One Month in Berlin – A Packing List

It can be tough to pack for a trip, and when I found myself planning for a 1 month trip in Berlin, I did a large amount of planning to make sure that I had everything that I wanted while also making sure I didn’t bring my entire wardrobe with me.

I decided early on that I didn’t want to check any bags. That right there is enough to scare some people off.

How can you possibly bring everything you need for one month overseas and fit it in only one bag?

As it turns out, the best way to start out is to make sure that you have the right bag. Different airlines have different standards when it comes to bags, but the sizing for the overhead bins is pretty consistent among them, typically 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches (22 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm), including the handle and wheels. If you have a bag close to this size, great! I, unfortunately, did not, and so the search began for a bag that would meet this requirement (buy a god bag now and it will work for all your travels in the future as well). As it turns out there are plenty of companies that make bags exactly this size, exactly for this purpose (shocker, I know).

Sparing you the details of my exhaustive search (well, search), I settled on the VentureSafe EXP45 from PacSafe. Being as close to a rectangle as possible, it has a large amount of space and doesn’t lose any space to wheels. You’ll have to carry it everywhere, but if packed right there won’t be too much weight involved.

I also bought a small collapsible day bag that folded into itself. Everything can go into the main bag and when getting ready for the flight I can move what I plan to use into the smaller bag as my under seat item.

What Clothes to Pack?

Again, planning is key when packing this way, I knew going into this trip that I would have access to a washing machine, but if you won’t then do a quick search on how to get laundry done while you’re on your trip can help a lot. There is no need to pack all your clothes if you can just wash them.

Weather is also important, winter packing will take more space than summer packing,

When it was all said and done, I ended up packing the following clothes:

• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of exercise shorts (can double as swimwear)
• 8 pairs of underwear
• 8 pairs of socks
• 5 T-Shirts
• 2 Button Up Collared Shirts
• 1 Undershirt
• 1 Rain Jacket
• 1 Pair Exercise Shoes (For swimming)
• 1 Lucky Baseball Cap

In addition to those clothes, these other items also made it in the bag:

• A Neck Pillow (A Trtl Travel Pillow, which is not as simple to pack)
• My Collapsible Day Pack
• My Laptop
• Assorted cables for phone and laptop
• Earbuds (Wireless and wired)
• A laundry bag
• Toiletries

When I finished packing up, I was surprised to find extra space in my bag (and an incredible need to fill that space). Nothing needed to be stuffed in, simply rolling the clothes kept everything neat, and the bag can close without any jumping, pushing, or heaving involved. All packed it looks like this:

The bag doesn’t have a frame, so it doesn’t stay nice and square for photos. Lastly, part of what you pack is what you wear:

• A T-Shirt
• A Hoodie
• A Pair of Jeans
• A Pair of Walking Shoes

See you soon!