5 Packing Tips for Weekend Trips

I am an avid weekend get-away-er. Now that Charlie and I have moved to Europe, I am all about taking a train ride to another city or country every other weekend! It’s just too easy. Since we travel almost every weekend, I wanted to share my packing tips for weekend trips! This list can be used for 2-day to 4-day weekend trips (we all know sometimes Thursday and Friday count as the weekend!)

Since we like to take 2 or 3 day long weekend trips so often, I do my best to pack as light as possible into just one smaller duffel bag! Of course I bring a purse or small backpack as well to walk around with. That being said, there are many over-packers (used to be me!) which makes it hard to pack for just a few days. Take a look at my top 5 packing tips for weekend trips below – I hope this helps as you pack for your next vacation!

1. Pack comfortable “wear all day” shoes

This is probably the best packing tip for weekend trips I have learned so far. I used to pack a pair of shoes for each outfit…absolutely not. There is no need to be packing 4+ pairs of shoes for a 3-day trip! Fashion trends are constantly changing but my favorite one right now is white sneakers with everything. White sneakers with jeans, a skirt, a dress, leggings, you name it.

My favorite brands to find white sneakers with:

• Adidas
• Ecco
• Keds
• Converse

2. Lightweight jacket is your best friend

Rule #1 before packing, check the weather! Make sure you also check to see the temperature in the day time as well as the night time. It could be sunny and high 60s during the day and drop to the 40s or below at night, which will mean you want a sweater/jacket. If you don’t own a lightweight jacket, I highly recommend investing in one. It could be a windbreaker, a blazer, a jean jacket, or maybe a bomber jacket!

Take a look at H&M, Zara, Asos, Northface, or even Amazon – they are bound to have a good selection of lighter jackets to choose from!

3. Small toiletries bag – don’t pack your entire shower

This one sometimes is hard for me. 🙂 I feel like I need my 5-step nighttime skincare routine, my special face wash, my face mask, my hair mask, my Olaplex, pretty much everything. Do we really need all of that for a 3, MAYBE 4 day trip? Most likely no. Just take what you truly cannot live without for a few days. For me, that is my face moisturizer, vaseline, toothbrush/toothpaste, makeup remover wipes, and my key makeup items.

You can find small toiletry bags in Target, Hema, Walmart, pharmacies, and probably most department stores as well. I suggest trying to find something smaller like this Amazon find to fit all of your skincare/shower/makeup items into one bag!

4. Socks & undergarments for specified number of days

So you are heading to the mountains from Friday to Sunday. Do you really need 3 bras and 6 pairs of underwear? Are you going to pee your pants every single day of the trip? And ruin your bra every single day? Most likely not. This was something I had to unlearn myself, I would always pack a bunch of extra underwear, “just in case”. Just in case what??

Count the number of days you will be traveling and pack that specified number of undergarments. That’s it! And think about how many pairs of socks you will need as well. No, you don’t need 7 pairs of socks for a 2-day weekend trip.

5. Pre-plan your outfits – lay them out

I am such a fan of literally laying out my outfits side by side before I pack them. This helps me see things like how I can rewear a pair of pants 3 times which saves me space! If you are just pulling things out of your closet and shoving them into your luggage, I promise you that you are likely overpacking.

Some people choose to use packing cubes as well to help with organization. I have used these previously for longer trips, but you can also use them for weekend trips should you choose!

---

Hopefully you found my top 5 packing tips for weekend trips helpful as you are planning your next getaway! If you are looking for a short trip to Switzerland, make sure to check out our 4-day Zurich travel itinerary to get some ideas!