Key Takeaways
The simple point
Traveling with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often turns packing into the first big stress test. The best relief comes from fewer choices, clear limits, and one calm backup plan.
What helps most
A small “capsule” wardrobe, a strict shoe rule, essentials packed first, and a short paper plan can protect focus and mood when the weather changes fast.
The safety note
Medication can bring extra travel rules. Checking destination rules early can prevent problems at borders and airports.
Story & Details
A familiar scene
Travel with ADHD can feel exciting and heavy at the same time. A destination can be full of promise, yet the suitcase can feel like a fight. One Spanish-language ADHD podcast told a very specific story: packing for a work conference in a coastal city in Argentina (South America). Clothes were chosen weeks ahead. New items were bought. Outfits were imagined as neat sets.
Then the forecast changed. Cold arrived in the plan. The suitcase plan broke.
The moment that hurts
This is the part many people recognize. A carry-on bag is not just a bag. It is a promise: fewer steps, fewer risks, fewer lost items, fewer waiting lines. When winter layers do not fit, a larger suitcase can feel like defeat. The emotion is real. It can feel like moving backward, even if it is simply adapting.
ADHD can amplify that feeling. ADHD is strongly linked with challenges in staying organized, staying on task, and controlling impulses, and those challenges show up in real life moments like packing [1]. A packing change can also trigger decision fatigue: too many small choices, too fast, with no clear end.
The reset that works
The turning point in that story came after frustration. The suitcase was rebuilt with a hard choice: stop chasing perfect outfits and start building smart repeats. A simple drawing on paper helped. The same core pieces were used for more than one day and more than one event. Extra shoes were cut. Basic needs were protected, including oral care items. In the end, everything fit into a carry-on.
That is not just a personal trick. It matches what travel health guidance often recommends: pack a focused travel kit and prepare items that may be hard to replace on the road [3]. For ADHD, “hard to replace” is not only medical. It is also mental energy.
A set of lessons, kept very plain
A packing plan for ADHD works best when it is built around limits.
One limit is the “minimum viable day.” Each day gets one main goal, one optional treat, and one easy fallback. If plans collapse, the day can still be good. This protects mood and reduces the pressure to “do everything.”
Another limit is the “two-block day.” Morning and afternoon are the two main blocks. Food and rest are treated like real stops, not as afterthoughts. This reduces overload and helps avoid the late-day crash.
A third limit is the “three-choice rule” for surprises. When something changes, pause for water or food, name what can still go well, then choose among only three options. Too many options can trap attention.
The carry-on method, told as a short story
Start with the non-negotiables: documents, chargers, and medication. Travel guidance is clear on medication basics: keep medicines in original labeled containers and carry prescription copies, including generic names [2]. Travel health sources also advise carrying a prescriber letter when appropriate and staying alert to differences in medicines between countries [4].
Then build a capsule wardrobe. Capsule means a small set where almost everything matches almost everything. It is the opposite of “a perfect outfit for every day.” It is also the opposite of panic packing.
Shoes can make or break carry-on packing. A strict shoe rule helps: one pair worn, one pair packed, and nothing else unless there is a true need.
Finally, a paper plan can save working memory. A pencil sketch of a few outfit combinations can reduce last-minute switching. A short “missing items” note placed inside the suitcase can catch small essentials before the door closes.
The extra-bag habit
The same podcast named a common pattern: carrying extra bags “just in case,” because the brain wants options and may change its mind. For ADHD, “options” can feel like safety. But too many options can also create more stress.
A clean compromise is one physical boundary: only what fits in one main bag. If a backup is needed, it should be a single small foldable tote used only for a real reason, like an unexpected purchase or a sudden cold layer.
A tiny Dutch language lesson for travel
The Netherlands (Europe) is a place where a short phrase can lower stress fast, especially in stations and cafés.
A simple, polite request:
Mag ik de rekening, alstublieft?
Meaning: asking for the bill in a polite way.
Word-by-word: Mag = may, ik = I, de rekening = the bill, alstublieft = please.
Tone: polite and normal in everyday service situations.
Common variant: De rekening, alstublieft. (shorter, still polite)
A simple location question:
Waar is het station?
Meaning: asking where the station is.
Word-by-word: Waar = where, is = is, het station = the station.
Tone: neutral and direct.
Common variant: Waar is station [name]? (useful when the station has a name)
The wider support circle
The same podcast ecosystem points to practical supports beyond one episode: a recorded session focused on close support and family environments, online courses, a professional map directory, and body doubling spaces where people work alongside others to stay on track. These supports matter because ADHD is not only about attention. It is also about systems, habits, and environments that make daily life easier.
Conclusions
Packing with ADHD is not a character test. It is a design problem. The best results usually come from smaller choices, clearer limits, and one prepared fallback. When the forecast flips, the suitcase can flip too, without shame—because the goal is not perfection. The goal is to arrive with enough energy left to live the trip.
Selected References
[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
[2] https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-abroad-with-medicine
[3] https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart
[4] https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/43/medicines-and-travel
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4zqDbG9WhA
[6] https://www.espaciotdah.com/entornos
[7] https://www.espaciotdah.com/cursos
[8] https://www.espaciotdah.com/mapadeprofesionales
[9] https://www.espaciotdah.com/bodydoubling
[10] https://cafecito.app/espaciotdah
[11] https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/espaciotdah
[12] https://podcasts.apple.com/mx/podcast/espaciotdah/id1614163387
Appendix
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). A neurodevelopmental condition linked with patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that can affect organization, time use, and daily routines [1].
Body doubling. A focus support method where a person works alongside someone else, often by video or in the same room, to make starting and continuing a task easier.
Capsule wardrobe. A small set of clothes chosen so many outfits can be made by mixing the same pieces, reducing both bag space and decision load.
Carry-on luggage. A smaller bag kept with the traveler rather than checked, often used to reduce delays and reduce the chance of lost items.
Decision fatigue. Mental tiredness from making many small choices, which can lead to slower thinking, frustration, or impulsive last-minute changes.
Executive function. Brain skills that help with planning, starting tasks, remembering steps, managing time, and finishing what was started.
Hyperfocus. A state of very strong attention on one thing, which can feel productive but can also make it hard to switch tasks.
Impulsivity. Acting quickly without enough pause, such as interrupting, buying fast, or changing plans suddenly; it is one common ADHD feature [1].
Inattention. Difficulty staying on a task, tracking details, or staying organized across situations; it is one common ADHD feature [1].
Minimum viable day. A day plan built around one main goal plus a small backup, meant to keep the day “good enough” even when plans change.
Sensory overload. Stress or fatigue from too much noise, light, crowds, or motion, which can reduce patience and attention.
Time blindness. A common experience of misjudging how long tasks take or how quickly time passes, which can create rushing and missed steps.
Travel health kit. A set of health and personal items prepared before travel, including essentials that may be hard to replace quickly [3].
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 