Millennials see ‘travelling’ as a legitimate pass time and take any excuse to escape our own four walls and routines, even if it is only for a weekend. And we don’t even have to travel far to experience something completely new.
Long gone are the days of long distance travelling to find adventure. Your next adventure may be around the corner, or perhaps in the next city? A public holiday weekend in Prague? Why not. A two day escape to enjoy the beach in the Hamptons? Always a good idea. Contrary to popular belief, summer is coming. Temperatures are rising and so is our curiosity to explore. So pack your bags, it’s time for a weekend trip.
The day has finally arrived. Just a few more hours and you will be on that plane heading towards pristine Mediterranean beaches. Or possibly to get lost in the hustle and bustle of New York City? Either way, you are probably standing in front of your wardrobe asking yourself the question: What to pack for a weekend trip? Don’t worry, you are not alone. We have put together a simple guide that will help to put you on the right track.
Before your weekend trip begins
To get you started, choose a bag. But not any weekend travel bag of course, better to consider all of your options. Do you go for a weekender or a carry-on? One bag or two? You will find that there are numerous combinations, the answer all depends on the purpose and length of your trip.
A general guide:
| Trip purpose | Trolley | Briefcase | Backpack | Weekender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business trip up to 2 days | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Business trip up to 4 days | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Leisure up to 2 days | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Leisure up to 4 days | ✔ | ✔ |
If you’re going on a business trip for less than two days we recommend an overnight bag like our Palissy 25-hour bag, but if you wish to take more items with you, you may want to go for a proper weekender like Palissy Weekend or Hanbury, which are both slightly larger in size.
If you are away on business travels for a little longer, a suitcase in combination with one of our briefcases is just what you need. You can also upgrade your Palissy Briefcase and Palissy 25-hour bag with a suitcase holder for even more comfortable travelling.
When choosing the perfect bag combination for a weekend away you will find that there are a few more options. If you prefer the mobility of hands-free travelling then go for one of our backpacks, they’re ideal for a less than two nights stay. But if you know that you like to take the odd extra jeans with you as you can never be too sure, one of our weekenders will probably be a better bet.
And in case you are away for longer than a weekend (or just tend to seriously overpack), you will find that a bag like our C3-4 Holdall weekender can carry most of what your heart desires in clothing and essentials as it is larger in size. You may also want a trolley if you know that carrying the bag will become too tedious.
However, before you get lost in the excitement of picking your bag, don’t forget to consider hand luggage restrictions if you are travelling by plane. Check your airline’s website to make sure you’re informed correctly. What a waste it would be to spend all that time on picking out the perfect combo and then not being able to take it with you.
Now that’s all sorted, let’s tackle the original issue of what to put into your bag. A good starting point is to check the weather at your destination. California or Spain are stereotypically warm but there is no harm in double-checking. Once you have done that, you will have a rough idea of what kind of clothing you will need during your trip.
The weekend packing list
You’ve probably heard of this famous stereotype before: Women pack too much and men too little. As much as we dislike stereotypes, research has found this one to be quite true. But not to worry, there is an easy solution which is to stick to the essentials, nothing more and nothing less.
Let’s begin with the tricky part, your clothing. As you are going through your wardrobe, you may encounter a couple of items that you haven’t worn in a while. Just because you are going on a trip and stepping out of your comfort zone doesn’t mean that you will suddenly start wearing them again. Stick to the items that you feel comfortable wearing.
The secret here is to pack light clothing that you can layer. Pack items that are easy to combine, unless you have one specific outfit in mind of course that you want to wear. Picking items that are similar in colour or style will make it easier for you to wear in combination with something else. The good thing about being able to layer your outfit means that you can take layers off or put layers on whenever you feel warm or a bit chilly, which means that there is no need for a big jacket blocking valuable packing space in your bag.
As a rule of thumb, a short weekend trip will probably require you to take one pair of jeans, three shirts, PJ’s, and three pairs of socks and underwear for two nights. This is a good guideline for a short city stay. However, what you take with you really depends on the sort of weekend trip you are going on.
For a business trip, pick one basic colour for your trousers/skirt and jacket (black, brown or blue) and make sure you pick shirts whose prints and colours coordinate with your bottoms and jacket. A beach trip will obviously require slightly different (more light) attire. Here is the overview:
| Trip purpose | Shirts | Trousers/Skirt | Dress (female) | Shorts | Jacket | Shoes | Beachwear | Gym kit | Nightwear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business | 2-3x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | ||
| Beach | 2-3x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | ||||
| City | 2-3x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x |
In either of these cases, we recommend to wear the same travel outfit on the way there and on the way back. It will save you at least a day worth of packing space in your bag as well as thinking time.
Clothing list:
- Shirts
- Trousers / Skirts
- Dress
- Shorts
- Jacket
- Shoes / Sandals
- Gym kit / Beachwear
Next on this list are toiletries, which you can neatly pack into wash bag such as the Berwick. Again make sure that you are complying with any airline regulations about what and how much you can take in your hand luggage. A safe way to get around this is to refill any liquids into smaller containers to avoid any problems or frustrating situations at the airport. Don’t let your holiday start on a bad note!
Toiletry essentials list:
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Sunscreen
- Shaver or Electric razor (pre-charge or bring charger)
- Deodorant
- Brush or comb
- Cleaning wipes
- Lip balm
- Beauty products
You may also wish to take a selection of first aid items such as painkillers and band aids. Check your destination’s local health information to make sure that you are taking any necessary precautions before your trip.
Now to the most important part of your luggage: Your electronic devices such as your laptops and iPads. In order to keep your most precious items safe during your travels, we have a couple of products that may help you to do so, you can find them here. Also make sure to pack your chargers and adapters for foreign plugs, they are favourite things to forget.
And last but definitely not least, don’t forget to pack your credit cards and passport (and visa if needed). Have a look at our range of products to carry the items that you definitely want to be keeping safe. Double check whether you have everything and it may also help to put passport, credit cards and keys in the same pocket.
Electronics and documents list:
- Laptop
- Tablet
- Chargers
- Adapters or foreign plugs
- Passport
- Credit cards
- Visa and travel documents
Tips on how to pack for a weekend trip
So you have your items sorted and you know what your are taking with you. It is tempting at this point to hastily pack everything into your bag and be done with it. Resist that temptation. Here are a couple of tips that will help you pack in a more organised way.
First of all, divide your bag into compartments and place similar items together. For example, all shirts on one side whilst your toiletries reside on the other. This will give you a clear overview of what’s in your bag and help you find anything quickly if needed.
Second, roll your items of clothing rather than folding them. This saves space and doesn’t crease your clothing as much.
Packed, steady, go
We understand that packing can be a stressful experience, especially when you have limited space. But don’t let packing get the better of you. Approach the whole subject with a minimalist mindset and you won’t make any mistakes. And even if you do, you can buy whatever you are missing (apart from your passport) at your destination, unless you are planning a weekend away in the middle of nowhere.
Looks like you are almost ready to go. Go through your checklist one more time on what to pack for a weekend away and if nothing is missing, it is time to zip that bag up and enjoy your trip!
