What to pack for a trip? Minimalistic suitcase

I don’t know about you, but every time I have to go somewhere and I have to pack, I panic. What to pack for the trip? What not to forget? They’re all simple decisions, but it only seems obvious until I open my suitcase and start packing. By some strange coincidence, I feel that I have no clue what to take with me, so as not to pack excess and at the same time be prepared for all possible occasions.

Hence the idea for short entries titled Minimalist’s Suitcase. It will be a collection of articles showing what to pack for a trip on different occasions, so that it can be done quickly and without any problems. Holidays are conducive to various journeys, longer and shorter trips – both planned and fully spontaneous. Sometimes there is no time to think about the packaging, and sometimes there is simply no idea for it. It will be easier with these posts, but if you have the perfect solution (see below), you can skip reading.

Perfect solution # 1: everything fits together in the wardrobe

The ideal solution would be to have only things in your wardrobe that perfectly mix and match. Then there is no problem what to take and what to leave. Unfortunately, my wardrobe doesn’t look like that yet. Most things are easy to compose, but it’s definitely not 100% content.

Perfect Solution # 2: Everything we have is great

Unfortunately, I have not succeed here as well, although I am aiming for the ideal situation, when I reach blindly into the wardrobe and each time I take out a thing that I can easily pack without much thought. I have things in closet that are waiting for the moment when they will be replaced by more carefully selected substitutes.

Perfect solution # 3: I can take whatever I want

I am very envious of everyone who can take an unlimited amount of everything on a journey. For them, the question What to pack for the trip? doesn’t exist. I don’t belong to this group because I always have some limitations, and besides, traveling with several suitcases is too much for me to handle.

So, since the conditions for perfect packaging are not met (yet), it requires some (more or less careful) planning from me.

Planning what to pack

I start planning packing by asking myself the following questions:

Where am I going?
What is the purpose?
For how many days?
By what transportation?
When? (what will the weather be like then?)
How am I going to spend my time?
Where will I sleep?
Do I take dog / cat / etc.

City weekend. Minimalistic suitcase

1. Where to?
   We pack differently for a trip to the mountains and Masuria :). The destination of my last trip was Warsaw.
2. Why?
   The purpose definitely determines the type of clothing you pack. A weekend in the country does not determine the outfit as much as a business trip. The main purpose of this trip was to meet the client, but I also planned other activities.
3. For how long?
   It is understandable that this information is also crucial. I planned my stay for 2.5 days: departure on Friday afternoon, and return on Sunday evening.
4. How?
   The means of transport determine how much luggage we want and how much we can actually take. I usually move by car, but when traveling by train or plane for such a short trip, I would pack similarly.
5. When?
   What will the weather be like then? Forecasts can be unreliable, but it is always worth checking. In my case, it was May, so nice, sunny weather with still slightly cool evenings. It was necessary to be prepared and have an evening coat on hand.
6. How am I going to spend my time?
   When I go on a weekend trip, I certainly have to think about outfits for the following occasions: everyday (for walking the city), for an evening out with friends whom I always try to visit and for a walk with my dog ​​(if I take it with me). If you are not traveling with a dog – the last category is eliminated.
7. Where do I stay?
   For example, it will determine whether we need to take handy cosmetics or a dryer, although I always try to take mine no matter where I sleep. This time I’m staying with a friend, which is convenient because:
8. Do I take my dog with me?
   Yes.
   The animal requires not only its luggage, but also making sure that I take clothes to go for a walk to the park or forest.

What is the conclusion? Do you already know what to pack for the trip?

From the answers to the questions above, an image of an almost 3-day stay emerges, during which I need to dress somehow for 5 occasions: travel, meeting with a client, meeting with friends, time in the city, dog walks. Since I recently wrote about a marine capsule wardrobe, I decided that it would be a sin not to use the developed outfits – it significantly narrows down thinking about the possibilities, they are actually ready, you only need to limit their number.

Minimalistic suitcase: sets of outfits

Set no. 1: a journey and an evening walk with the dog

So what will not be put in the suitcase, because I am wearing it.

• Long-sleeved striped T-shirt
• light blue jeans (easy to use also on a trip back home and for walks)
• sneakers (comfort above all when traveling)
• crossbody bag (any so-called city bag, preferably one that is universal)

Set no. 2: business meeting

In this case it’s not that formal meeting so the smart casual chic is enough

• elegant striped blouse
• dark blue cigarillos
• nude ballerina flats
• white blazer
• leather laptop bag

Set no. 3: evening out

• navy blue dress
• white blazer
• high-heeled sandals
• (in the event of a cold evening, you can easily use jeans and an elegant striped blouse worn in the first part of the day)

Set no.  4: city stroll

• thin denim shirt
• white trousers
• sneakers

Set no. 4: long dog walk
(for shorter morning and evening walks, I usually throw in something that is at hand, unless I can go out in what I am wearing – I do not recommend it in the morning, because various things can happen)

• white t-shirt
• sweatshirt
• jeans
• sneakers

So, when getting into the car I have: a suitcase, a handbag, a laptop bag (usually it fits inside the suitcase) and a dog’s bag. And the dog 🙂

Minimalistic suitcase: summary

In my suitcase I got:

• 1 blouse
• 1 dress
• 2 pairs of trousers
• blazer
• 2 pairs of shoes
• shirt
• t-shirt
• sweatshirt.

Do tego:

• 3 pairs of socks
• 2 bras
• 3 pairs of panties
• pyjamas
• jewelry (at your discretion)
• working tools, notebook with matching bag
• phone charger
• documents
• sunglasses

When I plan a business meeting, I always add an additional set of clothes to my suitcase – in case, for example, I spilled my coffee on myself or something similar happened. For other occasions mentioned, I can get dressed in any way, but here it is not appropriate, so a white shirt also ends up in the suitcase. In my profession, I can successfully exchange cigarillos for jeans in case of something. I also take a small umbrella.

A very important thing, a beauty bag:

In a beauty bag I have:

• shampoo, conditioner and shower gel (in travel bottles, I once managed to get very comfortable in Ikea)
• basic care cosmetics: cotton pads, micellar water and face wash gel (in 20 ml mini bottles)
• toothbrush and toothpaste
• comb
• hand and foot cream (universal)
• night and day face creams
• make-up set: concealer, foundation, mascara, blush, powder and lip gloss
• perfume
• hair straightener and dryer

As an accessory, I take a laundry bag.

That’s basically all my minimalist suitcase contains. It has the perfect quantity for any occasion (plus an emergency kit), nothing superfluous. If I were sleeping in a hotel, I would probably add a reading book or something else so as not to get bored in the evening.

What does your weekend suitcase look like? What would you put in my luggage? Or, in your opinion, what to pack for the trip?

**Bonus 🙂

If, like me, you travel with your dog, then below is a list of what dog luggage should contain:

• documents (health booklet / passport)
• medications (those taken constantly, but also something for allergies and hydrogen peroxide in gel)
• drinking water in a small bottle
• travel bowls
• a toy
• a towel (if paws get dirty)
• toothbrush and toothpaste
• a muzzle just in case
• blanket