I normally approach packing like it’s a puzzle that just needs a bit of organisation, but trying to fit four months’ worth of belongings for a variety of temperatures into one a carry-on sized suitcase and a backpack was hard! I’m using the July Carry On Light Expandable and a Caribee Rhine 35L Daypack from Anaconda. The suitcase is small and easy to carry and lift above my head if needed on trains.
This trip, we’ll be travelling to Italy, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Faroe Islands and Scotland. While it’ll be peak European summer and hot, I expect places like northern Norway, Faroe Islands and the Scottish Highlands will still be a bit chilly, so we needed to keep this in mind when packing.
We also plan to do a lot of hiking so good quality boots are a must, but they also take up a lot of room in a tiny suitcase. Below is a list of everything we’ve packed. Some people we’ve talked to say we don’t need this much as we’ll have to carry it around, while others can’t believe how small our bags are, so we won’t really know until after the trip. I’ll update this post in a few months to see what we actually used. Even if you’re not going to these exact countries, a general packing list is helpful to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Clothes:
Jeans (not a travel recommendation but Outland Denim has the best ethical sustainable clothing)
Linen pants
Activewear tights
Skirts x2 (casual and more formal)
Shorts x2
Bike shorts
PJs
Dresses x4
Cover shirts x3 (for sun protection)
10 tops (mix of crops, t-shirts, going out top)
1x thermal top (for layering)
Very light sweater
Warm jumper
Raincoat (from RAINS)
Super lightweight foldable puffer jacket
2x swimwear (Peony swimwear has the best designs)
Underwear, socks, bras
Compression socks (for the plane)
Tracksuit pants (for the plane)
Shoes:
Rubber sandals (sanderlings from Bared Footwear – extremely comfy)
White sneakers
Hiking boots
Miscellaneous:
Hat
Sunglasses
Waterproof bag (to put our valuables in when swimming)
Camera and extra SD card
Tripod (small foldable one)
Lightning to SD car reader to import videos and photos to phone/iPad
Air tags for luggage
Packing cubes
Cross body bag
Micro-sized hair straightener (it’s only 16cm)
iPad
Kindle
European power adapter
Chargers
Reusable zip lock bags
Foldable day backpack
Locks
Laundry bag (for dirty clothes)
International drivers’ licence (if needed)
Playing cards (for long train journeys)
Toiletries
Toothbrush
Sunscreen (I know you can buy this anywhere but I’m too attached to my Ultra Violette Extreme Screen, and Mecca To Save Face SPF50+)
Face cleanser
Moisturiser
Deodorant
Nail clippers
Any prescription medications/vitamins/Panadol etc
Make up – I try to keep this minimal when travelling
There are pharmacies everywhere so you can buy a lot of things on your trip, however, just work out if there are any specific brands you would rather take with you. For this trip, I’ll buy shampoo, body wash, floss etc. but prefer to use my own sunscreen.
Carry-on
Passport!
Cash
Hand sanitizer
Kindle/book
Lip balm
Moisturiser
Pen
Compression socks
Hair tie
Wet wipes
Face masks
Headphones
Tissues
Gum
Empty reusable water bottle
Eye mask
Plane snacks
I always put some spare clothes and underwear in my carry on in case my checked luggage is delayed