This is my process for choosing clothes to take for a carry-on-only trip. (We’ll be in Europe for 3.5 months—March through June—which means preparing for a pretty wide range of weather.)
Now, when I say I have a “hack,” please don’t interpret that as me not stressing about living out of a carry-on for almost four months. There is stress.
But it will be doable. (I hope…)
I started using this method a few years ago before a trip to Rome with John, and I’ve never looked back.
Ahead of the trip, I put on every outfit I’m considering taking with me and snap a picture of myself wearing them. Then I save the photos in the Notes app on my phone. I do this for a few reasons:
- It helps me figure out what I actually feel good in—what fits well, what’s comfortable, what I can move around in.
- It forces me to mix and match efficiently. No wild floral tops that only work with one pair of pants. Every top and bottom needs to pair with at least one other piece!!!
- It helps me spot gaps. My #1 issue while traveling is getting cold, so if I scroll through and see too many bare arms, I know I need to pivot. I’m a long-sleeve kind of gal.
- Once I’m on vacation, I don’t have to dig through packing cubes trying to remember what I brought. I’ve already “worn” everything.
Speaking of packing cubes: I pack by category. All pants in one cube, all tops in another, and so on.
Some people pack by outfit. I often do this for Indy—top, bottom, socks, and underwear all in one bag. It’s amazing because by the end of the day, his entire outfit is usually dirty and can go straight into the laundry bag as a unit. That said, since we’ll be gone so long and doing laundry regularly, I won’t be packing that way for this trip.
Because I tend to mix and match (for example, wearing the same pants three times with different tops), separating by category works better for me.
For this trip, I’m aiming for four of most things:
- 4 pairs of structured pants (2 jeans, 1 pair of wide-legged capris, 1 polka-dot jumpsuit)
- 4 pairs of exercise pants (1 capri stretch legging, 1 wide-legged yoga pant, 2 lightweight joggers—one black, one blue)
- 4 T-shirts (black—which can double as my PJ shirt—blue, and 2 white)
- 4 long-sleeved tops (including sweaters/sweatshirts) + 1 long-sleeved workout top
- 4 bras (black, nude, and 2 sports bras—one that’s almost like a tankini that can double as a swimsuit top so I don’t have to pack a separate bathing suit, just bottoms)
- 4 (?) lightweight, wrinkle-resistant dresses that pack down to almost nothing (I may only bring 1–2; undecided. But I find dresses the most comfortable in warm weather, and I hate shorts, so I’m bringing zero pairs—aside from bicycle shorts.)
Plus:
- 1 shawl/scarf (primarily as a wearable travel blanket)
- 2 pairs of bicycle shorts (for sleeping, layering under dresses)
- 2 pairs of black tights (for layering under pants or with dresses)
- 1 winter hat
- 1 headband
- 1 baseball cap
- 1 pair of finger gloves
- 1 raincoat
Phew. That’s the system.
I’ll report back on whether all of this actually fits into my luggage. Since we have five nights in Munich before settling into our place in Vienna, I plan to pack the clothes I won’t need until Vienna separately. Ideally, we’ll have a couple of carry-ons that stay packed until we arrive in Austria to make those first few days simpler.
We’ll see how confident I feel when the zippers close.
Okay. It’s your turn.
- Are you a “pack by outfit” person or a “pack by category” person?
- Do you overpack or underpack?
- On a scale of 1–10, how stressed would you be about 3.5 months in a carry-on?
Header photo by Omar Roque on Unsplash
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Your list covers all the bases! And once in Europe, you can always it a thrift store to get something extra. It wouldn’t have to be the best, and you could donate it before you return home.
I overpack most of the time- years of needing stuff for messy kids makes me think I need to have a lot on hand in case of spills, accidents, or other disasters. However, for flying I’d underpack. for a trip to a wedding, I basically brought I outfit and underwear-I went shopping at my destination for something to wear for the ceremony. (I also plan on just borrowing from my sisters at my destination- being similar sized helps!)
I figure I can share some things with Belle (we’re close to the same size for oversized sweaters, for example). And the kids actually both wear the same shoe size! And John and I can wear each other’s shoes in a pinch, too.
Yes to thrifting! And I figure if things wear out when I’m there, I can donate them!
I like the idea of trying everything on first. I definitely agree that you want to be comfortable, for it to fit, and for it to match more than one thing. You already know my style (go commando!), but I only have a small backpack carry on and a small personal item. Like you, it must be useful for more than one thing, and preferably for several. I fully support layering, and re-wearing the same thing several times. I also think that most of the time, you can do laundry about once a week, so I never pack for more than one week’s worth of travel, no matter how long I am going for. I also organize by type. My pack consists of:
1 long pant
1 capri
1 pair shorts
1 pair running shorts
1 rain pant (for hiking/cycling, otherwise this would stay at home)
—
2 solid color short sleeve
4 tank tops (2 are merino, 1 has built in bra)
1 long sleeve (merino)
1 lightweight zip up
1 puffy
1 rain jacket
—
7 underwear
2 socks (merino)
1 sports bra
1 nude bra
—
1 flip flops
1 trail running shoes
—
1 beanie
1 light gloves
1 pashmina (scarf/head or leg covering etc.)
Happy packing!
You are the GOAT of travelling light, my friend!
I have a fairly large carry-on and I bought more compression cubes. One thing I am determined to do is be WARM, so I am focusing on warm things for the most part with a handful of warm-weather items.
I love this idea! I usually pack by outfit when I travel for work, and then for leisure I pack by category. Since I travel often, Im a minimalist packer when travel along and over packer when traveling with the family. I’m much more concerned that family misses things than myself. but we are getting better as kids are older now. they do their own packing (fully independent Sofia and Lizzy I supervise).
please share non-cloth packing method you use. especially shoes which tend to be bulky.
I think I’m only going to take two pairs of shoes (eek). A versatile pair of sneakers and a pair of Chelsea boots. I’ll wear the boots. And I’ll wear my coat on the plane since it’s bulky. I’ll do the same with the kids (Indy will wear Blundstones, Belle her Uggs).
I’ll put socks and underwear inside my sneakers so that helps them keep their shape AND means I don’t lose that space in my luggage.
Taking a photo of every outfit is very organised! Great idea.
The mix-and-match rule is gold. Every piece has to pull its weight or stay home.
My big problem are shoes: running shoes, every day shoes, and Birkenstocks that I use as slippers. I’m irrationally paranoid about my feet touching the floor in hotel rooms /Airbnb places (I know, I could simply wash my feet before I go to bed). Shoes take up so much room!
How do you do it with toiletries? That’s the other annoying bulky item for me.
SHOES TAKE UP SO MUCH SPACE. At this point I think I will only take two pairs of shoes (total) and I’m a bit worried about that. BUT, they have shoe stores in Europe so if I really find I’m missing what I need, I can always purchase something there. That said, where do I store any extra items??
I don’t take much in terms of toiletries. But I will make sure to take some pictures as I pack and I sense another follow-up blog post 🙂
Hello,
I just wanted to let you know, it’s still very cold in Germany. And April is mostly cold and rainy, so summer outfits will be unnecessary Germany/
Austria stretch – pack a Zwiebel 🧅 Look – Onion look, so you can bundle up in cold weather and remove the layers as it gets warmer during the day and during your trip.
Last year, early April I was still wearing my winter jacket and boots with my heavy scarf. By end of April I was wearing long sleeves and jeans without any sweater or jacket.
I don’t think boots will be required, but a couple of thick socks will be good. It warm leggings to wear under dresses. And sneakers with profile.
Also if you have the time, try going to Bodensee/ Insel Mainau – beautiful place!
For Castle Schwanstein – the outside is beautiful- we took the bus to the castle – fairly cheap – and hiked down – but you can also take the horse carriage down. I have heard the inside are not great and it’s not worth the entry fee. I have visited the castle a couple of times and never been inside.
If kids have some kind of student identification, carry that as it can save you discounts on a lot of entries.
In terms of your other post regarding how to
Learn – maybe for the castles / churches you visit, you can make a historical timeline on when it was built and what era the architecture represents.
Hope these tips are helpful.
Thanks,
Thanks so much! Yes, I am bringing gloves, a hat, headband, Chelsea boots (that I can wear bulky, warm socks under), a lined raincoat, AND I think my puffer vest. My #1 issue when I travel is being cold and I am DETERMINED to not let that happen this time. I’m also going to wear a scarf on the plane and think that will be versatile for months in terms of helping me stay warm.
Thanks for the Bodensee/ Insel Mainau recommendation. I looked it up and that might work as a stop on our road trip!!!
Very smart to take those outfit photos, then you can plan what fits with what! I might do something like that the next time I travel!
During March to June, in the countries you’re going to (as far as I remember), don’t expect a lot of warm weather. May and June can be decent in the UK and somewhat in Germany and other places in continental Europe, and obviously Portugal (I don’t remember if you’re still going there) but otherwise you’ll need warm layers and wind/rain-protection. This year most of Europe seems to be stuck in a bad weather cloud and while it’s quite mild here, I’m still in a winter-type jacket because of the wind and rain, and I don’t expect to get out of that until after St Patrick’s day.
I try to pack according to use-cases, expected activities and weather but I’m notorious for either under-packing or over-packing! I’m trying to learn from past lessons. Everything needs to fit more than one category. I generally go for training clothes a lot, because things like performance tops are such good layers that are lightweight and don’t take a lot of space in the bag, and there are good items that don’t look too “for-the-gym-only”. I pair those tops with pants that aren’t jeans (because I think jeans takes too much space and weight), or at most 1 pair of jeans, and add something appropriate for sporty activities if that’s the plan but those clothes are usually very lightweight. It’s always harder when you have to accommodate several types of weathers! Rain jackets are usually so bulky so I’d go for a Stormtech-type jacket that can be used for anything outdoorsy in cooler weather, not only rain (but they are perfect for rain and wind), and maybe an ultra-light rain jacket for warmer weather.
I could never travel with carry-on only (because of camera gear, special food needs etc). I’m very impressed, and will also be impressed if you get all that into your carry-on! You can always buy something if you need to and send it by post back home.
Nope. I’m expecting it to be quite cool (and probably rainy, unfortunately!!).
We’re not going to Portugal after all 🙁
And yes to remembering that I can buy things there! They have clothes, toiletries, and shoes in Europe, too 🙂
I’m always amazed at how few outfits I need when I travel. My “system” is a pair of jeans, 2-4 tops, comfy shirt/leggings for lounging, workout clothes optional depending on the trip. It gets a bit more tricky when the weather is “in between” and I have to think about both long sleeved and short sleeved shirts, and shorts/sandals.
I think that my stress level at packing for a 3.5 month trip would be pretty low. My excitement at getting to live vicariously through you on this trip: off the charts!!! IT’S HAPPENING!!!!
My stress levels are… all over the place. One minute I’m insanely excited and the next I’m more like: WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE DOING??? WE’RE GOING TO GO STIR CRAZY SPENDING THIS MUCH TIME WITH EACH OTHER IN LITTLE AIRBNB’s. I’m jealous of your relentless enthusiasm and expect some frantic texts from me in Europe when my stress levels are maxed out 🙂
YOU KNOW I AM HERE FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
I love love love the challenge of packing for carryon only but I have to say I’m having secondhand stress for you because of all the weather fluctuations. It would be so much easier if you were just packing for winter or summer. But! That said I think you have a good method. I like how you’re taking all the photos of outfits, I am here for this fashion show and now I want to do that myself. Not that I’m going anywhere but still. Since I basically wear all black it’s super easy to mix and match. Everything matches! I agree, you never want to pack something that ONLY goes with one other thing. Shoes are the big thing when there is a lot of weather fluctuation. They take up so much space! But I’m sure you’ll figure it all out. Eeeee this is so exciting and wow I love clothes.
THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE STRESS. I think, for the most part, my focus is being warm. There will be some summery days, but mostly they will be cool and damp. So I am packing A LOT of long-sleeved tops which, if I’m being honest, is what I wear 90% of the time year-round in Canada.
I love your enthusiasm for clothes! And makeup! And hair! And exercise! Okay, I just like your enthusiasm for life… 🙂
Oh and I got excited, hit comment too soon. I also organize my packing cubes by type: all shirts, all pants, etc. Skirts go with pants and then pajamas go with socks and underwear. It’s the easiest way to organize IMO.
Yup. That’s how I do it, too!!!
You have a well-thought out system here! LIke Catrina, my stumbling block is often shoes. I want running shoes (to run in) plus older running shoes (to walk around in every day) plus something nicer, if I’m going to need it. Shoes take up space!
I think you’re going to do just fine. If worst comes to worst you could always buy something there, and that could double as a souvenir from the trip. I can’t wait to hear how this all works out!
Shoes are the worst. At this point I am planning to take one pair of black Chelsea boots and one pair of versatile sneakers… but I would LOVE to take my Nike Zoom X’s for longer walks and running (who am I kidding; if I haven’t been running in Canada, will I actually run in Europe??)
But yes, I need to keep my mind open to BUYING things there. For example, if I really have the urge to run, I’m pretty sure they sell running shoes in Austria 🙂
Wow! All in a carry on. This sounds like an amazing feat! Love the polka-dot outfit.
I know… it’s A LOT to cram into a carry-on. Are you a betting woman?? What are my odds, ha.
Look, I’m an overpacker and I don’t completely understand why you are not bringing at least one suitcase for your family. That feels like it would ease a lot of the stress. But then again, I would never call myself frugal and I would want to pack all my makeup and haircare products and I’d definitely need more workout clothes than you are packing. *shrug* This seems SO STRESSFUL to me and I wouldn’t want that stress. But if it works for you, that’s awesome.
The main issue with taking a large suitcase is all the hassle of transferring it places. We’re going to be taking trains, planes, and automobiles (literally) and having a bigger bag really impacts the ease of movement. If we were just going to a single place we would DEFINITELY take checked bags, but we’re going to visit something like 15 countries total, so that means schlepping each and every thing we take with us which is… not fun.
It is causing me stress but not an insane amount of stress. It will all work out. RIGHT???!!!
I would be seriously stressed.
Looking at your list, I’d advise ditching the polka-dot jumpsuit, because it is not versatile. Toss in a black skirt instead, because it will go with every top, and it will have less fabric.
Or, if things don’t fit right, just ditch the jumpsuit. I hate those things—have to get almost completely undressed to use the facilities. Besides, you can’t make an outfit or do a mix/match with a jumpsuit. (I get bored with outfits and love to switch/swap tops and bottoms.)
The main packing-for-travel problem (I’ve read and witnessed) is that people bring too few tops and too many bottoms. (Tops need washing more often than bottoms.)
Being able to only wear Crocs or some sandals comfortably has certainly simplified my footwear (talk about an Ugly American. . . yikes!) But those boots will take up so much room that I guess any time you are in travel-mode, you’ll be wearing them.
I think I am going to ditch the jumpsuit; it’s cute, but not as easy to wear AND it looks best with a belt which is yet another thing to bring. I have a black skirt and debated bringing it…but not 100% sure. I don’t think I’ll use dresses/skirts that often.
Yes! I will definitely be wearing the boots for each airplane. But, that’s not *that* often. For things like trains we can always bring an extra bag with overflow, so it’s just for the airplane transport where things REALLY need to fit extremely neatly and compactly.
I am an inefficient over packer and can’t imagine trying to get everything into a carry on. However, you’ll be so much more mobile that way, which will be really nice. I love the fashion show! You look so cute in everything!
Yes, definitely more mobile. And, if I’m being honest with myself, I mostly wear the same 4-5 outfits on repeat at home, so it’s not like I typically have a lot of variety in my wardrobe 😉
I am an overpacker. I try not to be, but I am. That said, I can usually pack a capsule wardrobe – I have one skirt that goes with almost all my tops, and then I mainly pack dresses. Then I panic and throw in a bunch more stuff. I love that dark red/pink dress, you should definitely bring that. I love packing cubes – I pack by clothing type, not outfit. Before packing cubes I was always digging through my suitcase for bras or underwear.
YES to the last minute panic of wanting to throw in ALL THE THINGS.
I love packing by type; I find it so much easier to keep things organized and to make outfits on the go. This trip is a bit different because we’ll have 3 1-month stints, so I will likely unpack everything in a way I don’t for shorter stays. I think that will be nice!
I love this! you are so good at packing! I am a terrible overpacker. I always panic and put things in at the end. For France I had a pretty OK packing list, and then I thought “I should bring leggings!” and I chucked in 2 pairs of legging which I didn’t wear, and a sports bra, and I forgot my swimsuit (even though the house had a hot tub).
I think I need to improve my “casual put together” look for holidays – I took notes on what airport people wore and scarfs made everyone look more put together. ALso, dresses. I think you nailed european packing!
I definitely panic at the end, too!
I am taking a scarf!! I don’t generally wear scarves, but I think having one to keep me warm on the plane will be lovely AND it can “jazz” up an outfit. I’m just taking a black scarf, I think… though maybe I should toss in a white one?
You are amazing! I would always bet on you!
Aww. High praise <3
I have a set of clothes that I normally reach for whenever we travel. The weight restrictions for flying to and from Australia are strict so I need to be pretty selective. When we went to the US/Germany the temperatures varied from 0-27C so we needed a range of clothes, but I still got it in my 7kg weight allowance so I have no doubt that you will be fine. Going for three months will not require more clothes than one month, although I guess there is the problem of possibly getting bored, but maybe a visit to the thrift shop can alleviate that problem. My packing cube is a big, double-sided one (large rectangular with two packing cubes that share the middle wall), so I just roll my clothes and slide them next to each other. When I arrive, I just pull out the packing cube, and I can easily pick out what I need because the clothes are all rolled and sitting next to each other. I just need to remember which side I packed them in .
Yes to packing being about the same for longer trips! I need the same amount of stuff that I took for our 9-day trip to Paris last year and then we’ll just do laundry!
I love packing cubes, and I do as you do, by category.
Ok, I was starting to panic that you were packing your entire 3.5 months in ONE carryon. This is not the case, right? Please tell me this isn’t the case!
You are very smart doing the try-on/photos ahead of time–brilliant!
We are EACH taking a carry on, and we’ll each have a backpack, too.