Packing List Generator
Pick the trip, the nights and the weather. You get a checklist with how many of each to bring, and the rule behind every number. Tick things off as you pack, or print it.
Your packing list
25 things to packfor 7 nights at the beach, for 2 adults. Clothes are per person.
More for this trip: the Hawaii packing essentials most travelers forget.
Packing list · 7 nights · beach · hot
Documents and money
Clothes — each adult
For the weather
Toiletries and health
Phone and tech
For the beach
Quick answer: for a week away with no laundry, pack 9 pairs of underwear and socks, 8 tops and 3 pairs of pants or shorts per person: one a day, plus a spare. With a washing machine you never need more than a week of clothes, and a carry-on holds about five days’ worth. The generator above builds the whole list for your trip, weather and family.
How to use the packing list generator
Pick the kind of trip, type the nights, and choose the weather where you are going. Add who is traveling: the clothes are counted per person, with a separate list for children, who get a spare top for spills. Say whether you will have laundry and whether you are packing a carry-on only; both change the counts. Tap the plans that need their own clothes, like swimming or a dressy dinner.
Tick items off as you pack: this browser remembers your ticks for that trip. Print the list gives you just the checklist on paper, Copy as text pastes it into a note or a message, and Copy link sends someone the same list.
How the counts work
Every count comes from one rule, printed next to the item so you can overrule it:
- Days: nights + 1, because you wear clothes on the day you leave and the day you come back.
- Underwear and socks: one per day, plus one spare.
- Tops: one per day. Pants, shorts or skirts: one per three days, since they can be worn again.
- Sleepwear: one set per four nights. Swimsuits: two when you swim on a trip of three nights or more, so one can dry.
- Laundry: with a washing machine you pack for at most seven days and wash once a week.
- Carry-on only: you pack for at most five days, because that is about what a carry-on holds, and wash as you go.
- Liquids in a carry-on: the TSA 3-1-1 rule, containers of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, all in one quart-size bag (tsa.gov). This is the only rule in the list that an authority sets; the rest is a checklist.
Clothes for one adult, by trip length
Underwear · tops · pants · sleepwear, for a city trip in mild weather. The socks match the underwear.
| Nights | No laundry | With laundry | Carry-on only |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 · 3 · 1 · 1 | 4 · 3 · 1 · 1 | 4 · 3 · 1 · 1 |
| 3 | 5 · 4 · 2 · 1 | 5 · 4 · 2 · 1 | 5 · 4 · 2 · 1 |
| 5 | 7 · 6 · 2 · 2 | 7 · 6 · 2 · 2 | 6 · 5 · 2 · 1 |
| 7 | 9 · 8 · 3 · 2 | 8 · 7 · 3 · 2 | 6 · 5 · 2 · 1 |
| 10 | 12 · 11 · 4 · 3 | 8 · 7 · 3 · 2 | 6 · 5 · 2 · 1 |
| 14 | 16 · 15 · 5 · 4 | 8 · 7 · 3 · 2 | 6 · 5 · 2 · 1 |
Past a week, the counts stop growing once you can wash. A carry-on-only packer brings the same five days of clothes for a weekend and for a month.
Worked examples
A family week at the beach
Two adults and two children, 7 nights, hot, swimming: 35 things on the list. Each adult packs 9 pairs of underwear, 8 tops, 3 pairs of shorts and 2 swimsuits; each child gets 9 tops instead of 8, for spills. Sunscreen, a sun hat and after-sun lotion come from the weather and the trip, and the kids get snacks and something to do on the journey.
Ten days in Europe with a carry-on
One adult, 10 nights, a city trip abroad, carry-on only: the clothes stop at five days’ worth (6 pairs of underwear, 5 tops, 2 pants) and the list says you will wash on the trip. Leaving the country adds the passport, a copy of it, a plug adapter and a phone plan, and the shampoo moves into 3.4 oz bottles in one quart bag.
Five nights skiing
Two adults, cold: the ski gear (jacket, pants, waterproof gloves, goggles, a helmet you can rent instead) is added once, and each skier packs 4 pairs of ski socks on top of everyday socks.
Common mistakes
- Packing an outfit per day, bottoms included. Pants and shorts get worn two or three times. That alone saves a third of a suitcase.
- Forgetting the travel days. Five nights is six days of clothes.
- Packing medicine in a checked bag. Keep prescriptions in your carry-on, in case your bag is delayed.
- Full-size liquids in a carry-on. Anything over 3.4 oz goes in a checked bag or gets left at security.
- Not checking the bag size. Your list only works if the bag passes the gate: check it with the airline bag size checker.
Packing lists for specific trips
For the detail a generator cannot give: the carry-on packing list smart travelers swear by, what you actually need in Japan, the complete Alaska cruise packing list, the camping must-haves and the ski packing checklist.
FAQ
What should be on a packing list?
Documents and money, clothes counted by the days you are away, clothes for the weather, toiletries and medicines, your phone and chargers, and the gear your trip needs, such as a tent for camping or goggles for skiing. The generator above builds it for your trip.
How many outfits should I pack for 7 days?
Without laundry: 8 tops, 3 pants or shorts, and 9 pairs of underwear and socks. A week away is 8 days of clothes, because you wear clothes on both travel days, plus one spare pair of underwear and socks.
What should I pack for a cruise?
Everyday clothes counted by days, two swimsuits, a dressy outfit (two for a week or more) for the formal nights, a day bag for port days, a motion-sickness remedy and your boarding documents. Pick Cruise in the generator for the full list.
What are the camping essentials?
A tent, a sleeping bag and pad, a headlamp, a stove and fuel, cookware, water with a filter or tablets, a first-aid kit, insect repellent, a knife and trash bags to pack everything out. Pick Camping above to add the clothes and the weather.
What do I need for an international trip?
A passport that is valid long enough for your destination, a copy of it kept apart from it, any visa or entry authorization the country requires, some local cash, a plug adapter and an international phone plan or eSIM. Check the entry rules on the official government page before you go.
How do I pack for a week in a carry-on?
Pack five days of clothes and wash once: 6 pairs of underwear and socks, 5 tops and 2 pants or skirts. Put liquids of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less in one quart-size bag, and wear your bulkiest shoes and jacket on the plane.
Can I print the packing list?
Yes. Print the list prints only the checklist, in two columns, with a box to tick for every item. You can also copy it as text or send the link.