packing Archives - Shared Adventures

Packing Tips for Multi-Country Travel

May 13, 2025 by Liz Picurro Leave a Comment

If you’re planning a multi-country adventure, from the sunny Italian seaside to the snowy French Alps, or through Austria, Germany, and the UK, some amount of packing and unpacking along the way will be unavoidable. So, what is the best way to pack and prepare your suitcase to ensure it doesn’t become a cumbersome part of your adventure? And how should you pack for multiple climates? Here are our top Multi-Country Packing Tips:

WHAT TO PACK

a rainbow across the rainy green hills of Snowdonia Wales

Check The Weather Forecast

It’s easy to have a preconception of what the climate will be like in a given destination. Then, you pack, only to find out when you arrive that they are having some unseasonably hot or cold weather. Before you start packing, take time to look up the forecasted weather in your destinations. Then you can focus on packing only what you need.

Pack Versatile Layers

When packing light or for multiple climates, layers are key. Bring versatile clothing that you can dress up or down, that can easily mix and match, and that can be worn as second or third layers depending on the weather. Consider a lightweight jacket that is also waterproof – something you would wear on a cloudless night out but also in a light rain shower.

Consider a Travel-size Steamer

If you’re packing to save space, rolling thinner clothes, and compressing thicker items, then a little travel steamer is an easy way to go wrinkle-free. Just remember you’ll probably also need an electrical converter/adaptor.

HOW TO PACK

A Bag For Everything and Everything In Its Bag

people walking down the cobblestone streets of Bologna with carry-on luggage

Normally, travel gurus tote compression bags as the best way to save space – and they’re not wrong! BUT compression bags and packing cubes serve an even more important purpose when you have a lot of unpacking/ packing to do – keeping everything organized.

Don’t spend time digging through your suitcase every time you need a specific shirt. And don’t unpack your whole suitcase at each destination. Sort your bags/cubes by destination and activity. When you arrive in a new location, all you need to do is pull out one specific bag and leave the rest of your suitcase already packed and ready to go!

Finally, when we say a bag for everything, we mean everything! Think beyond just clothes and get a little bag for electronics, airplane essentials, day-trip items, a compression bag for laundry, a shoe bag, and a toiletry bag.

Ditch the Nooks and Crannies Process

It’s so tempting to try to maximize space by storing smaller items like sunglasses, phone cables, and jewelry in the nooks and crannies left in your suitcase after you’ve packed all your clothing. If you’re traveling to multiple countries and destinations, ditch this method! It’s only a recipe for losing or forgetting things. Keep everything in its proper bag and ensure you put it back in the same place every night. The only exception is socks – they can go in your shoes. Make it easy to see if anything small is missing.

a backpack with three small bags in order to better organize your carryon

Don’t Forget to Organize Your Carry On

We have a PDF checklist of what should go in your carry-on, but make sure that it stays organized in there as well. You want to ensure your essentials and valuables stay with you, and you can easily reach for what you need without too much digging.

Create a Checklist for the Most Important Items

When you’re on the go every few nights, it increases the chance you’ll leave something behind. Things like phone cables, passports, medication, jewelry, and wallets should be on your out-the-door list that you check before you leave. Put your hand physically on the item and say aloud, “ I packed my X” to ensure you really have it, and you remember later that you did.

If you feel ready to embark on a fabulous multi-destination adventure – Let us know! We’re always excited to help our clients create the best vacation possible.

How to Pack Everything in A Carry-On

January 18, 2023 by Liz Picurro Leave a Comment

There’s nothing worse than missing a connection and realizing that your luggage is who-knows-where while you’re in a hotel halfway to your destination! Or arriving safe and sound in your intended destination while your bag has gone on holiday somewhere else! All that worry and focus on retrieving your carefully packed luggage takes up precious vacation time. The clear solution is to keep your luggage with you. Plus, packing it all in a carry-on prevents you from overpacking and having to cart and carry heavy luggage around on your trip!

But how on earth do you pack everything you need into one small carry-on? This question baffles so many travelers and often discourages them from even trying. Don’t worry! It can be done, even for very long trips. And we’re here to walk you through every step:

What to Bring

What you need to bring will be different for every trip, but there are some top tips and general rules to follow. It doesn’t matter if you’re heading out on a 4-day beach excursion or a 14-day European Adventure, always keep these tips in mind when packing:

Clothes

three women ( Ann and Kristy) toast white wine in front of Villa Laura in Tuscany

– Pick a color palette. You don’t have to wear only neutrals but sticking to a color palette will help you maximize the mix-and-match ability of your wardrobe. Think of it as a mini-capsule wardrobe.

– Choose wrinkle-resistant clothing. Even in cold climates stick to breathable fabrics, that don’t wrinkle easily.

– Layers layers layers. Rather than trying to pack a bunch of bulky sweaters, try to stick to layers. They give you versatility for sudden weather changes.

[Photo Credit: Ann via Shared Adventures. Packing layers and light accessories like scarves prepares you for all kinds of adventures! Read about Ann’s Tuscany adventure here!]

– 2 Pairs of shoes. You should have one pair of walking shoes ( which you will wear on the plane) and one pair of nicer dress shoes OR sandals if it’s a beachy holiday. Make sure your dress shoes are still comfortable to walk in and your walking shoes are nice enough to eat out in.

– Do laundry. Depending on the length of your trip, pack for only 5 days and plan on doing laundry about halfway through.

Toiletries

Everything should be mini! Remember, there is no reason to bring a full bottle of anything. Aside from the airport security 3oz rule, you aren’t going to use a full bottle on your trip. Put all toiletries in mini bottles, use samples, and take half a bar. Or plan to pick up some new toiletries at a local store when you arrive.

Just the basics. Try to shrink down your cosmetics and skincare items to the basics.

Packing cubes/ Compression bags

We love using these for organization and for maximizing space. We’ve found a combination is best. Use compression bags (no vacuum required) for your bulkier items and anything that is truly wrinkle-resistant. Use packing cubes to organize the rest.

Pro-tip: If you’re traveling to several destinations with different climates– pack your cubes according to the destination rather than category. That way in each new destination you just need to unpack one cube!

Visualize Your Carry-On

5-7 Days Before Your Trip

This may seem early, but having more time to consider and think about your packing choices will help ensure you’re only packing what you really want to bring. Often your first ideas of what you should pack are not your best ideas.

1) Look up the weather. This is the biggest factor in your packing decisions.

2) Make a list. Use an app like PackPoint or old school pen and paper. To start, write down the essentials. Medication, toothbrush, underwear, etc. Then, fill in everything else you want to bring. Focus most on the activities you’ll be doing on your trip.

3) Check the airline’s bag requirements. Each airline has slightly different dimensions and weight requirements. So, double-check that you know what those are and that your bag fits within them.

three piles of folded clothing and a woman's hands as if packing them

4) Lay it out, try it on! Lay everything you want to bring out on your bed. Then start trying it all on! You want to plan out your outfits as much as possible. See how many can be mixed and matched, make sure you feel comfortable in your clothes, and that they all go together. Generally, we try to stick to the rule of 2-3 tops for every bottom. Pick clothes you can wear more than once.

[Photo Credit: Sarah Brown via Unsplash]

5) Pare it down. Get rid of anything that can only be worn once or only with one specific item and anything you’re not 100% comfortable in. Get rid of anything that cannot be worn for at least 2-3 of your planned activities. There’s no need to pack for “just in case we go to a ball” or “ just in case I decide to get up early and go for a 10-mile hike”. You’ll probably know if you’re doing something like that ahead of time.

6) Ruminate. Set everything aside to think about it.

Packing

2-3 Days before your trip

It’s time to start packing in earnest! You’ve had time to mull over your outfit choices and make sure you’re truly happy with them. Now let’s get them to fit into your carry-on!

1) Look up the weather just to make sure there aren’t any major changes.

2) Get your checklist and lay everything back out on the bed.

3) Go over everything you want to bring one more time and make sure there are no “ just in case” items.

4) Set aside essentials. Anything you’ll need on the plane: your flight essentials kit, medication, kindle, phone charger, important documents, wallet, liquids bag, etc. Also set aside your travel outfit, bulkiest jacket, and bulkiest shoes.

First Layer

5) Start with your bulkier items like jeans, jackets, and sweaters. Roll them as tightly as possible (consider using a compression bag) and layer them in the bottom of your suitcase.

6) Next take your most wrinkle-resistant items and roll them up in a compression bag for the bottom layer. ( If you’re not using a compression bag, roll them tightly and place them in the bottom layer.)

7) Add your shoes. Just one pair of nice shoes OR sandals. Arrange them so that the soles are facing the side of the bag and the soft side is inside. If possible, stuff the toe with socks.

8) Fill in any gaps or spaces on the bottom layer with socks, cables, chargers, belts, hats, scarves, medications, spare batteries, or any other small items.

9) Put all your non-liquid toiletries and makeup in their pouches and layer on top of your bottom layer to maximize cushioning and prevent breakage.

Pro tip: Place a cotton round in between your pressed powders and the lid to help prevent breakage.

Second Layer

10) Fold and/or roll ( depending on wrinkle resistance) the remaining tops, dresses, and pants into packing cubes. Place bras, underwear, and remaining socks in a cube of their own. Layer these cubes on top of toiletries.

11) Fill in the gaps with any remaining extras ( belts, hats, scarves, chargers, socks, etc)

12) Throw in an extra compression bag for your laundry.

13) Look at how it is all fitting together. Re-arrange as needed. You may find that your sweaters or jeans take up less space when folded. Or that you have an extra gap in the bottom layer that can be filled. This is a game of Tetris and you may need to shuffle things around to optimize it.

14) Close your suitcase!

Final Checks

15) Pack your personal bag. This should be bigger than your usual purse – think a large tote or small backpack. Include your flight essentials kit, important documents and wallet, liquids bag, phone charger, and fragile electronics (camera, computer, etc).

people walking down the cobblestone streets of Bologna

16) Take it all for a test drive! Even with door-to-door services, you’ll have to do some walking with all your luggage. And probably on an uneven surface. So, roll it around, take it upstairs, lift it, take it down the street. Check out how the wheels are rolling on uneven surfaces. (if it’s a soft bag you may have to check weight distribution).

If you find yourself getting overheated, frustrated, and exhausted then you have packed too much! Go back to the beginning and consider what you can do without.

[Photo Credit: Ann via Shared Adventures]

With the right attitude, a minimalist approach, and careful planning you’ll find it’s quite easy to pack it all in a carry-on! Try to leave some space for souvenirs. And remember, if you can’t picture an exact moment on your trip when you’ll need or wear something — you can leave it at home!

If you’re feeling confident in your new packing skills and are ready to plan an adventure to go with them, let us know!

Packing Light for the Trip Home

July 19, 2010 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

By Alissa Graham (intern)

Any traveler, whether you have to travel to one state or 25 countries, has to deal with the rising cost of baggage. Last year, airlines made an estimated 65 million from our checked baggage. If you are like me, you are pretty good at keeping things light on the way to your destination, but on the way back, things seem to multiply quickly on the road. Maybe you like to collect house wares, t-shirts, or art from your destination. I like to collect interesting books that will help me remember my trip in the years ahead. But try to pack all these items in your already jam-packed baggage and you are in for some surprise added costs. That’s why I’ve put together this helpful list to help you pack lighter for the return trip home.

Do not bring home any toiletries. Leave your ¼ bottle of shampoo with a friend still on the road, or just chuck it in the garbage. Do you really need to bring home your grody toothbrush? It’s probably time to buy a new one anyway. Throw it out.
Do not bring home any food. Sure you brought 20 granola bars and peanut butter sandwiches for your long journey, but on the way back, practice some restraint and only bring an apple or banana. Cheerios also make for a lightweight snack.
Clothes get a little worn on the journey? Throw them away. For some reason I always end up with holes in all my socks after traveling. Good solution though, you can just throw them away and have some room in your luggage for more important things!
Clear out all the unnecessary papers and receipts. Do you really need to bring home that coaster from the hotel bar or the brochure that a guy on the street handed you for a strip club? Probably not.
Did you come with books and magazines? Give them away, donate them to a local library, or leave them at your hotel. Someone will appreciate it (or be able to start a fire!)

So now that you’ve saved yourself about $75 in overweight luggage fees, you can splurge on awesome souvenirs that will really mean something in 10 years!