Packing List for a Year Abroad : The Ultimate Au Pair Packing List

Wondering where to even start packing for your upcoming trip? Maybe you have decided to be an au pair, the move is coming up and now you actually have to start packing. Having never had to pack for a trip longer than two weeks, let alone a year long adventure, I was in the same place. Good news is I did it and you can do it too.

Here is my guide on how to pack for a year long trip. Although this is tailored to an au pair’s packing list, this guide can apply to anyone packing for a longer trip or a move abroad. 

Looking for information on how to become an au pair? Check out my beginners guide to becoming an au pair!

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How and What to Pack:

I first started with going through my closet and laying out all of my favorite items and everything I thought I wanted to bring. I dug out 1 large suitcase, 1 medium sized suitcase, 1 carry on, and 1 backpack. After some careful consideration, I was able to get completely rid of the medium sized luggage and condense everything into 1 large suitcase, 1 carry on, and 1 backpack. Now, having completed my adventure and knowing everything I know now, I could have condensed even more!

As an au pair, you will have a home base at your host family’s place. Having a home base is great because you get to unpack and leave your things there for the entire length of your contract. This means you can bring your large suitcase because you just have to check it for your initial flight in and your final flight home. When you take weekend trips, you just need to pack up your small carry-on bag or backpack. 

If you were just leaving to go on an extended backpacking trip, this list would be different as you wouldn’t have a home base. If you don’t have a home base, I highly suggest NOT bringing a large suitcase and you would have to tow it with you everywhere you go (and pay to check it on any flights). I would try to fit everything in a carry on and backpack. TIP: Use packing cubes to keep organized and fit more items! Check out my more detailed post on my organization bags when traveling and packing tips.

This is what I packed for a year in Germany. Depending on your country, this list will change. A winter in Germany is different than a winter in Spain. Do your own research on the climate of your region and what the typical seasons are. Luckily most places are highly connected and anything you may have forgotten or need can be purchased there. For example, my friend is from Louisiana and didn’t even own a winter coat to bring. Around November, she just bought one and it lasted her the rest of the year. 

One thing to be mindful of is your budget. Au pairs make very little per month, so keep in mind what you intend to purchase over there and budget accordingly. A winter coat can cost 50-100€ or even more depending on the quality. A pair of mittens could be 5-10€. Keep this in mind while packing. What is worth it to save space and spend the money there if needed, but what is worth it to save money and find room now.

The Luggage:

• 1 Large Bag
• 1 Carry On 
• 1 Backpack
• 1 Tote Bag
• 1 Purse (your everyday one)
• Packing Cubes

Headphones – You can’t go wrong with AirPods, they work for everyday use and with the noise canceling, are great for airplanes and travel as well. If they are not in the budget, I still highly recommend any pair with noise canceling features. They make journeys on loud airplanes, buses, or trains so much more peaceful. Note – With any type of headphones, noise cancellation or not: Always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are a woman.

Kindle – Even if you are a *physical book* kind of person, when traveling, a Kindle or E-Reader is really the only way to go. I cannot recommend a Kindle enough. You simply cannot buy and lug around a physical book everywhere. What if you were heading on a weekend trip and are about to finish a book? You then have to bring that book and another book for when you finish the first one. You simply cannot take up valuable space with multiple books. 

TIP- If you are worried about having to purchase kindle books, use an app that connects to a library card! I have the Libby app, which connects to my home library card and you can download the books for free just like you would check one out from the library.

Adapters – If you have an adapter already, pack it! I bought a basic European one and a generic UK one as well. If you don’t have one beforehand, I would recommend just waiting until you land there and picking one up at the store. I brought mine, but also bought one there and the one I got there was great. 

One thing to keep in mind is the different voltages some electronics have. The outlets are different and there are some US based products that could blow out a fuse (straighteners, hair dryers…) You might want to buy a converter that converts voltage as well or just look to buy those products abroad.

Portable Charger – While I didn’t use this everyday or even every trip, just knowing I had it always brought peace of mind. While riding trains to and from places, I used my phone for music, podcasts, and directions all the time. Especially if using your phone for directions, it is very important that your phone doesn’t die. While again, it can take up space, knowing I had it just in case made it worth bringing it along in my tote bag. 

Camera – Phones these days take great photos and all of the photos I took on my phone came out great and still look good to this day. If you like taking photos, have a blog, or want to have anything more than phone photos, I recommend bringing a camera.  I have a GoPro and love how small and easy it is. It fits in my purse or tote bag easily and I can take it out and get some quick photos and videos at great quality, then put it away.

Laptop – Don’t forget your laptop! Planning trips, booking flights, hostels, and other activities is so much easier on my laptop. Additionally, as I didn’t want to hang out in the TV room by myself at night in my host family’s home, I used it to watch movies and TV shows in my room at night. 

TIP- Something you might want to consider is getting a VPN. A VPN can change the location your computer thinks you are in, giving you more different security and options. Sometimes the price of flights can change, or the options of tv shows on Netflix. While I haven’t personally used a VPN, I know others who have and have good things to say, but as always, do your own research!

Clothing:

While you can modify this list to fit your needs, below is a list of the clothing items I brought. Keep in mind, LESS IS MORE and you can always buy things there!

I thought I would get tired of wearing the same things, but having less options made getting dressed simpler. I also bought so many new items I could swap tops and bottoms for multiple outfits. Depending on how often you want to do laundry would be the answer to how many pairs of socks and underwear you want to bring. I brought enough for 2 weeks, but if you want to do laundry more often, you could bring less. My longest trip lasted 10 days so I  wanted to make sure I had enough for those “longer than just the weekend” trips and wouldn’t have to do laundry on my vacations.

Having trouble narrowing it down? Here’s my how I decide what to pack!

Additionally, Europeans don’t really wear workout gear unless you are actually working out so I brought 1 pair of workout shorts (that I could also use to wear to bed) and 1 pair of running leggings. Surprisingly this was enough. If you do plan to actively workout often, you could bring more. 

For toiletries, remember you can buy products there. I brought my everyday things I use, but I bought shampoo, conditioner, and body wash there. When I ran out of what I brought, I just bought different products there. There are many brands that are in the US that you can get at the drug stores in Europe. If this is a product you can only get in the US, then sure maybe bring an extra bottle, but besides that, I wouldn’t sweat most things.

Optional: Mittens, Hat, Scarf – Optional because if you are low on space, just wait until the winter and buy the items there. I brought my own mittens and hat, but bought a scarf or two in Germany. As I walked and rode my bike to and from the train stop to my house, in the winter, a hat, scarf, and mittens were necessary for me. There were so many cute scarf options, I was glad I planned to just get one there.

Misc. Items:

CC with No Foreign Transaction Fees – I am not a financial advisor and cannot legally advise, but having a credit card for emergencies and for no transaction fee payments will save you so much money! While I used cash and a German bank card occasionally, there were so many purchases, especially online for accommodations and flights that I needed to put on my American card. 

Copy of Important Documents: Passport, US insurance, etc… – It is always smart to have a couple copies of important documents. I had a sheet with my Oregon Drivers License and US Passport copied on to it and made 3 copies.  I kept 1 copy at my host family’s place all the time and had another copy to bring with me on all my different trips, and just one extra. Once I got my German Visa, I took a photo copy of that as well and kept that with me as well. I also had pictures on my phone and in my email account too if needed. Always better to be safe than sorry.

Gift from Home – While not a must pack, I brought something from Portland specifically as a gift for my new host family. I brought the parents some Portland coasters and the kids a book about a dog getting lost in Portland. It’s just a nice touch of bringing something to share from your home. Again, it’s not necessary, it can be a nice little gift to present in the first week of getting to know your family. Something simple like the candle below or maybe a book about your city/state.

Seasonings – Vanilla extract, cumin, ranch dressing. While not strictly necessary, if I have the room, there are a couple of things I would bring from the US that are harder to find in countries in Europe. Obviously this list will change based on your preference and if you like to cook. There are some really great seasoning and options in Europe, but there are some things from the US that just aren’t quite the same overseas. Vanilla extract is hard to find, and can be very expensive if you do find it or just an imitation extract and not true vanilla.

Forget about finding good Mexican food in Munich or in Europe in general. In more international cities you can find better options, but if you like to cook a lot, I’d recommend bringing your own cumin seasoning and favorite hot sauce bottle. Spice in general is done differently. Finally, I love ranch and would gladly pack a bottle of two safely in my bag, just to have on hand. 🙂

What I Purchased in Germany:

A USB European outlet charging block– Because these outlets are their normal, it was super easy to find just a charging block I could plug my cords into. I got one that had 2 different USB ports and was perfect for weekend trips to charge my phone and the same time as my headphones or Kindle. 

Clothes – Wonder why the clothes packing list seems like not a lot? If you are anything like me, you will want to buy all the clothes there… and you will. Being surrounded by European fashion, I wanted to jump right in with all the trends. Although it wasn’t too much different from the US, things just felt cooler there. I purchased multiple tees, a blazer, a long peacoat, a pair of shorts, two pairs of jeans, and so on. H&M just hits different in Europe. Not only will the stores be different in your base city, anytime you travel, there will be a whole other set of cool stores to look at. When I was there, there wasn’t a Pull and Bear or Stradivarius in Munich. I was also excited to check those two stores out in any other city that had them.

Winter Boots- I didn’t have any to begin with and didn’t know if I would need them. I ended up buying a pair from a department store for about 40€. They weren’t the best pair, but they looked fine enough to wear with everyday clothes and helped me walk to and from the train stops during the winter. If you already have a good pair of winter or snow boots and want to bring them, do it! If you don’t, don’t sweat it and just see how the weather goes while you are there. As it usually snows in Munich, there were so many options ranging in quality and price. It was easy to find a pair that worked well enough without having to spend a lot. 

Shoes- Just like clothing, I loved buying shoes abroad as well. Sometimes, like the winter boots, it was practical. (or the time I only brought one pair for a 4 day trip and my feet were killing me after day 1, so I bought a pair of sandals). Sometimes they are just for fun and fashion. I bought a pair of sneakers, loafers, heeled booties, and a pair of sandals. Although I brought one pair of booties, they were more casual, so I bought a pair of more formal heeled booties from H&M. I’m glad I didn’t use the space for a second pair of boots in my bag and just bought that pair there. I wasn’t sure what dressing up or going out would entail, but glad I had the one pair to grab when needed. 

Accessories (sunglasses, jewelry, hair scarves, etc) – If you have some favorite items from home, bring them! They usually don’t take up much space anyways. But if not, don’t sweat it. I always love buying small things like necklaces and bracelets while traveling and visiting other countries so I knew I didn’t have to pack a lot of options. Trends change also, so small things like these are easy to pick up if you like something and not something you need to pack and never use. 

Tote Bag – Having a tote bag is huge when traveling and living in Germany or in Europe in general. Using the train everyday, I want my headphones, my kindle or book, a water bottle, and my purse. Carrying a tote bag means you can just fit everything in there and not have to worry about it. Additionally, stores don’t give out plastic bags, so if you ever pick up something out and about, you have a place to put it. If you like your purse and don’t want to carry a tote bag at all times, I recommend having one you can fold up and carry in your purse and then you have it if you need it. I like having my travel tote bag, and then one for more everyday use, like this tote.

Dirndl / Traditional Clothing – This will vary by country, region, or city, but I was so excited to wear a dirndl in Munich, the traditional Bavarian outfit women wear. I bought one in my 2nd month there just before Oktoberfest and then in my last month, my host family gifted me one as well. You might be so excited to partake in the new traditions in your new area, but wait until you get there to purchase anything. They will always have more and better options than anything you could find online in the US. 

Is it Worth it to Bring Sentimental Items?

In my opinion, no. Unless there is really something you want to have with you, it isn’t worth taking up space. If you have any photos you want to bring, you could just print out a couple and put them in easily in your bag, or you could just wait and print some out when you get settled into your new home. 

At the end of the day, wherever you are going will have plenty of options and anything you forgot or that you could need. Most of the time I thought why did I bring this, I didn’t wear or need it at all, versus being upset I forgot or didn’t bring something. Remember less is more and the less you bring, the less you have to carry, pack and unpack. This is just a beginners list of things I brought, but you might have other thoughts and that’s okay! Trust yourself and enjoy the new adventure that awaits you.

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Have any more tips or ideas of your own? Let me know in the comments below!

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