I've lived abroad for a year before, and I'm about to go do it again. The question people usually ask me is, "how in the world do you pack for a year?" My answer is usually, "it's difficult."
Most websites will tell you to pack light and save room for souvenirs, but that's better for a short trip, not for a year! In my opinion, it's better to pack as much as you're allowed to (for airline purposes). This way, you'll feel more comfortable and at home in your new apartment in a new country. This method also saves you money on shopping for new clothes-- but don't get me wrong, I still buy stuff for myself abroad. I'm not made of stone.
Airlines allow you one checked bag, weighing 50 pounds or less, one carry-on bag with dimensions of 21x18x8 or smaller, and one personal bag. The personal bag is supposed to be small enough to fit under the seat.
My checked bag holds the majority of my clothes and all liquid items bigger than 3 oz. In my checked bag for Ireland I have:
1 pair of combat boots
1 pair of short rain boots
1 pair of running shoes
1 pair of ankle boots
3 cardigans
1 blazer
4 long sleeve shirts
2 plain v-neck short sleeve shirts
6 pair of pants (this is possibly excessive, but I wear my jeans out until they rip, so, better safe than sorry)
2 light jackets (Northface zip-up & Adidas thermal zip-up)
1 rain coat
12 pair of socks
6 "other" tops
2 pair of leggings
4 pair of tights
2 pair of long underwear (it's cold in the Emerald Isle!)
1 skirt
2 dresses
2 scarves
1 set of warm pajamas
Bathroom/Liquids
-8 oz shampoo and conditioner bottles
-face wash/ lotion/ astringent / body spray
!MAKE SURE you double ziplock all liquids in your checked bag!
-Giant bag of medicine (ibuprofen, Tums, Midol, birth control, cold medicine)
-8 oz bottle peppermint cooling lotion--This is great for sore feet and legs. Traveling can be tiring.
-Poopourri (I know this seems funny but, new roommates...)
**Roll of toilet paper** This is SO helpful when you move into a new city and don't know where the nearest drug store is yet.
My bag weighs 48 pounds! So all of those items still weigh under the maximum allowance.
Keep in mind that I'm moving to Ireland--my bag was very different when I moved to the south of France because I didn't need as many warm layers!
_________________________________________________________________
My carry on this year is an XL Longchamp duffle, and I'm using it to carry my clothes for my 2 weeks I'll be spending in France. Therefore I have more summery clothes in this bag.
5 dresses
1 skirt
4 tops
1 romper
1 pair of sandals
1 pair of flats
1 pair of dressy shorts
1 pair of runing shorts
1 set of cooler pajama's
ALL of my underwear...probably 25+ pair
4 bras
1 swimsuit
1 fuzzy blanket! (This isn't necessary for everyone, but it's nice to have when you move into your new apartment. I'm also picky about my blankets.)
1 gallon ziplock of tampons--SUPER important. No pun intended.
Airlines allow one quart zip-lock of liquids 3oz or less. So I shoved in small bottles of shampoo and conditioner, dry shampoo, sunscreen, toothpaste and all my liquid makeup items! (remember to take foundations and other liquids out of your makeup bag and put them in your ziplock, or they'll throw them out!)
I also brought a tooth brush and a bar of soap in a travel box.
This bag weighs about 13 pounds but it squishes very small, so it fits the airline's regulations.
____________________________________________________________________
My personal bag is a Northface backpack. I always use a backpack as my personal bag because I can hold more stuff than a purse AND I can stick my purse inside my backpack.
My personal bag holds:
-small bag of jewelry and hair accessories (also not 100% necessary for everyone, but I personally need my accessories)
-laptop and charger
-digital camera and charger
-deodorant & hairbrush
**Passport** Keep this in a handy spot!!
-folder of important documents
-makeup
-purse
*Purse holds all my lipsticks, a journal and coloring book, my wallet, headphones, portable phone charger and phone cord, umbrella...and anything else you think you'd need
My backpack in all weighs about 10 pounds, which is pretty heavy to lug around an airport. However, the one I have is much more comfortable than a simple backpack because of the padding on the back and straps.
_______________________________________________________________________
Basically, packing to live abroad for a year can be very difficult. However, I think if you pack as much as you can (realistically, that is. Don't just through your whole wardrobe and shoe collection in a bag.) your adjustment to being dropped into a new atmosphere will be much simpler. You'll also be less likely to spend money on clothes, toiletries and medicine, which can really add up and be a pain.
**Disclosure: My mum is planning to send me a package when I get to Dublin with my big winter coat and a few more warm sweaters. I could have packed less jeans or tops in order to fit these things into my suitcase and avoid mailing them, but this works better for me.
I hope this blog answers all of your questions and helps you out if you intend on spending a year abroad!
xoxo
Zoë
No comments:
Post a Comment