Does the idea of packing light for Europe using just a carry on make you nervous? Are you worried you’ll be caught without all the essentials? Concerned that you’ll be in the same outfit in all your IG posts? I’ve been there. No worries. I did it and you can too!
What Is In Here??
Confession Time: I’m a (mostly) recovered over-packer. I once packed a bag so big for an 8-day trip to St. Thomas that I could have fit in it. It weighed 70 pounds. My friend Darla and I had to lift it together. I had to take 20 pounds worth of stuff out of it at the airline counter (so fun) and put it in a box to be shipped to my destination. It was $10 to ship the box; instead of an extra $50+ for checking a bag that weighed more than 50 pounds. Completely ridiculous.
In addition to hating checked bags fees and waiting at baggage claim, I have an intense fear of having a bag lost at the beginning of a vacation. There’s nothing worse than watching everyone grab their luggage and having that carousel stop… and your huge, overpacked bag is nowhere in sight. Everyone else is headed for drinks at a swim-up bar and you’re looking for that damn baggage claim ticket and the nearest airline agent. Welcome to your vacation?
Dude, Where’s My Bag?
Arriving at your destination to find that you’ve only got the clothes on your back can make you rethink checking bags. Have you ever tried to find a cute bikini at the Kmart in St Thomas? I have… it wasn’t pretty. Also, they only had XL granny panties. Seriously, I had to cuff them 3 times- they went up to my neck. Fortunately for me, my luggage was only about 12 hours behind me and arrived at my hotel the next morning. My vacation was saved! I didn’t have to wear the huge granny panties or look like a Golden Girl in a floral one piece swimsuit during the Carnival beach celebrations. The ‘Kmart scare’ served as great motivation for me to tighten up my packing game. I retired that monster size suitcase shortly after that trip, determined to pack smarter.
Packing Light for Europe – The 3 Week Challenge
In the 10 years since that trip to St. Thomas, I’ve experimented with different bags and styles of packing and have gotten much better. I hardly ever check a bag anymore. My biggest test came two summers ago as I prepared for a 3 week trip to Europe. I planned to make the trip with just this rolling carry on and this backpack. While I had gotten really good at packing for long weekends, or even a week- 3 weeks was a little more daunting. I needed to be able to carry my own bags, on planes, trains and automobiles. But I didn’t have any intention of wearing the same outfit over and over again. What was I gon’ do??
Lucky Number 7
If you can figure out enough outfits to get you through 7 days, you’re golden. You can mix and match to get your week’s worth of outfits, just plan to wash clothes a few times throughout your trip. On this Europe trip, we alternated between hotels and vacation rentals that had washing machines. The collection below really closely mirrors what I took on my trip (the dresses were different prints, but similar styles). It includes 9 outfits before you’d need to mix and match or repeat an item. In 21 days, I think I only wore the same outfit once. I also picked up a dress or two along the way, shopping in Italy!
Keep It Simple
I kept my base items really simple, in neutral colors. Dark jeans and subtle color tops, with summer dresses in prints. Dresses are great for summer travel, as you don’t have to worry about matching tops and bottoms and they are lightweight and easy to pack. Be sure to bring wash and wear fabrics only. Leave your linen and other items that wrinkle easily at home. You may not have access to an iron in some places, especially if you stay in vacation rentals. I didn’t include undergarments and pj’s in the collection above but those fit in the bag too! You can access my full packing list, including toiletries here.
Limit Your Kicks
Shoes, ladies. You’ll see that I only have three pairs in the sample wardrobe above. I can feel your resistance. Don’t panic, you can do this. Bring a pair of comfortable sandals (or two) in a neutral color and one pair of sneaks. I’m a Cali girl and Chucks are part of my culture, so that was easy. A flat pair of Gap sandals and black Aerosoles were my other picks. Leave your heels at home. Pretty much everywhere you go will be cobblestone and uneven pavement. Also, you will walk everywhere. We averaged about 8 miles most days on this trip. I literally never saw one woman in heels, during the entire 3 week trip… except one woman in Naples. Just when I wondered how she was surviving, she abruptly stopped walking, sat on the curb, kicked the heels off, put on red high top sneaks and continued on her merry way. A truly awesome moment. If the idea of three pair of shoes sounds crazy, know that as soon as you hit Paris, or Florence– you are going to want to buy some gorgeous leather sandals. Maybe you’ll have some custom made in Capri or Rome like we did. Leave home with 2, come back with 5. Save room for greatness, ladies.
Summer Rain
My trip to Europe was late August through mid-September. I didn’t need boots, sweaters or a heavy jacket. With that said, the weather did vary. It was blazing hot in Paris and Florence; it was mild in London and rained in Rome. As a Bay Area girl, I’m very familiar with layering. Tanks, layering tees and a light sweater or jacket gave me the versatility I needed- without all the bulk.
I’m So Glad I Brought…
One of my favorite tote bags was a lifesaver on this trip, a reversible ‘vegan leather’ bag that packs flat. Because it’s reversible (black/cognac), it was versatile- essentially like having both a brown and black purse, in one. Also, it’s big enough to use as a shopping bag for a long day of sightseeing. I used a large purse insert with a zipper, to keep my valuables safe from any potential pickpockets (which I do at home on the commuter train too!) I’ve had my bag for a couple years, but you can find a similar one here.
Mission Accomplished!
So after much planning and some anxiety, I managed to get everything I needed into my carry on and backpack. It took some work and some editing.
The first time I put my backpack on, I damn near fell over. Put the heavy items in the rolling bag; your back will thank you. If anything, I wished I hadn’t brought so much. Especially in Florence, when our rental apartment was on the 5th floor- no elevator.
On my next trip, I’ll swap out my jean jacket for a long sleeve denim shirt. I only wore the jacket maybe twice (on train rides) and it was too bulky in my suitcase. Without it, I could have squeezed in another purse from Italy!
Pack less than you think you need- you’ll find many large retailers that you recognize in many European cities. Save space for all the beautiful things you’ll discover along the way. Leather bags, sandals, jackets… you’ll be glad you went the minimalist route, trust me!
Brown Lady Travel Tips
A few weeks before my trip, I added the cities I would be visiting to my Google weather feed. Seeing how the weather varied over a period of time (or didn’t) gave me an idea of what to expect in each place and what outfits might work best.
If you use a lot of toiletries (like I do), focus on packing the ones you may not be able to find abroad. The face moisturizer you can’t live without, the leave-in conditioner that keeps your hair together. Don’t worry about packing three weeks worth of toothpaste or contact solution. Basic toiletries were easy to find at pharmacies everywhere we traveled.
While washers were common in rental units in Europe- dryers were not. You may need to hang your clothes to dry (we did). Lightweight materials are best!
Packing light changes the game for short trips as well. Earlier this month, when half a million people descended on New Orleans for Essence Fest, the airport lines were a monster. When we pulled up at the curb and hopped out with our carry on bags and backpacks, we breezed right past the 50+ people waiting to check bags curbside. We kept moving past another 100+ inside waiting to get to the airline counter, and headed straight for the gate. I could feel the envy from the ladies in line with the 2-3 large bags to check. Fortunately, those days are a distant memory for me- that 70 pound suitcase hasn’t seen any action in a decade.
Next Level Type ‘Ish
Now you’ve got an idea of what to bring. Some of you may be wondering, ‘How??? How do I get all this stuff into a small carry on and backpack?’ Not to fear, I recently wrote about my favorite packing tools, gear and tips for my trip to Essence Fest. If you want all the details pop on over and check it out. Also, don’t forget to grab your free packing list, it includes everything I took on my three week adventure to London, Paris and various parts of Italy.
So what do you think ladies?? Ready to be ’bout that ‘no checked bag’ life??