How To Pack For 3 Days In A Backpack

Last Updated on 13th May 2024

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Packing for a 3-day weekend trip can be pretty tricky to navigate as it depends on where you’re going, the weather conditions of your destination and your own personal style and preferences.

In preparation for full-time travel, I knew that I had to learn to pack for 3 days in a backpack for our trip to Oslo, Reykjavik and Malaga. At first, I really didn’t think I’d be able to manage it and I actually got a little stressed at the thought of just taking 1 backpack for 3 days, but it was surprisingly much easier than I thought.

If you’re a notorious over-packer and you want to know how to pack a backpack for 3 days, I’ve got you covered in my ultimate guide below that includes my top tips for packing a backpack for a weekend trip!

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P.S. Always remember to take out a good travel insurance policy before you embark on your next trip, whether it’s for 3 days or 3 months so that you know you’re covered if anything goes wrong with your trip. Many travel insurance policies cover baggage and belongings, so ensure all your possessions inside your backpack are safe and sound by taking out travel insurance before your trip!

How to pack for 3 days in a backpack – my top tips

1. Choose your backpack wisely

The first tip you need to be aware of when it comes to packing for a 3-day trip in 1 backpack, is that you need to choose your backpack wisely.

While the Kate Spade backpacks are beautiful (trust me, I’ve been lusting after them for years), they’re not really very practical. I truly believe you don’t need to compromise on style when it comes to choosing your travel accessories, but you do need to make a wise choice when it comes to your backpack.

The backpack that I’m currently using to pack for 3 days is one I got for Christmas a few years ago from Matt’s nanna and grandad. It’s the Eco Chic Floral Foldable Backpack and it’s without a doubt one of the best travel-related gifts I’ve ever received.

Choosing the right backpack is fundamental when it comes to the success of packing for a 3-day trip in 1 backpack as you need to ensure that it serves all the functions you’ll require.

Ideally, it should have a few separate compartments so that you can fully utilise on space. Furthermore, a backpack that comes with drink holders on the side (like this backpack) means that you can use those little pockets to stuff even more things into your bag.

2. Wear the same clothes on both flights

Another great tip to bear in mind when it comes to packing a backpack for a 3-day trip is to wear the same clothes on both your outbound and inbound flight. I did this on our flight to and from Malaga, and while it was bloody freezing wearing a dress at Leeds Bradford airport before we took off and landed, it meant that I had more space in my backpack for other clothes.

If you’re going somewhere cold or just travelling in the UK in the winter for a weekend break, then make sure to layer up as much as possible when you travel to save even more space in your backpack.

3. Roll, don’t fold your clothes – how to pack for 3 days in a backpack

This is an age-old packing tip that many people have varying opinions on, but in my personal experience, I’ve found it much better to roll my clothes instead of folding them.

Whichever way you pack them, they’re going to get creased when you’re shoving 3 days’ worth of clothes into a relatively small backpack, so you might as well try and save as much space as possible by rolling them.

I also love to use packing cubes when packing for any trip as I find them so helpful to organise all my belongings. I’ve been using these Leopard Print Packing Cubes for years and I also recently purchased these Geediar 9-Piece Grey Packing Cubes for us to use so that we have plenty of options.

4. Travel minis are your best friend

When attempting to pack for a 3-day weekend break into just 1 backpack, travel minis really are your new best friend.

You can get a mini version of pretty much every skincare and beauty product imaginable now; from mini shampoo and conditioner to a travel-sized mascara and eyeliner, the travel beauty industry caters for everyone’s needs.

Taking a miniature version of everything not only means you’ll save space in your backpack, but it’ll also help you to save money as you don’t have to pay the full-size prices.

5. Leave the ‘non-essentials’ behind – you can always buy them later

However, having said that, when it comes to packing a 3-day trip in 1 backpack, I always leave the ‘non-essentials’ behind.

This often includes things like shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and toothpaste. While of course, I don’t plan on being smelly and disgusting for the duration of my trip, I know that these things can easily be picked up at the airport or when I arrive at my destination.

I’ve also labelled them as ‘non-essentials’ when of course, they’re quite the opposite. However, what I mean is that these kinds of products are so easy to pick up from the airport (Boots often have 3-for-2 deals on travel minis!) or at a local convenience store when you arrive at your destination.

Save yourself some space in your backpack and only take things that you can’t really buy when you arrive. What’s more, depending on where you’re travelling to and the kind of accommodation you’ve gone for, you’ll often find that there are already these kinds of products in your hotel or apartment (like we found at our apartment in Reykjavik).

6. Bring a spare plastic or canvas bag with you

Another top tip for travelling with just a backpack on a 3-day trip is to always bring a plastic or canvas bag with you.

While obviously, a plastic bag isn’t good for the environment (though you can always make sure it’s a Bag For Life), it is essential when embarking on a weekend trip with just a small bag.

This is because your clothes are likely to smell and be dirty at the end of your trip; thus making your backpack smelly and dirty. By bringing a plastic or canvas bag with you, you can shove your dirty clothes in it and then put them inside your backpack.

Your clothes will still be dirty, but it means your backpack won’t smell when you arrive home – it’s easy to wash your clothes but it’s much harder to wash your backpack!

7. Make use of Duty-Free – how to pack for 3 days in a backpack

This is actually one of my favourite tips for packing a 3-day trip in 1 backpack as it’s such a good way of getting around strict airline baggage rules!

Essentially, if you’re going to buy something from Duty-Free anyway and you’re very limited on space in your backpack, then you can always use the bag you get from Duty-Free to put some of your personal belongings inside it.

Obviously, you can’t get a plastic bag from Duty-Free just to do this, but if you’ve made a purchase and the bag is practically going to waste, then why not make full use of it? Use the bag to carry your jacket in or for your travel documents such as your passport and boarding pass!

8. Carefully plan out your outfits in advance

This may seem likely a pretty obvious tip but it’s actually one that many people avoid using.

If you’re a pretty flexible dresser and don’t mind too much about making a fashion statement on your weekend break, then make sure you plan your outfits ahead of your trip.

For our trip to Reykjavik for example, I took 2 pairs of jeggings (that I wore across the 3 days we were there) and 1 pair of leggings that I wore to travel in there and back.

By planning your outfits before you travel and being aware of which items you can mix and match, you’ll find that you don’t actually need to bring nearly as many clothes as you originally think.

9. If possible, only bring one pair of shoes

Of course, this will depend entirely on where you’re travelling to and the weather conditions of your destination but if possible, you should try and bring only one pair of shoes.

When we went to Reykjavik and Oslo, I only took my Vango Boots as we were in cold and snowy countries; therefore, I didn’t really need any other type of shoes.

Of course, this meant that I didn’t have any ‘going out’ shoes for the evening, but it was a compromise and sacrifice that I was willing to make to have more space in my backpack.

10. Pack the heavier items at the bottom

One final tip to finish on is that you should always pack the heaviest items at the bottom of your backpack. Whether that’s an extra pair of shoes (that you decided you just couldn’t leave behind) or your makeup bag or heavy jumper; packing the heavier items at the bottom of your backpack will make your life so much easier.

Not only will it be easier and more comfortable to carry on your back, but it also means that you can get things out of your bag more easily as it’s much easier to repack the smaller items on top than it is to pack the bulkier items.

Packing for a weekend trip with just a backpack can seem like a daunting and almost impossible task at first; however, with a little determination, perseverance and compromise, you’ll soon find it easier than you thought.

Once you’ve done it a couple of times, you’ll see that it’s much more convenient and so much easier to just take a small backpack with you, as opposed to lugging a giant suitcase around with you!

Don’t forget to take out travel insurance before your trip!

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Have you ever been on a weekend trip with just a backpack? Did you find it easy? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @imjustagirl_16.