How I Packed for a 6-Week Backpacking Trip to Europe (pt 2)
Once you know what clothes and bag to bring, what about the rest?
Welcome back! To recap, in the spring of 2023, I had the privilege of going on an incredible 6-week, 8-country, 35-city backpacking trip to Europe. Packing was not a trivial process, so I wanted to share what worked for me and what I learnt.
In Part 1 of this series, we went over how to research your needs, pick your bag, and build your cute-but-functional European backpacking “capsule” wardrobe. If you haven’t read it yet, here it is:
Part 2 of this article will go over the other practical items you should consider (toiletries, electronics, and other miscellaneous useful items). This will vary for your individual needs, but hopefully, this provides a baseline or gives you some ideas of things you haven’t thought of. Let’s get started!
Toiletries
Toiletries are a very dangerous territory to get carried away as a woman. In general, my philosophy with skincare, makeup, and cosmetic products is less is more. When you are tight on space and limited to airline liquid restrictions, you really have to strip this down to the bare necessities.
Strategy: Bring all the niche, small-volume versions of everything you need from your daily routine. Buy full bottles of high-volume-use products (body lotions, body sunscreen, hair or body wash) when arriving at a destination with a long enough period before the next flight. Fill up reusable travel bottles. Don’t forget - it is Europe, you can always buy it there.
Tip: Many products (shampoo, shaving cream, body soap) come in a solid bar form! This is a sneaky workaround to liquid restrictions and a great space saver.
Reality Check: Be realistic with yourself - will you want to have makeup on at the beach? Will you really be doing your hair every day? Do you need your 15-step skincare routine to survive?
Hair
Mini shampoo, assorted hair elastics, mini hairspray, teasing brush, assorted clips
Mouth
Toothbrush, mini toothpaste, floss, retainer
Makeup
Highlighter, brow gel, concealer, liquid blush, lip gloss, eyebrow pencil
Face
Daily moisturizer, mini face mask, 1 serum (I brought salicylic acid), mini face sunscreen, face cleanser, pimple patches
Body
Razor (with replacements), shave bar, deodorant, mini perfume, mini lotion, soap bar, anti-itch cream
Maintenance
Nail clippers, nail file, tweezers, mini scissors, band-aids, cotton swabs, feminine hygiene products
Note: We mostly stayed at Airbnb’s, so about 80% of the time the basics (body soap, shampoo, lotion) were there to use.
Technology
This is a heavy category!! I was definitely on the generous side with technology, as capturing content was a priority for me on my trip. Ensure you protect your tech (in good cases) and know where they live at all times. Be mindful when you are near water and be prepared with protection.
Bare Minimum: 1 European Plug Converter + 1 Portable Charger + Personal Phone + Charger(s) + Earphones
Cameras
Digital camera + AA batteries (FujiFilm), film camera + 2 rolls of film (Nikon), filming camera (Cannon G7x)
Audio
Over-ear headphones, Airpods
Misc
iPad + Pencil
I used this to research places, book things, watch content, draw, journal, and read novels (via my local library app). This allowed me to eliminate the space/weight of carrying books, pens, and notebooks.
Plug Adapter
Europe uses Type C and F plugs, so make sure you get a plug adapter to charge all your goods. Any off of Amazon that has multiple ports and plug options is great.
Portable charger
Critical! The last thing you want is to be stranded somewhere foreign with no battery. Always carry a fully charged portable charger wherever you go.
SD Card Adaptor
If you’re bringing a camera with an SD card, don’t forget your adaptor to export your content to your phone or tablet.
Chargers + More Chargers!
Double-check that every piece of tech has its corresponding charger.
Miscellaneous
These are some items that you might not have thought of - but were incredibly invaluable to my trip.
Security
TSA-Approved Bag Lock
Use a lock on your main backpack anytime you leave it alone (on a plane/train/boat, in luggage storage, etc). It is extremely comforting to know your stuff is protected.
AirTags
Such a critical item for some peace of mind! I kept one in each backpack on travel days and always had one directly attached to my valuables.
Personal Backpack Items
Insulated Water Bottle
Many places in Europe have accessible clean drinking water that you should take advantage of. In places like Switzerland, they can charge you up to €15 for water at dinner! (Always ask if there is a price before they bring water to the table.)
Coin Purse + Euros!
Ensure you get a good amount of cash beforehand to avoid expensive foreign exchange fees abroad. Many smaller places will only take cash. Don’t keep all your money in one place.
Pill Case
Build a mini pharmacy of meds that cover your bases for your personal needs. I brought a daily multivitamin, Advil, melatonin, Aleeve, Reactine, Benedryl, and Bismol.
Student ID
Lots of tourist sites offer good discounts for students! If you still have one, carry it around.
Ziploc Bags
You never know when you’ll need to pack a snack on the go or store a random item to throw in your bag.
Shout Wipes
Stains will happen. Shout Wipes are the best thing you can carry to remove them as soon as possible.
Sleep Mask
If you are sensitive to light, having a sleep mask is handy when trying to fall asleep on different kinds of transit.
Face Masks
It’s good to cover your bases if you happen to get stuck beside a stinky person or someone who is clearly sick.
Main Backpack Items
Microfiber Towel
This was incredibly useful for beach days or anything water-related. They compact small and dry super fast.
Massage Ball
After walking for hours on end each day, a massage ball is a huge lifesaver to prevent bad muscle tightness from accumulating.
Laundry Bag
Don’t forget to have a bag within your backpack to section out your dirty laundry.
Laundry Strips
You can’t get picky when using a bunch of random laundry machines. You can at least carry a detergent you know you will like.
Carabiners
There is no harm in having some clips handy in case any items need to overflow from your backpack.
Where do I fit this all?
All my electronics and valuables were stored in my 15L daypack or personal fanny pack. My toiletry bag was stacked in a very strategic Tetris formation with my packing cubes in my main backpack. For the rest, I either flattened them and shoved them in a packing cube with my clothes, or stuffed them in between the crevices of my main backpack. If there is a will, there is a way!
Bon Voyage!
Now you have your bag, your wardrobe, and everything that you could need to cover your bases. Remember, your trip and needs will look very different than mine - this is what worked for me. Things will inevitably go wrong, but being prepared is the best you can do for your future self.
The hard part is done, you are now all packed and ready to go! Bon voyage!
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