The Suitcase Saga – College Lifestyles’ Top 10 Tips for Packing Abroad

Packing.  It’s possibly my least favorite 7-letter word.  I LOVE traveling… I HATE packing!  Not only does it worry me that I will forget something important, but I also worry about fitting everything into my suitcase.  Not to mention, when flying, there are weight limits to worry about.   Recently I had the opportunity to study abroad in Europe, so I am sharing with you my top 10 tips to become a savvy packer.

1. Clothes for ALL Kinds of Weather. Most of my time spent abroad was in London.  Every time I told someone where I was going, the two most commonly responded words were “cold” and “rainy.”  While I did follow people’s advice and pack some warm clothes, I made sure to make most of my outfits ones that could be layered.  I also packed a pair of shorts and several sundresses.  That one pair of shorts got just as much use as did my jeans.  I was so glad that I packed them, as well as the dresses, because the first week we were there it was HOT!  As for the rain “myth,” I did make sure to carry around a light rain jacket in my purse each day, although it only rained one day and one night during the trip!  Despite what you think the weather will be like, make sure to pack an option for each kind of weather.

2. Re-Wear Clothes. While I am not a fan of re-wearing shirts, and definitely not underwear, only packing four pairs of pants was one of the wisest packing decisions that I made.  My trip lasted 18 days, so yes, I did have to wear my pants and not wash them for longer than I normally would.  However, this saved so much room in my suitcase, and honestly, who knew they weren’t clean?  Yes, by the end of the trip they were feeling a little stretched out, but looking back in pictures, you can’t tell whether I am wearing a clean pair or a “dirty” pair of pants.  Sweaters were also a fabulous article to re-wear.  Change your base top, and you have a whole new outfit!

Roll Your Clothes - Google Images

3. Roll Your Clothes. I have found that more things fit in my suitcase when I roll my clothes.  I try fill the bottom layer of my suitcase with shoes, and then put rolled clothing articles on top of them.  I also strategically place bigger items (such as my toiletry bags, make-up bag, and hair electronics) in separate spots where I can “stuff” rolled clothes around them.  By doing this, clothes tend to fit in smaller spots, therefore, making the most use out of your suitcase space.  Rolling also helps provide padding for any breakables that you may pack.  And as an added bonus, rolling your clothes helps to prevent them from wrinkling.

4. Don’t Overstuff the First Time. Chances are you are going to buy a few (or many!) souvenirs on your trip.  Solve the problem of where to put these by leaving a little extra room in your suitcase, the first time around.  Trust me, trying to re-pack a bag in the middle of the airport, while trying to satisfy the weight limit, is not fun.  You end up having to throw things away, not to mention you are pushing the limits of your suitcase’s capacity.

Conair 1875-Watt Converter Kit - White - Sold at Target

5. Converters and Plug Adapters. Make sure that you have these when traveling abroad!   A converter is not always necessary, but I felt better using mine along with the plug adapter.  You can purchase a combo pack of these from Target® for around $45.  Before you pack electronics (such as hair dryers, hair straighteners, curling irons, etc), make sure that they are convertible.  Check the voltage capacity before you try using them abroad and better yet before you pack them.  Don’t learn the hard way by ruining your electronics.

6. A BIG Memory Card. You think you won’t need it, but you WILL.  For my 18 day trip to Europe I bought an 8G memory card.  Not only did I fill it up, but I filled up my spare 1G memory card as well.  Yes, I am a photo fanatic, but I wanted to remember every part of my trip.  Plus, having so much memory allowed me to take over 50 video clips, which compiled together make about an hour movie!  Go big or go home (with or without all of your memories)!

Clark's Wallabees Were Great for Sightseeing Days! - Google Images

7. Comfortable Shoes. I cannot reiterate how many times my classmates and I were told, “you will only need 3 pairs of shoes: tennis shoes, an alternate pair of comfortable walking shoes, and shower shoes.”  As fashion-hungry college women, we all want to wear our cute sandals and sometimes even a sassy pair of heels.  I would not avoid packing these, because they are fun to wear for a short time, but DO NOT wear these during sightseeing.  I made the mistake of wearing sandals with no support for three days in a row.  By day 3 my legs were in so much pain, and my feet were swollen and blister-filled.  Wear shoes with plenty of support when you will be walking around all day; it doesn’t mean you have to be completely unfashionable, and it guarantees to keep your feet happy.

8. Travel-Sized Toiletries. Travel-sized toiletries may not be the most efficient when it comes to price, but for space saving they take the crown. Jacqui emphasizes on this topic,”Glamour on the Go,” in her recent post.  At most Walmart® stores there is an aisle with a huge variety of mini-toiletries.  They sell products in miniature sizes, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, deodorant, loofas, etc.  One of my personal favorite items that are offered in mini-size is “U by Kotex®,” a new line of travel-sized tampons.   You can even sign up for a free sample of these by simply visiting “U by Kotex®’s” website.

Women's Faux-Leather Crossbody Bag (Tan) - Sold at Old Navy

9. Hipster Purse. These are cute, fashionable, and best of all, handy.  Hipsters are offered in a variety of sizes, styles, shapes, colors, etc.  The purse that I carried around converted from a shoulder bag into a hipster.  The shoulder bag was great for night time excursions, while the hipster was fabulous for the day time.  My purse was a Christmas gift from my cousin Kelley, and is quite similar to this bag sold at Old Navy®.  Its size was perfect, too.  It had enough room to hold my everyday essentials (wallet, camera, lip gloss, etc.), as well as a small umbrella, my rain jacket, and a few other odd items.  However, it wasn’t so big that it got obnoxious or too heavy.  It was the perfect travel bag.

10. Snacks. Your trip may allow you plenty of time to snack throughout the day, or, as in my case, you may go non-stop all throughout the day.  I packed granola bars and cheese crackers in my suitcase, “just in case.”  These were great on days when I needed a little “pick me up,” and especially on days where I wasn’t too fond of what we had eaten during that particular meal time.  They were also handy on the late nights when I returned from seeing a show at the theater and was hungry.  Make sure not to over-do it, but do pack a couple of light snacks.

Guarantee a great trip by remembering the top 10 tips from “The Suitcase Saga.”  You will spend less time worrying about things you should have brought/done, and have more time to enjoy your trip.  Happy travels!

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University® and is the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She loves to travel, and recently returned from a study abroad trip to Europe.  While there she spent time in London, Paris, and Edinburgh.  She looks forward to more trips abroad in the future.