How to pack for a month in Europe in one bag
Last year we visited Italy
for a month…3–4 days each in Rome and Florence, then two weeks traveling
throughout Tuscany with a small group tour, then on our own for another day in Florence,
then several days in Venice. The group tour bus was small and we were
restricted to one suitcase each that could fit in the smallish compartment
under the bus, plus one small day-pack that could fit on the overhead rack on
under the seat.
We traveled by taxi, plane,
train, sometimes on foot. (Taxis were on strike the day we left for Venice, so
we had to walk a mile to the train station. If we had had more than one wheeled
case and a small shoulder pack each, we would have been in real trouble!!)
Clothes for one whole month
in one suitcase? How could we possibly do
that??? We had to really think this out.
I started by reading blogs and information from pros like Rick Steves, for
example, as well as tips on Pinterest.
Here are tips on how I
packed. My husband did the same, but with a man’s wardrobe.
1. Buy a small journal.
Years
later you will be glad you have a written record of where you went and what you
saw when you are going though your photos.
I like these journals from Moleskin.
I use the thin paperback ones for shorter trips, and the thicker hard-cover
ones for longer trips. The 3.5 x 5.5
inch size easily fits in a purse or pocket. There’s a ribbon marker, an
accordion pocket for business cards, etc. in the back, and an elastic band to
keep it closed.
Available at Barnes and
Noble.
2. Plan out what to pack ahead of time.
Do not do this the day
before. I recommend at least several days (or longer) before you leave.
Limit yourself to a simple
color scheme. For me, that was black, white, with one bright for an accent—I
chose a citrusy yellow-green. (Yours
could be navy/white with red. Brown/tan with orange. Use your own wardrobe as a
guide. You probably have favorites. If you crave color, add another scarf or
two…they pack flat and don’t take up too much space. But exercise some
discipline here. Strive to choose items that will mix and match.)
3. Restrict yourself to clothes that can be washed in a sink and hung up to dry.
No ironing. No sending
out to have them done. No wasting valuable time at a Laundromat. See additional notes on
laundry below.
4. Make a written plan in the back of your
journal.
Use these clothes to come up with options to vary the looks. This is
where scarves can help provide some color and pattern. I repeat, write these ideas down! Not only
will it help you remember outfits you put together, it is a record of what you
packed if your luggage should get stolen. Also, these lists are helpful for
future trips. (My list is below.)
5. Accessories.
In addition
to some scarves, pack a few pieces of cheap costume jewelry that you won’t be
heartbroken if lost or stolen.
6. Give up the idea that you can’t repeat outfits.
No one cares what you are wearing. Most people, even if
you are travelling in a group wouldn’t notice anyway. (Test this out. Think of
the last event you attended. Try to remember what everyone wore. I bet you
can’t.)
7. Limit the number of shoes.
I packed one pair of versatile, comfortable sandals that
worked with a skirt or pants, and one pair of plain black Toms (Galapagos Toms are black with black soles. They are dressier than the ones with white soles, so they are more versatile.) I threw in a
pair of dressier flats at the last minute and never wore them.
8. Use Packing Cubes to make packing easier and more organized.
When I first saw these I thought they were a
waste of money. There are several manufacturers. I found some that were less
expensive online. These packing cubes made living out of a suitcase SO MUCH
EASIER. I had one for pants/skirt, one for tops, one for underwear and
nightgown, one for accessories. When I needed a top, I only had to go to the one
case, unzip it to see what I needed.
These are available in several colors.
9. Roll your clothes.
This is another thing I thought was silly
until I tried it. Fold the item in thirds, folding sides in toward the center.
Then start rolling from the hem to the top. Not only did the clothes not have
pressed-in folds from having been folded and stacked, they were organized in
the packing cubes like little cylinders so you could see everything practically
at once.
10. Stick to your written plan.
At the last minute, I broke my own rules and threw in a few extra things
since I had room, such as a dress and a pair of dressier flats. Never wore
either. My skirt worked wherever a dress would have been appropriate. And my
sandals worked as well as the flats. It was a waste of space and weight.
11. Save some space to bring back things you buy.
You will be glad you did.
12. Pack your suitcase the day before.
The exception is your toiletry case. But this should be ready
to go.
13. Work out of your packed toiletry case case the day you are leaving.
That way you will know that you
will have everything you need while on the trip and haven’t forgotten anything. Rick Steves advises that you get a case that
can hang from a doorknob or shower rod. Many hotels in Europe especially, have
limited space on the sink counter. I
bought this one from the Container Store.
WASHING CLOTHES IN A HOTEL.
The number one thing you can
do to save space on packing is to pack less and wash clothes along the way.
Only pack things that can be laundered in a sink. Plan ahead. If you are going
to be in one place for few days, launder any dirty clothes on the first day you
are there. That way the clothes have time to dry before you move on. I used
hotel shampoo for soap.
Buy these handy items:
Nylon laundry bag. This one weighs next to nothing. You can keep
your dirty clothes away from your clean ones.
Sink stopper. Must have! Some sinks do not have a stopper already!
Travel Clothesline. You will need to be creative with where you hang this depending on the hotel. The line comes with Velcro tabs. Buy some carabiner clips (at a hardware store) to attach at each end so you have an option depending on what you have to work with.
Or this one:
Laundry hooks and folding
hangars. We ended up using both of these. You can hang your clothes in the twisted loops on the clothesline, but I like these better. The small clips are good for things
like socks or underwear. Two of these can be used to hang pants…use one at each
end of a waistband. The black plastic ones unfold and can be used to hang
shirts.
Microfiber towels (2 per
person depending on the size). These are very lightweight and take up little
space. They are important for being able to wring out your wet clothes and they
dry quickly. (Otherwise your hotel towels will be wet.) Lay a towel out (they
are pretty small). Place an item of wet clothing on the towel. Roll the towel
up and wring the towel so as much water as possible comes out. You may have to
do this more than once to get the item as dry as possible. Then shake the item vigorously before hanging
and smooth out any wrinkles.
We hung the clothes on the line at night, then put
them in the closet during the day so the maids could clean. Then hung them up
again on the line the next evening. Everything dried by the end of the second
night.
NOTE: I made the mistake of
buying the towels in white. If I were to do it over, I would buy a color. We
ended up hiding our towels from the maids because we were afraid they would be
confused with the hotel towels.
Available on Amazon from
many sources at varying prices. Search Microfiber towels.
What I brought and wore
I am partial to knits. Just
about all of these tops are knit. J Jill has a line called Wearever that packs
very well. They are stylish and mix and match.
For bottoms, you can’t beat
Chicos’ Zenergy line in their Neema fabric. It weighs next to nothing and is
not clingy, shiny and heavy like their Travelers line. I have been collecting
the Neema pieces when I find them. They are my go-to travel clothes.
I took several cardigans for
warmth and to mix things up a bit.
This may not look like a lot
for a month when it’s in a list, but it was plenty and took me through several
climate changes.
Tops:
White v-neck tee
White scoop neck tee
White tank
Black v-neck tee
Black/ivory tunic length
sleeveless top
Black silk sleeveless tunic
length tank
Ivory/black stripe tee ¾
sleeves
Lime/black stripe tee ¾
sleeves
Green crinkly silky fabric
tank
Long-sleeve striped tunic:
gray, black and white
Cardigans
Black/grey leopard — light
weight
Mustard yellow silk knit — medium
weight
Black silk knit tunic length—heavier
weight
Bottoms
Black Neema skirt
Black Neema capris
Black Neema slim long pants
Black knit skinny pants
(great to wear on the plane)
White pants (could have
lived without these)
Jewelry
Cream & black beaded
necklace
Black large chunky beaded
necklace
A few pairs inexpensive
earrings
Scarves
Lime green crinkly scarf
White crinkly scarf
Black/gray leopard print scarf
Long super skinny giraffe
print scarf
Large square
black/white/beige/green animal-print scarf
Miscellaneous
Undergarments (enough for 6
days)
Camisoles for extra
layer…black and nude
Two nightgowns
Small folding umbrella
Foldable visor hat
Raincoat (lightweight, very
packable)
Small lightweight folding umbrella
Sunglasses!!
Sunglasses!!
Shoes
Black sandals. Mine are by
Arche. Expensive (even on sale), but I have had them for years! They are super
comfortable and wear like iron. I have a winter style that are closed-toe
slip-ons. This brand is a real splurge but worth it in terms of comfort,
durability, style and versatility. I have worn them so many times they are
paying me back. You can try eBay. I recently bought a nearly-new pair for $50. Note: The sizing is European.
Black Galapagos Toms (black
with black soles. Dressier that those with a white sole.) Great for walking, and
wearing on the plane. Very light weight. Search Galapogos Toms online. Nordies
has free shipping.
OUTFITS
• Any black top, black
skirt. Works with green, white or leopard scarf. Sandals
• Any white top. Black
skirt. Sandals. Or Black capris and Toms. Black chunky necklace
• Black/ivory tunic. Skirt. Cream/black
beaded necklace.
• Black sleeveless tunic.
Skinny pants. Large scarf.
• Black tank tunic. Skirt.
Yellow cardigan. Black/cream necklace or giraffe scarf. Sandals.
• White tee. Leopard scarf.
Capris. Sandals.
• Lime crinkly top. Capris.
Toms
• Yellow cardi. White tank.
Capris. Necklace or Giraffe scarf. Toms
• Long pants. Long black
tank. Yellow cardi. Black/grey leopard scarf. Sandals.
• Long pants. White tank.
Leopard cardi.
• Gray/black stripe tunic.
White jeans (or leggings). Sandals or Toms.
• Black tunic tank. White
scarf. White pants. Toms or Sandals.
• White/black stripe tee or
green/black stripe tee. Black long pants or capris. Toms.
I actually could come up with
more variations, but you get the idea. A limited color scheme. A basic bottom.
A top. Add some accessories. Of course you will have more variety when you are
home.
