Packing List Generator
Generate a customized packing checklist for your trip based on destination type, duration, and planned activities. Never forget an essential item again.
💡 Plan to do laundry midway, or pack 5-6 tops and 2-3 bottoms.
Packing Checklist(33 items)
essentials
0/4clothes
0/11beach
0/4toiletries
0/10electronics
0/4💡 Packing Tips
- Pack 50% of what you think you need — you can always buy essentials
- Wear your bulkiest items on the plane to save luggage space
- Roll clothes instead of folding to save space and reduce creases
- Check weather forecasts 3 days before departure for last-minute swaps
- Leave room in your bag for souvenirs and purchases
How the List Builds Itself
Pick the trip type (beach, city, mountains, cold), the duration (weekend through to a month), and tick any activities you have planned (hiking, dining out, photography, business meetings, swimming, skiing, camping, gym). The tool merges a base list for the destination with extras for each activity, deduplicates, and groups everything by category. A typical adult beach trip generates around 30 items; a family of 4 can easily reach 50+ once you add toys, snacks and spare changes.
Tick items off as you pack to track progress. The whole list exports as a JPG you can save to your phone or print as a single A4 page. Categories are passport-style essentials first, then clothes, activity-specific kit, toiletries and electronics, so the order roughly matches how most people actually pack a case.
Typical Item Counts by Trip Type
| Trip type | Base items | With 2 activities | Suitcase guide (1 person, 1 week) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach holiday | ~30 | ~38 | Fits a 55L cabin or small checked bag |
| City break | ~28 | ~36 | Cabin only is realistic for 3-4 days |
| Mountains / outdoors | ~35 | ~45 | Hiking-specific kit pushes to checked |
| Cold climate | ~40 | ~48 | Bulky layers usually require checked |
What People Actually Forget
Chargers and adapters top the list, especially for trips outside the EU and UK. A US plug looks like a UK USB charger should fit until you arrive at JFK and it absolutely does not. Other chronic offenders: prescription medication (always in hand luggage, never the hold), reading glasses, a swimsuit (for unexpected hotel pool moments), and a reusable water bottle for the airport. Ryanair and EasyJet do not provide free water on board.
If you are flying with kids, pack a change of clothes for each child in the carry-on regardless of trip length. Cabin luggage delays and spills happen, and a clean t-shirt costs nothing in luggage weight. Once your list is built, run it through the [Luggage Weight Checker](/luggage-weight-checker) to make sure it actually fits your airline's allowance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I really pack 50% less than I think?
For most trips, yes. Travellers consistently overpack, especially on the first trip of any new holiday style. You can buy toiletries, basic clothes and most necessities at the destination if needed. The exceptions: prescription medication, specific shoes you have broken in, and items you will struggle to find abroad.
Does the list account for destination weather?
It uses the trip type as a proxy. A 'cold climate' list assumes layers and waterproofs; 'beach' assumes warm and sunny. For shoulder-season trips where weather is unpredictable, pick the colder option and add a single layer. You can always wear less, you cannot wear more.
Can I add items the tool does not include?
The list is a starting point, not a maximum. Once you have it on screen or printed, scribble on extras you know you need - sketchbooks, sleep aids, specific contact lens solution. The export is a JPG specifically so you can annotate it with a phone.
How should I split between hand luggage and checked?
The list does not split by bag because that depends heavily on your airline. Once you have the full list, decide which essentials must travel with you (medication, documents, electronics, one outfit) and put everything else in checked. The Luggage Weight Checker can split the totals by bag type.
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