How to Pack for 2 Weeks in Europe
I have been asked many times to do a post on packing for getaways big and small. After the response from my post about London and only taking a carry-on suitcase and a small tote, friends have been requesting a post on how to organize yourself for packing for two weeks abroad. It is actually a secret passion of mine. I try as often as possible to pack myself in carry-on only mode. Most often it works just perfectly. We even had each of our children in their own carry-on {read: carry it yourself}. I found that upon our return, I missed it. The simplicity. My continuing quest to live with fewer better things.
The goal for this trip was to keep cool while traveling in Europe in July and not looking like a slob. Below I put together every item I packed with me for our latest adventure. Some of the items are older in which case I could no longer find them for sale online, but I included an image so you can get the idea of how things paired with each other. Lucky for me, I pretty much wear a combo of white, navy, black or gray all the time so mixing and matching was a cinch!
Shoes are usually the thing that trips most people up when packing for any type of trip. For this trip, I knew that working out or going for a run was unlikely which made it easy to keep those clunky running shoes home. I couldn’t picture myself going for a run in Venice with the crowds and limited space along the canals! And wasn’t going to lug my running shoes half way around the word for the potential of one run. I also opted not to bring heels. We were walking all day every day, often not returning to our hotel until late at night. I always felt dressed appropriately for any occasion.
It’s obviously a lot easier to pack light in the summer months. My clothes are lighter, smaller and fold up much more compactly than a chunky sweater or leather jacket. Sundresses can double as beach cover-ups and blouses can be dressed up with the addition of a pretty necklace. Even a cotton tank turns into a cute little number when you pair it with just the right scarf. Make-up was kept to a minimum, which is pretty normal for me any way. I use Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer with SPF20, ColoreScience Powder Sunscreen, Clinique mascara, and Sephora lip gloss. Done. Be sure you consider having a cardie or scarf to cover shoulders in churches too. My little satchel was just the right size for my camera, some money, a lip gloss, a book, a map, a cardie, and even a small water bottle. Just don’t tell anyone that it is technically a “man-bag” and we will be all good! TSA restrictions can make packing for two weeks in a carry-on with toiletries a little tricky. I used one of the clear bags below for shampoo, conditioner, lotion and face cleanser. And that my friends is all she wrote.
Here are the details on each item and where you can find them:
2 Pairs of Jeans
1 Nicer Outfit
Parker Ladder Back Blouse
1 Pair of Shorts
GAP
4 Blouses
5 dresses
Madewell Blue Striped Tank Dress
Madewell White Embroidered Shift Dress
2 white tanks
1 cardigan
1 Pullover Sweater
Joie Blue and White Striped Sweater
1 Scarf
jcrew
1 Swimsuit
1 Pair of Cover-up Pants and a Tee
3 Bralettes + 1 Convertible Bra
Bralette
14 Pairs of Intimates
1 Pair of Sweats + 2 Tanks for Sleeping
2 Pairs of Sandals + 1 Pair of Flip Flops
In My Tote Bag
Cosmetic Bag
Lip gloss, Sunscreen, Moisturizer, Mascara
iPad mini
Passport
TSA approved toiletry bags
Laptop
iPhone
All Travel Light posts can be found here. I’ve also included some of my favorite Travel Light Essentials in The Simple Proof Shop. Happy light travels!
Love your packing list and approach! If I didn’t live so so close I might just replicate it exactly. 😉
Your packing list is everything. I am headed to Europe with my daughter for 10 days and wondered how I was going to fit things in a carry on. Thank you!
Hi! Thank you, I hope you have a fantastic trip. You will be glad you packed light.
The packing list is great! But I am curious, did you pack a travel adaptor for you laptop and cellphone? If so, what type? Thank you!!!!
Hi! Yes, I do use a power converter for travel to Europe. Different countries require different converters and adapters. A quick search on amazon should help you find a good one (mine is decades old.)
How many times could you wear the white jeans? Did they look okay on the second day?
Hi Beth! That’s a legit question, especially when traveling with my kids! Ha! I found myself saving them for evenings out and not wearing the whole day which extended their wearability. happy travels!
I am leaving in 2 days, very unexpected last minute trip. Do you suggest putting suitcase in suitcase a good idea? How often do the airlines loose luggage? And I don’t have health insurance, is there anything you would suggest?
Hi Maggie, sorry I missed this before your trip. Not sure what you mean by putting a suitcase in a suitcase. I personally only take carry-on whenever possible. Have a safe trip!
do i put all my toiletry in my tote bag
Hi June! I have done both depending on how long a haul flight it is. Overnight flights I tend to carry toiletries in my tote. Traveling light makes all the difference is ease of travel!
Thank you, this is wonderfully helpful!
You are very welcome! Hoping to write an update to this post. Check back soon.
I had no idea that it was even possible to fit 2 weeks worth of clothing into a carry on bag. Going to Europe can be very exciting, but it may be a good idea to try and not look like a tourist. A great way to do this could be by purchasing European style dresses to help you blend in with the crowd.
I can’t seem to find a link to what carry on bag you used to fit all of this into? Do you have a link or brand name or sizes on that?
Hi! Thank you for your comment. I’m sorry I did not include that in the post. It is a standard sized rolling carry-on suitcase that fits in overhead compartments. Mine happens to be made by Columbia. I also use a tote for my laptop, travel docs, toiletries, etc as mentioned in the post. Hope that helps, Happy travels!!