My family of 5 traveled around Europe for 30 days with 1 backpack each. Here are my 10 best packing tips.

When my family started planning our monthlong, dream European adventure, I challenged myself to pack as light as possible.

I have three young kids, so I knew limiting us to one backpack per person would make navigating airports, trains, and cobblestone streets so much easier. Now I don’t think I’ll ever overpack again.

Read on for some of my top packing tips.

Plan all the aspects of your trip before you pack

If you’re looking to pack as light as possible, planning is so important.

Think about the length of your trip, different climates and temperatures, and the types of activities you’ll be doing, so you can get an idea of everything you’ll need. 

It’s important to do this before you even start laying out clothes you may want to bring on your trip.

I found it especially helpful to start writing a list of everything I needed to pack long before our departure. This way, I could gradually gather items and set them aside weeks in advance (when possible).

As I thought of things, I just added them to the list to make sure I didn’t forget them.

Create a capsule wardrobe that can be mixed and matched

I knew I had to be strategic with how I packed, especially for our clothes.

For each family member, I created capsule wardrobes, mostly consisting of neutral items that were easy to mix and match.

I also focused on layering, which helped us get the most use out of the items we brought.

Schedule a try-on day to make sure everything fits comfortably

Creating a capsule wardrobe can be tricky, but for us, the key was trying it all on before we left. This was especially helpful for packing for my three young kids.

To ensure everything I packed got worn, I made sure all the items fit and that my kids were comfortable in them and liked wearing them.

Practice packing before the day of the trip

A week before the trip, I did a practice run of the pack.

This helped me visualize what we needed, pare down things we could do without, and identify any last-minute items I needed to pick up to make sure our trip ran smoothly.

This is also an opportunity to weigh your bags if you’re working with a suitcase and are concerned about extra fees.

Make sure all your non-clothing items have a place

In addition to packing clothes for my family, I had to gather toiletries, games, snacks for the plane, electronics, and more.

I made sure everything had its own place by assigning storage bags for things like chargers, masks, and important documents, which made packing and unpacking simple and stress-free.

Use the outside of your bag for items you want easy access to

Don’t be scared to use the outside of your bag for extra space. Carabiners can be handy for this.

You can clip things like hats and neck pillows to handles and zipper pulls so you don’t take up valuable packing space inside your bag.

Test out different bags to see which is most comfortable for travel

Since you’ll be wearing the bags through airports and in destination cities, you want to make sure you find something comfortable.

I had my girls test out a few different styles and sizes before picking them out, and I ended up preferring a weekender bag over a traditional backpack.

Make the most of your space with packing tricks and accessories

I used packing cubes and different folding techniques to help make the most of my space and keep my bag organized.

I measured each item against the height of the cube and folded it flat to sit upright, which helped me squeeze in as much as possible and made the items easy to see. This way, I also didn’t have to destroy the entire pack to find specific items later on.

Wear your bulkiest items on travel days

If bag space is limited, wear bulky items like sneakers, sweaters, and jackets on travel days. Not only will it save you space, but you’ll also be extra comfortable (and warm) for your travels.

My usual travel outfit includes jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie, sweatshirt, or jacket.

Pack an extra, multifunctional bag 

One unexpected item that really came in handy throughout our travels was the extra canvas bag we packed.

We used it to hold extra food and souvenirs. It was also a lifesaver when we needed a place for dirty clothes before laundry days.

The best part is that it was able to fold up small or lay flat in our bags until we needed it.

This story was originally published on November 3, 2021, and most recently updated on July 30, 2026.