Rolling your clothes helps, but that’s not everything. So you’re going overseas for a month and you can’t lug a massive suitcase everywhere. Fear not- I have done this before! Most vacations are either in the summer time or to tropical locations, so this particular list will need to be adjusted if you’re heading somewhere cold and dreary.

First order of business is your luggage. My advice if you are a budget traveler, or you’d like to save money to put towards luxury expenses, is to forgo the checked bag. This saves you money upfront, and headache if the bag misses a connection. My checked bag for our honeymoon missed the connection from Copenhagen to Athens and instead went straight on to Oslo without me. It was not fun to bring my running shoes to the pool for the first few days.

You can either do a traditional suitcase, or a 40 L backpack for your main storage. I’d also recommend bringing a smaller backpack and a cross body purse that you can fit into that backpack. This will have you covered for just about any activity.

Now for the fun part, filling it up! Have a general color palette in mind of what you want to wear when you get there. A ton of bright colors? Mostly neutrals? Loads of prints? Pick 5 colors that work well together. One of my favorite ways to do this is pull up Pinterest and type “Color swatches” into the search bar. You’ll get beautiful images with 5 or 6 colors pulled out of the photos that you can utilize. Find a palette that reflects colors of the clothing you already have, or take it with you if you plan on doing some shopping

Now make your bed! I’m serious- lay out your looks on the bed and you’ll start to see which pieces go with everything, and what’s difficult to pair. You’ll want about 2 weeks of outfits you can mix and match.

I recommend 3 pairs of shoes; one sneaker for hiking/walking around, one flip flop for the beach or pool, and one dressier flat sandal for dinner or light walking. If by some miracle you have spare room and you NEED a pair of heels, go for it. Or, if you feel like you can comfortably walk for 6-8 hours in a pair, then swap those out for your sensible walking sandals. JUST DONT BLAME ME LATER WHEN YOUR FEET FALL OFF.

You can also pack a sunhat if you have room. If you have one that rolls up, great! If not, stuff the hat with socks and put it into your bag upside down. Pack around it to keep its shape. Select a small amount of costume or look-of-real jewelry that pairs with most of your pieces. Don’t take anything that’s an heirloom or real! If it was expensive, leave it at home. Pack it in a small box or jewelry pouch.

I love a hanging toiletry case because it unrolls and can be hung in any bathroom for easy accessibility. If you’re staying in hotels, skip bringing soap, shampoo and conditioner. If not, pack travel sizes and refill them periodically.

Don’t overdo it with cosmetics. If you’re going to be lying in the sun, or going on a hike you will probably sweat half of it off anyways.

For all menstruating folks, I recommend bringing a cup, like the diva cup. There’s a bit of a learning curve if you’re new to cups, but order it a few months ahead and see if you like it. It takes up less room in a suitcase and will save you the hassle of having to hunt down pads or tampons once you arrive. If a cup isn’t your thing, of course pack whatever you feel most comfortable using.

Where are you headed and what are you packing? Did I miss anything? Comment below and let me know!

Quick reference packing list:

• 7 tops (4 casual, 3 dressier)
• 2 pants (1 jean, 1 non-denim casual pant ie chino, linen, culotte style, etc)
• 3 shorts
• 1 skirt (skip it if you’re not into skirts!)
• 2 dresses (1 casual, 1 dressier, if dresses are your thing)
• 1 jacket
• 1 lightweight sweater
• 2 swimsuits
• 1 swim coverup (optional)
• 2 bras (or 1 bra and 1 bralette, or no bras do you!)
• 14 pairs of underwear
• 10 pairs of socks
• 1 lightweight scarf (great for chillier evenings, or if you are going to visit a cathedral in Europe and need to cover your scandalous shoulders)
• 1 pair of Sunglasses
• 1 pair of flip flops or slides
• 1 nice pair of walking sandals
• 1 pair of sneakers/tennis shoes with some support
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Medications
• Hairbrush
• Extra contact lenses
• Contact lens case and travel size solution
• Sunscreen (travel size for your face- anticipate buying this one when you arrive so you won’t have to check a bag)
• Cosmetics desired