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When I finally (or really, suddenly) decided to go to Italy for the summer to be an au pair for the first time, it was January. I bought a one-way ticket and said that I would figure out the rest later. I couldn’t think past the current day. I still hadn’t processed that I had committed to a solo journey to work with a family I hadn’t met in person in a country whose language I didn’t know. And I still had two classes to teach which meant 46 ten-year-olds who needed all of my attention. My mind could only handle so much. Besides, I still had plenty of time before June came, right?

But then I woke up one day, and it was May. I hadn’t thought about packing, and I still needed to figure out when I would come back home. I had time to enjoy traveling post au pairing, but real life, the new school year, was going to come eventually. Before long, I figured out my post au pairing travel schedule and decided to come back to the states from Madrid. Read about the fiasco that turned into here.

So it was on to packing! What do I pack for two months in a foreign country? Should I go with a backpacking style backpack or a regular wheeled suitcase? If I go with a backpacking style backpack, does it have one of those smaller backpacks in it that I can detach and use for a day on the town? If not, how do you carry two backpacks on your back? It’s summer. Do I even bother packing jeans? They are so heavy. But what if it’s chilly at night? Marilyn, do you remember that time you went to Paris in March with only a hoodie and you had to shop for an “affordable” jacket in high fashion Paris? Do we need a repeat of that?

If there was a silly question about packing, I had it. The task felt daunting. But after many talks with the previous au pair and making real conclusions about my personality (you hate heels, you’re not going to wear them, so let it go and leave them at home), I finally came up with my summer packing list- and all in one suitcase! And a carry on backpack.

Clothing

• 7 light tops
• 7-10 undies
• 3 regular bras, 1 sports bra
• 3 shorts
• 4 dresses- I like versatile ones like these. They can be casual and dressed up.
• 2 swimsuits
• 2 cover-ups
• Jeans- I took two pairs. I should have taken one.
• Sleepwear
• 5 pairs of socks- regular and footsie for slip-on shoes
• 1-2 open front long sleeve cardigans
• Tie belt

Shoes

• Flip Flops
• 2 pairs of sandals
• Walking shoes like Toms, Sperry’s or other slip ons
• Tennis shoes

Health and Beauty

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Leave in conditioner- A must for me. My hair is a poof ball.
• Makeup and makeup remover
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap (The kind you like might not be there, or if you don’t care, buy it there).
• Razor, nail clipper, tweezers
• Mini first aid kit- bandages, pain relievers, multivitamins, motion sickness aids, etc

Electronics

• Cell phone with European sim cards*
• Selfie stick- no shame in my game
• iPad (or small laptop)- The latest iPad is actually really affordable! I got mine in gold!
• Headphones
• All the chargers you need and a portable charger
• Camera- unless your phone has a good one

Other, but necessary

• Packing cubes! Keep your stuff organized. A friend told me about these and I can’t believe I never had them before. Game changer.
• Adapters- I use this universal adapter, and I can charge something and blow dry my hair at the same time.
• Reusable water bottle
• Book(s)- or download them onto your iPad Kindle app before going
• Crossbody bag
• Sunglasses
• Journal and pens
• Sleeping eye mask

Some notes:

* I priced how much it would be for two months of international cell service with my current cellular provider. It was ridiculous. So I bought two European SIM cards (one for each month) and put that in my phone. The ones linked worked in multiple countries! I had a different phone number, but I still had all my contacts and apps. I shared my number with friends and family, but mostly communicated through Instagram and Facebook messaging.

I’m a pretty low maintenance girl. This list shows what I took, and it proved to be all I needed. By all means, if you need the extra cute outfits, multiple pairs of shoes, or your additional beauty products, go for it. But remember, you’re going to be carrying that stuff around. On cobbled roads. With scarce elevators.

I did laundry about once a week. And I lived on the beach for most of the time, so that affected some of my choices.

I didn’t mention travel documents or money because, duh. Bring those.

Packing List Cheat Sheet