Winter Travel Packing List: What to Pack for a Cold Weather Trip.

The winter travel season is in full force, so whether you’re hitting the slopes, wandering through a winter wonderland, exploring cute Christmas markets, or walking through beautiful Hallmark movie-inspired towns, you’ll need to pack your suitcase accordingly for your cold-weather trip in order to stay warm.

Having trouble figuring out what to pack for a winter trip? Packing for a winter vacation can be tough, but it’s not impossible. Cold weather items are bulkier and can take up a lot of space, but proper planning can help you get the most out of your suitcase, without sacrificing warmth. This packing guide features stylish cold weather essentials and tips to help you pack smarter for winter travel!

What to pack for your winter trip

Here’s a packing list to help you decide what to pack for your winter vacation.

Winter travel packing list:

• Heavy coat

• Down jacket

• Sweaters

• Long sleeve tops

• Fleece-lined leggings

• Denim jeans

• Beanies, scarves, gloves, & socks

• Winter boots

Use this packing list as a rough guide on what to pack for your winter trip. You can add and subtract from each category based on weather, how many days you will be traveling, and to accommodate for the size of your suitcase.

Tips on how to pack for a winter trip

I’ve had my share of hits and misses when it came to packing for my previous winter trips. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of packing for your winter vacation…

• Check the weather before you go! Not all winter destinations are created equal, so it’s important to know the temperatures of your location before you go. Some places may have a mild winter, while others could be below freezing, so make sure to check the weather forecast before you go!

• Plan your outfits in advance. In order to prevent overpacking, or even worse, under-packing for your winter trip, plan all of your outfits ahead of time! Create an outfit for each activity or event, and challenge yourself to find creative ways to rewear certain pieces.

• Keep it neutral. Creating vacation outfits can get a bit complicated if you have a colorful wardrobe. The best way to avoid bringing too many outfits is to pack neutral colors. This way it’s easy to mix and match anything you bring with you on your trip!

• Choose the right material. When it comes to winter attire, keeping yourself both warm and dry is key! The best way to ensure that is to wear materials that not only trap heat, but resist moisture as well. Keywords and materials to look for when packing for a winter trip: waterproof, moisture-wicking, thermal, fleece-lined, down-filled, and merino wool.

• Roll, tuck, or vacuum seal your clothes. There are tons of ways to maximize space in you suitcase, and if you’re packing for a winter vacation, you’re going to need as much room as possible! Try tightly rolling some of your items and stacking them together, or even tucking them into other items in your suitcase, such as shoes. For bulkier items, use a travel-friendly space saver bag, or compression packing cubes to easily compress your items as thinly as possible.

• Wear it on the plane. The downside of packing for a winter vacation, is that winter clothing tends to be bulkier, which means your suitcase can fill up fast. If you fear running out of space in your suitcase, opt for wearing some of your layering items during your flight. Most airlines keep the air cool in the cabin so you’ll be nice and warm. If you feel hot you can always remove them and use them as cushions to make your seat more comfortable during your flight. Another tip, wear your bulkiest jacket on the flight, you can use it as a seat cushion, or even a pillow!