Updated on November 6, 2023 by Axel Hernborg

Axel Hernborg

Thinking about what to pack for a weekend getaway? You’re lucky. You’ve come to the right place! Here we present a packing list that works for the business trip, the fun trip with friends, the solo trip with culture in focus and the spontaneous road trip for a few days.

With our packing list, you’ll have everything you need to have the most amazing experience possible. Of course, you may not need to include everything on the list. Read, think and tick off what you pack.

What to pack for a weekend

Here is an example of a packing list for a woman going on a weekend trip. Gender doesn’t really matter, but it can be good to have something to start from. If you’re a man, you’ll probably need to pack the equivalent items with just a few small differences.

For a weekend, no excessive packing is required. It is probably enough to pack a bag equivalent to hand luggage on the plane. If you’re going on a flight, the hand luggage size is the limit you can stick to. It’s unnecessary to check in a suitcase for a weekend trip!

Clothes and bags

  • Backpack, duffel bag or cabin bag
  • Purse/bag/shopping bag
  • Comfortable shoes
  • T-shirts/tank tops
  • Dressed up tank top/shirt
  • Leggings
  • Jeans or chinos
  • Shorts
  • Underwear
  • Socks
  • Bra
  • Sleeping shirt/pyjamas
  • Warm sweater/jacket
  • Scarf/neck scarf
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Winter clothing (jacket, mittens, hat)
  • Autumn clothes (jacket, raincoat)
  • Sunglasses (Buy from Smartbuyglasses with a discount or promotional code)
  • Cap

Hygiene and travel pharmacy

  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrush/tooth tablets
  • Makeup
  • Make-up removal
  • Sun protection factor
  • Face cleanser
  • Moisturizing lotion
  • Perfume
  • Wet wipes
  • Cotton pads
  • Q-tips
  • Hair clips/hair ties
  • Lip balm
  • Hand Alcohol
  • Soap and shampoo
  • Deodorant
  • Lenses and lens solution
  • Medicine
  • Shaving wound plasters
  • Headache tablets
  • Pills for an upset stomach
  • Mouthguard
  • Sanitary products

Passports and cards

  • Passport
  • ID card
  • Physical tickets
  • Booking details
  • Map
  • Guide books
  • Cash
  • Cards (bank, credit, prepaid)
  • European Health Insurance Card

Technology and gadgets

Think about this when packing

Our hope is that you will find our packing list useful for a woman going away for the weekend. How many boxes do you tick? However, a packing list is just a list of things you might want to take with you on a trip. Then everything has to be packed down too!

Here are some smart tips on how to pack smart. If you pack smart, you can pack lighter, fit more and find your way around more easily.

Plan your outfits in advance

Outfits

Packing is about planning. What might I need? What should I wear? The more carefully you think and plan, the more accurately you can pack. Why pack things you probably won’t use?

A smart tip is to plan each outfit in advance. Then you can specify your packing list considerably and pack lighter and smarter. First and foremost, it’s about the outfit you’ll be travelling in. Then you have to take it step by step, day by day, and put together combinations to pack down. If you can use the same garment on more than one occasion, that is of course fine. Plus, with pre-made outfits in advance, you don’t have to spend time choosing what to wear while you’re out enjoying your weekend getaway.

Be the heaviest and largest garment when flying

This tip is classic when it comes to air travel! As you assemble your pack, you’ll notice that you have some things that are heavier and bulkier than others. These include large jeans and sweatshirts, jackets and boots.

If you wear these garments and shoes, they don’t have to take up space in your bag. If you’re flying out for your weekend and only have hand luggage, you’ll simply have more room to pack! However, it is important to have some common sense. You can’t get on a plane and look like a Michelin man.

Don’t worry about your shoes!

The question of how many shoes to bring on a weekend trip is on every woman’s mind every time she thinks up a packing list. Is one pair enough? Should I have a pair for each type of activity? Which of my favourite shoes can’t go?

There are different types of weekend trips and therefore different needs when it comes to shoes. What all weekend trips have in common, however, is that you do a lot of walking and standing. That’s true whether you’re going on a weekend to a big city, hiking in the mountains or travelling to the sun.

So the first choice when packing should be a pair of shoes that your feet feel comfortable in. Sneakers, jogging shoes, trainers – anything that allows you to stand and walk a lot without getting sore. If it’s very hot at your destination, you might want to swap the above example for a pair of sandals.

If you decide to add another shoe to your pack, it could be a slightly more stylish shoe for dining out or going out. The great thing about these shoes is that they don’t take up much space.

Tips for packing for a business trip weekend

Not all weekend breaks are about holidays. Some weekend trips are business trips. For a business trip, the need for clothes, shoes and accessories is a little different compared to a leisure trip. You will probably need to bring a suit or costume or similar. So how do you pack these garments without them getting wrinkled?

We can start with costume pants. Fold these along the seams. Once that’s done, roll them. You can use packing bags/packing cubes to keep your trousers in place once you have rolled them. The same applies to shirts. Fold in the seams and roll up.

However, a jacket should not be rolled. A jacket must be folded to prevent it from becoming wrinkled. One technique is as follows. You start by pulling the left sleeve out and in. The next step is to pull the shoulder pad of the right sleeve into the shoulder pad of the left sleeve. When the jacket is in and out in this way, the risk of wrinkling is obviously reduced. The last step is to fold the jacket in half and place it on top of the bag.