Holiday packing list: what one adult needs for 7 nights

For a week's holiday of seven nights, one adult needs five tops, six pairs of underwear, five pairs of socks, two pairs of long trousers and two pairs of shoes, as long as you do one wash mid-week. Some of that you wear on the journey, so it doesn't go in the case as well. Without any way to wash, the numbers rise mainly for underwear, socks and tops; almost everything else stays the same.

The quantities below are my editorial assumptions for an ordinary summer or city holiday, not a rule. I'll show you how they add up, so you can adjust them to your own trip in two minutes instead of packing half your wardrobe "just in case".

The assumptions behind these numbers#

A ski trip, a hiking tour, business meetings or cold weather change the numbers a lot. A holiday with children deserves its own calculation, because spare clothes and shared kit are divided up differently.

Clothes for 7 nights: total, worn, packed#

The smarter evening outfit is extra to the five daytime tops.

Where the five tops come from: days 1 to 5 need five different ones. On the evening of day 4 you wash the tops from days 1 to 4. They are dry again from day 6 and cover days 6, 7 and the day you travel home. Socks follow the same logic. For underwear I've added one spare in case the washing takes longer to dry. I deliberately allow two nights for drying; if your washing dries overnight, you can manage with less.

Wear the heavy things: long trousers, walking shoes, warm layer. They are exactly what would otherwise fill the case, and you'll be glad of them on an air-conditioned train or plane. Make sure every top goes with both pairs of trousers. Five tops then give you more combinations than a week needs.

Add sunglasses, a sun hat or cap, a reusable water bottle and, if you wear them, bras as needed.

No washing machine? These numbers change#

There is a middle way: wash underwear and socks in the basin with a small travel detergent. Whether they dry overnight depends on the fabric and the room, so I'd allow two nights.

Toiletries, tech and documents#

Wash bag

• 1 toothbrush and 1 small tube of toothpaste
• 1 deodorant
• Travel-size shower gel and shampoo, if the accommodation doesn't provide them
• 1 bottle of sun cream; buy more locally if you need it
• Razor, hairbrush and hair ties as needed
• Contact lenses and spare glasses, if you wear them
• Plasters and blister plasters

Medicines: anything you take regularly comes along for the whole trip plus a few days' buffer, in its original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.

Tech

• Phone and 1 charging cable
• 1 charger, ideally with two ports
• 1 power bank
• Headphones
• 1 plug adapter, only if your destination uses different sockets

Documents and money

• Passport or national ID card, whichever your trip requires
• Health insurance card and travel insurance details
• Booking confirmations, also saved offline on your phone
• Driving licence, if you're hiring a car
• 1 payment card in your wallet, 1 backup card kept somewhere else, a little cash

What belongs in your hand luggage#

My recommendation: anything you couldn't replace on the first evening stays with you: documents, payment cards, medicines, glasses, phone and cable, plus one change of underwear, socks and a top. If your suitcase arrives a day late, it's annoying rather than a crisis.

Power banks and spare batteries, on the other hand, are covered by an actual carriage rule: cabin only, protected against short circuits, never in checked luggage. Capacity limits and using them on board are covered in the guide to power bank rules on flights.

Travelling as two: shared items only once#

If a second adult comes along, the clothes double but the wash bag doesn't. One of each is enough for both of you: 1 toothpaste, 1 sun cream, 1 multi-port charger, 1 plug adapter, 1 laundry bag, 1 detergent and 1 small first-aid pouch. Clothes, toothbrushes, medicines and documents stay personal.

Put one change of the other person's clothes in each case. If one bag is delayed, everyone still has something fresh for the next day.

Just before you close the case#

Lay everything out on the bed once and count it against the table. Anything doubled up comes out. Then check three things: does every top go with both pairs of trousers? Are documents, medicines and cables within reach in your hand luggage? Is there still about a hand's width of space for the way home?

With an unlocked trip, go to Lists → Packing in Compi and tap "Add basic packing list". There you can adjust the items to your quantities and tick them off as you pack. If you'd like the numbers worked out for a different trip, the guide to making a packing list with ChatGPT gives you a ready-made prompt. Open Compi