart this summer with skin care essentials so that travelers can leave behind their large bottles of products. It includes things like sun recovery face masks, chilled cryo hydrating collagen eye masks and CBD wellness shots. Guests can pay for what they need (and even earn Marriott Bonvoy points by charging it to their room).

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts pioneered this lending trend by offering workout clothes and shoes for guests to borrow during their stay. Hyatt properties are leaning into this idea, too, but in their own way. The Hyatt Has It program offers more than just toothpaste and shower caps. Participating hotels have a stock of items like headphones, booster seats, children’s games and chargers to help travelers travel lighter.

At Six Senses Vana in the Himalayas, guests can borrow footwear, workout gear and retreat clothing to use during their stay.

Hyatt Centric Denver Downtown has a Skier’s Recovery Lounge. Guests can leave certain supplies at home since the hotel offers compression boots and Theraguns to comfort muscles after a day on the slopes.

The Chloe in New Orleans allows its most frequent guests to store things like clothes, toiletries and workout gear on-property so that they do not need to pack them when they visit the net time. Red Lion Hotels, Inns & Suites by Sonesta offers a complimentary “sock service” with stylish men’s and women’s socks from Wide Open to dress up their wardrobe and take home (lifetime guarantee included). It is part of a pilot program at four hotels, but could soon be rolled out elsewhere.

Leave umbrellas and wine openers at home. Hotels almost always have these to borrow, and many may have self-service laundry facilities. They often have international converters to borrow, but no one wants to be caught with a low battery in an airport or train station. Even minimalist travelers need to stay connected. If you find yourself with too many souvenirs accumulated along the way, visit a local post office or ask a hotel to help you ship things back home to save space in your bag.

At 1 Hotel San Francisco, its 1 Less Thing program encourages travelers to leave behind gently used clothing they no longer want (or no longer have room to pack) for donation to local nonprofit organizations.

If it’s a digital detox you’re after, many hotels can gladly help with that, too. For example, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort offers “digital detox days,” where guests turn in their devices to go connection-free. A wellness monitor tracks their relaxation as they take part in activities like yoga and meditation, and the resort communicates with them through various message boxes and meeting points throughout the island property.

Embrace Minimalism Through Activities And Experiences

It is not just about what you are carrying with you, but also what you are doing along the way. Truly experiencing a new place is not about ticking off bucket list museums and sites. Those are nice, but really discovering local culture comes from observing the local way of life. Visit a supermarket. Sit in a neighborhood café off the beaten path to listen to the language and watch people following their daily routines.

The whole idea of slow travel supports minimalism. Skip the pricey city tour and hop a local bus to explore. Ditch the beachfront restaurant and bring a sandwich to enjoy on the beach. If you are missing the sights, sounds and even fragrances of a place, you are not really experiencing it. Spending all day in a museum means you miss out on the reality of a place. You can also do more to support local businesses this way instead of big corporate conglomerates selling tours.

Sometimes, there may be off-the-beaten path museums worth exploring. Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts offers an Unlock Art program that gives its guests free access to local museums just by showing their room key.

Cali Mykonos in Greece offers overnight island-hopping experiences using its private fleet of boats and yachts to visit nearby islands like Naxos, Paros or Delos. They can leave their luggage at the property and island hop with just a backpack.

Perhaps the best way to embrace minimalism in travel is by speaking with locals and asking for recommendations on what to do and where to go. When you redefine what is on your bucket list, travel becomes more of an adventure and less of a checklist of things to do. That’s true minimalism in travel.