Free packing list template
A packing list that's actually organised — documents, clothing, toiletries, electronics, day bag and trip-specific extras, each in its own section so you can pack one pile at a time. Copy it straight off this page, or download it as a PDF or an Excel spreadsheet that opens in Google Sheets. No email required, no account, no watermark. Below it you'll find the same list filled in for a twelve-day cool-weather trip through Europe, so you can see what a complete one looks like before you write your own.
- Free forever
- No email required
- Carry-on or checked
- Print-friendly
What's in the template
Six sections, in the order most people actually pack. The three decisions at the top — weather, bag, and whether you'll do laundry — are what stop the list turning into everything you own.
- Trip header
Dates, bag type, expected weather, and whether you'll do laundry mid-trip.
- Documents & money
Passport, insurance, cards, cash, and tickets saved offline.
- Clothing with quantities
Counts, not just names — the line that keeps the bag closable.
- Toiletries & health
Daily basics plus medication in original packaging.
- Electronics
Chargers, the right plug adapter for each country, power bank rules.
- Day bag & extras
What you carry each day, plus anything only this trip needs.
- Do not pack
Things banned in a carry-on, or cheaper to buy when you land.
- Last things in the bag
The short morning-of list for whatever was still charging.
The template, filled in: 12 days in Europe in late autumn
A realistic example list — 44 items across six categories, built for a twelve-day Cologne–Zürich–Rome trip in cold, wet weather with one load of laundry along the way. It's an illustration of a finished list, not a record of anyone's actual bag. Ticked items are the ones that would already be packed; the rest are still open. Use the shape of it and swap in what your own trip needs.
- Trip length
- 12 days
- Travelers
- 2
- Weather
- 4–10°C, rain
- Laundry mid-trip
- Yes, once
- Passports (valid 6+ months past return)
- Driver's license / photo ID
- Printed copy of the itinerary
- Travel insurance policy number
- Two credit cards, stored separately
- Small amount of euros and Swiss francs in cash
- Rail tickets and boarding passes saved offline
- Vaccination or health records, if required
- Warm waterproof coat
- 2 sweaters or fleece layers
- 4 long-sleeve tops
- 2 pairs of trousers / jeans
- 1 outfit for a nicer dinner
- Thermal base layer
- 12 pairs of underwear and socks (wool)
- Pajamas
- Scarf, gloves, warm hat
- Broken-in waterproof walking shoes
- Second pair of shoes for evenings
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
- Deodorant
- Shampoo and body wash (travel size)
- Razor and shaving cream
- Prescription medication in original packaging
- Pain reliever, antihistamine, stomach remedy
- Blister plasters
- Lip balm and hand cream (dry winter air)
- Contact lenses, solution, spare glasses
- Phone and charging cable
- Type C / Type J plug adapters (EU + Switzerland)
- Power bank (carry-on only)
- Headphones
- Camera, spare battery, memory card
- Laptop or tablet, if working on the road
- Small crossbody bag or daypack
- Refillable water bottle
- Compact umbrella
- Reusable shopping tote for markets
- Snacks for long train legs
- Anniversary card and small gift
- Modest layer for church and cathedral visits
- Laundry bag and travel detergent sheets
- Packing cubes, one per city
- Empty space for things bought at the markets
Blank list you can copy
Same six sections with the common items pre-listed and everything else left open. Copy it to your clipboard and paste it into Notes, Google Docs, Word, or wherever you keep lists.
PACKING LIST TEMPLATE TRIP: ____________________ DATES: ____ / ____ – ____ / ____ TRAVELER: ____________________ BAG: carry-on / checked / both WEATHER EXPECTED: ____________________ LAUNDRY MID-TRIP? yes / no (if yes, pack ~5 days of clothing, not 12) -------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENTS & MONEY [ ] Passport / ID [ ] Copy of itinerary [ ] Travel insurance details [ ] Cards + some local cash [ ] Tickets saved offline [ ] CLOTHING [ ] Outer layer / coat [ ] Sweaters or mid-layers qty: ____ [ ] Tops qty: ____ [ ] Trousers / skirts qty: ____ [ ] Underwear qty: ____ [ ] Socks qty: ____ [ ] Sleepwear [ ] Walking shoes [ ] TOILETRIES & HEALTH [ ] Toothbrush / toothpaste [ ] Deodorant [ ] Shampoo / body wash [ ] Prescription medication [ ] Basic first aid (pain reliever, plasters) [ ] Glasses / contacts [ ] ELECTRONICS [ ] Phone + cable [ ] Plug adapter (type: ______) [ ] Power bank [ ] Headphones [ ] Camera [ ] DAY BAG [ ] Daypack or crossbody bag [ ] Water bottle [ ] Umbrella / rain layer [ ] Snacks [ ] TRIP-SPECIFIC EXTRAS [ ] [ ] [ ] -------------------------------------------------- DO NOT PACK (buy there / not allowed in carry-on) - - LAST THINGS IN THE BAG (morning of) - Phone charger - Toothbrush -
Download it as PDF or Excel
Both files come out of the same export Golarko uses for real trips, so the packing list you download matches the one on this page — categories included, with a checkbox against every item. Take the PDF if you want to print it and tick things off by hand; take the spreadsheet if you'd rather add and reorder items yourself. It's a standard .xlsx, so it opens in Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets (File → Import). Both are free, with no email step.
How to use it
- Answer the three header questions first. Weather, bag, and laundry. They decide how much clothing goes on the list, and they're the only reason a twelve-day trip can fit in a carry-on.
- Fill in documents before anything else. It's the only section where forgetting something ends the trip rather than inconveniences it. Check passport expiry the day you start the list, not the week you fly.
- Put quantities on clothing. "Socks" is not a packing list. "Socks — 6" is. Counts are what make the bag close.
- Add trip-specific extras last. Anything only this trip needs: a modest layer for churches, hiking boots, a gift, a laptop. This is the section that changes every time.
- Tick as you pack, not as you plan. Leave the list open next to the bag. The unticked items on the morning of are exactly your last-things-in list.
Frequently asked questions
Is this packing list template free?
Yes. Read it, copy it, and download the PDF or spreadsheet without an account, an email address, or a payment. No watermark, no limit.
What categories does it cover?
Documents and money, clothing, toiletries and health, electronics, day bag, and trip-specific extras. Categories keep the list scannable so you can pack one section at a time instead of reading one long column.
How many clothes should I actually pack?
Pack for the length of time between laundry, not the length of the trip. On a twelve-day trip with one wash mid-way, five or six days of clothing is usually enough — the blank template has a laundry line at the top to force that decision early.
Can I use it for carry-on only?
Yes. The blank version has a bag line at the top and a 'do not pack' section for things that can't go in a carry-on or are cheaper to buy at the destination.
Do I need an account?
No. An account is only useful if you want Golarko to keep the list attached to a real trip, tick items off across devices, and include it in your itinerary export.
More free templates
Same idea, different part of the trip. All free, all copyable, no email step.
Day-by-day plan with flights, hotels and activities, plus a filled-in 12-day example.
Costs by category with per-person totals, and a place to park quotes you haven't booked.
A real Cologne–Zürich–Rome itinerary, day by day, with timings and what it all cost.
Let Golarko keep the list for you
A paper list works right up until you're packing on your phone in another room. In Golarko the packing list lives on the trip itself: add items from any device, tick them off as you go, and they come out in the same PDF and spreadsheet as your itinerary. Free forever, with optional paid upgrades if you want AI drafting.
You'll get an empty list to fill in yourself — none of the example items above are copied across.
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