Packing for 4 Months in 40L
One of the most fun yet daunting aspects of planning our trip has been figuring out what to pack. We both knew that we wanted to pack as light as possible, while still feeling prepared for whatever may come. I put a lot of time and research into the process and learned a few key strategies.
With the amount of transit and transfers, along with navigating public transportation and cobblestone streets, we would have to go with backpacks. We are planning on flying some budget carriers around Europe, where checking a bag can be expensive and restrictive. The upper limit for a carry-on is about the size of a 40L backpack. With that as the high end of what we could pack, we started looking into the best options. We both decided on Osprey packs, a Fairview 40 for me and a Farpoint 55 for Marcus. The Farpoint is actually a 40L bag with a 15L detachable day bag. We can use this as our everyday bag. I am also bringing a tote style bag (Longchamp Le Pliage) that folds down, to use as a purse.
Every travel blog that talks about packing raves about packing cubes. We hadn’t used them before but each decided to try them. We got different styles - for me, I got two bags, one large and one smaller. The smaller one compresses down (think of packing a suitcase with an expandable section and then zipping that zipper). For Marcus, he opted for a set of 5 of varying size, but none any larger than my small cube. It’s just a matter of organization and how separated you need your clothes to be. I can already tell I am going to love these packing cubes. Pulling things out of my bag doesn’t have to be a huge mess, and finding a specific item is much easier with the cubes. I also think they allow me to fit more by squeezing my clothes into a confined space.
The next big research undertaking was learning about capsule wardrobes. The goal of a capsule wardrobe is that everything is mix and match, maximizing the number of outfits you have with minimal items. To achieve this, I opted for bringing lots of basics in solid colors and packing for function more than fashion. (Marcus, however, was definitely packing for fashion). Here’s what I ended up bringing:
One black dress
Two jackets - denim jacket, rain jacket
Two leggings
Three pants - one pair of jeans, one pair loose pants and one pair of cargo joggers
One pair of shorts
One skirt
Black Sweatshirt
Two long-sleeved shirts - One tee (Uniqlo Heattech) and one button down chambray shirt
Five shirts - one tee shirt, four tank tops
Eight pairs of underwear
Five pairs of socks
Three pairs of shoes - Hoka tennis shoes, Rothy’s The Point black flats, Steve Madden cognac leather sandals
One pashmina scarf
Marcus’s list is a close clone of this, but in men’s items. I want to point out that most of these things, I already had. I stuck to things I already knew I like and wear, especially the shoes. The Rothys were new to me, so I made sure to break those in before we leave. Also, we are going to be traveling in relatively warm climates during spring and summer, so we were did not pack much in terms of warm clothes. In colder places, like (potentially) Paris, I plan to layer my long sleeved items as well as wear my scarf. I may end up wearing half of my clothes at once but it was a better option than packing a puffer jacket I would be ditching after a month.
Aside from clothes, I am also bringing a microfiber pack towel which will be great for the beach and if we stay in any hostels. For toiletries, I packed my normal items in travel size, as well as sunscreen (I burn!) and some basic first aid/meds.
Something we had to keep in mind is that we can’t plan for everything and we can always buy things as a need arises. I feel good about what we’re bringing though and think it’s a solid starting point. I’ll have to update once we have spent a few weeks on the road!
