Every trip is different, but many things remain the same
Did you go on a beach vacation in the Mediterranean last summer and are planning a trip to the high mountains in Nepal this year? Yes, the two packing lists will differ significantly. Nevertheless, there are often more similarities than you might think. Even with such different journeys.
Simply take a tried and tested packing list and adapt it for your trip. This gives you a good basis.
For this reason, we have created various basic packing lists that we like to use for completely new trips:
Benefit from the experience of others
I used to use my father’s packing lists. Today we are lucky enough to have access to a much wider range of packing lists via the Internet, You can also access reports on and travel tips for every conceivable trip.
Of course, you always have to take a close look at how authentic the whole thing is or how much effort someone has put into making a suitable offer.
With our packing lists, for example, we always aim to only publish lists that we have used ourselves on trips and that we have critically reviewed after the trip.
Plan and pack together
Are you going on vacation with several people? Then you should also plan your trip together. Above all, this includes a coordinated packing list.
Everyone has different experiences, different equipment already at home and you can also share things that you can use together.
Don’t pack too much
We’ve all been there: you come back from a trip and realize that you didn’t need half of the things you packed. Sure, some pieces of luggage are only needed in exceptional cases, but you should always have them with you. But clothes in particular are often too much in your luggage.
True to the motto “less is more”, we have put together a separate article on this topic: Save weight, pack smart – lightweight travel.
Check the weather forecast
You are sure to automatically adapt your packing list to your destination. Are you going to the tropics or packing for a ski vacation? Hot, humid and rainy or cold to freezing cold, with driving snow or bright sunshine.
Also take a look at the weather conditions in the previous season and regularly check the current weather. It is best to do this again shortly before departure. Of course, this is no guarantee that the weather will be the same, but depending on the region, the weather remains fairly stable for a while.
This gives you another indication of whether you need to pack something extra or, conversely, whether you can unpack something.
Use the packing list generator
Sometimes you just can’t find a ready-made packing list that fits your needs. So that you don’t have to start from scratch, we have created a packing list generator with which you can create your own individual packing lists.
To get started, all you have to do is answer a few questions and the generator will create a packing list for you based on over 500 pieces of luggage.
Of course, we know that we don’t always get everything right, so you can edit each list according to your own ideas. Add or delete items, adjust the quantities, tick off items that have already been completed, save the packing list and print it out.
And if you have any feedback for us on the packing list generator, we’re always happy to hear from you!
Google Drive, Dropbox and Evernote are just some of the digital tools you can use to create your packing list. Why would you do that and not just use pen and paper?
- You can easily expand the packing list.
- You have a wide range of design options.
- You can duplicate the list as often as you like.
- You can share and edit the list (with many tools) with others.
Categories for your packing list
For most packing lists, you should consider the following categories:
- Luggage
- Clothing
- Shoes
- Hygiene and personal care
- Cosmetics
- Health
- Documents
- Photo and video
- Technology
- Other
