The secret to pack for six weeks is planning your outfits ahead of time before you even think about packing.
Should you take carry on only or check a bag? That’s up to you. Personally … unless it’s a long weekend it’s a no to carry on only.
Traveling for 2-6 weeks calls for a carry on plus a checked bag, because I feel more comfortable with options and I may want to bring home souvenirs!
You may be able to get away with packing light. But again it’s up to you. Let’s get started!
How to Pack for Six Weeks in Europe
Step 1: What Size Bag toTake?
- Staying in one location and renting a car? If you’re booked into a short term rental or house sit and have a car, take one large suitcase and one carry on. You can use the carry on for short weekend trips from your rental.
- Traveling between multiple hotels or by train? I recommend you use a medium suitcase with a small shoulder tote bag or backpack.
- Traveling by train? Use a small to medium suitcase like a soft sided luggage with pockets. Long distance trains have dedicated luggage space but city to city trains may only have overhead space which doesn’t accommodate larger suitcases. You’ll end up standing, holding or watching your bags.
- Must have? Always take a backpack or small duffel for easy access to daily stuff like laptop, passport and phone on weekend and day trips
My recommendation?
For most trips I’ll use a medium size roller bag (25-26″) plus a backpack or small duffel that fits under the seat. The medium size bag gets checked in and I’ll carry on my backpack or personal item bag. Yes, you have to wait for the baggage carousel but to me, it’s worth it!
Step 2: Choose What to Wear
- Pull everything out of your closet you’re thinking of packing
- Decide on THREE main coordinating colors such as blue, green and white for example
- For each bottom (pants or skirt) pick THREE coordinating tops
- The goal is to make THREE outfits with each bottom piece.
- If you can’t make a least THREE outfits from a pair of pants or a skirt, leave it at home.
- Do this in daylight to see if colors work together!
- Only take if it works with 3 other pieces, is comfortable and you’ve worn in it in the last year
My recommendation?
Don’t forget to pack a few warmer layers in case the weather turns chilly or rainy because it can – even in August – especially in the UK! I like a wool poncho or large scarf and something to snuggle in back at the hotel. In a pinch, I’ll pack my lightweight down vest/gilet from Uniqlo.
Step 3: Add Extras to Outfits
Once you’ve gone through your closet you should ideally have 9 color coordinated outfits (with 4-6 tops and 3-4 bottoms)
Add these extras
- 1 or 2 dresses
- 2 -3 pairs of shoes or sandals
- a lightweight coat
- a lightweight poncho
- 1-2 sweaters or hoodies
- 7 days of undies | bra | hose
- 3-4 pair socks
- 1-2 lightweight scarves
- straw fedora & baseball hat for bad hair or windy days
Step 4: Pack for Makeup & Hair
- Carry on size toiletries
- Travel makeup
- Travel hairdryer (dual voltage)
- Brush | Comb | Rollers or curling iron
- Small travel mirror
Most hotels supply hairdryers, so you can skip packing one unless you’re picky. Most European bathrooms won’t have electric outlets so I suggest packing a small travel mirror so you can put on makeup or style your hair anywhere in the room.
Step 5: Pack for Comfort
- Pillow – small 12 x 16 “baby pillow”
- Lightweight robe or caftan
- Slipper or flip flops for room or to the pool
- Poncho for warmth on plane or as a quick wrap
Step 6: Pack Your Technology
- Camera
- Phone | Phone Charger
- Kindle | Charger
- Laptop or Tablet | Charger
- Travel Converter | Adapter
I usually travel with a tablet for email and researching. But sometimes I’ll take my Macbook Air if I’ll be working too.
UK & European Charging
- Most electronics such as laptops and phones are dual voltage, meaning they adapt on demand to use either 110 (US) OR 220 (UK) voltage. Amazon doesn’t state on its product page whether Kindle is dual voltage. I charge mine using a USB port and haven’t had any problem.
- However to charge your phone, tablet etc you’ll still need an adapter plug – this adapts your US plug to the UK/EU wall socket. The UK and Europe use different size plugs, so you’ll need both a UK and EU adapter depending on where you’re traveling.
- Most electronics with USB connectors can be charged at wall mounted USB ports found in some hotels, on trains or buses. But take a dedicated plug with multiple USB ports to be prepared.
- If you aren’t sure if your device is dual voltage, you’ll need a converter. A converter converts one voltage to another, for example 110v (US) to 220v (UK). You’ll still need the plug adapter. This converter worked well for travel in Europe although it’s a little bulky to pack.
Have you booked your accommodation yet?
I’ve started using Booking.com because I like being able to book anything from a hotel to an Airbnb type rental without paying upfront to reserve it! Just use the filter “Free Cancellation” when searching.
PACKING BOTTOM LINE:
When I travel I want a certain degree of comfort. It’s fun to buy clothes once you’ve reached your destination, but technology is harder to replace. I pack essentials like tech or toiletries that may not be easy to replace or sourced locally. It’s amazing how hard it can be to find what you want in a different language!
I recently traveled to Portugal in the winter and was unprepared for how warm it was and I had to buy some warm weather pieces (and discovered a great designer outlet mall near Faro!)
For more of my favorite travel and outfit resources get them here!
For some unusual packing hacks watch this video.