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Most of us don’t give a second thought to the way we pack for a vacation. We simply put the things we need into a suitcase, shove it closed, and hope we packed everything. But when you're traveling abroad, it's a good idea to be a little more organized and detail-oriented. Since you may not be able to buy new clothing where you go, or it might be quite expensive to purchase new things, you need to fill your suitcase with the essentials for traveling light, yet well prepared.

Start with the Length of Your Trip

Before you can begin to pack, you need to think about the length of your trip. Those who aren't going to be gone for a long time will obviously need less than those who are gone for two weeks or more. Sit down and make a list of the days when you will need to have clothing and toiletries available. Remember too that you will not necessarily need an outfit for the first and the last days as you will be wearing clothes when you travel as well. Longer trips may require more than one additional suitcase while shorter trips can be managed with just one moderately sized suitcase to check.

Toiletries that You Need

When you're abroad, you will still need the basic toiletry products you use on a daily basis. But if you're not heading to a hotel, you need to make sure you bring enough and all of the items you will use – shampoo, conditioner, shaving lotions, razors, soap, face wash, etc. While you can generally find these items wherever you are, in all likelihood, they will be much more expensive than buying them in your hometown. A good way to approach this is to buy miniature sized bottles for all of your major toiletries – shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, etc. Then, pack larger bottles in your checked luggage, but smaller versions in your carryon. This way, even if your luggage is delayed, you will still have things to wash up with. Of course, current regulations state that bottles must all be less than 3 ounces in size and fit in a 1 quart baggie in your carryon, so you'll need to keep this in mind too.

The Basics of Clothing Items

Packing clothing and shoes is where most people have troubles. They want to bring everything, but they already realize they won't be able to fit everything. And, chances are good, you won't wear everything you bring. Here are some things you need to bring in order to be prepared, but not overpacked. One pair of walking shoes. One pair of dress shoes One dressy outfit – dress/suit Two pairs of tan or black pants Three short sleeved/long sleeved neutral shirts One sweater One fleece vest One jacket 6 pairs of socks With this collection of clothes, you should be able to mix and match so that you always are wearing a different outfit, but also you are using the same items again and again. The items above can create 13 outfits, for example. In packing for your trip abroad, it's tempting to bring all the comforts of home, but perhaps it's best to leave a little room in your suitcase in order to bring back souvenirs instead.