I have been asked many times to do a post on packing for getaways big and small. After the response from my post about London and only taking a carry-on suitcase and a small tote, friends have been requesting a post on how to organize yourself for packing for two weeks abroad. It is actually a secret passion of mine. I try as often as possible to pack myself in carry-on only mode. Most often it works just perfectly. We even had each of our children in their own carry-on {read: carry it yourself}. I found that upon our return, I missed it. The simplicity. My continuing quest to live with fewer better things.
The goal for this trip was to keep cool while traveling in Europe in July and not looking like a slob. Below I put together every item I packed with me for our latest adventure. Some of the items are older in which case I could no longer find them for sale online, but I included an image so you can get the idea of how things paired with each other. Lucky for me, I pretty much wear a combo of white, navy, black or gray all the time so mixing and matching was a cinch!
Shoes are usually the thing that trips most people up when packing for any type of trip. For this trip, I knew that working out or going for a run was unlikely which made it easy to keep those clunky running shoes home. I couldn’t picture myself going for a run in Venice with the crowds and limited space along the canals! And wasn’t going to lug my running shoes half way around the word for the potential of one run. I also opted not to bring heels. We were walking all day every day, often not returning to our hotel until late at night. I always felt dressed appropriately for any occasion.
It’s obviously a lot easier to pack light in the summer months. My clothes are lighter, smaller and fold up much more compactly than a chunky sweater or leather jacket. Sundresses can double as beach cover-ups and blouses can be dressed up with the addition of a pretty necklace. Even a cotton tank turns into a cute little number when you pair it with just the right scarf. Make-up was kept to a minimum, which is pretty normal for me any way. I use Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer with SPF20, ColoreScience Powder Sunscreen, Clinique mascara, and Sephora lip gloss. Done. Be sure you consider having a cardie or scarf to cover shoulders in churches too. My little satchel was just the right size for my camera, some money, a lip gloss, a book, a map, a cardie, and even a small water bottle. Just don’t tell anyone that it is technically a “man-bag” and we will be all good! TSA restrictions can make packing for two weeks in a carry-on with toiletries a little tricky. I used one of the clear bags below for shampoo, conditioner, lotion and face cleanser. And that my friends is all she wrote.
Here are the details on each item and where you can find them:
2 Pairs of Jeans
1 Nicer Outfit
1 Pair of Shorts
GAP
4 Blouses
5 dresses
Madewell Blue Striped Tank Dress
Madewell White Embroidered Shift Dress
2 white tanks
1 cardigan
1 Pullover Sweater
Joie Blue and White Striped Sweater
1 Scarf
jcrew
1 Swimsuit
1 Pair of Cover-up Pants and a Tee
3 Bralettes + 1 Convertible Bra
14 Pairs of Intimates
1 Pair of Sweats + 2 Tanks for Sleeping
2 Pairs of Sandals + 1 Pair of Flip Flops
In My Tote Bag
Lip gloss, Sunscreen, Moisturizer, Mascara
iPad mini
Passport
TSA approved toiletry bags
Laptop
iPhone
Love your packing list and approach! If I didn’t live so so close I might just replicate it exactly. 😉
Your packing list is everything. I am headed to Europe with my daughter for 10 days and wondered how I was going to fit things in a carry on. Thank you!
Hi! Thank you, I hope you have a fantastic trip. You will be glad you packed light.