It’s time for a weekend trip away with your girls. Perhaps, this is a first, and you’re clueless about how to get packed? Have previous trips been a nightmare because of packing mishaps like getting to the beach and realizing you don’t have necessary travel accessories or essentials like sunscreen and a bathing suit?
If so, don’t allow packing worries to put a cloud over your girl getaway. Here compiled a list of all the top packing tips for a girls weekend getaway simply you need to make hitting the road a hit, not miss, occasion.
Table of Contents
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What To Pack For A Weekend Trip [Ultimate Checklist]
Pick The Right Packing Bag
For weekend trips, you don’t need a multi-piece luggage set. This is especially true if you’re carpooling to the destination and/or sharing a vacation rental or room. Everyone needs their own space, and no one will appreciate a luggage hog taking up more than their fair share of the previous room.
Keep it to one bag that’s no bigger than an airplane carryon or travel weekender bag. If you are flying to your destination, a carryon has the added advantage of avoiding checking a bag, which can consume a huge amount of time at the beginning and end of your flight.
Have A Packing Game Plan
Your bag will be on the smaller side so it’s important to make sure every item you choose to pack has its purpose. Create a list that starts with how long you’ll be gone, the type of destination, and specific activities you’ll be doing. It sounds simple, but simply keeping yourself focused on these three basic components can help you avoid overpacking and adding useless items to your bag.
An added trick to refining your clothing selection is to pull out all your potential outfits and lay them out on your bed to try and find mix and match pieces that can be worn with multiple outfits. A good example is to pick a pair of jeans that can be dressed up or dressed down that way it’ll carry you through a day without having to bring a whole other outfit.
If you’re going somewhere warm, a simple dress may also be a good way to go as you can dress it down with a pair of tennis shoes or dress it up with a nice pair of heels and a blazer at night.
The same can be said for your shoe selection. Pick a pair of going out a shoe that’ll go with all of your outfits to avoid adding unnecessary chunkiness to your luggage. A good way to go about this is by picking neutral-colored shoes, depending on the look of your outfits. After all, it’s hard to go wrong with a great pair of nude heels.
Make Use Of Packing Organizers
Cubes, baggies, compression packing, shoe bags, and even ziplock bags can help you get your things organized. It also enables various objects, such as clothing and toiletries to safely go in the same bag.
You make like to squeeze as much as possible into your carry on, rolling your clothes is the best way to pack and it’ll help avoid major creases in your clothing. If you’re planning on packing any linen or silk, call ahead to check if you’re accommodations have an iron or steamer. If not, these may be materials you want to avoid due to how easily they wrinkle.
Don’t Forget Your Foodstuff Needs
Eating out is one of the biggest expenses of a vacation. A lot of travelers forget that they’re not at home to just grab a drink or snack at will. That means a lot of trips to vending machines, service stations, and room service orders, which can all cost a pretty penny over just a weekend.
So, be sure to save packing room for some simple sustenances like water or sodas, granola bars, nuts, or a jar of peanut butter. Don’t forget a bottle of booze if you’re a drinker since tourist destinations are typically much more expensive on prices and have higher taxes on alcohol.
This, of course, isn’t possible if you’re flying with a carry on bag as you won’t be able to bring food or liquid through security. In this case, hit the duty-free for all your alcohol and snacking needs. Find a local grocery once you arrive at your destination for fresh produce you may want.
Be Comfy
Comfort is, of course, highly personal. While one person may need nothing more than earbuds and a pair of sunglasses, others may need a few more luxuries to stay happy. If your skin and lips get dry in beach air, for example, be sure to pack a mini lotion and lip balm.
If you like to sleep in the dark, then you may want a sleeping mask in case roommates like a nightlight. Whether it’s a neck pillow or reading material, think about the small things that make a big difference to your comfort as you’re packing.
Stay Entertained And Connected
Do a last-minute luggage check to ensure your desired tech devices or smart travel gadgets and accessories are packed: chargers, cameras, phone, tablet, computer, etc. If you’re going to be in a no-Wi-Fi zone for extended periods of time, do yourself a favor and download a few movies or the TV series you’ve been waiting to watch to help the time go by faster.
This rule also applies to anyone using music streaming services like Spotify. They’re great when you’re in Wi-Fi but as soon as you’re out of reach, you’ll lose access to your libraries unless they’ve been downloaded directly to your phone. Lastly, plan ahead for downtime after you retire to your room – cards, games, movies, books, and such that you can both do alone or as a group.
Don’t Pack The Entire Bathroom
Keep your toiletries simple and essential – makeup, comb, hair care, body care, teeth care, eye care, razor, tweezers, etc. If you’re worried about leaving anything behind, the majority of basic toiletries are available in travel sizes. This is a great way to save space and avoid leaving any of your favorite products behind.
If you’re someone who takes daily vitamins or medication, be sure those packed well in advance to avoid leaving anything behind. Labeling these items are key not only so you can differentiate them but also if you’re going through any kind of security in your travels, this cuts down on time if they choose to inspect your bag.
Don’t forget to pack feminine hygiene products if applicable, and always have a backup if you wear corrective glasses or contacts. It’s always helpful to call the rental or hotel ahead to see what needs they have covered, such as complimentary toiletries, hairdryers, and such.
Once again, if you are flying and simply taking a carry on, you won’t be able to pack any liquids over 100 milliliters. Make sure you take this into account when packing your toiletries. Otherwise, there is a risk having to throw out an expensive moisturizer or hair product at the airport. Worst case scenario, you can ship it back to your home but that’s means going the entire trip without that product.
Dress For The Occasion
As you’re packing your clothing, you’ll need to consider the weather, events, and your own personal style. As we mentioned before, mix and matching outfits or smart travel outfits can save a lot of room in your suitcase.
Smaller pieces like scarves, jewelry, or a belt can completely change the dynamics of a single outfit to transition from day to night. If the destination has varying temperatures throughout the day, bring a jacket or sweater that is versatile enough to go with any look.
Leave Your Valuables At Home
Vacations can be tempting to bring the best of the best out of your closet, but that’s not so wise. Jammed packed days of activities and unfamiliar surroundings can cause you to lose your most prized possessions.
Costume jewelry will be your best friend on this trip, not only to add a pop of fun accessories to your outfit but also to ensure nothing of sentimental value is lost. In addition, if you are planning on bringing some valuables or cash, contact your accommodations ahead of time to see if there’s a safe available in the room.
Thrown In A To-Go Bag
This is an aspect of traveling that most people forget. They’re so focused on the luggage that they forget about bringing a purse for them they arrive and need to get around.
Depending on the activities you have planned, anything from a small clutch to a bigger beach tote is necessary to get you through the weekend. There’s nothing worse than having to carry your phone and money in your hand or have to ask a friend to carry it in theirs.
While these top tips are rather straightforward. This packing guide will help you ensure that you’ve not left anything behind nor packed anything that can slow down your trip. The key here is to always keep it simple and plan ahead. Furthermore, that way you’ll be properly packed for any length of vacation down the road.
Save Your Packing Guide On Pinterest Board For Weekend Getaway!
Do you enjoy a weekend getaway with your girls? Share your any top packing tips for a weekend trip.
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Last update on 2023-06-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This guide is really helpful. It’s especially difficult to pack the right clothes for a trip. I think it’s important to do a good amount of research on the clothing restrictions in the places where you are planning to travel. For example, I carry a sarong everywhere so that I do not have to buy one in case I plan to visit a temple. Also, for beach trips, carrying a beach towel helps save some money as well.
Thank you Ronita, for sharing your tips. Yes, absolutely carrying some essentials things and doing a bit researcn before packing really helps and saves a lot of time.
Thanks for the great tips. I couldn’t agree more! So many people (including me) hate packing as it can take hours but sometimes it just needs to be simplified and broken down in to steps to make it easier 🙂
Yes, by following some easy steps we can truly save our time and enjoy packing as well. Thank you 🙂
This list makes me want to take a girls weekend, stat!!
One thing we always try to do when taking a trip together is coordinate our toiletries. We don’t all need to bring a full-sized moisturizer or hair straightener, so planning what we are going to pack helps us all save space by not bringing the same things.
This one is great packing tips Kelly to save space by not bringing the same things.
This is definitely the ultimately packing guide for girls. We know how much trouble we go through while packing! Haha. And this list will surely help.
Good to know, thank you 🙂
Packing could be a headache to some and thanks a lot for the practical tips and ideas! For me, I am still in search of a perfect neck pillow, and it is very useful when you are traveling long haul. @ knycx.journeying
A perfect neck pillow is really essential travel item for a long haul flight. Hopefully you’ll find one for you soon 🙂
Wow, this guide is rather for a three week trip for me! When I’m leaving for the weekend, I’m carrying basically stuff that fits in my handbag. The only bulk are my laptop and my camera – as a blogger, you have to be prepared 😉
Those essential electronic gadgets take a lot of space and need extra care as well. Yes, blogger life, hahaha!
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