How To Travel Light in Europe: Packing Tips for Every Trip
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Planning a trip to Europe is exciting and tedious. You’ll have a great time choosing your accommodation and finding things to do, but you likely won’t enjoy packing your bags. Packing your bags is often time-consuming, but it’s vital to the success of your trip.
If you don’t pack efficiently, you’ll struggle with your bags and spend more than expected on baggage fees. However, if you pack light, you’ll have more freedom to explore, less to lug around, and you can race through baggage claim. Unfortunately, though, packing light isn’t easy. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of 12 packing tips for Europe that will help you pack light.
Make a Packing List
Our number one tip for traveling light in Europe is to make a packing list. This is only a simple solution, but it helps prevent you from packing more things than you need. Creating a packing list before you pack your bags ensures you only pack the essentials.
Let me tell you from experience: without a packing list, it’s super easy to pack too many things and items you don’t need. With a packing list, you can decide what you need and tick it off once you’ve packed it. That way, you won’t accidentally pack 14 pairs of underpants for a week-long vacation. I’ve been there, done that.
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Don’t Pack ‘Maybe’s’
Admittedly, this isn’t an easy packing tip to follow because we all like to pack the things we love, but if you travel light through Europe, you must be strict. Therefore, we encourage you to leave any ‘maybes’ at home. If you’re unsure you’ll use something, leave it at home.
For example, if you don’t know you need a hairdryer, soaps, or a change of shoes, don’t pack them. Besides, most hotels and resorts provide hair dryers and soap anyway. You’ll be amazed by how much space you can create in your bags if you don’t take the things you don’t 100% need.
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Pack One Pair of Practical Shoes
Packing a couple of pairs of shoes for your trip to Europe can be tempting, but we recommend only packing one pair if possible. Generally, one solid and reliable pair of shoes is all you need for most European trips. You can usually get away without packing heels and suit shoes unless you plan a romantic getaway.
You create more space in your luggage by only packing one pair of shoes. This will reduce the number of bags you must take on vacation. However, there are a few instances where you might also want to pack another pair of shoes. For example, you should also pack flip-flops for a beach holiday.
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Cut Back on Toiletries
One of the biggest mistakes people make when traveling to Europe is packing too many toiletries. While it can be tempting to pack all your favorite soaps, shampoos, conditioners, facial creams, etc, they take up so much space in your bags. Instead, only pack the basics that’ll get you through your trip.
For example, you probably won’t need much more than a toothbrush, toothpaste, sunscreen, deodorant/perfume, and a brush. Anything you do need that you can’t fit in your bag can usually be picked up at your final destination. Furthermore, it’s common for many hotels to provide travelers with complimentary toiletries, so check your reservation before packing. You might not even need to pack soaps, shampoos, and toothpaste.
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Plan To Do Laundry
If you’re traveling through Europe for more than a week, whether on a summer vacation on a Greek island or an interrailing trip through mainland Europe, pack your bags with the intention of doing laundry. By planning to wash your clothes, you can pack fewer clothes, which, in turn, will allow you to travel light.
We recommend taking your clothes to a local launderette to avoid overpaying for laundry in Europe. We’ve found that most hotels overcharge for laundry services. If you’re a budget backpacker, you could save yourself some money by washing your clothes in the sink or the bath in your room. Either way, this will save you space in your bags.
Read also: Impressive UNESCO Sites in Europe
Pack Lighter Items
Okay, this next packing tip is pretty obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many people don’t follow it. You need to change your ways if you’re someone or know somebody who packs their oversized raincoat, thick jumpers, and fluffy socks for a vacation. These items are bulky and heavy, so they take up more space in your bag.
Of course, they also make your bag heavier. Packing lighter alternatives is an easy way to save space and cut weight. For example, instead of an oversized raincoat, pack a poncho. It keeps you dry but is much lighter and smaller than a raincoat. You could also pack thinner T-shirts and jumpers to save space and reduce weight.
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Follow the 1-2-3-4-5-6 Rule
If you want to travel light, follow the 1-2-3-4-5-6 rule. This general packing guideline helps travelers streamline their packing by making them pack only a specific number of clothing items. You should then only pack a few other essentials.
To follow this guideline, pack one hat, two pairs of shoes, three pairs of trousers, four tops, five pairs of socks, and six pairs of underwear. Beyond that, only pack vacation-specific items, such as rainwear or swimwear, and other essentials you need, like medication. The 1-2-3-4-5-6 method will get you through six days before you do the laundry.
Read also: Impressive UNESCO Sites in Europe
Ditch Your Large Electronics
Consider leaving large electronics like laptops or tablets at home unless you travel for work. These devices take up much space in your bag and add unnecessary weight. Worse yet, they hold you up at security because you have to present them for scanning.
Nowadays, we can do almost anything we need on a smartphone, including watching Netflix, downloading photos taken, and booking transport. Therefore, there isn’t a need to carry bulkier devices. Besides, traveling to Europe allows you to switch off and escape the daily grind. You won’t need to worry about breaking or losing your devices if you don’t pack them.
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Purchase Packing Organizers
You’d be surprised how much more space you’ll take up in your bag if you pack your belongings disorganizedly. Simple things like rolling your clothes and stuffing a couple of pairs of socks in your shoes help you increase the space in your bag. If you’re not very organized, we recommend purchasing packing organizers.
They come in many shapes and sizes, but they’re all designed to help you keep your bags neat and tidy and to maximize space. They also make it much easier for travelers to find their belongings quickly without rummaging through their bags. Popular packing organizers include packing cubes, compression bags, and stuff sacks.
Read also: Top Tips To Maximize Your Schengen Visa
Only Pack a Carry-On Bag
One of the easiest ways to travel light in Europe is to limit yourself to one carry-on bag. While it can sometimes be challenging to fit everything you need into one relatively small bag, the rewards are massive. For starters, you won’t have to pay the baggage fees to put a bag in the hold.
Secondly, you won’t have to wait at the baggage claim conveyor belt when you land at your destination. Finally, traveling with a carry-on bag gives you more flexibility because you don’t need to worry about traveling with a big heavy suitcase. Remember to create a packing list to pack your carry-on bag easily.
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Only Pack One Extra Pair
It can be tempting to pack a couple of extra pairs of pants or T-shirts for your trip to Europe just in case you accidentally spill some food or drink, especially if you’re a clumsy traveler. However, you should avoid this if you want to travel light.
The more you pack, the heavier your bag will be. Therefore, we recommend only packing one extra pair of pants or a T-shirt for that time you do drop a slice of pizza or some pasta down yourself in Italy. You could probably avoid packing a spare T-shirt because you’ll likely already pack several.
Read also: Amazing Countries To Visit With a Schengen Visa
Don’t Pack Last Minute
One of the worst things you can do if you want to travel light in Europe is leave your packing to the last minute. Admittedly, it’s easy to leave your packing to the night before you go on vacation, but doing so is a huge mistake. Firstly, it’s almost impossible to be as strategic as you need to be.
Packing at the last minute also often leads to overpacking, misplacement of essential items, and forgetting things you need to take with you. Your bags will likely also be disorganized, so you won’t have as much room to pack other things. Overall, this is a terrible idea.
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