How to Pack a Week's Wardrobe into a Backpack

I’ve always been a light packer, as there’s a freedom in knowing you don’t need to take a lot… or worry about ALL that laundry at the end of your trip! Not to mention how many times have we all gone on a trip, packed a huge suitcase, and then gotten home to realize we only wore half the items? For a recent trip to Ireland I challenged myself to pack a week’s wardrobe into a backpack.

How pack a week's wardrobe into a backpack

I have lost luggage before when traveling overseas, and to say it’s a hassle is a total understatement! Since I really didn’t want to check a bag, and I had recently been given a beautiful Leah Austin Fowler backpack – I decided that it seemed like the perfect bag for my week long trip. The nice thing about this bag is it’s roomy enough to pack everything you might need – but it’s also a great size to double as day trip bag. When traveling I do love to have choices, and I’ve learned a couple tricks over the years to keep your packing minimal – but not boring.

Mix and Match

Stick to a mostly neutral color palate but throw in a coordinating color or print. I stopped into my local 50th and France Evereve to get some help choosing a couple multi-functional items. The stylist helped me decide on a few fun pieces + two go anywhere jackets. For the rest of my wardrobe, I kept it pretty neutral: black, camel, gray, denim, and a few animal prints.

Avoiding Wrinkles

When packing I always roll my clothes – it saves space and keeps wrinkles to a minimum. Also choose fabrics that tend to wrinkle less, and clothing that can be easily layered. One thing I love to do is hang all my outfits on a garment rack when deciding what to pack – it’s a quick and easy way to see what works with what.

Be Strategic about Bulky Items

Shoes tend to be the demise of many a well intended packing effort. They take up so much room, and it’s hard to have one pair that fits every occasion. The solution? Try to get it down to just two pairs, which go with your entire packing capsule wardrobe. Another tip for those bulkier items like jackets and maybe a heavier sweater – wear them on the plane. Air conditioning tends to be at full blast anyway so you’ll be grateful to have these things with you vs packed away.

Sooo what did I actually end up taking? Admittedly when I first thought about packing everything for a week in a backpack, I was pretty overwhelmed. However, once I started choosing items that could easily be mixed + matched the packing capsule really started to come together!

The Packing List

2 camisoles (black + animal print)
3 short sleeve shirts (black + blush + graphic)
3 sweaters (black + gray + cream striped)
2 long sleeve shirts (chambray + black and white striped)
1 skirt (animal print midi)
1 dress (animal print of course- ok maybe I went a bit overboard on this print!)
2 pants (skinny jeans + faux leather spanx leggings- my absolute favorites)
2 jackets (a super cozy camel teddy jacket for the plane + “go with everything” black motto jacket).
2 Shoes (black waterproof booties + white retro sneakers).
Accessories (floppy felt hat + sunglasses + scarf + two fun necklaces + two statement earrings). It’s amazing how much accessories can change up you entire outfit.

The Final Verdict

I was surprised at how much I ended up loving the challenge of trying to pack a week’s wardrobe into a backpack. It was so nice to have everything with me, and a backpack made airport + taxi maneuvering a total breeze. I also avoided packing items that I’d never wear. Here’s a breakdown of my outfits day by day so you can see how it all came together: