Try for clothes like these that mix and match so that you can make many outfits from a few pieces. How many different looks can you make with these separates?

Think in terms of what you can do without — not what will be handy on your trip. When in doubt, leave it out. Remember, in your travels you’ll meet two kinds of tourists — those who pack light and those who wish they had.

Small rolling carryon bag no bigger than 22″ x 14″ x 9″. personal bag/daypack.

3-4 Shirts/blouses – (1 should be long sleeve). Cotton polyester blend or microfiber are good. They won’t show wrinkles and will dry overnight. In colors to go with your pants/skirt.

2 pants or capris – lightweight cotton polyblend. Neutral colors, tan gray navy black. If you must wear shorts they should be Bermuda length, no short shorts. Jeans are heavy and hot and don’t dry quickly if they get wet or you wash them.

1 skirt or lightweight summer dress – great on really hot days, more appropriate than shorts in European cities. Wear to the theater in London!

Underwear and socks. Bring 1 bra, 3-5 sets of panties and socks. lightweight microfiber dries quickly. Bamboo or cotton/nylon blend socks dry faster than 100% cotton which are not as soft when air dried. I rinse my undies and socks out and they dry in the hotel room.

2 pair Shoes – 1 pair comfortable walking shoes. Sturdy tennis shoes are fine. For a second pair consider sandals that you could wear with the skirt or capris or slip on to wear to the bathroom at night. Make sure they’re well broken in and very comfortable to walk in!

1 sweater or lightweight cardigan in wool to wear for warmth when we’re white water rafting or to layer in the evening or morning when it’s cool. Should be a neutral color to go with both pants and the skirt.

1 Jacket – a light and water resistant windbreaker with a hood is great. Mine covers my butt to keep me warm when it’s wet and windy and folds into a pocket.

Scarf – I love a scarf to throw around anything and change it up. They’re warm when you need them to be, you can cover your head in a church or your ears or face if it’s really wet and cold. Wear it like a shawl over your dress and they can add a little color to your outfit. It’s a good souvenir to buy there if you don’t have one already!

1 Swimsuit – something lightweight that will dry quickly is good.

1 Sleepwear – comfy streetwear such as leggings or yoga pants and t-shirts can be used as pajamas and a modest cover-up to get you to the bathroom down the hall, nice leggings would be fine to travel in on the airplane or long bus ride.  

Moneybelt or neck wallet – tuck it under your clothes and forget about it. Put your money and your passport in it. It stays completely safe and hidden wherever you go.

Money – debit/credit card with a pin, a little hard US cash $20, Alert your bank that you’re going to Europe and confirm that your debit card will work in Europe.

Documents – passport, student ID

Travel Notebook and a pen – your most treasured souvenir – your diary, keep notes about the trip, keep track of budget, addresses for sending postcards, remember foods you love, keep track of souvenirs you’ve purchased.

Small day pack – should fit your sweater, camera/phone, picnic goodies, small hand sanitizer, tissues and your water bottle.

Toiletries kit – Put all liquids in 3oz squeeze bottles in a sealable plastic baggie, Pack only the things you can’t live without for 12 days. Think simple and natural. Toothbrush, Toothpaste, floss, shampoo/conditioner, brush/comb, lotion with spf/sunscreen, feminine hygiene products, deoderant, nail clippers/file, small hand sanitizer (keep in your daypack), We’re only gone for 12 days. Think of 12 small applications, not bringing a month’s supply.

glasses/contacts/sunglasses

visor or hat – I love a visor for keeping the sun out of my eyes and they pack easily.

sealable plastic bags – great for packing wet stuff so it doesn’t wet everything else, contains things that might leak, helpful for leftover sandwiches and snacks you’d like to eat later.

laundry soap – a tiny box of detergent or a plastic squeeze bottle of concentrated multipurpose liquid soap is handy for laundry. hotel shampoo works pretty well in the sink when I’m rinsing out underwear or socks. For spot remover bring a few Shout Wipes.

Travel clothesline – if we have 3-4 of these it should be fine, everyone doesn’t need one. The twisted rubber ones don’t need clothespins.

Small travel towel – quick drying microfiber one is great. Some hostels you have to pay for towels, most European hotels don’t have washcloths, you can use it when we swim in the lake too.

Sewing kit – make your own and put it in a small envelope. a few safety pins, an extra button, a needle threaded with thread. Safety pins are great for closing double zippers and making them harder for pickpockets to open quickly.

Small package of tissues – stick it in your daypack in case you wind up at a bathroom with no toilet paper. Great for runny noses too.

travel alarm – maybe your phone or wristwatch. Learn how to set the alarm and turn it off.

earplugs – if night noises bother you you’ll love a good set of foam plugs. They’re super when you’re sharing a room with several people or sleeping on the plane.

smart phone – (optional) this may be the best way to check email and to text with parents at night. We’ll have wifi in all the hostels and in many restaurants. Download apps like WhatsApp, imessage, Text Plus or Textfree – for texting over wifi, Google+hangouts, Viber, skype, Fring or facetime – for video calls,  I also use Weather, Clock, Convert (for currency, measurements and more), calculator, translate, maps, camera, email, internet browser lots on trips. Download some music before you leave home. Don’t forget a charger and earphones. Clear as much storage space as you can for your photos.

Portable media player (optional) – if you don’t want to risk taking a smart phone, load music on an ipod or media player to listen to while we’re traveling or in the evening when we’re relaxing. Don’t forget a charger.

Digital camera (optional) – If you’re not using a smartphone camera. Take along an extra memory card and battery. Don’t forget a charger.

Plug adapter – to plug your phone into for charging. We’re using several different types of plugs during our travels! British use 3 rectangular prongs, France 2 round prongs and Switzerland 3 slim round prongs in a triangle shape! You only need a converter if your device is not “dual voltage”. Look for a range on its plug like (110-220) Most new electronics do not need a converter just plug adapters.

USB flash drive – when my phone gets full of photos I plug it into a computer at a hostel and upload photos to google photo/dropbox/Amazon cloud or Apple iCloud or to a flashdrive so I can delete them from my phone.

Small Flashlight – tiny but powerful LED flashlight is bright, compact and lightweight, or use the one on your smartphone.

A little Duct tape – great for fixing a tear in your bag or a hole in your shoe. I like to use a little duct tape to attach my charger to my adapter so I don’t forget it. roll a 6″ strip around a pencil stub and tuck it into the bottom of your bag for emergencies.

Insect repellent – take some if you’re prone to bites. I like the smell of the burt’s bees spray and I pour a little into a 3oz spray bottle to take on trips.