Packing lists are tricky ones. Despite all good advice how and what to pack for your next big trip, the reality is that most people (yes, guilty too) just fill up the backpack to the brim anyway. Why? Because you can.

First of all, I truly believe you are a smart guy or girl and took all those kind words of advice of fellow travelers by heart. I also believe you are actually convinced (which is good) ‘packing light’ and ‘keep it minimal’ is the smartest thing to do, and for all you know perhaps even essential to the happy rtw travel bliss you are about to experience.

So there you are, that final day before the big trip you’ve been waiting for for months has arrived. You just had that fab last dinner or a beer with friends or family and then you suddenly find yourself in your bedroom, watching all those neat little heaps of clothes and goodies spread on your bed. And you think, yes, this is so totally it, and grab that 50-60-70-whatever liter backpack of yours and start packing.

And when done and examining the result you are likely to think: Oh, that’s an empty bag…

So you grab (cause there’s nothing wrong with trying eh?) that extra pair of designer jeans, or those extra shirts, and perhaps even those favorite sneakers you were about to skip, and wow, it all fits! And you actually feel perfectly awesome, with no hint of guilt at all, at least not yet.

I applaud you. There are no set rules for happiness indeed. And if more stuff does the trick for you, please go ahead.

But let me give you a tip anyway. Whatever way you travel, sticking to the minimal or ‘I am the way I dress’ approach, there will be a moment that same backpack will be totally stuffed anyway. No, you can’t escape it. It’s in our genes. Yes, I am taking about shopping.

So here is my tip. Let me introduce you the SWAP LIST™, the only packing list that’s actually useful to me. On it is every item that I will take with me only to get them replaced and left behind in some hotel room or veranda of some beach hut. Want an example? Have a look at the one for my next trip to Thailand.

• My blue sneakers. Love them to bits but they are getting to the end of cool factor life. I will wear them on my train/plain ride until I arrive in Bangkok and start flip flopping on hot soil. Moment of farewell: First day. Moment of replacement: the day before heading home to colder climates.
• Same with the (only) five t-shirts I take with me. I used to look terrific in them but after a lifetime of being the centre of attention and washing machine they are getting a bit rough at the edges. Moment of farewell: First week, or whenever I find a perfect and cheap replacement.
• My fav camo three quarter pants I bought in Bangkok three years ago (ah, all those things we did see and went through together…). Also in for a replacement as soon as possible.
• Some other things I will remember when actually packing, yup, after that beer(s) with friends.

You probably figured out I will be replacing almost everything (70% of the volume) I take with me in the first place. The fun bit is by sticking to this swap list I never ever worry about what to pack, and have no more doubts or temptations at all, if I had any in the first place. It’s that simple. All I need is not what I already have but what I still haven’t found yet. And I can shop – no, I have to!

So yeah, I will not only have a splendid, hopefully life changing trip, but I also will transform my outfit to something shiny and new. You might as well say I will be almost completely reborn! Amazing.

How about that?