My Travel Capsule

First let me start by saying that I’m usually the one on trips who packs enough for an entire month, even on a long weekend getaway. I like to have “options” each morning because I don’t know how I’ll feel or what mood I’ll be in. Packing lightly has never been my style. Ha! But this time around, I decided to keep my outfits to a minimum and there were three reasons for that.

1. I’m transitioning to a capsule wardrobe permanently, and I wanted to practice on a smaller scale…like a trip!

2. I wanted less to drag around in Europe. I knew I would already be exhausted physically, and Colten wouldn’t be there to help with my suitcase, so less was definitely smarter for me.

**Shoutout to my wonderful parents who helped me get my suitcase from place to place on the trip! There were times I was worn out physically and they stepped up big time and helped me out, and for that I’m so thankful!

3. The more we practice the “less is more” lifestyle (we are borderline minimalist, y’all!) the more attractive it is to me. But I also just loved the challenge of taking a carry on. I never thought it would be possible for me, but turns out I’m not sure I’ll ever go back!

I took a total of 16 pieces and that excludes under clothing & pj’s! I only allowed myself 2 pairs of shoes for daily wear, but I did throw in some shower shoes right before we left! Oh, and a black scarf!

I took 3 pairs of pants: 2 pairs of jeans and 1 pair of leggings.

1 black midi dress.

5 shirts.

2 sweaters.

I took a jean jacket, a green utility jacket, a rain jacket, and a cardigan.

The key here is this: everything I packed were great staple pieces that can be worn several different ways. My shirts could be worn with jeans alone or with a jacket/cardigan. A few of the shirts could also be worn over my midi dress and tied up for a skirt/shirt look. The leggings were a great option for the long flights (comfy!) but also cute with a long sweater over them. And with all the different possibilities, I never repeated the same exact outfit!

* It should be noted we stayed in Air B&B’s and had access to a washer/dryer and that helped a ton! It should also be noted that washers/dryers are sometimes different overseas and can be very difficult to use! 😆

* Even though I packed in a carry on, I still checked my bag to avoid dragging it all around the airport. That saved me a lot of energy physically.

And that’s how I went to Europe with just a carry on! It was a simplistic way to pack and I really didn’t struggle or spend much time deciding what to wear each day. And believe it or not, I was still excited about my outfits and all the many options. Even with fewer choices!

Are you a light packer with a carry on or do you like all the options packed into the largest suitcase you can find?!