Here is an excellent article and video on bikepacking with a small frame bike. Dig around on the this excellent website/blog as there are lots of great articles.
http://adventuremonkey.com/blog/bikepacking-gear-setup-small-frame-fatbike
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Fatbike Brigade 
The guy in the article has a carbon frame bike with limited rear dropout features, so attaching a rear rack is difficult and I don’t like seatpost mounted racks. With metal framed bikes, all the contortions of fork mounted bags and cantilevered seat bags can be solved with a simple rear rack. A 30+ liter dry bag can be mounted on top of a rack and still have better side clearance than side mounted bags on the front fork. With that and a handlebar bag, you have much more room for a multi-day trip. If you aren’t riding single track, panniers can be used and provide 40+ liters of stable, low center of gravity pack space at about 3 pounds. Of course smaller lighter panniers can be used, or just the dry bag on top. IMHO, the only reason not to use a rear rack is if you have a rear suspension.
I totally agree. There’s another reason for using a rear rack as well. For those of us who have short legs we simply don’t have enough clearance for a seatpost mounted bag. Two of us use rear racks with dry bags strapped on top, and our other brother uses panniers. As you say, with a rear rack and dry bag and a handlebar bag you can hold quite a bit of gear. Throw in a frame bag for heavier stuff and you’re good to go for days.