Please note that this is a highly personal list. Mark wears a lot of hats, so he brings many of them. I tend to wear dresses instead of pants as they are lighter, so I pack more dresses. This list is tailored to our individual needs. However, it should provide a helpful starting point for your own travel preparations. This list is geared towards 5-6 months of travel without returning home to “reset.”

1. Tops: 8-10 tops, including a mix of short-sleeved, long-sleeved, and tank tops. Choose tops that can be layered to adjust to different temperatures. Include one long-sleeve shirt that can be layered, one long-sleeve heavier t-shirt, and the rest tank tops, sleeveless and short-sleeve t-shirts.
   
2. Bottoms: 5 pairs of bottoms whether that is pants, shorts or skirts. Deborah brings two wrap or pull on skirts, and a pair of draw string cargo pants. One pair of middle weight pants, and a pair of shorts that can double as workout shorts. We love jeans, but we typically don’t bring them because they are too heavy and they take too long to hang dry.
   
3. Dresses: Deborah brings 4 light dresses. One long one, and 3 slip dresses that can be layered over one another.
   
4. Jackets: 1-2 jackets, depending on where you are going. Essentially a light jacket for regular use, and a heavier one that can ideally double as a rain coat.
   
5. Shoes: 3-4 pairs of shoes, including a pair of comfortable walking shoes, a pair of nice athletic shoes, a pair of sandals, a pair of flip flops, and a pair of dress shoes (optional).
   
6. Underwear and socks: Enough underwear and socks for 10 days.
   
7. Other items: Two swimsuits (nothing like putting that wet suit back on – 2 is necessary to give the other time to dry), hat, sunglasses, scarf, and any other accessories you need. Deborah tends to bring a couple of lightweight silk scarves that double as sarongs. She changes up her slip dresses by draping them over her shoulders or around her waist.
   
8. If you are traveling to a cold climate, you may also want to pack a heavier coat, gloves, warmer scarf, etc.
   
9. The other thing we do is bring clothes that are nearing the end of their usable life. That worn sweater that you love but really has seen better days. Those shoes that have been resoled 3 times. You have less guilt shedding them along the way.