One-Bag Packing List for Two Weeks in Europe
Two weeks in one carry-on backpack sounds like a sacrifice. It is mostly a change of habit: you pack for one week and wash once. Here is a list that fits a 35 to 40 litre pack with room for the things you buy.
Clothing for a week, worn for two
- 5 T-shirts or tops, quick-dry if you can
- 2 pairs of trousers or a trousers-and-skirt mix; one you can wear to dinner
- 1 pair of shorts in summer, or a light sweater in shoulder seasons
- 7 pairs of underwear and 5 pairs of socks
- 1 light rain jacket that packs small
- 1 pair of walking shoes on your feet and 1 pair of lighter shoes in the bag
- Sleepwear and a swimsuit if there is any chance of a pool or beach
Plan on one laundry stop. Most European cities have launderettes, many apartments have a washing machine, and a travel-size bottle of laundry soap handles sink washes between.
Toiletries, in a 3-1-1 bag
Liquids go in one clear litre bag with containers of 100 ml or less. Solid versions of shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste shrink this further. Buy sunscreen and anything bulky after you land.
Electronics
- Phone, charger and one multi-port USB wall charger with a European plug adapter
- Laptop or tablet only if you will actually use it; the packs we compared have sleeves for 15 to 17 inch laptops
- A small power bank for long days
- Earphones
The small things that matter
- Packing cubes: one for tops, one for bottoms, one for underwear. They are what make a clamshell pack usable.
- A lightweight folding day bag for walking around once the big pack is at the hotel
- A refillable water bottle; the packs here have side pockets for one
- Copies of documents in the cloud and one paper copy in a pocket you will not lose
How to pack the bag
Heavy items against your back and in the middle, clothes in cubes around them, shoes at the bottom in a bag, liquids and electronics where you can reach them at security. Do not fill the pack on day one; leave a cube's worth of space for what you bring home.
Weight check
A list like this usually lands between 7 and 9 kg including the pack. That is under most airline weight limits and light enough to walk with, which is the whole point of going one-bag in the first place.