Starting to pack - leave in 1 week - what did you wish you had packed?

I try to remember to throw a few band-aids in my bag. Sure, you can buy them there but sometimes the stores that sell them are not convenient or open when you need one.

Packing light and forgetting are two different topics.

But it does serve to remind, that no matter how you pack, you should use a packing list. There are several that are available on the interwebs for review and modification or make your own.

Then as you pack check off the items from the list.

You will probably take more photos than you realize, so maybe picking up an extra card for your camera would be a good idea. cheap at home, expensive in tourist areas.

If you are a wash cloth or bath scrubby kind of person, consider taking one. Sometimes hard to come by in overseas hotels or apartments.

On a trip a few years ago I regretted not packing a larger variety of clothes. I packed mostly sweaters and long sleeves. We ended up having some pretty warm days, made even warmer in a sweater. I would say you can pack light but bring things you can layer. One sweater, some nice T-shirt type shirts, some thinner shirts and a jacket. This way you are prepared for anything.

Donna

I can't think of anything that would go in your suitcase that you couldn't replace over there, unless you're traveling to Siberia. And you could probably replace it in Siberia.

There wasn't anything that I wish I had brought. I thank myself for packing light everytime I have to repack and move to another city/hotel.

I did just read an article by a travel writer. She was talking about people who were stuck in Europe or just away from home because of the volcano. What she pointed out was that many people take just enough of their RX meds for the trip and since they were stuck away from home they had a hard time getting their medications filled. Take plenty of your RX's.

Less! You can buy anything you need over there, and that can be allot of fun in itself. You will not regret packing very light when you are trying to make your train connections. Enjoy! Caio, Jeff

Laura,

Less. I seem to always overpack. This year I am determined to pack lighter.

That said, one thing I always take is a cotton sorong type thing. It has (and gets) many uses. I use it as a cover up if I'm someplace where there is a pool, a picnic ground/table/rock/log cloth (just shake it out), and a shawl to cover shoulders, or skirt to cover knees in all churches! I also use it on the plane if I get chilly. It is cotton - not flimsy.

My first trip to Italy, I forgot the charger for my camera battery. That was NOT a good thing to leave behind. Fortunately my roommate (this was on a RS tour) had the same camera and kindly let me charge my batteries on her charger.

Generally the bare minimum of things that you need are: money, passport, medicines--I suggest bringing immodium in particular. The food in Italy is fantastic but our systems aren't used to it.

Everything beyond that is subject to personal preference. For convenience's sake, bring any batteries, cables, chargers, etc. of electronics.

When I travel and plan on taking public transportation, I make sure that I alone can handle what I've packed. Going up and down narrow stairs, taking packed bag over head, going up hills etc. This forces me to pack light and redistribute items for easier maneuvering.

A small compass.

Put in a couple zip loc baggies, both the quart and gallon sizes. They take up no room, have practically no weight and are so useful. I love the little washcloth tablets Magellan sells. Add water and they become a washcloth which can be used for a couple days and come in handy when taking off make-up. I leave for Venice in 6 weeks and this fellow Minnesotan can't wait!
PS. Some folks carry a small roll or couple strips of duct tape, but even as a Minnesotan I haven't tried that yet.

Mimi mentioned prescription meds. Here's a tip based on my own experience. If you run out of or lose one of your prescription meds, find a local pharmacy. Invariably the pharmacist will know of a local doctor who'll write you a refill. Pharmacists always know all the local docs.

It's also a good idea to keep a separate list of your Rx meds & dosages (if you don't know them by heart), including their generic names.

To James -- No one pays attention or cares about what you wear in your pictures. Only you know that your clothes are the same.

BUT -- as was mentioned earlier our key to SUCCESSFUL packing light is the LIST. We have two -- winter and summer although the lists only slightly vary. Basics stay the same. With our frequent trips the list is refined to exactly what we need -- no more, no less. Within the first couple of hours on the plane home, we pull out the list and evaluate each items -- what worked, didn't work, needs to be replaced/repaired/changed, etc. After an hour or so of discussion the list is ready for the trip. Now most of our discussion is fashion changes and repair/replacement.

People who complain about constantly over packing probably did not have a list to start and certainly did not evaluate what they packed for the last trip. So it is starting over every time.

Our first trip nearly 20 years ago was a disaster with over packing. However, having an engineering background and a little military, I sat on that plane home preparing my "After Action" report. It was lengthy and formed the basic for the list. The next trip was better but not great. It took about three trips to develop the discipline and smarts to make the list and STICK TO IT. The worthless travel iron didn't get lost until about the fifth trip -- and she never missed it. I do have a misc list of 47 items which covers every possible think you might want to take which I can forward if you like.

Everyone will tell you to pack light but it is really learned behavior.

more ziplock bags

Getting the hubby to not overpack is the challenge in our house and we start with lists, he marks everything off and then decides to add a few more things. Most things you forget you can find somewhere, but for meds, its good to take what you need plus at least enough for a few more days, especially if its something its important you take, some drugs you can go without for a few days with no serious issues. Not a bad idea to have the list from our doctor on their letterhead too in case you need an emergency refill, it might help speed things up. The next trip will involve more train travel so that may cure him, maybe....

A small supply of basic over-the-counter meds that you might need - aspirin, Pepto, antacid. These are usually sold only in pharmacies, not grocery stores or markets. And, as someone else mentioned the pharmacies can have limited hours, particularly on weekends and Mondays.

I went this time last year too. Didn't expect the heat wave they experienced. Could have used more linen clothes as they were the coolest and I kept washing them out. Comfortable shoes a must as always walked more than expected. Would leave my suitcase with a single pulling handle home as it doesnt track good going over curbs.

I also love those little washcloth tablets that Magellans sells. Couldn't do without them! You will rarely find washcloths in Italian hotels & I use them to wash my makeup off at night. I also second the idea to carry a compass. We never travel without one! I got one that clips to my camera bag so it's small. My third suggestion is to carry a small flashlight. I read that there are frequent power outages in Rome & while we didn't experience any, we did use the flashlight several times when in dark places. We used it in the San Clemente church where you go down several flights & it's pretty dark. My flashlight also clipped to my camera bag so it was within easy reach when I needed it. My final suggestion is to carry pre-moistened handwipes; they came in handy when we got melted gelato all over our hands, etc.! Have a great trip.

add a notebook to write a reminder of all the photos you will take

I wasn't missing anything, but I can tell you a few things I thought about leaving out that I am glad I didn't. First off, the light rain jacket- definitely needed that, for only one day, but it would have been a miserable day without it, as umbrellas were almost useless. The other was a travel sized version of the noise machine I sleep with- I thought I could survive 12 days without it, but thought better of it and am glad. So if you have things you know you need, even if they seem frivolous, I'd say bring it anyway! I do sort of wish I had brought another scarf or two- I had pretty much the same sweater over a tshirt most days and the scarves would have made the pictures look at least a little different :) And if I could have had a GPS to walk around with, I would have been grateful!

Oh wait, I agree with the compass too, if a GPS not possible :) That and a flashlight would have helped on some dark street corners in Rome!

Here are a few convenient on hand things I bring that I always ended up needing:

~Tiny little pair of scissors - Used them ALOT!
~Washcloth
~Small mesh hosiery bag, can be used to divide dirty things from clean or washed yet still damp items so they dont mildew in suitcase.
~Yes, Band-aids

an umbrella, we were in Italy in October and it was rained twice, very very hard. We bought 4 umbrellas, two which broke right away.
Otherwise, packing light is the key. Enjoy your trip

Eye Wash.
Sun Screen.
Shoe Inserts.
Another Credit Card,
and a bigger Beach Towel.

An adapter for my computer plug. I spent a couple of days looking for one in Paris. I could have bought one at half the price at the airport before I got on the plane.

I'm with Jeff, usually the only thing I wish I had packed is less.

Even though I pack light, I can usually point to at least one item in my bag I could have done without (not counting small first aid and sewing kits that might not have been used, but should be packed).

Usually it's something recently purchased that I thought would work but didn't - wasn't comfortable, didn't match, or didn't wash and wear well.

Laura - just a comment on the "trying to pack as light as possible" phrase. I don't actually try to pack as light as I possibly can, but I do pack only what will fit in the luggage I am willing to take and willing to carry. Point I'm trying to make is that sometimes you are able to pack quite a few different things (i.e. lightweight summer tops) and still have light luggage. I'm always amazed at women who want to bring only 3 pair of underwear and will wash them out in the sink. They don't take up much room or weigh much so I usually bring lots. My husband, on the other hand, did try to make it through Italy with only 3 shirts, planning to wear each twice then wash. He was SO hot and sweaty (of course it was summertime) that he went through 2 shirts in 1 day. Next time he brought a few more.

The stuff that is heavy, for me at least, is shoes, pants, and toiletries. This is where I'm always trying to find a way to cut down. And this is where I get myself in trouble - like when I didn't pack sunscreen because I didn't realize it would be so sunny in Ireland (and it was). I also didn't think I'd need my sunglasses in Spain in March, however, though it was cold, it was VERY bright so I had to buy some when I was there. And my husband does like to use a washcloth and many hotels don't provide them. We keep forgetting that, next time I'll put one in for him. One nice thing I've been able to do without these past few years is my travel hair dryer, seems like every hotel (even small B&B's) have them either in the room or available to borrow.

A travel-sized bottle of Febreze. Hotel rooms often smell musty or clothes pick up the cigarette smoke smell from others. A spritzing of Febreze would have been appreciated.

Where does one find those magellan instacloth wash cloths?
Target/Walmart maybe?? or do you have to order from Magellan?

Hi Laura,
I think for those of us who do not make international trips two or three times a year, or who have not frequented the place we will be traveling often, it is more difficult to travel lightly. I agree with previous posters that packing lists are best. I do not want to spend half of my vacation, however, shopping for a sweatshirt or heavy sweater because I didn't pack one, or trying to find sunscreen like the previous poster because I was trying to keep down the overall weight. Where I fail is in the shoe dept. Rick Steves always recommends just two pair, but I have yet to find two pair of shoes that can meet all occasions for the way I dress. Packing is really a philosophy. If you are willing to have an adventure to find items you need, then keep some stuff at home because chances are you may not need the sunscreen, the sewing kit, the Febreeze, or the collapsable travel bag. If, however, your time is too valuable while you are there to find these things and you would rather be safe than sorry, than pack them up. You will see many posts with travelers in both camps and it really comes down to a matter of preference. One thing I can't do without is a noisemaking machine. I sleep lightly and in strange places when I am excited sometimes not at all. The white noise helps drown out foreign noises and puts me to sleep easily. They now make them quite compact and easy to carry, so that's a plus. Happy Travels!

Laura, keep it simple! I have been to Italy a couple of times and all you need is black/white and comfortable shoes. My husband didn't believe me when we went a couple of years ago and was amazed. The thing I wish I would have packed was a copy of my credit cards and passport...you never know. If you don't mind washing some of your under clothing in the sink you can go light.

Hey Laura we are practically neighbors! I pack less on each trip. We have always traveled in Europe with a rental car but I traveled by train in Italy last summer with my sisters and wished I had packed even lighter. Pack your suitcase and then take out 1/3 of the stuff! Buon Viaggio!!

Just got back from Spain and Italy - wish I had packed a small umbrella.

I don't understand why people would advise women to pack less underwear and wash it. Why bother, when it takes up so little space to begin with? Unless you're packing heavy granny panties, I don't see why a fresh pair every day would add much bulk to your suitcase.

I actually sort of wish, looking back, that I had packed 2 converters instead of 1- it was a pain to have to keep waiting to charge cameras, iPods, etc.

Don't have to pack two converters. Just use a little extension cube to give you two or more plug-ins off the one converter.

They can handle that Francis? I felt like the converter was struggling as it was! :)

If the wattage output of the Converter is larger than the sum of the wattages of the devices plugged-in.... you're okay.

Laura, packing light is a must and thanks to my wife, we do. I wish my daughter would learn from her mother. We took the whole family (5) to Paris for a week in February years ago and everyone was limited to 1 carry on each. It is true that if you need it and don't have it, buy it! Frank, I agree with James about the clothes issue but only as it relates to pictures taken over the years. My wife and I have been putting pictures together for some recent family events and noticed in some pictures from certain destinations that we appeared to be wearing some of the same clothes even though the pictures were taken some years apart. Time to go through the closet!
Laura, keep in mind a vacation is not a vacation unless you have forgotten something. Hopefully it's not something on the stove!
Just saw the post about undergarments. Years ago when planning my first strip overseas I got what I thought was a great trip from my travel agent. She suggested that I take my old underwear, socks, undershirts, what have you, and throw them out after wearing them. I have been doing that for over 25 years now. I don't have to worry about washing them or bringing them home.

John, I willing to bet you will be the only that notice it. We have developed a fairly specialized set of travel clothing that we only wear when traveling. The result is nearly all of our pictures over the past ten years have the same clothing. Marcia varies a little more but I generally wear one of two pants and three different shirts. No one has ever commented.