LOTS of Travel...Packing?

It will be fairly cool most of those places and there could be rain. Take an umbrella of course. I like traveling in the cooler weather..last trip to Paris was November, and before that Copenhagen and Stockholm right after Christmas. It all worked for me.

I take knits, they are comfortable, they pack well, don't wrinkle and are easy to layer. I have very light weight silk underwear for the first layer. It takes no room, helps keep me warm, it's between me and my tops so it keeps them cleaner, and it washes and dries like a breeze.

I wear tights under my pants to keep my legs warm. I have light weight knit T's, a couple of cardigans and a medium weight ankle length black wool coat. I take gloves and scarves. The scarves keep cold air away from my neck and keeps in from creeping down inside my coat and I can also pull the scarf up to cover part of my face and the lower part of my ears if it's really cold. Hats are great, but I hate "hat hair" so I don't wear one.

I base my wardrobe on black and add some color with the T's and scarves. My cardigans were black and grey. I was gone for two weeks and basically had two pair of the silk underwear, two pair of black knit pants, two pair of tights, four T's, and two cardigans. A pair of gloves, the coat, a pair of black Privo shoes and a pair of Merrell short boots. Two scarves..I bought more during my travels.

I liked the tights for keeping my legs warm, and like the silk underwear, they keep my pants clean, and they are easy to rinse out every night and dry quickly. I wear black stretch jeans on the plane.

For most up-to-date weather forecast, you should use usual web sites that give you 10-15day look ahead such as www.weather.com, www.accuweather.com, etc. What other can tell you is what happened last year, etc. But your interest is what is forecasted to happen THIS year.

With train, it is even more important not to carry more than you can manage all by yourself. Obviously, you can get away with larger luggage if you are tall and have strength.

Packing efficiently is a matter of matching what you carry to address your objectives rather than following some common denominator rule of thumb.

Oh, I also had a black knit skirt and never wore it. My clothes fit into a 22" bag. I'm not sure of weight restrictions, check with your airline. I had to check mine because it was too heavy. I know some things have changed. My size was fine for carry on but it was too heavy I think.

I have an Ameribag, healthy bag that I use for my purse when I travel, and it holds a TON of stuff, so I can get a big water bottle (after clearing security), all my travel docs, an extra pair of glasses, plus my sun glasses, snacks if I choose, a magazine or paperback book...the usual junk you can't live without.

greg is right about the weather. Generally it should be cool temps, but as for rain and such, check just before you go. When I was in Stockholm and Copenhagen it was colder and they had more snow than they had had in many years...and it was cold, like 20 degrees was the HIGH for the day. I was prepared, but of course having my neice there was good because we got a heads up before we left.

Other than what has already been mentioned I would bring a couple of turtlenecks and a fleece vest. If you don't live in a damp climate you'll find the temps seem colder than they are when it's damp.

Out of curiosity, how are you going to manage to see 7 cities in 10 days?

Adrienne read my mind. Perhaps it's Oct. 28 to Nov. 18, not Nov. 8?

I agree with almost all of crefloors' suggestions. I've never needed an ankle-length coat. I take a wool beret because it fits in a pocket, is more dress-up than a knit hat and doesn't give me hat hair.

Most people generally take a lot more than they need..Pack stuff with dual purposes..I always stay with one theme, color, etc..then everything goes together. .black is always good, and scarfs make sweaters look dressy, different, etc. a wooly sweather, and a rain shell, umbrella, two pair shoes, one good for walking, a little hand soap, sun screen, all the drugs you might need, warm cap, sun glasses, and maybe two pair knit pants...that's about all.

Thank you so much for all the advice!! These all sound like great suggestions, especially crefloors, I really appreciate the detail! I'm not positive of my exact plans yet, these cities are just sort of a "wish list" of places that my friend had proposed we see...It is unrealistic to think we would do all of them, but I thought I would include them just in case for preparation. Thanks so much again for all the advice!!!

Hi Molly,
You might consider some long silk underwear just in case it gets cold. They can double as pjs and you can save some packing space. I prefer a rain jacket with hood instead of an umbrella so I can have both hands free for other things. A waterproof jacket can layer over a sweater or fleece if added warmth is needed. Also an oblong scarf is nice in case of wind or to wrap around your neck. If you pack with a main color as suggested you can mix and match things. I always take a nice pair of black slacks that I can wear for "dressier" occasions. A lot of t shirt like tops can be dressed up also with a nice scarf (maybe the one mentioned above) or faux pearls.
Happy travels!

Underalls to keep you warm (they're practically weightless); tights and boots; gloves and scarf and hat; raingear (I like a hooded coat rather than carrying an umbrella, but whatever works for you); lots and lots of layers. You don't need much; you just have to choose it wisely and figure out the combinations of clothing you can put together so you wear things more than once, but not necessarily with the same things.

She's going in October/November --why are we dressing Molly up for a Swedish January??? I can't even begin to understand why anyone would need thermal silk underwear in late October or early November in any of the places Molly is considering for her travels! Molly -- where do you live now?

I personally would not use Space Bags. At least not on the way over. Yes, they do let you cram in more 'stuff' - but that just makes your bag unnecessarily heavy. And your trip is short - no need to take a lot of extra things.

I might take a Space Bag empty. Then you can stuff more in the bag on your way home to make room for any treasures you buy on your trip. I often use my Space Bag to bring the dirty clothes home.

Lots of good advice above - basically think layers, and choose a color scheme where almost every garment goes w/ almost every other garment. Then you can get a LOT of outfits out of very few individual pieces. 2 or at most 3 pair of slacks/jeans and several mix/match/layer-able tops and sweaters will give you many more outfits than you have days. 2 pair of shoes -- that you can WALK in. One pair on your feet on the plane and one pair in the suitcase.

A 19" or 21" rollaboard, is all you'd need.

Most of our trips to Europe have been in late October/early November. Some days have been warm, others cool. But I haven't needed anything more than an all-weather type jacket/coat. I usually take the silk underwear just in case - but haven't needed it yet. The layers work well - I find that the stores and restaurants are much warmer than they are at home (in the US), and I usually find myself glad to take off a layer or two when inside. I always take (and end up using) an umbrella. Also, some light weight gloves and a scarf are helpful in the layering process and are easy to pack without taking up much room in the bag.

re <<I can't even begin to understand why anyone would need thermal silk underwear in late October or early November in any of the places Molly is considering for her travels!>>

Suz,
Vienna is 30 to low 40s this week.

Much depends on where you live and your tolerance for cool/chilly/cold/damp weather, keeping in mind that there's a huge difference between being comfortable for being out and about for many hours versus going from your home to your car to your office/shopping at home.

Best bet is the ubiquitous "layers". A (truly waterproof) raincoat is essential. One with a hood precludes the need to haul an umbrella all about for rain or unexpected showers. If windproof, over another warmer layer, if needed, you'll be quite comfortable.

"Long underwear" is a nice extra layer, though Cuddlduds are more economical and easier to care for than silk, but either double as sleepwear and can be easily rinsed out and dry overnight.

If you're doing mostly casual, a polartec jacket that fits nicely under a raincoat, and over a sweater, is terrific (especially carried onto planes/trains which tend to be chilly). A cashmere sweater is also a wonderful "layer" as it's dressy, effective warmth, but lightweight and takes up nearly no room in the suitcase.

The weather is likely to be so variable in all those places your dates that it's best to dress for the day and bring a layer or two while out and about.. You'll likely find yourself adding/removing throughout the day.

Traveling by train, you'll want to take the smallest suitcase possible and, if you have to, a reasonably sized tote (that attaches to the handle of your suitcase), along with a manageable shoulder bag - at most.

If it were me, basics would include, for maximum comfort throughout my travels, Cuddlduds, a cashmere cardigan, raincoat in the outer pocket of the suitcase, medium weight (cotton) sweater and polartec on the plane. For dressier, I'd fold in half a wool/cashmere blazer in the top of the suitcase, which would provide maximum warmth over a cashmere sweater and under a raincoat.

If the OP is indeed doing 7 countries in 10 days, she won't have much time to be outdoors at all. Most of her time will be spent in hotels, trains, planes and airports.

I got home from Dublin and Frankfurt only about two hours ago.

Ireland was rainy (of course) and quite cold. If you are not used to the damp cold, you will feel it more. Actually, I felt really cold and borrowed an all weather jacket with a polartec lining, wore gloves all the time, and bought some extra warm socks. Dublin was really cold the day I arrived last week, but had warmed up a bit by yesterday. The North West Coast was also cold and wet.

Frankfurt was in the low 30s when I arrived early this morning. It warmed up a bit, but was still cold. Everyone I was with was wearing jackets plus sweaters.

With such a short time, try to take as little as possible

I woke up this morning to Chicago at 36 degrees after 20 days of record cold. On Monday, we are supposed to hit 70 degrees again. I'd hate to see Molly in winter wear that she never dons but has crammed into her suitcase. I like djkbooks' clothing suggestions. If an artic front arrives in her destinations, let her buy something in a store in one of the 8 cities she will be in.

This topic makes me nutso based on experience. About 20 years ago I traveled to Italy with a friend around Thanksgiving. He wore a ski parka the entire time while I was in a blazer enjoying the 50 to 60 degree weather. With a daily schedule of vigorous sightseeing, within 3 days I could smell him coming with my back turned as he was sweating like a dog in that parka. Wouldn't take it off because he had no alternative jacket, no luggage space to stow it, and needed pockets for money, wallet, etc. By the end of the trip we weren't talking as I could no longer tolerate the sweat stench!

SuzChicago points out what some travellers tend to forget: You can always buy something you forgot or didn't pack. If you're forced to buy something that only works for the moment but you really don't like it, then just leave it behind when you fly home and consider it part of the cost of an enjoyable trip. (If you do leave it in your hotel room, alert the staff so that they know your intention.)

While you may be able to buy something you didn't bring along, you could spend a lot of time looking and finding nothing suitable or determine that everything is just too overpriced.

There's nothing worse than having the perfect item you need at home because you didn't bring it. If you choose the right layers, you'll be able to pack them nicely.