What To Pack For A Weekend Trip

I’m a big fan of getting away for a couple of days, and weekends are typically a good time for people who work at jobs that require them to be there during the week. If you happen to fall under another category and can work from anywhere or go at anytime, this is still a good read for you. Many people tend to overpack and take things that they wouldn’t wear 364 other days of the year. Suddenly, it needs to be packed for a weekend getaway. No, let’s not do that. To pack for a short weekend or a couple of days doesn’t need to be an ordeal. This is going to be a relaxing couple of days that involves disconnecting and recharging, not stressing over what to pack or to take.

I’m going to lay out some ideas for you so that you can grab and go and enjoy your off-time at whatever destination you choose. It’s going to be fun and I can’t wait to see where you take yourself.

Light Blue is Smaller Away Bag - Favorite!

Deciding what to pack for a weekend trip does not have to take a long time. When you have somewhat of a capsule wardrobe, you can easily map out what you want to take, giving yourself the ability to mix and match the items in your selection. Additionally, depending on where you go, you will want to take personal items with you so you aren’t left in a lurch and brushing your teeth with your finger. That doesn’t count for brushing! Our weekend bag will contain only items that we need, and maybe one or two extra pairs of underwear in case we sh*t our pants, which is a perpetual fear of all of us frequent travelers. It has yet to happen (to me), but I take enough underwear to keep me calm.

To save space, we will have our travel sizes in all or most of our items. Whether you are flying or driving, you know you can carry them with you. Now for the fun part: the items listed so you don’t forget anything. Grab your packing cubes and let’s get to packing.

Grab Your Bag

For a couple of days, you need a carry on bag or a weekend bag, that is it. No need to break out your medium or large size suitcase, as it’s utterly unnecessary and a waste. Plus, you have to carry it and it gets heavy. It will limit what you can take, and that is a good thing. My favorites are the Cuyana weekend bag and the Away carry on size.

Toiletries

Sure, this is obvious. But have you ever gotten somewhere and realized you forgot an important item? It’s the worst! Some of the most universal toiletries for men and women are: toothbrush and toothpaste; body wash or soap; shampoo and conditioner (or a combo); razor and shaving cream; face wash; moisturizer; sunscreen; hair products. Anything more than this is overkill, and sometimes you can just use what the accommodations have. I like my own, so I take my own. But you do you.

Reusable Water Bottle

One of my favorite items to take for several reasons is a reusable water bottle. First, I hate drinking out of plastic water bottles. Ingesting microplastics and further pollution are my two main reasons, so I take my own bottle. I wash it at the hotel or wherever I am staying so it stays clean. And it stays with me at all times. Get yourself one that fits in your purse or bag to take along to your activities on the trip.

Shoes

For a weekend trip, a pair of shoes or two will do you just fine. I won’t lie. Walking around the accommodations barefoot is gross to me. So I take flip flops as slippers and don’t count them as a pair of shoes. Typically a pair of cute tennis shoes/sneakers and a nicer (but also comfortable) pair of shoes are perfect for whatever you have planned. You’re only there a couple of days. Don’t overdo it on the shoes. I say this same thing in my blog about how to pack for solo travel as well. It’s same/same.

Clothing

You’re clearly going to be taking clothes. Whether this is a cold weather trip or a warm weather trip, you need clothes. As I stated, taking a capsule type wardrobe is best. Think neutral colors that you can change up. Black, navy, white, gray, khaki. These are the easiest to work with. And my rule of thumb is one outfit per day and one nice outfit that I can wear for an event that may call for fancier attire. The mix and match part is key, and I can’t stress that enough. Also, take what you have. No one has seen you in these clothes most likely. So you don’t need a whole new set of clothes for this weekend trip.

Credit Cards

I’m a big fan of using credit cards while traveling because if someone steals the number or you lose your card you aren’t locked out of your bank account. Honestly it baffles me when people travel on debit cards because it’s fairly risky. Commit to spending the way you would if you are a debit card user and pay it off at the end of the trip. You earn points and you aren’t at risk of having no way of paying for things should something happen to your card. Voila. You are set.

What to Wear?!

So far we’ve gone over the “what” of packing, and now I’ll share the “how” of packing. It’s not very complicated and as someone who travels quite often and often solo in nothing more than a carry on and personal item on weeks long trips, I’d consider myself a packing pro. I’m always tweaking and trying to perfect my weekend trip packing list, as well as other types of trips I go on, and I am so happy to share this with you. Hopefully it makes your trip more enjoyable and not at all stressful. I’ll share how I pack for my weekend trips below.

Check the Attitude

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to decide what to take on trips. If you’re not used to packing and unpacking, or you start thinking you need things that you really don’t, it can drag the whole point of the trip down. So, decide you are going to make it fun and do make it fun. Make a little checklist of your personal needs and don’t overdo it. Easy!

Limit the Items Packed - Plan!

Maybe I’m a little obsessive, but I either type, write out, or take photos of what I’m going to take with me. It is my goal in life to not have much leftover from trips because it just means extra weight to carry around. Because I solo travel a lot, I am responsible for carrying my own bags. And the last thing I want is to break my back trying to haul them. I’m also a plane and train taker so I have to lift them a lot, and the lighter the better. So, make a plan and stick with it. Except for underwear. You really might need more of those.

Refer to the Weather

One of my other obsessions is checking the weather app 1000 times before going to whatever planned trip I have. It gives the idea of how much or little you need to pack. Typically for just a weekend, you don’t want to have to run around finding extra clothes to purchase because you forgot to pack a sweater or extra shoes because yours got wet and won’t dry. Checking the weather is another great tool to be prepared as best you can for your weekend getaway.

Now that you’re familiar with how and what to pack for a weekend trip, it’s time to get moving. Because I am from and love New Orleans, I will plug it for a perfect weekend destination. You can even find my blog on things to do in New Orleans in the summer blog to be helpful during those slower months here. Maybe you’re headed to New York City. How about wine country in California? Any of these places apply to the way in which we pack a bag. It’s a rinse and repeat type of situation, and one that you can use over and over. Giving you guidance for your weekend trip has been my pleasure, and I certainly hope it’s a great time for you.

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If you liked this blog, you might also like to read about essential items when traveling on a plane.

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