When does packing for a multi-week adventure converge with packing for a multi-year one? I guess it comes down to packing for all seasons vs a specific season.
Please note that my husband will be bringing much less than this!
Clothing
Here’s my first attempt at minimizing the clothing and shoes that I’ll be bringing. I polled a few friends and the consensus was that it felt like what they pack for a multi-week trip. Hahaha!
Shoes
I need to prioritize shoes because my feet are a challenge (foot pain issues & size).
- Athletic Shoes: everyday & waterproof
- Sandals: light & dark (will be adding a black sandal too)
- Slippers: my Uggs are worn out so I’m bringing these New Balance clogs
- Water-friendly: I don’t plan to be hiking in water, so these Birkenstock dupes are perfect for the beach
- Everyday shoes: I show the Taos high tops, and chose them to provide stability on cobblestones. Probably need to add in another everyday shoe.
Activewear
I’m expecting to be doing some moderate hiking and joining exercise classes.
- Bottoms: Long, capris, short (hiking bottoms, exercise tights)
- Tops: 4 tanks, 4 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve zip up hoodie
- Accessories: 2 hats, thin earmuffs, thin gloves, sunglasses
- Jackets: rain, light, heavy
Colder Weather
My strategy is layering, so these items plus items I list in other sections.
- 2 leggings
- 2 long sleeve shirts
- 2 cardigans (1 short, 1 long)
- 1 hoodie
Everyday Items
The weather is mild, so I include my warmer weather items here.
- Shorts: 5-6 pairs
- Tops: 6 sleeveless, 6 short sleeve, 3 layering tank tops, light long sleeve shirt / jacket
- Dresses & Skirts: 1 maxi, 1 midi, 2 short, 2 maxi skirts, 2 dressier dresses
- Bottoms: 2 long pants (white & black floral), 3 jogger style pants that I live in currently, 2 rompers
- Undergarments, socks, pajamas
Everything Else
Personal Items
By personal items, I referring to toiletries, medicines, grooming section. And I plan to bring very little — travel toothpaste & toothbrush, nail clippers, my favorite comb, brush & hair ties, medications I might need. Soaps, lotions, makeup, sunscreen, and hair dryer will all be purchased when I arrive.
This fits in a gallon-size bag at the moment. And most will be in the checked luggage.
Bedding
I’ll purchase bed linens there, but I am going to try to fit in my favorite blankets (2) and favorite pillows (2). I hope they compress down to nothing.
Electronics
We each will bringing our phones and our MacBooks. Here’s the list
- iPhones (2)
- MacBooks (2)
- Earbuds (2)
- Apple Watch (1)
- Universal power adapters (2)
- USB cables
Hobbies
I plan to bring my Portugual books which include historical and travel. I will bring 2-3 journals (if you know me, then you know this means I’m leaving behind a lot of journals haha).
I’ll be bringing two paint-by-number kits because they are small and will bridge until I can find art classes (I have already scoped out the art store in town).
Mementos
I’ll bring a couple photos to put out in the living room, and will bring a couple really small photo albums.
What did I miss?
I am sure I’m missing some obvious stuff. And my plan in the weeks leading up to my departure is is to jot down the items I use.
Putting it all together
We plan to use duffle-style heavy duty moving bags as our checked luggage, and a backpack as our carryon.
Carryon
Our carry on will have our electronics and items we really don’t want to lose.
Checked Bags
We plan to use vacuum compression bags to maximize what we can fit inside.
- AirTag – we will have an AirTag in each duffle.
- Inventory – I’ll take a photo and make a written inventory of what goes into each compression bag.
- Identification – I’ll put our name & address inside each compression bag, and I’ll also put an inventory list in there too.
What we bought on Amazon
Here’s a list of items. These links are affiliate links which mean I may get commission at no cost you:
