Packing for Europe: 10 Rules of Thumb

Once again, I am preparing for my next trip to

better packing job than in the past. And as I think about this trip, I remember all the trips in the past where I took clothes I never wore and lugged an over-packed bag across Europe. Not this time; I am packing light! Check out my earlier post about what to wear in Europe.

Packing for Europe: Rule 1

Plan ahead. Start a list of what you want to bring and what you need to buy. Pack at least a few days in advance. Packing at the last minute will ensure that you forget something important and pack a bunch of stuff you will never need. Actually I start collecting things about a week in advance, adding and eliminating items as I go.

Packing for Europe: Rule 2

Think neutral. I prefer black clothes for traveling. It is so easy to dress up and dress down with black. Black pants, jacket, and shoes go a long way. Two pair of shoes should do it. One for walking and one for dressing up a little. I think comfortable sandals can be dressy and good for walking. Use scarves and colorful shirts to jazz up your outfits. Just remember that Europe is a little dressier than the US. Skip the cut-offs, jogging outfits and running shoes , and you’ll feel a lot more comfortable.

Packing for Europe: Rule 3

Plastic bags are your friend. Pack underwear and knits in compression bags that remove all the air. You can buy these bags at Packing Light , but I just use regular zipper plastic bags and suck out the air with a straw until it gets very flat. Put your extra pair of shoes in a plastic bag, and always put your travel toiletries case in a plastic bag in case something springs a leak.

Packing for Europe: Rule 4

I always take a little umbrella, just in case. And I no longer take a hair dryer. Practically every hotel has a hair dryer that is minimally effective (but good enough for me) I do carry a curling iron though, and for that I bought a dual voltage model. Many curling irons are dual voltage and my Revlon model was quite inexpensive. I do need a plug adapter though, since the outlets in Europe are quite different than in the US. Which brings me to:

Packing for Europe: Rule 5

Know what electrical equipment you need before you go. Europe is on 220 volts (instead of the US 110 volt service) That means if you plug your electrical appliance into a European outlet with an Adaptor without a Converter, the sparks will fly! You will need these for your computer, camera charger, hairdryer, hair curler shaver and any other electrical appliance brought from the US.
A Converter converts the 220 volts to 110 volts so US appliances will work (without melting) An Adaptor works with the converter to adapt the US Plug to match the European outlet. To complicate matters further, not all European outlets are the same. An outlet in Great Britain is nothing like an outlet in France. For our first trip to Europe, I bought a converter and an adaptor kit that included adaptors for all Western European countries. I still use that kit.

Packing for Europe: Rule 6

Make photocopies of your passport, hotel membership cards and credit cards (with numbers to call if they get lost or stolen) and carry those in a zippered pocket in your suitcase as well as in your carry-on.

Packing for Europe: Rule 7

Don’t pack anything of great value in your checked luggage. Jewelry… leave it home or wear it every day. Cameras and PDA’s need to be in your carry-on.

Packing for Europe: Rule 8

Don’t bring heavy Guidebooks. Print out info from this or other sites and throw it away when you are finished. Pack paperback books and leave them behind when you are finished.

Packing for Europe: Rule 9

Pack light. Take only as much luggage as you can manage on your own. If you are taking trains, you will need to put them on and off the trains yourself. If you are staying in a 3-star hotel and even many4-star hotels, the rooms are quite small by American standards and there is very little space for extra luggage. I repeat, pack light.

Packing for Europe: Rule 10

Check the TSA site to review the rules on what you can carry aboard. (It keeps changing) And when they say that your carry-on liquids need to be in a quart sized zip-lock bag, they mean a quart sized zip-lock bag. When they say bottles must have three ounce or less, don’t push it. They confiscate tons (literally) of stuff every day. And pack some extra underwear in your carry-on… just in case they lose your luggage.