Minimalist packing gets you thinking about what you really need with you on a trip. Check out these travel tips for minimal travel packing for a long weekend away in just a rucksack.
How to pack for a Long Summer Weekend:
- Find the Right Rucksack
- Pack Light, Wear Heavy – Minimalist Travelling Tips
- How to Pack Clothes in a Backpack
- Things to Buy at your Destination
- What to Pack for a Weekend Away
- Potential Outfit Combinations
Make a checklist of everything you will take with you before you travel. Travel for up to a week with just 10 items of summer clothing. This is my perfect minimalist weekend packing list:
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Find the Right Rucksack
My rucksack bag is from Amazon and folds out like a suitcase to maximise space allowing you to view all your items together and properly organise each item.
The backpack dimensions are fit for the under-seat handbag for most UK airlines so you don’t have to pay extra for the 10kg carry-on or large suitcase.
This is a weekend backpack size, suitable for a 3, 4 or 5-day trip.
This rucksack has many sections to categorise your gear for minimalist travel.
I would also use this travel backpack as a beach bag on holiday. There is a wet section to store your bikini, a section for your magazines, as well as space for a towel and a 2L water bottle.
Pack Light, Wear Heavy – Minimalist Travelling Tips
Packing light means wearing your bulkiest clothes and shoes for travelling. Wear as much as you can on your journey e.g. hat, belt, and sunglasses.
I like to leave a bit of space to buy a magazine to read – my rucksack has a section for your laptop or magazine on a weekend trip away.
How to Pack in a Backpack:
- Organise your liquids into a plastic bag before travelling and place this at the top of your rucksack to easily access it when you reach security.
- I’d also recommend keeping your layering item near the top to easily reach for on the plane in case you get cold or want a ‘blanket’ for a nap!
Tip: keep all your essentials in a little shoulder bag to wear around the airport so they’re easy to access: phone, passport, ticket. Leave a bit of room on the top of your rucksack to fit this in before you board!
How to Pack Clothes in a Backpack
As a minimalist traveller, one of your packing tips is to use vacuum packing cubes so that you can store as many clothes in your travel wardrobe as you can to maximise space. This not only compresses your clothes but helps categorise your belongings.
Roll up your clothes to save space and minimise creasing!
Stuff socks and underwear into any shoes, bags or spare sections of your rucksack – waste no space!
Things to Buy at your Destination
Think about where to simplify your packing list. A lot of us have a tendency to pack everything we’ll need for a holiday but with limited space in a standard-size backpack, a lot of the essentials from your toiletry bag can be bought at your summer destination.
These include:
- a towel
- suncream
- deodorant
- toothbrush & toothpaste
- shower gel
- shampoo and conditioner
- water bottles
If like me you like to minimise waste, buy your toiletries to share with your family, or friends if it’s a girls’ weekend away. You’ll be surprised how often you need to wash your hair when you spend time near sand and the sea!
A towel would usually be provided at your accommodation but it’s nice to have a shower towel and a beach towel. Don’t waste your precious rucksack space on a beach towel! Buy a cheap one there to throw away after at the end of the holiday!
Tip – If in a hot destination, buy 2-litre water bottles and stick one in the freezer (if provided at your accommodation) overnight and watch the ice melt throughout the day. Now you have cold water available at the beach!
What to Pack for a Weekend Away
Stick to neutral, lightweight pieces that you can mix and match!
Plan your outfits in advance as part of your long weekend packing list!
You really don’t need as many items as you think for a summer holiday. Stick to the basics and neutrals that you can combine and plan these outfits beforehand.
Travelling minimally is not the time for ‘just in case’ items. Think about what you really need and see if there’s room at the end for any extra items.
Tops
- Black Vest Top
- White Vest Top
- Nude bodysuit
What can’t you wear with either black, white or nude? Each of these items I have found really breathable and you don’t have to wear a bra when any!
These can be washed after use and dry really quickly, ready to wear the next day with a different pair of bottoms or shoes!
Bottoms
- White Linen Shorts
- Nude Midi Skirt
These items can be dressed up or down and are really comfortable. I love this kind of skirt in summer. Really cooling with an effortless boho style!
The scalloped-edged detailing on these shorts elevates your look for this essential summer piece.
Shoes
- Nude Sandals
- Black-pointed Flats
- White-pointed Flats
Wear your bulkiest shoes for travelling – in this case, sandals, or you might prefer trainers, and pack the flats inside your rucksack. All these pairs can be worn throughout the day and pointed-toe sandals will elevate your outfit for the evening.
A Dress
I usually opt for a breathable maxi dress that can be dressed up with some jewellery.
It’s nice to wear something comfortable and cooling in case you get sunburned and don’t want any straps rubbing your skin.
Tip: once you’ve worn your dress in the evening, dress it down another day to maximise its use!
Layering
Take a light shirt for layering in the evening in case it gets chilly.
I opt for a lightweight shirt that can be folded in my bag, worn loosely or tied in the middle to add a different dimension to your outfits.
During the day, a shirt also provides great protection from the sun!
Swimwear & Underwear
If you’re thinking about what to pack for a weekend trip to the beach, I would recommend one bikini for sunbathing and one swimming costume for your trip.
Tip: buy a swimming costume that you can wear as a top to create more looks and easy access to the sea/pool!
When it comes to underwear, I always pack nude pants for summer – they go with everything and can be dressed up with a lace fabric! Place all these in an air-tight plastic bag to compress and take a spare for dirties.
I like to feel unrestricted at night so a light, soft nightie will only take up a small amount of space.
Accessories
As a minimalist traveller, you will be repeating items and outfit combinations. It’s important to mix up your accessories to create new looks.
- 1 neutral handbag that works for both day and night. I opt for a shoulder bag that can be worn as a shoulder or handbag.
- Sunglasses – I personally like to take one pair of brown and one pair of black sunglasses to mix up the looks.
- A Hat
- Jewellery – I have a travel cube so I can take all my jewellery with me.
Makeup
You won’t need as much makeup as you think for a summer holiday. A bronzed glow can create a dynamic look.
- 2 Lipsticks – for different looks for the evening,
- Eyebrow Palate – use this to create a dramatic under-eyeliner
- Powder/ Bronzer Contour Palate – use your bronzer palette for eye shadow for a sun-kissed look.
- SPF Tinted Moisturiser
- Mascara
- Mini Perfume Bottle
Minimalist Packing Essentials
Utilities include:
- A small travel fan and travel suncream to fit in your holiday handbag.
- Chargers – if you’re travelling from the UK, buy an international USB plug so you don’t have to take bulky plug adapters.
- Cards and Currency
- Passport
- Tissues
- Small Hairbrush
There’s even room for a laptop in this backpack if you need it!
For more outfit inspiration for a weekend at the beach, check out Alyssa’s tips from D-Rafel.
Potential Outfit Combinations
You are mastering minimalist travelling if all your items can be worn with each other. Based on the items below only, you could have 18 potential combinations for your trip that you could pack for a week in a backpack. These are some of my essential summer pieces that are great for minimalist packing. Check out these wardrobe essentials you can wear all year round.
Add in an extra item for your bottom half e.g. a black mini skirt and you potentially have 27 outfit combinations for your travel capsule wardrobe!
3 tops, 3 shoes and 2 bottoms that all mix and match:
- white shorts, nude shoes, x3 top
- white shorts, black shoes, x3 top
- white shorts, white shoes, x3 top
- nude skirt, nude shoes, x3 top
- nude skirt, black shoes, x3 top
- nude skirt, white shoes, x3 top
= 18 looks.
(+ a shirt for layering)
Cheaper
When it comes to packing for a summer holiday, the prices of flights, accommodation, food and drink rack up so why spend extra on luggage if you don’t need to?
Convenient
Minimalist packing means you only have one bag to worry about rather than dragging a suitcase around, especially if you’re travelling to different places.
Save Time
Once you’ve made your initial packing list, travelling minimally can save you a lot of time as you only pack the essentials. You can also choose an outfit more quickly by only having a few items to choose from.
Amber from Little Blue Backpack also has some great tips on the benefits of packing lightly.
Now start choosing your favourite clothes for your easy travel experience with your new minimalist packing techniques!
For similar wardrobe organisational posts, check out how to perform your bi-annual wardrobe switchover.