Travel Smart · Pack Light · Arrive Ready
Packing tips for international travel is something you need, girl. We know you are all excited about the trip to Europe you just booked with your ladies. Don’t be the dud dragging the group behind with too much stuff. WOMP!
Whether you’re a chronic overpacker or a last-minute thrower-in, these packing tips for international travel will save your back, your budget, your sanity, and probably your relationships. If you’re rooming with pals, you will want to set up a plan for that, which you can read all about in our How To Split Bills with Roommates guide.
Packing Tips For International Travel 1: Plan Your Outfits Before You Pack a Single Thing
The biggest mistake travelers make is throwing things into a suitcase and hoping for the best. Before you open your luggage, lay out every outfit you plan to wear. Go day by day and make sure each piece works with at least two others.
Stick to a cohesive color palette (think neutrals with one or two accent pieces) so everything mixes and matches. You’ll pack half as much and feel twice as put-together.
💡 Pro tip: Aim for no more than 2 shoes, 1 bag, and a maximum of 2 outfits per day: one for daytime and one for evening if needed.
Packing Tips For International Travel 2: Ship Bulky Items Ahead to Your Hotel
Going somewhere cold? Bulky coats and heavy boots will eat your entire suitcase. One of the best-kept packing tips for international travel is to ship items like heavy outerwear, formal wear, or shoes directly to your hotel or Airbnb before you fly.
Services like FedEx, UPS, and even USPS international shipping can often beat the cost of airline baggage fees, and you’ll breeze through the airport carrying just a carry-on.
💡 Pro tip: Call your hotel in advance to confirm they can receive packages on your behalf. Most are happy to hold them.
Packing Tips For International Travel 3: Don’t Be a “Claudia Clueless,” Know Your Bag Limits
Every airline has different carry-on and checked bag size and weight limits. International flights can be stricter than domestic ones. Showing up with bags that don’t comply means fees, delays, and stress you don’t need.
Before you travel, look up your specific airline’s baggage policy, weigh your bags at home with a luggage scale, and know exactly what you’re bringing before you get to the airport.
💡 Pro tip: Budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet have notoriously strict bag size limits. Measure your bag, don’t just weigh it.
Packing Tips For International Travel 4: Wear Your Bulkiest Items on the Plane
Heading somewhere cold? Your heaviest coat, thickest sweater, and chunkiest boots don’t need to go in your bag. You can wear those on the plane. Layer up strategically and you’ll thank yourself when your luggage is light enough to lift into the overhead bin.
Once you’re on board, stash your coat in the overhead bin and get comfortable.
💡 Pro tip: Scarves and wraps double as blankets on long-haul flights and don’t count as an extra bag.
Packing Tips For International Travel 5: Roll, Don’t Fold — and Use Packing Cubes
Rolling your clothes instead of folding them saves significant space and reduces wrinkles. Pair rolling with packing cubes to keep categories organized. Use one cube for tops, one for bottoms, one for underwear and socks.
For toiletries, decant your products into small reusable travel containers rather than bringing full-size bottles.
💡 Pro tip: Stuff socks and small items inside your shoes to maximize every inch of space in your bag.
Packing Tips For International Travel 6: Hand-Wash Clothes at Your Destination
Pack a small packet of travel laundry soap or a solid laundry bar, and plan to hand-wash delicates, underwear, and lightweight tops mid-trip. This means you can pack fewer items and re-wear more. Hang pieces to dry overnight and they’re ready by morning.
Merino wool and quick-dry fabrics are your best friends here.
💡 Pro tip: A universal sink stopper is a $3 travel essential and many hotel sinks don’t have functioning stoppers.
Packing Tips For International Travel 7: Go Mini on Toiletries or Buy When You Arrive
Toiletries are heavy, bulky, and often confiscated at security. Invest in reusable travel bottles and decant only what you need, or plan to buy certain items like shampoo and sunscreen when you arrive. Most international destinations have pharmacies with familiar brands. Buying locally frees up space for souvenirs on the way home.
💡 Pro tip: Solid toiletries (shampoo bars, solid conditioner, solid sunscreen) don’t count as liquids and can go in your carry-on without any restrictions.
Pack Smart, Travel Happy
The best packing tips for international travel all have one thing in common: they help you bring less and enjoy more. The lighter your bag, the freer you feel and the better time you will have at your destination when you are not weighed down by all that emotional and literal luggage.
