13 Best Tips on Travel Packing List for Female Traveler

Here’s how I create my travel packing list as a female traveler.

I’ve been traveling to Asia and Europe for the last couple of years. Packing was always stressful for me. After many stressful pre-travel nights, I finally managed to organize my packing list. Packing became easier after that.

Keep reading to create your own packing list.

1. Create a travel plan

Knowing where you’re going, what kind of activities you’re planning to do, the weather and climate, as well as how long your trip is going to be, would help a lot in planning your packing list. You should also do research about the culture of the country that you’re going to visit so that you know what you should wear.

Ask these questions:

• Do I need formal clothes or casual only?
• Do I need to pack high heels?
• Am I going to have dinner in a fine-dining restaurant?
• Will I visit some religious sites?

And so on…

By answering these questions, you will have a vision of your packing list. You will avoid packing stuff that you won’t need or leaving things that you would need.

Going to Bali? Check out my Bali packing guide!

2. Choose the right bag

You should choose a lightweight and sturdy suitcase or backpack that fits your needs. Whether you choose a backpack or a suitcase is totally up to you.

I’m a fan of suitcase travel. I never traveled with only a backpack before. Luckily, I have my husband to carry my bag for me *wink*. But hey, I might try traveling with a backpack in the future. Never say never!

Anyway, if you are like me and prefer to travel with suitcases, the medium size would be the best option. You would still have plenty of space for souvenirs or shopping. The medium size luggage is usually between 25-27 inches.

3. Mix and match clothes

If you’ve created a travel plan or itinerary (remember tip 1), now it’s time to plan your outfits. You should plan what you would wear according to your trip outline and activities.

It’s crucial to choose clothes that you can mix and match. Avoid packing too many colors. Stick to neutral tones like white, black, and beige. What? Do you think it’s too basic? Well, you can use accessories like sunglasses, cool watches, and jewelry to add some flair to your outfits!

Remember, when packing your clothes, you should also consider which bag or shoes to bring. Don’t forget to choose bags and shoes that you also can mix and match. My must-have shoes when traveling is white sneakers. It goes well with almost everything!

4. Always have black on your packing list!

Pack a black dress or some black shirt or tops. If you ever had no idea what to wear, black is always a good option. It’s classy, easy to mix and match, and is perfect for every occasion.

I personally always pack a black dress. You never know when your partner suddenly decides to take you to a nice dinner and you got no time to dress up. A black dress always helps!

5. Wear your biggest shoes

If you’re traveling by plane, wear your biggest shoes to save some space in your bag. This can be your hiking shoes or your biggest boots, or just your biggest sneakers. Also, you won’t need many shoes during your travel, so pack only what you need and what you will use.

For a short trip visiting any city (no hiking activities included), I normally pack 1 pair of white sneakers, 1 pair of sandals, and 1 flip-flop. And then I wear 1 pair of comfy shoes for the flight. Normally that’s enough for me.

6. Dress in your most bulky layers

Another tip to save some space in your bag is to wear your heaviest clothing to the plane. This can be your heaviest or biggest jacket, or sweater. When you’re on the plane, you can always remove your jacket when it’s getting too warm.

7. Leave your hairdryer at home

I was always tempted to bring my hairdryer because I fear that the small hotels don’t provide it. Most of the time, they do. Even the Airbnb apartments. And if they don’t, I normally asked the hotel staff if I can borrow it.

If you do insist to bring one, choose the mini travel hairdryer to save space in your bag.

8. Use travel-size toiletries

Limit your toiletries to the bare minimum. Most hotels and accommodations provide toiletries. If you’re traveling to South East Asia, you can buy toiletries when you get there, as it is quite cheap and easy to get.

When staying in Airbnb apartments, sometimes you can be unlucky and get no shampoo. Or you get some liquid soap with a Lavender smell (I got nothing against Lavender, but some people I know are allergic to it). So, I normally pack travel-size toiletries, just in case. You can buy this at a supermarket or drugstore.

9. Limit your electronics

I always brought my mirrorless camera plus the changeable lens with me, but I ended up taking photos mostly with my smartphone. The quality of pictures and videos from a smartphone these days is amazing. So yeah, re-think before you pack your big camera. If you think you’re not going to use it, just leave it at home.

The same goes with other electronics too. I don’t bring my laptop for a week trip anymore (I used to pack it with me even for 2 days trip!). I ended up not using it and complained to myself about carrying it around.

10. Pack in cubes and roll your clothes

Use packing cubes and roll your clothes to organize and optimize your space. To save more space, you can put small items like socks or underwear inside your shoes or hats.

11. Do laundry

You can pack fewer clothes if you do laundry during your trip. Most Airbnb apartments provide a washing machine. If not, you can just handwash your clothes or find local Laundromats. For a short trip, I normally just handwash my clothes and underwear.

Pack these Eco Laundry Detergent Sheets to save some space in your bag!

12. Leave some room for souvenirs

You would want to fill up your bag to the max when packing, but avoid this at any cost! Leave some room for some cute souvenirs or when you go shopping.

Even if you don’t plan to go shopping, I suggest you save some space in your bag. You never know when you’re going to find nice bags, shoes, or jewelry during your trip. Sometimes, I even shop at the airport!

13. If you’re not sure, leave it!

Last tip: if you’re holding that dress or bag or shoes in your hand and need more than 5 minutes to decide whether to take it or not, leave it. Trust me, you won’t need it, or you won’t wear it.

Depends on what your travel destination is, but if you’re traveling to South East Asia, you can buy clothes or most of your personal items there. So, take all those unnecessary stuff out of your packing list!

What’s Next?

Are you planning to fly to Bali? Check out my article The Ultimate Bali Packing List to help you pack better for this island!

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