In March, I packed my bags for two months in blustery London. Well, I packed a bag.
Last fall, I tested myself to determine how little I could bring to France for nine days and still feel good about my options day-to-day. I succeeded in packing light and, importantly, looking put-together with what little I did bring.
This spring I took on a similar, but more difficult challenge: two months’ worth of supplies in a checked bag. Because my chosen destination was London, a city that for almost the entirety of my trip maintained temperatures below 60 F (15 C for all of you metric system users reading this), my options had to include bulky items, which took up more space than your average summer backpacking load. But, as I reminded myself every time I unpacked and repacked my bag, I did this to myself.
Each time, I have tried desperately to avoid overpacking. I don’t want the burden of extra heavy or superfluous bags packed with all of my “just in case” items, like so many of us are guilty of packing. In fact, a recent study by travel company Upgraded Points revealed that 45% of Americans overpack on purpose while 24.7% return from a trip with unworn/unused items (the number jumps to 51.6% for people who sometimes return with unworn items and 15.4% for people who often do).
Though, technically, I didn’t have to take one bag, I didn’t want’t to join that club. I like a challenge, though, and besides — we tend to get into the habit of wearing the same things day to day. Why not capitalize on that to make my life easier and my arms and back hurt less, and encourage the creativity that comes with having to make the same three pairs of pants exciting for two months?
What did I pack?
This is the magic question, right, that precedes the exact instructions you’ll need so that you, too, can pack for a two-month trip in a single checked bag?
Wrong.
Of course, the amount I packed for a trip to specific places will differ from someone else’s packing list. Packing for two months in London in the spring and two months in Argentina during the same months would warrant wildly different packing lists. I’ll still reveal my packing list, but I’ll explain my methodology as well as the hard questions I asked myself at 1 a.m. on my bedroom floor that led me to making the decisions I made.
My packing process was less of a neat system this time around and more of a guessing game, but I’ll remind you it was a game that I won.
For clothing, I packed: three pairs of pants, a skirt, a dress, four jackets, three sweaters, 12 shirts, a set of exercise clothes, a vest (for fashion, not warmth), a scarf, five pairs of shoes, a pair of pajamas, a pair of tights, a swimsuit and a set amount of undergarments that I will leave to your imagination because I don’t remember it and neglected to record it on my packing list. I also brought a belt, a pair of sunglasses, a backpack, a waterproof bag and a small purse.
Knowing I’d be there for two months, I opted to buy things like shampoo, conditioner, body wash and such toiletries there rather than schlep bottles across the pond. I also knew that I’d succumb to bookshops and spend my free time running around in the city, so I refrained from bringing extra books or activities. As for technology, outside of my phone, I brought work materials and cameras, nothing extra. Almost everything I packed fit into my suitcase, though I put electronics into my backpack, which I brought on the plane. So, technically, you could say I had two bags, but nobody travels with JUST a suitcase (if you do, I’m not judging, but please let me remain in blissful ignorance of your behavior so that I can feel better about myself).
Again, this list is extremely personal to me and my specific circumstances, but on the off chance you, reading this, are a person that shares my circumstances and packing habits, feel free to copy and paste.
What to ask when packing for a long trip
First, you have to commit to being an outfit repeater. I get it, the same pair of jeans does get boring and you can only wear the same combinations for so long, but in my experience, limiting your supply encourages your creativity. If this isn’t important to you, I’m not sure you need my advice and you’re probably a more efficient packer than me already.
Once you commit to setting a limit, try things on. Ask yourself:
- Is this comfortable in my daily life at home?
- Will this handle multiple washes and wears while potentially roughing it a little?
- Do I actually like this enough to wear it multiple times a week for months on end, or is it just something I think I should wear more often?
- Can I wear this in different types of weather?
- Do I actually need all of these items or am I just scared I’ll get bored?
- Am I okay with wearing these patterns together? (Trust me, if you pack patterned items, there will come a day you’ll have to start mixing them.)
- Are these shoes comfortable for walking long distances and on different terrain?
My favorite step comes once I’ve fully packed my bag. I look at everything and narrow it down again. If you can, leave room to bring home souvenirs/any extra bits and bobs you buy.
Full disclosure: I left with one suitcase and I came back to Utah with an extra carry-on due to some unforeseen travel circumstances and book-buying trips. I regret none of my purchases.