What’s in your suitcase when you’re about to go on vacation for one, two or three weeks? If you don’t travel much, this can be a daunting task because you have to pack everything and can’t leave with a full wardrobe! Decoding
Packing-list for the vacations
Whether you are going to the sun, the beach, the mountains or the city, here is the ultimate checklist to avoid forgetting anything important in your travel preparations
. Because if there is one thing to remember, it is that it is essential to refer to your travel bag checklist before each trip.
The duration of the trip will mainly determine the amount of clothing you need to bring, while your other belongings (toiletries, technical equipment, pharmacy, etc.) should not change with the duration of your stay. On the other hand, if you have clothes to wash and you are not a fashion victim, you can travel with the same amount of clothes for a week or a year. However, depending on the destination, some items will be more or less essential (a first aid kit can be heavy in the jungle and totally useless in a vacation club
). Generally speaking, if a suitcase is well filled, and if you have the right travel accessories, it will make your job easier, save you time and make your travels easier!
Packing for a week
Official documents
Remember to check that you have all your travel documents at hand or on your smartphone:
- valid passport
- Foreign/ESTA visa for the United States
- Special travel insurance COVID-19
- International driver’s license
- Health card
- Health pass
- Credit card(s) (preferably “VISA” for foreign countries)
- Cash in euros and foreign currency
- Login and password for your online bank account
The toiletry kit
Be careful not to overload it as it can weigh heavily in the balance. Buy a model with compartments. Then, opt for small quantities. You can opt for perfectly adapted travel kits
The essentials :
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- hairbrush
- face and body moisturizer
- soap / shampoo / shower gel / styling products
- suncare and after-sun products
- shaving or depilatory products
- deodorant
- make-up and make-up remover
- a microfiber towel to save space
- sanitary protection (women)
- Make-up kit
The first-aid kit
- Health card
- Health pass
- Contact glasses
- Sunglasses
- bandages
- thermometer
- small scissors
- Antimicrobials such as Betadine
- Anti-burn in case of sunburn
- pain and fever medication
- Headaches
- Birth control pills
- essential oils
- Smecta, Limodium
High-tech equipment
- cell phone and charger
- USB cables adapted to your electronic equipment
- multi-socket
- usb key
- photo equipment
- international adapter
- external battery
- headset
- laptop computer charger
To keep busy
Clothes
In my opinion, this is the stuff you need to pack for a week-long trip. If you have enough to do laundry on the spot, you will wear less underwear. Of course, fashionistas will suffer from not being able to take their entire wardrobe. But you will be able to travel without any problem in the cabin with these items
Sun or cold destination
For the sun
For the cold :
- fleece or heavy sweaters
- jacket
- windbreaker
- socks
- hats
- gloves
- slippers / evening sweater
In the rain
- umbrella
- waterproof jacket
Also bring :
- water bottle
- cooler bag
- bag for dirty clothes
- pocket ashtray
Packing for two weeks
We take the same things and we add some detergent. Because you will need to clean your stuff on the spot during this trip.
The first tip is to get travel cubes that will allow you to separate your stuff and sort. By definition, I do an underwear travel cube, a tops travel cube and another travel cube with the bottoms. Second is to compress your clothes as much as possible, either by rolling them up or using a travel compression bag, which is very handy if you are carrying bulky clothes. Third, wear your thickest clothes for the trip (weather permitting, of course). It’s common sense! But when I left in the middle of summer for Iceland, I took my down jacket with me. I didn’t regret it when I arrived. The same goes for the big hiking boots, you should wear them to avoid taking up too much space in your suitcase. Finally, force yourself not to have extras and take only the essentials. Learn how to pack well! Find out more about each of the world’s destinations with Jet-lag Magazine! Subscribe now!
To go further and with more precision in the preparation of your trips, consult my other travel preparation lists !
I’m Michelle, and I love to travel. As a former hotel expert for one of the world’s largest hotel chains, I’ve stayed in nearly every type of room imaginable (including many that were not so desirable!). Nowadays, I am fortunate enough to be able to explore the world on my own terms. From international flights to learning different languages, there is nothing too far out of reach!
