“Simplicity boils down to two steps: identify the essential, eliminate the rest.” – Leo Babatua
If you know me well, you’ll be be surprised that I somehow managed to bring everything in a one check-in bag (medium-large suitcase), one carry-on bag (medium duffle bag) and one personal item (a hiking backpack). I’ve even managed to fit everything into my room without a closet and without a dresser!
Although I did buy a few things while in Denmark, I accounted for the large majority of my necessities in my packing.
Here’s how I did it!
A Quick Summary of My Packing Strategy:
- Pack neutral colours so that you can pair everything with anything (and so that you blend in with the Europeans).
- Speaking of Europeans… they always dress better than you do so plan on dressing up from what you normally wear back home.
- Pack different layers! This is especially important if you’re traveling during multiple seasons like I did.
- Think and re-think every item. “When will I wear this?” “How many different outfits can I wear this with?” “Is this worth the space it will take up?”
- Roll everything.
- Keep accessories simple and to a minimum. You don’t want to have to keep track of too many valuables.
- Don’t bring unnecessary electronics (ex. hair dryers and straighteners will burn out in Europe anyway – if you need it, buy it when you arrive).
- Don’t bring unnecessary cosmetic products (I packed some of these anyway but at the very least don’t bring your shampoo, body wash, etc.).
- Divide heavy items between bags. Airlines may charge extra for overweight baggage but they usually don’t check the weight of your carry-on.
- Leave room for something special to make you feel at home. You’ll want it when you’ve been abroad a while and start to miss home. For me, it was (more than) a few great books.
In Hindsight, What I Would Leave Behind:
- Swimsuit – thinking I would use this while in Denmark or traveling was overly ambitious
- Business heels – fancy boots function just as well in any situation here
- Casual jackets – unlike the PNW, Denmark makes a quick transition from warm summer to cold autumn and the mid-level jacket stage was skipped
What I Wish I’d Packed:
- Extra converters – they’re much cheaper back home
- Extra makeup – although you can buy makeup here, it’s much cheaper to buy at home and some of my favourite brands don’t carry over (Stila!!)
- Mid-level layers – sweaters, cute sweatshirts, etc. Basically anything I can layer to be warmer.
My Full Packing List (for anyone who still doubts me or who needs packing inspiration):
**I know it seems like I brought a lot of stuff but consider the fact that I had to dress for two seasons AND it still fit in 1 suitcase, 1 carry-on and 1 backpack***
Shoes:
1 x business-appropriate heels (neutral)
1 x heeled booties (black)
1 x Hunters (black)
1 x heeled sandals (tan)
2 x sneakers (white / adidas, black / nikes)
1 x Birks
*I’ve actually worn all of these already
Apparel:
Dresses
1 x shift dress (tan)
2 x black summer dresses
1 x t-shirt dress (striped)
1 x business-appropriate dress (black)
–
Tops
4 x sweaters (white, grey, striped, tan)
2 x button-ups (denim, white)
1 x lightweight workout jacket
12 x shirts (casual grey, casual white x2, white fancy, black fancy x2, patterned crop, striped x2, workout x2)
2 x long-sleeve sleep shirts
2 x tanktops for layering (tan, black)
–
Bottoms
4 x jeans (dark wash, light wash, white, black)
1 x adidas sweats
2 x loose dress pants (black)
1 x leggings (black)
2 x workout shorts
2 x shorts (black, dark green)
1 x skirt (black denim)
1 x pajama bottoms
–
Outerwear
1 x Arcteryx rain jacket (red)
1 x Patagonia fleece pullover
1 x wool overcoat (grey)
2 x casual jackets (black, army green)
1 x loose blazer (maroon)
*you can figure out the undergarments, socks, etc. yourself
Electronics:
1 x laptop
1 x iPad Mini (I bought this for my trip and it’s proved amazing!)
1 x computer backup drive – important to anticipate crashes when in a foreign country
1 x cell phone
1 x camera
1 x toothbrush
1 x electronics converter (you can buy USB plug-ins anywhere so you really only need one converter)
Et cetera:
4 x scarves (2 winter, 2 summer)
1 x eyeglasses
1 x swimsuit
2 x earrings
2 x necklaces
1 x sunglasses
1 x purse (black)
1 x perfume
1 x everything makeup
1 x hair stuff (but you can buy this abroad)
1 x necessary medications
8 x books (judge me, I don’t care)