In 2023 I got rid of everything I owned that didn’t fit in a laptop backpack, and I’ve been living at this level of minimalism since. The idea is to only own what I need, which allows me to focus more, spend less, travel spontaneously and simplify my life.

The choices of this lifestyle and thinking were greatly inspired by Jeremy Maluf’s Indefinite Backpack Travel, who has been doing this since 2015! I was also surprised by how much our taste and mindset and overlap. Another great source of inspiration is the reddit onebag community.

This page contains a somewhat up-to-date listing of everything that I currently use. Seeing similar pages on other people’s personal websites have proved quite valuable to me, so I figured I would do the same!

Philosophy

• Airport friendly. That means no pointy or sharp objects, no liquid. Also the dimension of my backpack and weight of all my belongings need to fit the strict airline carry-on policies (38x30x20 by Norwegian Air Shuttle and 7 kg by Air Asia).
• Sustainability. I’m trying my best doing my bit for the mother nature. I avoid using any disposable items, always carry my own water bottle and utensils. I go for reusable and durable tools as much as possible. For example, my razor is “but it for life”.
• Low maintenance. Material should always serve humans, not the other way around. That means no delicate clothing, no non-essential electronics (charging is a maintenance), no light color stuff. Avoid anything that requires extra cares.
• Restockability. For every consumables such as clothes, skincare products, dental care products, I need to make sure I can easily restock them. That means choosing brands that appears in every mall and CVS.
• Stylish. I do care about styles. I’m crazy about black color, I like clothes that fit well and looks good, as I don’t mind to spend some extra dollars just for an limited black edition or a t-shirt that bodes my statue well.

Before you continue

This post is by no mean a shopping guide, rather a reflection of myself. I do believe you can understand a person really well by knowing what he/she uses everyday. This is also a warehouse list for myself. No links are affiliate, I’m not endorsed by any of the mentioned companies.

Stuff

Packing

• Aer Slim Pack. At 9L this bag has the perfect storage capacity for all my stuff minus hiking gear, and falls well within the ‘personal item’ size requirements of even the most strict budget airline. I permanently keep an Airtag inside and attached some Nite Ize S-biners to the zipper pulls to lock the bag from casual theft. and a Clipa 2 bag hanger $15.

• Rains Pencil Case Mini. This is the closest thing I have found to the perfect dopp kit. I use it primarily for toiletries, but also for storing first aid and random small things. It’s the perfect size as long as I only buy the “travel size” version of things, which I do anyways. Seems to be permanently out of stock now as Rains updated their product lineup to lower-quality versions that more prominently display their logo.

Total: 2

Tech

The only three things that needs regular charging.

• Mackbook Air M2 13“. My 12″ ultralight Macbook finally got slow enough that I caved and bought one of the newer Apple Silicon computers. The verdict is as expected, it’s a pretty awesome laptop with an incredibly powerful chip, but my backpack is now noticeably heavier.

• iPhone 15 Pro. 256GB in black titanium Canadian version, since the US ones canceled the physical SIM slot. A great-looking phone with an amazing camera, though I still miss the 13 mini very much, the only good thing about it is that it no longer needs an Apple lighting cable.

• Airpods Pro 2 ($439). Switched to these from Airpods Pro as I don’t like how silicone headphones isolate me from the world – it’s too easy to not hear someone talking or a car coming, even with transparency mode. and Memory Foam Ear Tips $30.

Total: 3

Modern survival kit

Everything I need to survive in any modern city, and are well organized in one small pouch. Whenever I don’t feel like carring my backpack, I’ll just have this kit and my phone with me. I think there is a trend like this nowadays called bagless travel.

• Alpaka’s Hub Pouch ($35). A versatile and modernly designed pouch for all my small techy gears and gadgets.

• Nomad Slim Charger ($65). The slimmest, lightest, and sexiest 65W power adapter I could find. With its wattage and two ports it could effienctly charge both my phone and labtop at the same time. For international travel I buy myself a cheap universal travel adapter.

• Retractable Type-C Cable ($16.5 for two packs). It troubles me that retractable charging cables are not more popular. Cable Matter’s retractable cables are the only decent ones I could find, and have been serveing me well for a whole year. It’s compact when retracted, and can be extended to at most 1 meter with up to 60W charging wattage, which satisfies all my charging needs.

• Nomad’s ChargeKey ($25). A beatifully built tiny charging cable, fast charging up to 60W, super convenient to use and very durable. I mainly use it to charge my iPhone and Airpods.

• FinalSport Collapsible ($34). I hate disposible tableware, and many takeout servies stopped offering them (which I support), so I spent some time to find me a travel utensil. $34 for a utensil is pricy for a spork but it uses eco-friendly and durable material. More importantly it has a black edition :). Multi-functional as it can be used as a fork and spoon at the same time. I tossed the case so that it is no larger than my thumb when collapsed. I’ve used it more than I had imagined.

• Duraflex’s Smart Life SIM Management Puller ($3). e-SIM hasn’t conquered the world, so SIM card are still needed in some regions. This tool saved me a lot headache, it’s the ultimate SIM card management solution. It’s creatively designed to combine both a nano SIM card tray and a pin in one compact indestructable package.

• NOMATIC Refillable Spray Vial ($28, Currently out of market, so I linked it to PathHacker). Black, robust, and easy to use. It became almost a necessity during the pandemic period, and it kind of grew on me. I fills it with some disinfectant liquid from street CVS and use regularly for handwashing and utensil cleasing. Though it has to be empyted out whenever I need to pass a airport security check.

• Loop Quiet Earplug ($25, the link is for Quiet 2 but I only owns the previous version). I’am a super light sleeper, this cute yet cool earplugs saved my sleeps from many noisy nights living in hostels. Plus, these are resuable ,durable, and comfortable to wear. Only downside is - now I cannot live without them. I’m considering upgrading them to Quiet 2 or Quiet 2 Plus on my next birthday.

• Fisher space pen ($36). I love handwriting and this pen is sandsdown my favorite pen of all time. It is everything I was looking for in a pen - black matte finish, small in size but big enough to write with comfortably, well built and writes on almost anything. I use it frequently for journaling, drafting, and filling out cutome forms.

• Some other stuff. I also keeps two pen refills, some Airtag batteries, a Type-C to USB converter, and one condom in my pouch’s front pocket.

Total: 12

Clothing

The brands I’m choosing for my clothes are Uniqlo, Lewis, Lululemon, and Nike. Not just they have certain products that meet my needs, more importantly, they are in almost every single mall.

• Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket ($80). Although it’s not the warmest down jacket, it’s incredibly compact and lightweight when packed—almost as light as my phone. At times, it can even double as a pillow. Paired with my hoodie, it’s enough to get me through the winter in many places.

• Uniqlo AIRism T-shirt ($20). 5 pairs. I lost count on how many T-shirts I’ve tried before I finally landed on this one. It’s stylish, ture on color and sizes, fit well. Five pieces, Uniqlo’s basic T-shirts in black. They’re cheap and easy to buy, as Uniqlo stores are available in many places both domestically and abroad. I usually roll a T-shirt, shorts, and socks into a compact bundle. This not only prevents wrinkles but also makes better use of space and reduces decision-making when changing clothes—just grab a roll when taking a shower.

• Random Hooded Jacket ($free). I haven’t found any good hooded jacket, any recommendation is welcome. For now I’m just wearing a cheap (free) one from my company’s giveaways.

• Darn Tough Socks ($24).Darn Tough merino socks are so indestructible that if they rip the manufacturer will ship you a brand new pair. I’ve literally walked over 5,000 miles with each pair I own and they still look brand new. Five pairs, made of merino wool, odor-resistant and durable.

• Uniqlo AIRism Boxer Briefs ($15). Five pairs. Rated as one of the best travel boxers for good reason. I don’t recommend the low-rise or seamless ones though. Usually only available in-store.

• Lewis 511 Jeans ($70). Stain-resistant and durable, and it almost never needs washing. The fit is just right, so there’s no need for a belt.

• Lululemon Pace Breaker Shorts ($78). I wear them for running, working out, sleeping, doing laundry, or basically anytime I’m not wearing jeans. They have lots of convenient inner pockets.

• Nike React Pegasus Trail 4 GTX ($113). All-black, water-resistant, and durable. I’ve tried other shoes before, including Adidas, but probably because I walk a lot, they wore out in just a few months. Nike seems to be a bit more durable. However, since their product lines are often discontinued, if they break, I might not be able to find the same model again and will have to research anew, which is a bit inconvenient.

• Buff’s Merino Neckwear ($30). Almost a must-have for any outdoorer. An extremely versatile pullover neck gaiter that can be used as a face mask, eye mask, scarf, headcover, and more. I use it almost every day.

Total: 20

Dopp kit

• Matador’s Toothbrush Caps ($10). Tossed the white one and it’s used to protect my toothbrush from getting dirty.

• Matador’s Toothpaste Tubes ($10). One for random toothpaste and one for Retinol.

• Tweezerman’s Skin Care Tool ($14). Safely and gently remove blackheads and whiteheads with this stainless steel dual sided essential for clear skin maintenance.

• Tweezerman’s Tweezer ($24). Perfectly aligned, hand-filed tips close evenly and firmly to remove hair from the root. Superior calibrated tension for comfort, control, and true precision. Best tweezers I ever used.

• LastObject’s LastSwab ($12). A durable and easy-to-use alternative to disposable swabs. Carry case made from recycled plastic. A single LastSwab replaces up to 1000 single-use swabs, making it a key part of a sustainable beauty regimen. Tossed the case.

• Bolin Webb’s Generation Razor ($80). Fitted with a Gillette Fusion5 Proglide blade

• Zwilling’s Nail Clipper Twin S ($40).

• Mable’s Refillable Floss ($8). Each refill is about 30 meters, which is good for about 66 flossing sessions. Guilt-free, zero-waste flossing that is 100% compostable. Compact and perfect for travel and on-the-go flossing.

• Coleman First-Aid Kit ($8.6). All-purpose mini FAK kit, includes different sized and shaped bandages, antiseptic wipes, sting relief wipes, safety pins, and a small razor blade. Most of them have been used and replaced. I also added some advil pills. Bonus, it’s airport friendly.

Total: 9

Misc

• Nomos’s Tangente 139 ($2180). Beautiful german mechanical watch with manual winding, never needs to worry about battery. Bought it second handly.

• Wemug Waterbottle ($16, 102g, 620ml). A simple 600 ml large-mouth black plastic water bottle, as I don’t have the habit of drinking hot water, so there’s no need for a thermos. It’s very lightweight and easy to clean. Love the frosty black finishing.

• WCP Umbrella ($40, 156g). A compact and lightweight folding umbrella, weighing less than 170 g, disappears into your bag once you put it in. Although it seems more fragile and has a smaller coverage compared to regular umbrellas, it’s still sufficient for one person.

• Orbitkey ($65).

  • Nail File & Mirror ($12). Two daily essentials combined into one elegant accessory that you can take anywhere for a quick check or touch-up. sit neatly inside your Key Organiser.
  • Multi-Tool v2 ($12). All in one multipurpose tool with nine functionalities in slim profile, that fits seamlessly in your Key Organiser.
  • YubiKey 5C NFC ($55).
  • Some keys for my hostels.

• Moleskine Pocket Notebook ($20). Pocket sized, squared paper layout, soft cover black. I love handwriting and want to avoid using my phone as much as possible, this works as my journal, calendar, and task management system. All my blog posts are originate from here.

• Field’s Pitch Black Memo Book ($15 for three packs). For less organized jots such as some quick sketches and drafts.

• Aer 3-Way Face Mask. Leftover from the pandemic period. However I still use it in some cases. This mask is black, comfortable, adjustable, made of 100% cotton and thus washable. Cost $15.

• Various papers including my passport, visa related forms, and some certificates inside the inner compartment of my bag.

Total: 7

I think that’s it. 53 items. This list will inevitably change, but as it stands it’s a good snapshot of my belongings in the current time and situation.

Services

I’m proud to support open source products and privacy-respecting communities. The list is limited right now, but the plan is to expand this over time.

• ProtonMail: Email service.
• iCloud: Storage service.
• 3DNS. Domain registration.
• deSEC: DNS service.
• Sourcehut. Git mirrors & mailing lists & ci & web hosting.
• UltraMobile. Phone service.

Software

I try my best to use only free and open source software. Unfortunately, some circumstances require me to use proprietary applications. I also tries to avoid any script-based tools. Additionally, when possible, I try to use lightweight programs that can run on any machine, from a single-board computer to a giant desktop. I don’t ever want to feel like I need to upgrade my hardware to do the same tasks as before: hardware upgrades should only be justified by my use-cases significantly changing, existing hardware being broken beyond repair, or upstream abandonment of security patches.

Open Source

• kitty.
• neovim. My $EDITOR of choice. Supports tree-sitter, uses lua configuration, and has a client for the Language Server Protocol. Less of a text editor and more of a lifestyle.
• newsboat. Feed reader for RSS and Atom feeds. I’m thinking of switching to a feed-to-IMAP or Maildir setup eventually so I can get sync and use mblaze, and replace a TUI with a CLI. I’ve never subscribed to YouTube channels or Twitter accounts or anything else. You can simply give accounts’ feeds to newsboat and watch videos remotely via mpv without having to open a browser.
• aerospace. Tile management.
• mbsync. IMAP mail fetcher.
• msmtp. SMTP client, for sending mail.
• aerc. My mail user agent.
• IINA.
• hostctl.
• dnscontrol.
• atuin.
• gopass.

Proprietary

• Apple Books, Safari, Weather, Podcasts, Maps, Photos.
• Alipay and WeChat, I really hate these and the everywhere QR codes, but you are not allowed to live without them in Mainland China.
• Sublime Text, on trial forever (guilty), use it to quick check any textual files.
• Raycast, bought an subscription for a year on a impluse purchase, looking for alternatives when it ends.
• Surge
• macOS
• ProtonMail
• Brave. I use it with the following add-ons:
  • ModHeader
  • Vimium
  • Picture-in-Picture Extension
  • Video Speed Controller
• Chase and CMB, my bank apps.
• Lark (for cooperate work)
• MonoLisa

Some analysis

Weight

Total: 5.008 kg.

Costs

Consumable/subscription costs.

Total: $849 per year.

Fixed first-time costs.

Todos

Things to look into.

• editGPT. The UI seems to make a lot of sense for me and for my needs regarding grammar, spelling, and style checks.