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It’s no secret that many of us want to look good and tailor our style based on that. It’s also no secret that many of us prefer comfort over any other factors when it comes to our clothing choices. This becomes even more so when it comes to traveling.

For many, traveling, while exciting, is also stressful, and the last thing you want to be adding to the stressors list is physical discomfort, caused by your clothes or shoes. From my own experience of traveling for 4 months through Europe, I wanted to share what helped me (and what did not) enjoy my trip.

First thing first, what helped me was the fact that I had only packed a carry-on suitcase and my backpack (shown in the photo above), which I could easily move on planes, trains, and even cobblestone streets. And if you wonder if I had enough clothes, I actually did not wear ALL that I packed, mainly because I washed and re-wore outfits that have proven to work for me best. So, to put it simply, I over-packed (within the limits allowed by airlines, generally 22 pounds/10 kg; note that some airlines require less than that), and I could have gone with less. In hindsight, I wish I would have packed less to have more room for souvenirs.

To go into detail, I brought with me the following items: 8 dresses, 4 jumpsuits, 2 linen pants, 2 pairs of jeans (one black, one blue), 5 tops (basic white tee, basic striped tee, a striped shirt, one long-sleeved blouse, and one short-sleeved blouse), 1 midi-skirt, 2 cardigan-type sweaters (one light, one a bit thicker), 2 light scarves, 1 belt, 1 handbag, (apart from my backpack), 3 pairs of shoes (flat espadrilles, heeled espadrilles, and memory-foamed flats), some non-liquid beauty and care products, and personal items.

Apart from the blue jeans, the long-sleeved blouse, my thickest cardigan, the belt, and memory-foamed flats, all the items listed above went into my carry-on.

The secret to packing all this in my carry-on, without it exploding was that I put my clothes in gallon-size zip-lock bags (you specifically want the zip-seal ones versus the slider-closure, as those won’t work), flattened them on a hard surface (aka sat on them on the floor), to eliminate the air from the bags and sealed them.

Apart from keeping my clothes clean, organized and deodorized, easy to scan through, in case security needed to go through my suitcase, I also saved a lot of room. It also helped me know exactly what was in what bag. Tip: you want to be fairly gentle with the zip-lock bags so you don’t break them.

If you worry about your clothes getting wrinkled, I found the solution for that as well, without having to carry a travel steamer or finding an iron somewhere (usually hotel rooms come with those, or they have a designated area for ironing clothes). I brought with me an empty travel-size spray bottle. The night before, when I was planning my next-day outfit, I took out what I wanted to wear, filled the spray bottle with water, and spray the clothing item so it gets slightly damp (make sure the spray bottle + water is clean), and hang on a hanger in the shower or bathroom. By morning, your clothing will be dry and wrinkle-free, and you won’t be looking like a tourist from a mile away. But back to packing…

In my backpack (sold out, similar here), I packed my iPad, my phone, my planner, my basic makeup bag (non-liquid items like powder foundation, one solid lipstick, one solid-stick concealer, my eyelash mascara, and brow mascara), my liquid items (so it was easy to take out at security screenings), along with the Luxsio face cleansing brush, my toothbrush, my jewelry, 2 pairs of sunglasses, a few snacks, my passport, my wallet, my iPod + headphones (yes, I still use one of those), Kleenex, and that’s about it.

Now, why did I choose to wear the blue jeans, with the belt, the long-sleeved blouse, my thickest cardigan, and memory-foamed flats for the airport? Because they were the heaviest (weight-wise) and/or bulkiest items in my luggage! So by wearing them, I saved room and weight in my suitcase. So this was another one of my tricks for packing as much as I did in my carry-on, and most importantly, within the weight limit. Of course, it helped that I was packing for summer but still.

When over the course of our trip, I had to buy a jacket and a hat, I wore those at the airport as well (usually they were cold enough to get away with it).

Now Europe is notorious for being HOT during the summer. That’s why I recommend packing as many light clothing items as possible. Dresses, jumpsuits, skirts, shorts made of breathable fabric like linen and cotton (just avoid the soft cotton that sticks to your body in the heat - it won’t serve you well).

Also, I definitely recommend having a hat to protect yourself from the sun (I bought mine in Greece, as I didn’t need one prior to reaching that country).

Of course, always make sure you have something like a pair of jeans and a warm sweater (cardigans are best as it’s easy to put them on or take them off as needed), for cooler days or nights, even if you travel in the summer.

Now, when it comes to shoes, I can’t stress enough, make sure you have good shoes! I got my share of blisters during those months, not necessarily because my shoes were uncomfortable, but because we walked on average 9-10 miles a day (some days even more than that) on cobblestone streets, which are even more unforgiving on your feet. So the only recommendation I have for shoes, is that they are broken-into, have some support, and are breathable!

I hope you found this post helpful.

Until next time.

xoxo,

Em