Minimalist Packing for a Weekend in Copenhagen – Personal Item Only
Minimalist Packing for a Weekend in Copenhagen – Personal Item Only
It’s finally happening – I’m going to Copenhagen, Denmark, with a good friend of mine! We’re going for a weekend in June and are staying two nights. We have found an early morning flight out and a late night flight home to make the most of our three days there. Something that is new for both my friend and I is that we will be travelling to Copenhagen with a personal item only. No suitcases or carry-on bags, just a small backpack each. If you are curious about minimalist packing for a weekend in Copenhagen, then read on to find out more.
What’s in My Bag? Minimalist Packing for a Weekend in Copenhagen (Summer Visit)
Here, I will share what I’m packing for our weekend trip to Copenhagen, keeping it very minimal and as light and compact as possible!
Before I get into the items that I will be packing for Copenhagen, I want to stress that your travel outfit is one of the most important things to plan well when packing minimally. Wear all your heavy and bulky stuff to save precious space in your bag. Wear jeans, bulky shoes, a jumper or cardigan, your jacket, and your hat. This doesn’t mean you’ll be sweaty when travelling – you only need to wear these things when boarding, then you can take things off and put it in the overhead compartments. Choose this outfit carefully to ensure that you can combine most of these things with the other clothing that you pack to create more outfits.
Clothing
Keep the travel outfit in mind before choosing which clothes to pack. I will be travelling in sneakers, jeans, a top, a cardigan/jumper, a thin jacket that can handle a bit of rain, and a cap (plus socks and underwear of course). The clothes I will pack will be the following:
- T-shirts to wear with the jeans x 2
- Dress for daytime and/or evening wear x 1
- Black tights x 1
- Small pyjamas x 1
- Socks x 3 pairs for daytime wear + 1 pair for the hotel room
- Underwear
Accessories
I won’t be packing any accessories for this trip but I will be wearing some when travelling:
- Apple Watch
- Simple jewellery (wedding rings, a necklace)
- A cap
- A small handbag to hold phone, wallet, and passport when travelling and to use in Copenhagen (this will fit inside my personal item in case this is needed when boarding)
Toiletries
My toiletries bag will be very minimal too. The hotel will have shower gel, shampoo and conditioner so I will not pack any of that. Though I love skincare, I am happy to keep it really simple when travelling with just the essentials:
- Lip balm
- Face SPF (mini)
- Body SPF (mini)
- Travel toothbrush
- Travel toothpaste
- Face cream (mini)
- Weleda Skin Food as hand cream (mini)
- Deodorant
- Flossers (just a few)
- Earbuds (just a few)
- Comb
Miscellaneous
- Bikini (there’s a pool and spa at our hotel) + bag for wet bikini
- Compact flip flops (to wear at the pool and spa)
- Hygiene products: hand sanitiser, hand wipes, tissues
- First aid: a few plasters, anti-septic wipe, a couple of paracetamol and antihistamines
- Portable power bank
- Charging cable for phone + plug
- Charging cable for watch
- Adaptor plug
- Water bottle
- Slim book
- Phone, keys, wallet (narrowed down to a slim card holder)
Personal Item Only – Making It All Fit Inside a Small Backpack
The first thing to be aware of is that different airlines have different dimensions for their personal item allowance. Before you choose a bag or start packing, check the rules for your airline (or airlines) and ensure the bag is the right size. Then you can start packing.
To help you fit everything you need in a personal item backpack, here are a few tips:
- Wear bulky and heavy items.
- Choose clothing that pack small.
- Choose versatile clothing.
- Roll clothes when packing.
- Use compression bags or vacuum bags for travel (the ones you simply roll).
- Opt for miniatures where possible (brush, travel-sized toiletries, etc.).
Other Tips for Packing Minimally:
- Check the weather forecast before packing to narrow down what you need.
- Plan your activities so that you know what kind of clothes you’ll need.
- Plan all your outfits – you can even take photos of these.
- If possible, only take one pair of shoes and wear these when travelling.
- If you’re travelling with a partner or friend, share things instead of doubling up! Some toiletries, cables, plugs, power bank, etc.
Conclusion – My Plans for Packing for a Weekend in Copenhagen
There we have it – that is all I will be packing and how I am going to make personal item only travel work for a weekend in Copenhagen. If you have any tips to share, feel free to do so in the comments.
