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If you didn’t know…I am a self-declared professional packer (maybe it’s because I’m also a professional list maker)! When packing for studying abroad in Florence, I started my list months in advance. You might be thinking, “why?” Well, there are many things you might not realize you need, such as photocopies of your passports and credit cards, tech adaptors, and medicine (because trust me, European meds are not the same). Also, did you know they only have paper tampons? And, while you can obviously wear what you want, European style is more modest than our style in the US, especially when going out at night. So, I tried to prioritize simple and neutral basics.
Not only do I pat myself on the back for being an organized and avid packer, I have a mom who spent hours researching, on Facebook groups, to create her own list for me so I wouldn’t forget anything that most people usually do. And don’t forget, there are many things in Europe that you can buy there so you save space in your suitcases. Personally, I was able to find most of the toiletries I use at home in Florence. And, most of the time, the products in European pharmacies have better quality ingredients than in the US.
I also made sure to bring travel-size toiletries for weekend trips and pack a few changes of clothes in my carry-on in case my suitcases didn’t make it to Florence the day I got there! Trust me, you need to do this. I had several friends who didn’t get their checked bags for days – put Apple Tags in all of your bags to keep track of their location!
ABROAD PACKING LIST
Tops:
Long sleeve:
- Basic long sleeves (black, white, brown)
- Turtlenecks (black, white, gray)
- White button up
- Sweaters (6)
- Sweatshirts (3)
Short sleeve/sleeveless:
- Basic short sleeves (white, black, blue, navy, brown)
- Bodysuits (3)
- White tanks (4)
- Black tanks (5)
- Sweater vest
- Corsets (3)
Pants:
- Jeans (4) – light wash, dark wash, low waisted/ripped, black
- Black trousers
- Leather pants
- Sweatpants (2)
- Pajama pants
- Yoga pants (I never wore these except to workout)
Shorts:
- Jean shorts (2)
- Workout shorts
- Biker shorts
Skirts:
- Black mini skirt
- Pleated mini skirt
- Tennis skirt
- White maxi skirt
Dresses:
- Brown midi dress
- Floral midi dress
- Black mini dress
Jackets:
- Brown fur lined leather coat – I wore this every single day
- Black puffer
- Black leather jacket
- Brown leather jacket
Shoes:
- Doc martens (any boots)
- Birkenstock clogs
- New balances – These were my walking shoes and they were my best purchase and also cute!
- Flip flops (important if you’re going to the Budapest thermal baths)
- Adidas sambas/gazelles
Miscellaneous:
- Bras
- Underwear
- Socks
- Slipper socks
- Black tights
- Robe
- 2 bathing suits
- Scarf
- Winter hat
- Gloves
- Sunglasses
- Blue light glasses
- Medicine (Sudafed, NyQuil, DayQuil, Excedrin, Tylenol)
- Wallet
- Purse (2)
- Fanny pack
- Tote bag
- Pencil case
- Euros (get these in the US beforehand!)
- Laundry bag
- Travel candles
- Portable mirror
- Water bottle
- Kleenex
- Photos
- Scissors
Tech:
- Portable charger
- Adapters
- Phone charger
- Laptop and charger
- AirTags
- AirPods
- Extension cord
Beauty:
- Brush
- Round brush
- Makeup bag
- Jewelry bag
- Mini hair elastics
- Tampons
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Mini micellar water
- Cotton pads
- Deodorant
- Moisturizer
- Face wash
- Oil cleanser
- Pimple patches
- Perfume
- Travel perfume
- Hair towel
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Mini shaving cream
- Razors
- Blister bandaids
- Refillable travel bottles
- Mini lint roller
Documents:
- Passport and paper copy
- Drivers license and paper copy
- Insurance card and paper copy
- Visa and paper copy
- Credit card
- Debit card
The biggest tip I heard was to not pack your bag to the brim because it’s inevitable that you’ll buy a lot there. Unfortunately, I Believed I was the exception… I was not. Europe has great thrift shops and cheaper Zara’s… those two things alone were enough to push me over my limit. While it can be easy to get carried away packing, focus on the basics. Remember, you can always buy another pair of jeans when you get there (and you probably will). And don’t forget to use packing cubes and bring a travel backpack for flights! Packing cubes will also help you when packing for weekend trips, as you can fit all of your clothes into one large cube. A travel backpack is necessary for weekend trips, as it can fit underneath the airplane seat and hold everything you will need for the trip (and this is coming from a chronic overpacker, so believe me on this).
I hope you got some inspiration from this list! Obviously, this is specific to me and what I had in my closet. One of the best pieces of advice I got about clothing is that you should be able to create 4-8 outfits out of one piece of clothing. It helped me figure out what I usually reach for and helped me not overpack. Of course, this is just what I went to Europe with (I checked two bags, and had two carry-ons – one being my travel backpack and the other being a carry-on suitcase). Just remember that although Europe is warmer and more temperate than Hamilton, NY, it won’t get super warm out until the spring semester is over, so pack accordingly. Good luck and happy packing!