How To Pack Like A Pro – II (for women!)

Still looking presentable after 7 months on the road!

“I get ideas about what’s essential when packing my suitcase.”

--Diane von Furstenberg

When Greg said he wanted to write a blog about what he packed for our 9 months in Europe during our first year of full time travel, my thought was that it sounded really boring. But I have to admit that I was wrong! People love that blog post.  I mean - a lot of people read it, and it makes sense - anyone traveling to Europe needs to know what to pack!

So this seems like a good opportunity to share what I packed for that trip, as a woman’s perspective is different! If I am completely honest, I will tell you that I do not like to pack.  I absolutely love to travel, but I usually procrastinate when it comes to packing.  But I do it time and time again, so I consider myself to be a bit of an expert. 

One thing I try really hard to remember is that if I have my passport, my bank cards and a credit card, I can keep traveling…. everything else is reasonably easy to replace. Also important is a piece of advice I read while preparing for full time travel that I really took to heart.  The article suggested that we should pack as if we were going on a 2 week trip – not 9 months.  Well, I’ve gone on lots of 2 week trips, so that made the process less daunting.  In any case, let me tell you about what I packed for 9 months of traveling through Europe full time. It worked for a lengthy journey, and it will work for a shorter trip as well!

All the clothes I needed for nine months.

First, I’ll tell you what I brought in the way of clothing. We end up wearing the same clothes a lot when we travel. We keep seeing different people wherever we go, so I just keep wearing the same things and changing my scarf.  It’s worth it to be able to pack light. My advice is to choose clothes that are comfortable, work together in several outfits, are easily washable, and don’t wrinkle.

I really like to wear all black and then dress it up with a colorful scarf or a necklace to change it up a bit. If traveling for an extended period of time, you’ll end up going through all sorts of weather, so you have to be pretty selective so you can have what you need in all seasons.

Here is a list of what I packed for 9 months of traveling in Europe. I’ve included manufacturers where I thought you might be interested. I’m not endorsed by any of them but if they worked well for me I pointed them out.  Oh – and I packed too many clothes.  I had things I barely wore. Since then, I have left items those items at home. I’ve noted them in the list, below.

Here's my list:

• 2 short sleeve loose tops that cover my bum – one plain and one colorful

• 3 short sleeve t-shirts – 1 Gap (grey) and 2 Prana (colorful)

• 1 large black t-shirt that I stole from my son-in-law, Sam, when we visited Chelsea and Sam in Copenhagen at the beginning of our trip – I needed something I could work and paint in, etc. at our workaway adventures on that trip.

• 2 loose, sleeveless polyester tops from Loft that I can pair with a sweater. These are also long enough to cover my rear end – this seems to be a theme.

• 2 short sleeve black t-shirts – I think I got these at TJ Maxx (that's TK Maxx in the UK!)

• 2 long sleeve Columbia t-shirts – one dark purple and one bright mauve

• 1 loose and long dark green long sleeve top that yes, covers my rear, and looks nice with leggings

• 1 pair Columbia hiking pants

• 1 pair khaki cropped ankle pants (that I have been told I should not wear with hiking shoes, for fashion’s sake)

• 1 pair LuLaRoe leggings, 1 pair thick black leggings, 1 pair thin black leggings

• 3 pairs of shorts (these have not been used much – I’ll only bring one pair next time)

• 3 dresses – 1 black short sleeved dress and 2 sleeveless dresses – all of these can be paired with a sweater and a scarf - or not

• 1 grey cardigan sweater from Ann Taylor

• 1 black loose sweater from TJ Maxx

• 1 grey sweatshirt – it’s nice…can be dressed up or down – I wear it a lot

• 1 pair skinny jeans from J. Crew

• 10 pair underwear and 3 bras from Victoria’s Secret (this really is too much information, isn’t it?)

• 2 pair pajama pants (Victoria’s Secret and Fat Face (a Christmas gift)

• 1 pajama top

• 1 night gown (Victoria’s Secret of course)

• 1 pair Tieks black flat ballet shoes – these are not as comfortable on cobblestones as I want them to be, but they are very versatile and cute) After that first trip I looked for something more comfortable but still cute

• 1 pair Sanuk flip flops – great as shower shoes when needed

• 1 pair slippers purchased for £2 at Ikea (thank you, Sam!) – my best purchase while traveling. I love traveling with slippers, so wherever I go, I feel at home

• 1 pair waterproof Merrell hiking shoes

• 1 pair Birkenstock sandals

• 1 black Patagonia winter jacket – I’m very happy with this. It is light, takes up very little space and keeps me warm.

• 1 dark teal Columbia raincoat – keeps rain AND wind out….very helpful

• 1 winter hat

• 1 pair gloves

• 1 hiking hat

• 1 bathing suit

• 2 pairs hiking socks – these wore out and were replaced for future trips.

• 1 pair black tights

• 8 pair black socks - I had too many socks. I needed more hiking socks and fewer other socks

• 1 Micheal Kors small purse big enough for my phone and passport

• 3 scarves – 2 colorful ones and 1 black one that goes with everything

My computer and phone are very important as they make it possible for us to run our business from the road.  I greatly appreciate being able to stay connected.  Greg is in charge of the chargers and plugs.  Adapters are all we need. No heavy converters needed for these devices. (Note: UK and European plugs differ from those in N. America, and from each other.) If you are one of our clients, we include details in our travel checklist and talk about it in our pre-trip call.  I brought my external hard drive too.

Stacked and ready for the suitcase!

On that first trip I brought our checkbook and a list of all my computer passwords so that I could access what I needed as we traveled. Now I do all my banking online and use 1Password to keep all my passwords secure and accessible.  I always have a good book to read, now on my Kindle. 

Packing the necessities

Toiletries and other items:

You know those pretty little bags you get when you buy make up and they give you a free gift or those flannel bags you sometimes get when you buy winter pajamas?  I use these to hold my toiletries.  Here’s a list of what I take with me to feel comfortable on the road:

• Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss

• Make up, nail polish (although I never used the nail polish)

• Face wash, Q-tips, cotton balls, lotion – when I run out, I buy more

• Prescription medications – I brought enough for 9 months; this is easier on a shorter trip

• Jewelry -- just a few earrings and necklaces. They don't take up much space and make me feel dressed up.

• Vitamins and calcium – when I run out, I buy more. The calcium in Poland is very different – it’s like alka selzer – you drop it in water and it fizzes…..I didn’t know that and the first time I ate one it was like old fashioned pop rocks (but the taste was not as good)

• Shampoo, Conditioner – small containers – when I run out, I buy more

• Razors – I replace these as I go, too

• A comb and hair gel – I don’t travel with a hair dryer or curling iron. They are usually available in the places we stay or I go without

• Eye glasses, contacts, saline, sun glasses

• A candle and a lighter in case a room needs freshening up

• Dryer sheets in case pillowcases need freshening up – not needed often but it sure is nice to have it when they ARE needed!

• Mechanical pencils and pens (2 of each)

• A laundry rope for when we wash underwear and socks in the sink

• Nice, good smelling hand cream – it makes me feel nice even when I’m wearing the same thing I’ve worn for the last 7 months!

• Ear plugs and eye cover in case things get loud and/or bright. These are also handy when flying

• Zip lock bags to hold different currencies.

• Sunscreen

• Earphones

• Laundry bag

My luggage is a Samsonite Silhouette roller bag and I have an Osprey Tempest 30 backpack. The roller bag is too big to take on a Ryan Air or an Easy Jet plane so I have to check it – but we check 1 bag between the two of us, so that’s not too bad. Greg’s backpack is small enough to double as a daypack when we hike and he has a Camelback 2.5 liter bladder that fits into the backpack as well.  We use that when we go hiking for any distance.   

All I had for nine months!

That’s it!!  I still get up early to pack when I need to but when you pack less to begin with, the process is much easier.  I’m always very careful to do a good sweep of the rooms where we’ve been staying to make sure I haven’t left anything. I like to be careful about doing this.  So far the only thing I really lost was my hat and gloves on a train.  I somehow left them on the seat.  I tried to get back on the train to retrieve them but everyone else was trying to find their seats.  Greg was already on the platform and I was afraid the train would take off with me on it – so I got off and left my hat and gloves.  Greg had an extra pair of each so I didn’t even have to buy new ones.  He’s nice like that. 

The Samsonite Silhouette hard shell roller bag was a great choice for me.

Like Greg, there was still room in my bag to fit a bottle of wine or two in if need be. I was very happy not to have any more every time we moved from place to place and I really did have too much even though it was just one small suitcase and a backpack.  I left some of the clothes and unused toiletries (nail polish) behind in following years. 

Every time we walk from a train or a plane or a subway station to our destination with our bags, I’m very glad I’m not lugging around more stuff. I sometimes see people hauling giant suitcases around and I’m thankful not to be one of them.

Love my Osprey Tempest backpack as my second bag.

I think the best idea is to begin with a small suitcase (and in our case, a backpack as well) and only pack what fits inside.  It’s amazing what you can do without and if you really need something, you can probably buy it as you travel.  If you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s worth considering how Europeans are able to survive without it.  That gives a whole new meaning to the level of importance we place on our “things.” These tips and examples work for a 2 weeks trip or for 9 months!

One last note on feeling pretty while on the road.  I probably have an unpopular attitude toward this as my first thought on the subject is to simply lower your standards. I got a haircut several times while traveling but you never quite know how things will turn out when you walk into a salon – especially when your language skills are limited (as mine are in Germany or Poland, for sure!) I’ve had great luck with haircuts, – but waited until getting back to the US to get new color/highlights before I started to embrace the grey.  We generally travel on a budget (especially when going for an extended period of time), so I haven’t wanted to spend money on my hair or my nails when travelling. That said, hopefully my new experiences, fresh perspectives and increased knowledge and understandings add to my appearance in a way that I can’t get from beauty treatments. Or maybe I should just keep wearing a hat – you tell me!

Sometimes you can borrow a coat...if you are eating fondue...outside...in Switzerland...in March!

Happy Travels!

Are you planning a trip somewhere in Europe? We can help with that! Remember that we are always available to you and your friends and family for custom trip planning to Italy, France, Ireland, England and all of Europe. Feel free to reach out via email — I'm always available to talk about travel!!

Betsy Ball – Betsy is co-founder and partner of Euro Travel Coach (ETC), which crafts custom European vacations for independent travelers and leads small group trips to Europe. She is a passionate and culturally curious traveler who thoroughly enjoys sharing her love for exploring Europe with ETC clients. Prior to founding ETC, Betsy taught International Business at Tarleton State University in Texas (part of the A&M System) where she led study abroad trips to multiple European countries and other worldwide destinations. She retired from teaching in 2017 and since then, Betsy and her husband, Co-founder and Partner, Greg, have been traveling through Europe multiple times per year for as many as 9 months at a time. She has a degree in hotel, restaurant management from Michigan State University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She also holds a Level 3 certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.