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If you’re planning your first trip to Europe, you may be wondering what you should pack. Has does one dress in another country, or two, or three? There are three things you should keep in mind when packing for your European adventure: pack light, dress sharp, and be comfortable.
The key to packing light is to think ahead. Do you really need 100 different outfits, when about 20 will do if you have access to a washer? Do you really need 50 different pairs of shoes when three will be enough to match all of your outfits? Do you really need a ton of accessories when simple would be better? The trick is to think practical, and pack practical. Pack your favorite t-shirt, your favorite pair of jeans, and your favorite little black dress or suit. Wear a comfortable pair of walking shoes on the flight. Pack a pair of sandals and dress shoes. Don’t worry about all of your toiletries, because you can always buy what you need on your trip.
Now that you know what you don’t need to bring, it’s time to determine what you do need. In addition to the few items mentioned above, take out the outfits you know you absolutely have to have with you on your trip. That new sweater you bought specifically for the occasion, or the new shoes, or even the new outfits. If you haven’t gone shopping for your vacation yet, but are planning to, slow down. Remember, you don’t have to buy out the store. Most of what you have in your closet will probably do just fine on your trip. You can buy a few new outfits for the fun of it, but you don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe.
Now that you have everything you want to take with you, it’s time to pack it all. Use the smallest bag you can, but make sure there’s room for souvenirs.
