Growing up I had always heard of backpacking through Europe and the older I grew I found myself fantasizing about actually attempting the adventure. It seemed liberating, exciting, and over the top rebellious. Last October, my boyfriend (and now fiancé) and I went on a 12 day backpacking trip through Europe and parts of the United States. We started our travels in Cleveland, OH and bounced to Iceland –> London–> Galway–>Dublin–> Amsterdam–>Paris–>Boston–>Tampa and back to Cleveland. The task was completed and successfully checked off the bucket list so below I share my 7 tips to backpacking through Europe.
1. Limit Your Shoe Options.
Limit your shoes because to 1 or 2 pairs as they tend to take up the most room! I packed cute tennis shoes since they were the most comfortable for walking and knew they would go with majority of my outfits. I also packed a cute pair of flip flops for nights out because they were small, easily malleable, and could still manage miles of walking.
2. Bring A Versatile Coat
I packed one leather coat because it was warm, fashionable, and could either be worn casually or dressed up. This piece really helped spice up my night time outfits when we went out for cocktails and nicer dinners. Were there certain countries where a thicker coat would have been more helpful? Yes, but those moments were less than 25% of the trip and not worth packing.
3. Layer and Mix-and-Match
I packed 3 pairs of jeans and 2 pairs of leggings that I knew I would for sure wear and paired them with different casual t-shirts and bodysuits. Bodysuits were also a great way to dress up an outfit as they usually looked cuter paired with the leather jacket!
4. Bring the Basics
Just like clothing, my makeup options were limited as well–pros and cons in anything! I only packed the basics for a typical makeup routine, which in turn are usually my favorites thankfully! I put the products in plastic ziplock bags, which took up way less space than my bulky makeup bags and TSA will appreciate it!
5. Condense Your Toiletries
I left out a lot of toiletries such as shampoo and body wash because wherever you’re staying is going to have toiletries for you. Granted some Airbnbs might not have everything you need, but in that case you can easily run to a store…or wait till the next city. I mean you’re traveling with a freaking backpack so I feel as though it is safe to assume you’re somewhat flexible/carefree right!?
6. Do Laundry
We made note of the air Airbnbs that had in-home washers and dryers and made sure to wash while we we’re out exploring the city. We only did 1 load of laundry during our adventures which timed up perfectly without putting a damper on any of the trip!
7. Repeat Offender
Yes, it’s going to happen and learn to be okay with it! Mixing and matching is absolutely helpful but no matter how many options are packed, repeating an outfit is bound to happen when only traveling with a backpack. Make peace with it and smile–it’s all part of the journey!
Would I do it again? For sure, but I would almost pack even less (I always end up packing a few hopeful outfits that somehow never get worn, no matter how genuine my intentions are). Also, only bringing minimal options resulted in way less stress and overthinking, which allowed me to feel cute in my comfy clothes and not spend hours ruminating over outfits.
I wanted an efficient and cost effective way to see the world–no checking my bags at the counter, no fees for checked bags or carry-ons, no waiting for my luggage and no dragging around a huge suitcase. Give it a try one time, it was pretty liberating if I do say so myself! Here’s to the next adventure!
As always, I appreciate you being here.
Love,
