Packing Light for Extended Fall Travel in European Cities
I started the packing list for our September trip in February. If you know me, this shouldn’t surprise you. One of the first words that many people use to describe me is organized. I take pride in being a planner and it comes naturally. Present-Time Alison is always thinking about making life easier for Future Alison (and Ben). Besides, studies show that building anticipation for something can actually bring as much or more enjoyment than the thing itself.
After reading an excess of travel blogs, here are the 5 C’s of Packing Light we kept in mind. They’re mostly things I already knew about traveling as light as possible, but needed to hear again.
We each brought a work outfit: a flannel (exception to the solid colors rule), pants that can get dirty or worn, and boots that can be dressed up or mucked up. Photo by Ben Travis
1. Capsule wardrobe. We’ll mix and match the smallest possible number of pieces that are cohesive or neutral in color. Every article of clothing, shoe, and accessory will be versatile enough to combine into countless outfits. My existing closet is already pretty minimal and low-maintenance, with a limited color scheme. Almost everything I’m bringing is black, gray, or blue, and solid-colored. Nothing is hand-wash, dry-clean, delicate, expensive, or quick to wrinkle.
2. Combine in layers. This will allow us to keep our loads light but also dress for a variety of temperatures. Merino wool is the best lightweight but warm fabric - no chunky knit sweaters or puffy parkas here. Read more about how we’re planning to follow mild weather through Europe to start. The tentative plan is to stay in a perpetual autumn range of about 50-70°F (10-21°C) until Christmas. Then, we'll stick out a week of true winter with Ben’s family in Germany. No need to bring a heavy coat for just a few days! Next, we’ll continue on to summer in the southern hemisphere in January.
3. Compress and condense. If you haven’t heard of packing cubes, they’re a game changer! I usually use regular mesh ones and roll my clothing to stay organized and squeeze more in. For this long trip, we upgraded to compression cubes that zip down even further to fit all that we want to bring. We stuff socks inside shoes, decant toiletries into 3 oz. bottles, and squeeze dollops into empty contact lens cases. And while technical outdoor or performance fabrics are often recommended for long-term trips, we want to live like locals instead of look like backpackers. So, we packed our favorite casual everyday clothes.
We’re each bringing just one backpack and one carry-on duffel. This is it! Photo by Alison Travis
4. Carry-on only. This is a non-negotiable for many full-time travelers. It saves money, time, and hassle. Ben and I have already done this for the past decade. We’re each bringing a regular backpack as our personal item. Ben has a thin nylon duffel as his baggage and I’m using a light-weight wheeled duffel. I researched for days about switching to a roller for the first time. Once I found a highly-rated bag that was rugged, soft-sided, international carry-on size, and barely 4 lb. empty, I made the investment in my back and shoulders. On travel days we’ll wear our bulkiest clothes and shoes and load jacket pockets up. Some budget carriers have very strict weight limits, but we’ll do our best!
5. Contingency-free. It’s a challenge to not bring “options” or just-in-case items. At home, I aspire to be a balance of minimalist and always prepared. However, I’ve gotten into the habit of reviewing my packing lists after trips and crossing off things I didn’t use. This has helped me optimize over the years. One tip I came across: lay out what you think you need, then take half of that. I cut down my original list from February about that much in the months leading up to our departure. Besides, we’re not going anywhere remote, so we can buy anything we really need. In this situation it’d be better to do without, rather than bring unnecessary items. Read more about our tech and gear for this sabbatical.
Maybe you’re like me and find joy in others’ mundane travel logistics. If so, my top two minimal packing blogs are Travel Fashion Girl and Her Packing List, and below are our lists for 4 months in European fall. This is way more than ultralight travelers would take, but we aim to be comfortable and focus on slow travel and cultural immersion. We’re also staying in cities and villages - not beaches or forests. We may have to adjust as we get on the road - I look forward to learning and updating!
Alison (4 months of European city living in 50-70°F daytime weather)
By the canals in Hamburg - I’m glad I brought a lot of layers, accessories, and two great jackets, because it was misty and chilly! Photo by Ben Travis
8 tops, mix of long- and short-sleeve
3 sweaters
1 dress and 1 skirt
3 pants/jeans
2 tights and 2 leggings (great to layer underneath pants in colder weather)
8 pairs of socks of varying weights
1 work outfit that can get dirty during work exchanges
1 pajama/lounging outfit
Cold-weather accessories: 2 beanies, 1 headband, 1 pair gloves
2 scarves
1 bathing suit
1 purse (black cross-body that’s light, water-resistant, and just big enough for a camera and water bottle)
2 jackets (1 light-weight windbreaker and 1 thin insulated down jacket)
3 pairs of shoes (ankle boots, sneakers, flats) plus fold-up soft jazz dance shoes (who knows where/when salsa could happen?! We’ve stumbled upon it before internationally!)
Ben (4 months of European city living in 50-70°F daytime weather)
Ben enjoying a herring roll, traditional to Northern Germany. His favorite beanie and hoodie made the cut. Photo by Alison Travis
8 tops, mix of long- and short-sleeve
2 sweaters/hoodies
3 pants/jeans
8 pairs of socks of varying weights
1 work outfit that can get dirty during work exchanges
1 outfit for pajamas, lounging, or working out
Thermal under-layer bottoms
Swim trunks
Cold-weather accessories (2 beanies, 1 scarf, 1 pair gloves) and 1 belt
2 jackets (1 light-weight, 1 mid-weight)
2 pairs of shoes (boots and sneakers)
And that’s it! Will we get sick of things after 7 months? Probably. Will we swap out or pick up more? Perhaps!