This free vacation packing checklist helps you organize travel documents, luggage, clothing, toiletries, chargers, health items, snacks, and comfort essentials before your trip.
The useful question is not what to pack, it is what you cannot replace at the other end. Nearly everything on a packing list is buyable within a mile of most hotels. A handful of things are not: prescriptions, documents, and the chargers for your specific devices. That short list is what actually changes a trip when it is missing, and it is the one most often left on the kitchen counter.
The packing comes down to a couple of habits. Pack by day rather than by category, counting the outfits you need and adding one. Split the essentials across bags, so a delayed suitcase costs you clothes rather than your medication. Medications travel in their original labeled containers, in the bag that stays with you, with a written list of doses that matters if you end up at an unfamiliar pharmacy.
Then leave room. Almost nobody comes home with less than they left with, and a full suitcase on the way out becomes a problem on the way back.
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Documents & Travel Plans
Copies live separately from originals. A photographed passport and a saved confirmation are what turn a lost wallet into an inconvenience instead of a crisis.
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Passport / ID
Bring
Boarding Pass / Travel Tickets
Bring
Hotel or Rental Confirmation
Bring
Travel Insurance Info
Bring
Emergency Contact List
Bring
Credit Card and Cash
Bring
Copies of Important Documents
Photograph passports, cards, and confirmations, and store a copy somewhere other than the phone you might lose.
1Lay everything out the night before and put a third of it back. Almost nobody comes home from a trip wishing they had packed more clothes.
2Wear your bulkiest shoes and jacket on the plane instead of packing them; they cost the most space and the most weight on a scale.
3Put one full change of clothes in your carry-on, not just valuables. A delayed bag is an annoyance; a delayed bag with nothing clean to wear is a lost first day.
4Photograph the packed, open suitcase before you close it. It doubles as a checklist for the trip home and as proof of contents if the bag goes missing.
Common questions
How many outfits should I pack for a week-long trip?
Plan for the number of days plus one, built from a small set of pieces that mix, rather than a distinct outfit per day. Most destinations have laundry available, and a week of interchangeable basics fits in a carry-on where a week of separate outfits does not.
What should never go in a checked bag?
Medications, documents, valuables, and anything electronic you cannot afford to lose. Spare lithium batteries and power banks are specifically not allowed in checked luggage and have to travel in the cabin. Assume any checked bag might arrive a day late and pack the carry-on accordingly.
How do I pack liquids for a flight?
Carry-on liquids follow the 3-1-1 rule: containers of 3.4 ounces or less, together in one quart-sized clear bag, one bag per traveler. Larger bottles go in checked luggage. Rules on specific items do change, so check TSA's current What Can I Bring? guidance before you fly.