24 weeks, one backpack.

Here is an organized list of everything that I have decided to bring with me on my trip. Let me tell you now, as someone who usually brings half her closet traveling, this was quite difficult. Prior to packing, I read a lot of other travel blogs about the do’s and don’ts of packing (My favorite is from a website called The Savvy Backpacker). It was difficult for me to find blogs written by female travelers who didn’t bring a whole wardrobe with them. So I did my best to mash up fashion and comfort, while also limiting the amount of unnecessary weight in my bag.

THE BAGS:

My main bag is an Osprey ATMOS AG™ 65. Which gives me good back support, while also being a compactable and comfortable amount of space.

I am also bringing a small day bag. I plan to use this to hold a water bottle, fleece, umbrella, laptop, and anything else small for day to day adventures! 

THE UNDERGARMENTS:

x2 Bras: I brought one normal black bra. As well as a lace bandeau bra, which is comfortable and good for layering.

Sports Bra: I plan to do a lot of yoga, running, and hiking while traveling. I chose to bring something with style and good support.

x3 Wool Socks: Darn tough socks are my favorite, they are warm without being too bulky.

x4 Lightweight socks: I couldn’t decide how many pairs to bring (because you can never have to0 many pairs of socks), but I figured I could ditch a pair or two if it was too much.

x5 Underwear: I ended up biting the bullet and spending the extra money on Exofficio underwear. They are lightweight and breathable, and are supposed to feel ‘clean’ after multiple wears. I am bringing three pairs of the exofficio and two pairs of cotton underwear (which again, I may or may not ditch after the first couple weeks).

THE TOPS:

x2 Short Sleeve: One gray and one black, both simple.

x2 Long Sleeve: One black and one green, again both simple.

Sweater: This is a simple gray sweater I bought from H&M and couple of years ago. It layers nicely, and also looks good solo. Not the warmest but it is lighter.

Long Cardigan: Simple and cute, makes for good layering.

Long Button Down: Dark gray, this looks cute over anything. I wanted a lot of versatile clothing to make it easier to create outfits with little options.

Under Tank Top: Again, it is all about the layers! This works well under low cut shirts, or by itself in warmer weather.

Simple Dress: A loaner dress from a friend (thanks Meg!) It’s black and light as a feather, perfect for nights out or days where I want to feel a little nicer.

THE BOTTOMS:

Jeans: One pair. I picked dark wash (I tend to spill a lot) jeggings. They are comfortable, stretchy, and look cute with anything.

x2 Pairs Leggings: I was going to stick with only one pair but I couldn’t help myself. I chose to bring athletic leggings because they are warm and not see through.

Gym Shorts: I want to do a lot of physical activity while traveling so I packed one pair. Good for yoga and warm hikes!

Jean Shorts: I am a big fan of layering shorts over tights. I adore the funky style, and the variety of wear. I also love these shorts, and will be happy to not have to buy a pair when the weather gets warmer.

Tights: Good for underneath my dress, skirt, and shorts. They also don’t take up much room.

Skirt: I chose to bring a black pencil skirt. It layers good with all the shirts I have, and will be nice for warmer days. As well as days when I want to feel more dressed up. I figured if I don’t get much wear out of it I could ditch it.

THE TOILETRIES:

Bag: I am bringing a folding/hanging tolitery bag. It has multiple compartments and holds everything in a compact way.

ToothBrush and Travel Toothpaste: I can always buy more!

Soap: I packed two bars of Dr. Bronners pure-castile soap. It works as shampoo, face wash, and body wash.

Lotion: A small travel size bottle of face lotion.

Detergent: Two words, wilderness wash. This is super concentrated soap for washing my clothes.

Clothes Line/Sink Stopper: I plan to wash my clothes in sinks the majority of the time.

Towel: I packed two PackTowels, which are light and dry quickly. I have a big one, and a small face one.

Deodorant: I love Toms products, so I packed two sticks. 🙂

First Aid: Nothing special, just some band-aids, tweezers, nail clippers, hand sanitizer, and advil.

Makeup: I tried my best to pack light on the makeup. I dwindled my supply down to mascara, eyeliner, blush, and two of my favorite lipsticks.

THE SHOES:

Hiking Boots: They are good for snow, hiking, and long treks.

Walking Shoes: I chose to bring fashionable and comfortable sneakers.

Danskos: These are my favorite clogs. They have great support and are super duper comfortable. I could walk all day in these and have happy feet. They have a little bit of a wedge so they are perfect for days that I want to look a little fancier, while still being practical.

Flip Flops: Good for the beach, but brought for hostel showers. (Not pictured)

THE JACKETS (AND STUFF):

Rain Coat: I hear England tends to get a lot of rain. 😉

Fleece: This is a fleece from Mountain Hardwear. It is extremely lightweight for how warm it is.

Jacket: An oversized coat that I stole from my dad. It has plenty of pockets, and has that ‘too big’ style. I can also fit lots of layers underneath it.

PJ’s: Comfy pants and a comfy T-shirt. Nothing feels more like home.

Athletic Tank Top: This should have been pictured with my other tops, but I forgot about it. This is a cute shirt that can be pulled off casually, but is also great for getting sweaty while working out.

THE EXTRAS:

Purse: I bounced back and forth a lot between weather or not I should bring one. I decided that it will be good when I just need my wallet to go out. It was also only 5$ from Goodwill, so if I have to get rid of it I won’t mind.

x2 Scarves: One wool and one flowy, Europeans sure do love their scarves!

Gloves: These are thin and not super warm.

Mittens: These are thicker and super warm.

Warm Hat: Nothing special.

Bathing Suit: Super light and doesn’t take up a lot of room. Will be needed when I’m laying by the pool in Santorini.

THE NECESSITIES:

Laundry Bag: Thanks to one of my best friends, now I have a place to keep the “worn one too many times” clothes.

Face Mask and Earplugs: I am a pretty light sleeper so I figured I should be prepared for full hostel rooms and long train rides.

Locks: I brought one simple key lock, as well as a cable lock. The small lock is to lock any hostel lockers. The cable lock is to wrap around my bag, so I can lock it to any hostel beds when I’m out adventuring.

Outlet Converter

Water Bottle:  I am a big advocate of staying hydrated. I chose to bring a collapsible water bottle, so that when it is empty is doesn’t take up extra room. Last time I was in Germany I had some issues with my nalgene… When going into places that required security, a lot of places wouldn’t let me bring it in because the hard plastic could be used as a weapon. Weird!

Flash Light: You never know!

Sleep Sheet: This is a silk sheet that looks kind of like a sleeping bag liner. It is perfect for putting something clean between you and whatever it is you’re sleeping on. Not all hostel beds can be trusted…

Safety Pouch: This is worn around my neck and underneath my shirt. It hold my passport, cards, train ticket, and other valuables. NEVER TAKING THIS OFF! It also is RFID blocking.

Journal: I never go anywhere without a moleskine journal. This one is specifically for traveling and gives me room for writing, planning, and sketching.

Compactable Umbrella: I really didn’t want the rain to keep me away from walking around cities.

Phone and Laptop: These aren’t pictured but I am also bringing my MacBook Air and Iphone 7. I am solely relying on wifi as my resource for any sort of communication with anyone since I won’t have a working phone.