Oh irony! I just wrote this post about my summer plans and I don’t plan to travel to Europe until early September. That being said, I received quite a few questions and DMs about what to pack. I’m going to explain the basics in a little detail. Finally I’ll highlight some pieces I would love to pack, but without knowing where you’re going and what activities you have planned, it’s a little tough!
the basics
Okay, these are all the tried-and-true pieces I pack. Most aren’t sexy or fun to buy, but they make a big difference when traveling abroad. Everything I’ve found is essential as an avid traveler, but you’ll notice I’m not going too touristy. I want to be comfortable and safe, but don’t want to overdo it with travel backpack recommendations, neck purses, money belts, hiking shoes, and various safety equipment. Whenever you are traveling abroad, please stay alert and be aware of your surroundings!
Converter and charging cord for each device. This is a no-brainer, but if you forget these key points without thinking, then it is useless. I use this converter and I also love this organizer for all my cords when traveling. I also bring an external battery because you never know when you’ll be stranded somewhere without a plug/charger. There’s no worse feeling than being in a foreign country with a broken phone!
When traveling, I empty my wallet and only bring the essential cards and IDs I need. I take pictures of all my IDs (back and front) and upload them to a safe place so I have proof if they get lost or stolen. I carry cash with me at all times. Some places in Europe either don’t take cards or make it incredibly difficult (or more expensive) to pay by card. cash is king!
A versatile carry bag and refillable water bottle. I like to bring a lightweight, yet durable carryon bag that is collapsible. For those exact reasons I love it. Plus it has all the best storage, great pockets and organizers, and it’s super easy to clean. This is my water bottle of choice. It’s the perfect size and has a loop handle that’s ideal for traveling when you need more hands free. I use some of these abroad too.
All the medicines you need now and think you may need in the future! This sounds pretty straightforward, but you’ll want to pack all the medications you currently take and also some medications you may need. For example, I usually pack allergy medicine, ibuprofen, Dayquil, Nyquil, and stomach medicine. Why? Because in many European countries they are not sold over the counter. A few years ago, when we were traveling in Stockholm, I was actually coming up with something. I desperately wanted to get some Dayquil, but I couldn’t buy it in the country because one of the active ingredients required a prescription. Please double-check that any medications you plan to bring are legal to bring into the country! Apart from this, do not forget to apply sunscreen.
Airtag everything. I’m a bit of a fanatic when it comes to AirTags, especially checked luggage. For checked luggage I keep an AirTag in a secure place inside the bag. I also have an external bag tag with all my information…but because I lived through the fear of a lost bag for over 4 days in Milan, I also have a large, visible note that I keep in the mesh pocket so you can’t miss when I open my bag, which also has all my information. This is so that if the tag on my bag gets torn off, the identifying information is still inside the bag. I also make sure my luggage tags are unique and honestly, really ugly. The second time I was in Paris my checked bag was a black Rimowa bag with the usual luggage tag and I had to chase a man down to the taxi pick-up area because he accidentally took my bag. He also had the same black luggage and the same luggage tag. Lesson learned.
A small, secure bag that can hold everything you need for a day around town. When I travel I’m usually working. This means I’m packing lots of bag options and outfits for events, client dinners, etc. However, when it’s just me on a trip, I need a bag that can really work hard and hold its own on a Euro holiday. I just picked up this bag and it’s the perfect size and functional for walking around London or Paris (there are even more color options here). I also use a travel wallet when I travel, so I can easily access my passport. I also pack a small purse like this one. Once I arrive at my destination I keep my passport in a safe place (ideally a safe in the room) and then transfer everything to a small wallet that only holds what I need. This way, it allows me to carry a smaller bag, and even if my wallet gets lost or stolen, I still have my passport.
Think about your feet. Make sure you pack blister blockers, bandaids, antibiotic ointment, and comfortable socks and shoes. This doesn’t mean you’ll need performance hiking shoes like climbing Mount Everest, but in general I would make sure to pack a variety of comfortable shoes like strappy sandals, ballet flats, and a pair of chic slip-on sneakers. This way, if my feet get irritated, I can easily replace it!
When packing jewelry, use your own digression. I will only bring nice jewelery if I promise to wear it the entire trip (never leave it in the room). I usually like to pack costume jewelry and semi-fine jewelry. When it comes to really nice or sentimental jewelry I usually leave these items at home!
Keeping things clean. Germs are obviously everywhere, and I become more aware of them while traveling. I like to pack wipes (especially for airplanes) and spray hand sanitizer.
Elements of Weather! Remember that many places in Europe don’t have air conditioning, so be sure to pack breathable clothes. A small portable fan may also be useful. If rain is in the forecast, you may want to pack a small umbrella, although I’ve found that almost everywhere we’ve stayed there are umbrellas readily available, so I don’t waste valuable space in my luggage.
I’m a big fan of packing cubes. They make storage and packing easy and they’re also great for keeping dirty shoes separate from that nice dress you’re planning to wear to dinner. I like these packing cubes because they are waterproof. Last year a reliable airline decided to leave all my luggage outside and loose during a three-hour torrential downpour. By the time my bag reached my belt, everything inside (all my makeup, all my shoes, all my fun clothes) was completely destroyed. Not only was everything completely drenched, but pink paint was spread all over almost every item in the bag, including a bright pink dress in my luggage. So, I’ve learned the hard way that waterproof packing cubes are the way to go. I also pack a bag like this for dirty laundry and lots of ziplock bags of all sizes for toiletries that have the potential to leak!
OUTFITS
The easiest way to efficiently prepare for a European vacation is to first identify what activities you plan to do each day. Determine whether you’ll be walking to and from activities, what the dress codes are for each restaurant or location, and what the weather will be like. Without knowing these things, you are packing in the dark! That’s the first step.
From there, create an outfit (or outfits) for each day of the trip. Although it may seem silly, I would wear a full outfit from head to toe. This includes bags, shoes, jewellery, sunglasses, anything. Then take a picture of yourself in the mirror. It proves that everything fits, everything looks good together, and everything (hopefully) ends up in your suitcase. The amount of times I’ve forgotten to pack something because I haven’t done so is amazing. I’ll make a mental note to ‘pack those red sandals’ and then guess what? I see an email I need to respond to and forget the red shoes. I wouldn’t remember until we got to the well and headed out to dinner where I had planned to wear red sandals. I organize these outfit photos in a folder by day so that when I get to my destination I can easily see what I packed, too! Some people make outfit packing checklists, but I find the visual method works better for me.
To save space and avoid headaches I’ll focus on versatile pieces that pair well together. Leave behind things you think you might need’ or overly trendy or overpriced pieces. You will not wear them. I never pack anything that is fussy, uncomfortable, or that doesn’t fit me well. And, even though it’s summer, I would highly suggest bringing at least a wrap or versatile jacket or sweater. Although you won’t need it all the time, I guarantee you will encounter some situations (planes, airports, etc.) where it will be cold.
Without knowing where you are going, I am going to prepare a small collection of outfits that I will pack, and arrange them according to the occasion. Hopefully this information will be useful for you and your questions will be answered. Know that I will be living vicariously through all of your European adventures this summer. Safe travels, and may all your outfits be comfortable and attractive! A few things I would pack are these sneakers, this dress that can be dressed up or down, and a large button down. I also always regret when I don’t pack jeans and a tee so I will pack this pair and this tee.
Museum Day in Paris
TOP // SHOES // SUNGLASSES // PANTS
dinner in capri
Dress//Brooch//Scarf//Shoes//Bag
A park day in Barcelona
Tank // Shorts // Necklace // Earrings // Bag // Shoes // Sunglasses
happy times in london
Dress // Shoes // Earrings // Bag
