*This post has been revised because I made some grave errors in my packing list and learned the hard way when in Europe. Revisions in italics.*
By now I’ve already written a couple of blogs about packing (and subsequently where I typically fail), but honestly, I’ve got to say that I think I did a pretty good job this time. My issues are that I usually either super over pack, or I super under pack. I can never seem to get just the right amount of clothes into my backpack. Granted, there’s a huge difference between packing for a trek and packing for vacation trip, but the one thing is true for both occasions: you will need less than you think. So, here a rough guide to what I packed for Europe (my clothing choices, at least).
Destinations: Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Krakow, Budapest, Croatia, Istanbul
Duration: 3.5 weeks
Things to keep in mind
- Temperature: You should have no problems with the weather during summer, as it’s typically beautiful summer weather for the most part. If you’re like me and you were born and raised in the hot and humid swamplands, then pack something light to keep you warm during the “chilly” summer nights. Revision: Europe’s weather is absolutely insane. I have experienced blistering heat to absolute downpours to actual hail storms in a matter of minutes within each other. Expect summer weather, but always back a warm sweater and some close toed shoes. Also, an umbrella comes in handy for both sunny and rainy weather.
- Color choices: Neutrals are going to be your best friend. Luckily, they’re already my best friends and I pretty much own only greens, grays, blues, and blacks. These are great color options because they:
- hide stains well
- hide wrinkles well
- can match with almost anything
- can easily be dressed down or dressed up
- won’t draw much attention
- Clothing material: Light weight, flowy tops can roll up easily, won’t take up a lot of space, and are comfortable in almost any weather.
- Local Customs: You’re better off dressing more conservative than not dressing conservation. If you’re traveling through a country where most people dress conservatively, it’s best to make most of your outfits fairly conservative. You don’t want your outfit to scream “tourist” when you’re out and about.
- Be Comfortable: Only pack things you would wear back at home, to school, or while running errands. This seems like a no-brainer, but I sometimes catch myself rolling up that cute summer dress that is a little too tight and definitely not comfortable to be walking and sweating in.
I like making spreadsheets for practically anything. That’s why my packing sheet actually starts on A37, I have two more sheets above it and two sheets to the right of it. Using spreadsheets that I can save to my google drive definitely help me organize everything and gives me access to my sheets even when I’m away from my computer. But, don’t worry if you somehow get it wrong anyways. You can actually survive with much less than you think and when in doubt, theres got to be an H&M somewhere around the corner. Cheers!
gogomaddie 
Great tips!
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