How to Pack for a Solo Eurotrip

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These are my top tips & tricks to help you learn how to pack for a solo Eurotrip, properly and efficiently.

One of the most important aspects of traveling is packing. It may sound silly, but the way and what you pack can impact the whole trip. It all takes up space, and you have to drag it around from place to place. So if you take something you don’t really need, but don’t want to get rid of… You’ll have to hold onto it for the whole time, and it will take up space, when you’re probably already limited. Or if you don’t pack in a methodical way, you might need to take the whole thing apart to just get one thing out. So do yourself a favor and take this worry off the table (because traveling solo can be stressful enough) and learn how to pack properly for your next solo Eurotrip.

Know the season

I thought this was fairly straight forward, look up “Vienna weather in September”, look at the weather app, and there you have it. But as I’ve discovered (once I arrived in Vienna), that it’s not actually that simple. You need to make sure you understand the weather, so you don’t pack the wrong things (and end up buying more when you’re there). Or pack things you don’t actually need. I thought it would be Autumn weather, and so that’s what I packed for, and ended up missing the mark.

So make sure to first of all understand the weather in the destination you’re flying to and pack accordingly. Especially since you’re likely limited with luggage space, and have to be very precise with what you bring with you. Which is also what I like to pack as last minute as possible. So I can see the current weather and know what I need.

My recommendations:

Looking up “what to wear” according to the weather temperature in the forecast.
Joining Facebook groups and posting a question.
Check the temperature, then look up what to wear in that specific weather temperature.

Before you pack

As I’ve mentioned before, I like to prepare a proper packing list before I start my packing process. This helps feeling prepared and making sure you haven’t missed anything. Once I have my packing list, I like to spread everything out on my bed, and I mean EVERYTHING. I start with the most I think I need, then once it’s laid out on my bed… I skim it down and put back whatever I don’t really need, and what I have too much of.

After I do that, I make sure to try on everything, so I know it still fits properly. Especially if you haven’t worn them in a while. For me, it was summer when I flew, so I haven’t worn my long jeans in a while. So I had to make sure they still fit properly and are comfortable enough to take with me. Because it can be quite frustrating to get to your destination and discover that something doesn’t fit right.

My recommendations:

Make a list, while checking your wardrobe.
Spread it out on the bed before you pack – then do some filtering.
Try everything on to make sure it fits.
Make sure it’s clean and doesn’t need to be washed.

Pack light – what to pack

Whether you’re traveling for a weekend, a week, a month or even more – packing light is key. If you’re traveling for a short time, there’s no need for so much. And also if you’re going for longer, you don’t really need much more. Over-packing is a nuance for many different reasons… It’s usually very heavy and bulky, which makes it hard to move and transfer from place to place. Especially if you’re planning to change accommodations or travel to different places… It’s just going to make everything so much more difficult, and will probably take much longer. Not to mention, more expensive – as you usually need to pay more for more luggage on flights. When you pack light, however, it’s much simpler to get around and you take up less space. You also don’t need to worry if you’re in a public space and need to use the toilet, etc.

I like to pack for about 4-5 days, and if I’m going for longer I can always do laundry. Depending on the season, that converts to – one shirt / sweater a day, and one pair of trousers per two days. One set of socks for each day, and at least on knickers a day (if not more). I usually take one set of pajamas (if it’s summer you can take two, as you can get sweatier, and they’re usually smaller). I like to take an extra pair of sweats as a substitute for PJ’s and for cozy evenings. My usual rule is – essentials only, anything more is just going to weigh you down.

My recommendations:

Be very stingy with what you take with you – you can always do laundry at a cheap laundromat.
Only pack essentials – and no “extras” and “just in case’s”.
Be very strict and stingy with what you take with you.

Pack right – how to pack

Over the years I’ve become something of a pro in packing, and I learned the hard way that packing right is essential. When you pack right, you not only have more space for more things, but it will also be much easier to open and access the bag and things in it. You will also be less stressed, as it won’t be as hard to close up your bags, or bulky and hard to carry. When you pack the right way,

When I pack, I put all my work essentials, travel documents, and anything else I need at reach and easy access, in my backpack. If I have any liquids, I also put them in my backpack in one small back all together… So if I need to take them out at the security check, it makes it much easier. In both bags, I like to prioritise. Things that I’m less likely to need at reach go in the bottom, and things I’ll need most at the top. Underwear and socks I like to put in last and “fill holes” with. Being tidy and organised is also important, because when you fold everything up properly, they take less space. I also like to wrap things up in plastic bags… First, because they act as “compartments” and make things easier to access. And second, because they cause a “vacuum effect”, which takes up less space.

My recommendations:

Take your time to pack properly and don’t rush it.
Also, don’t just shove it all in – make sure to fold it all and put it in neatly.
You can separate outfits in plastic bags.