My first international trip, I packed like I was fleeing the country forever. Three "just in case" jackets. Shoes I never wore. And somehow, no adapter for the one country whose plugs matched nothing I owned. I spent the first evening hunting for a charger instead of enjoying the city.
So here's the checklist I've refined since — the one that keeps me light, calm, and never standing at a foreign counter realising I forgot the one thing that mattered.
Start with the things that end the trip if they're missing
Before clothes, before toiletries, before anything, get the non-negotiables sorted. Lose these and the holiday is over before it starts.
- Passport, with enough validity and blank pages
- Your visa (or e-visa printout) and any entry documents the country asks for
- Flight and hotel confirmations — a copy on your phone and a copy on paper
- Travel insurance policy and the emergency helpline number
- Your cards and some local or US-dollar cash, split across two places
- A photo and a scan of your passport, saved to your phone and your email
That last one has rescued me. If a passport ever goes missing, a copy makes the whole embassy process far less nightmarish.
Clothes: pack for the trip you're taking, not the one you're imagining
Here's the honest truth about clothes — you will wear about half of what you pack. So pack for the actual weather and the actual plans, then take out one thing.
- Outfits that mix and match, in colours that go together
- Layers rather than one bulky coat — easier to adjust, easier to pack
- Comfortable walking shoes you've already broken in (never new shoes on a trip, trust me)
- Something a little nicer for a dinner or a photo
- Modest options if you're visiting mosques or conservative areas — a scarf earns its space
- Sleepwear, underwear, socks — count the days, don't overshoot wildly
Roll your clothes instead of folding. It genuinely saves space and cuts down on creases. Packing cubes, if you have them, turn a chaotic bag into something you can actually find things in.
The tech and charging kit
This is the bag within the bag, and it's where trips quietly go wrong.
- A universal travel adapter — the single most forgotten essential
- Your phone charger and cable (and a spare cable, they die at the worst time)
- A power bank for long days out and long airport waits
- Earphones, and headphones if you're a light sleeper on flights
- A travel eSIM or a plan for a local SIM, sorted before you fly
Check your adapter actually fits your destination before you leave. Plug types vary more than people expect, and the airport kiosk selling them knows exactly how desperate you are.
Toiletries and the little health kit
Keep it small. Almost everything can be bought there if you run out, so pack travel sizes and remember the liquid limits for your carry-on.
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and your basic skincare in travel sizes
- Any prescription medicines, in their original packaging, with a doctor's note if it's anything strong
- A tiny first-aid kit: painkillers, plasters, something for an upset stomach, and rehydration sachets
- Sunscreen and a lip balm — you'll want them more than you think
- Hand sanitiser and a few wet wipes
That upset-stomach medicine has saved more of my trips than I'd like to admit. New food, new water — your gut sometimes needs a day to catch up.
The carry-on: pack it like you might lose the big bag
Airlines lose bags. Rarely, but they do. So your carry-on should let you survive a day or two without the checked one.
- All your documents, cards and cash
- Phone, charger, power bank, adapter
- Medicines you actually need
- One change of clothes and basic toiletries
- Anything valuable or irreplaceable — never check these
If your checked bag goes on its own little holiday to another city, you'll be endlessly glad you did this.
The small stuff that makes a big difference
None of these are essential. All of them have made a trip smoother for me at some point.
- A reusable water bottle — fill it after security, save money and plastic
- A foldable tote or day bag for excursions
- A small padlock for hostels or zips
- A pen — you always need one for immigration forms, and there's never one around
- Snacks from home for that first hungry, jet-lagged night
Before you zip the bag, run this quick check
Two minutes now saves an hour of panic later. Ask yourself:
- Documents — passport, visa, bookings, insurance, all present and copied?
- Money — cards told the bank you're travelling, some cash, not all in one pocket?
- Chargers and adapter — actually the right type for where you're going?
- Medicines — enough for the whole trip, in original packaging?
- Weather — did I pack for the real forecast, not a guess?
One honest reminder before you go: rules on what you can carry, liquid limits, and any medicine restrictions differ by airline and by country, and they change. Check your airline's baggage rules and the destination's customs guidance on their official pages before you fly — especially for medicines and anything unusual.
The goal isn't to pack everything. It's to pack the right things, lightly, so you spend your trip exploring instead of lugging a suitcase you resent. Start your list a few days early, not the night before — the night-before packer always forgets the adapter.
Now go make your list. Future-you, standing calm at the departure gate while everyone else repacks on the floor, will thank you.
